Dominik Szoboszlai free-kick caps nice efficiency in Trent Alexander-Arnold function as Arsenal stumble – PL hits and misses

Szoboszlai is the brand new Trent in two methods!

For now, Dominik Szoboszlai has changed Trent Alexander-Arnold as Liverpool’s right-back and his winner towards Arsenal at Anfield on Sunday confirmed that he has additionally changed the now Real Madrid participant because the crew’s free-kick specialist.

“I should mention Trent,” Szoboszlai advised Sky Sports afterwards. “He was taking the free-kicks because, obviously, he has an unbelievable shot. But finally I could have my chance and yeah, I did it.

“I needed to take a threat and shoot it a bit of bit more durable as a result of I do know [David] Raya likes to leap behind the wall and, after all, he is an unbelievable goalkeeper. So if I feel it goes a bit of bit extra inside, he saves it.

“I took a risk. I was confident in myself, so I tried it.”

It labored. As Mikel Arteta, the Arsenal supervisor, put it afterwards, this was a sport that was going to be determined in one in every of two methods. “An individual error or a magic moment,” Arteta advised Sky Sports. “It was decided by a magic moment.”

Watching the sport for Sky Sports, Jamie Carragher mentioned: “We have heard a lot about his capability to hit photographs from a distance. We haven’t seen it an excessive amount of for Liverpool however, wow, what a purpose.

“Szoboszlai has been revitalised. Absolutely outstanding. It is almost like they have found a position for him now, playing at right-back. Outstanding in the last few games.”

Arne Slot famous that the right-back place is one which Szoboszlai has not had a lot expertise in however the method through which the Hungarian stored Gabriel Martinelli quiet speaks volumes for a way he has approached the duty.

“He is an unbelievable character and sacrifices himself for the team. If he has to play right winger, right full-back, as a 10, it doesn’t matter where he has to play, he gives his best,” Slot advised Sky Sports.

“I am only working with him now for a little bit more over a season, but he shows what Liverpool is all about.” It is the mentality that has taken them again to the highest of the Premier League desk.
Adam Bate

Big moments nonetheless passing Arsenal by

Three video games into the season and the primary that Arsenal haven’t received. They have been with out their greatest ahead participant in Bukayo Saka and misplaced their greatest defensive participant William Saliba inside minutes of the kick-off. And this was the champions away from house.

Mitigating circumstances, then. Context that ought to calm supporters pissed off by a 1-0 defeat determined by what each managers agreed was a second of magic from Szoboszlai. And but, there’s that nagging concern that such moments cross Arsenal by.

“I think the game is there for Arsenal. They have to step up,” Gary Neville had advised Sky Sports at half-time. “They need a psychological boost that they can win at grounds like this. They need the ruthlessness to go for the kill.” But it was missing when it mattered.

Could Eberechi Eze have been launched earlier? Given that Noni Madueke had the beating of Milos Kerkez, certainly the play ought to have been funnelled in that path? Why was momentum allowed to shift? “Because this is Anfield,” was Arteta’s rationalization.

Arsenal have been unbeaten towards Liverpool and Manchester City final season and the season earlier than. Indeed, it’s important to return to the 2022/23 marketing campaign, once they misplaced to City twice, in February and April, to give up the initiative in that season’s title race.

The Gunners had been 5 factors clear with a sport in hand in late January however conceded seven instances in these two matches towards City. Arteta has tightened up in these large video games since, however the query was nonetheless whether or not they may try this further bit.

It is 13 years since they’ve received at Anfield and with City struggling there’s already a sense that the Premier League title can be received by one in every of these two. These matches matter most. It takes brilliance and perception to win them. Do Arteta’s Arsenal have each?
Adam Bate

Pep vows Man City will begin successful however what’s fallacious?

Crisis? What disaster? Pep Guardiola is retaining his cool amid Manchester City’s poor begin to the Premier League season.

“I have a good feeling in many, many things,” he vowed after being crushed once more, this time at Brighton. “We played really, really good. We created a lot.”

Man City may have been three forward by half-time had Erling Haaland made probably the most of his probabilities. City revered Brighton’s possession-based type, permitting them to have it, however springing shortly once they turned over the ball.

Rodri shone within the first half, having probably the most touches, passes accomplished and possession regains on his first league begin since struggling an ACL harm final September – however he light within the second half as Brighton overran the Man City midfield.

“I’m not Messi. I’m not going to come back and just make the team win and win and win. This is a collective,” he mentioned.

Man City had zero management from the sixtieth minute. They went extra direct but weren’t on the identical wavelength to push up the pitch and play off Haaland.

Their defending turned messy with Abdukodir Khusanov lunging into tackles and Rayan Ait Nouri ripped aside by Yankuba Minteh. They have been inexplicably broad open within the 89th minute to permit Brajan Gruda to attain the winner.

“Our base is still really, really good. And the new players are really good too,” vowed Guardiola.

“It’s a question of click. It’s a question of momentum. When we are going to start winning games, it’s going to happen.”
David Richardson

West Ham cease the rot – and quieten doubters

In their first three video games in all competitions, West Ham confronted 18 photographs on course. From these 18, they conceded 11 objectives.

As a outcome, they slipped to the underside of the embryonic Premier League desk and crashed out of the Carabao Cup on the second spherical stage for the primary time since 2014/15.

The stress was rising on Graham Potter, not least as a result of earlier than the journey to the City Ground, he had matched the variety of video games Julen Lopetegui had taken cost for (22) – and received two video games fewer.

He reacted by switching from a again 5 to a 4 and, whereas the Hammers weren’t there to easily sit again towards Forest, they prioritised defensive solidity and taking few dangers, which stored Forest at bay.

The sport plan labored to perfection, however they left sufficient within the tank to not solely accept a degree, however blow Forest away with three objectives in simply seven minutes on the finish.

There had been little prior indication as to what was to come back, however possibly that gave a sign as to what West Ham is likely to be able to this season, regardless of what the doubters may say.
Dan Long