Premier League hits and misses: Arsenal appear to be actual deal as they go 4 factors clear on the high whereas Liverpool proceed to falter

Arsenal appear to be contenders

Mikel Arteta was wanting to downplay expectations after Arsenal’s north London derby win over Tottenham. “We have done nothing yet,” he mentioned in his post-match press convention.

But the jubilant Arsenal supporters who filed out of the Emirates Stadium, singing as they went, following a powerful victory which took them 4 factors away from second-placed Manchester City, are unlikely to hear. Their crew appear to be contenders.

Why should not they dream? Arsenal have taken 21 factors from a doable 24 thus far this season and their newest victory, achieved in a raucous ambiance on the Emirates Stadium, confirmed for the primary time that they’ll do it in opposition to big-six opposition.

Their transformation is above all right down to personnel. Rob Holding, Cedric Soares and Mohamed Elneny, all of whom began the expensive 3-0 loss to Spurs in May, are gone from the crew. In, as a substitute, are William Saliba, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus.

The adjustments characterize an enormous injection of high quality. Arteta mentioned Jesus has taken his aspect to a “different level” in his post-match tv interview however the identical might be mentioned of Saliba too. The Frenchman was as soon as once more imperious within the coronary heart of Arsenal’s defence.

With Thomas Partey additionally excelling in midfield, liberating up the reinvented Granit Xhaka to play additional ahead, Arsenal instantly have a formidable backbone and instruments which permit them to purpose larger.

Whether they’ll maintain a title problem stays to be seen however it’s already clear that this Arsenal aspect can purpose larger than a fourth-placed end. This was a dominant efficiency and the underlying numbers – Arsenal’s anticipated targets differential is second solely to Manchester City’s – present it was simply one in all many this season.

Right now, they appear to be contenders.
Nick Wright

Liverpool droop a priority for Klopp

Where to begin? Well, that is simply the difficulty. Liverpool have forgotten find out how to begin soccer matches. A listing of errors within the first half led to a two-goal deficit inside 20 minutes in opposition to plucky Brighton.

It prompted Jurgen Klopp to model his aspect’s beginnings to video games as “rubbish”. Liverpool managed to salvage one thing from the wreckage, however not at all was it convincing. They are absolutely out of the title race already, seven video games in.

While Leandro Trossard was busy launching the Roberto De Zerbi period in type, Klopp’s Liverpool tenure is going through one in all its hardest chapters but.

In fact, the sport might have been effectively past the Reds earlier than the half-time interval, if not for some astute work from Alisson – who was deserted on a number of events by his faltering backline.

Even the as soon as impenetrable body of Virgil van Dijk was discovered wanting late into the sport as Trossard capitalised on a failed clearance to degree the scores. James Milner was equally responsible of idleness on that event.

Brighton had been courageous, unafraid of the Liverpool press, which speaks volumes. Not too way back, it could have been thought-about suicide to journey to Anfield and try to outpass the house aspect. Yet, such was Brighton’s confidence, they performed repeatedly via the thirds with little intervention, notably throughout a fruitful first half.

They carved via Liverpool like butter. They bypassed the excessive press with relative ease. Their assaults flowed with all of the precision and assurance of a crew inside the highest 4. And that is precisely the place the Seagulls discover themselves, 5 locations higher off than Liverpool in ninth.

Should this run proceed, De Zerbi goes to totally get pleasure from his south coast journey, whereas Klopp must one way or the other raise the fog that surrounds his underperforming stars, earlier than it consumes them fully.
Laura Hunter

Does big-game stress get to Lloris?

Antonio Conte had loads to be dissatisfied about after Tottenham’s 3-1 loss to Arsenal. Disapproval of VAR after Emerson Royal’s pink card and never making sufficient of some good areas his attacking gamers ended up in had been excessive on his listing.

But on the high ought to be his aspect conceding so rapidly after half-time – and lots of the blame ought to fall at his goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.

The French goalkeeper, usually such shot stopper, might solely palm Bukayo Saka’s tame shot straight right into a harmful space. A failure to be assertive led to chaos between him and Cristian Romero, permitting Gabriel Jesus to bundle the ball dwelling,

Suddenly, all of Tottenham’s good work within the first half to face up to heavy stress and peg Arsenal again was gone. Just over 10 minutes later, Emerson Royal was despatched off and the sport was “killed totally”, says Conte.

Lloris has developed a repute for being a superb shot stopper – however a collection of high-profile errors in massive matches lets that standing down. Since the beginning of the 2017-18 season, Lloris has made 11 errors resulting in targets – solely Jordan Pickford has managed greater than every other Premier League participant, together with outfield gamers, in that point.

But since he made his Premier League debut, Lloris makes a mistake each eight matches in opposition to Big Six sides – in comparison with one in each 25 in opposition to the opposite groups. There are additionally worldwide errors to recollect as effectively, most notably in an important World Cup qualification match for France in opposition to Sweden in 2017 – and the World Cup remaining win over Croatia a yr later.

Conte and Tottenham have loved file in massive video games. But Saturday’s displaying on the Emirates Stadium might trace at a regression in that kind.
Sam Blitz

Gallagher stunner spares Fofana’s blushes

The behavior of failing to show dominant possession into factors due to wastefulness in entrance of objective and carelessness in defence was recurrently bemoaned by Thomas Tuchel, and it felt as if the message was quickly to be repeated by his predecessor, Graham Potter.

Chelsea began brightly at Crystal Palace, with Kai Havertz and Mason Mount floating behind Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Raheem Sterling in a fluid attacking set-up, however they proceeded to concede after lower than spectacular defending from Wesley Fofana.

The £70m-centre-back’s final two Chelsea appearances have now seen him contribute to their opponents opening the objective scoring and getting the 21-year-old on top of things following his big-money transfer have to be excessive on Potter’s to-do listing.

As is usually the case with this Chelsea crew, the blow of permitting their opponents to attain appeared to shake them, and it was solely due to Kepa Arrizabalaga – beginning instead of the injured Edouard Mendy – that the injury wasn’t extra extreme.

Potter’s aspect obtained a stroke of luck when Thiago Silva controversially averted a pink card for his handball however they deserve credit score for finally regaining their composure and equalising via Aubameyang, who confirmed the wayward Mount and Sterling the best way to objective after their earlier misses.

But it appeared as if a Chelsea supervisor could be left to mirror on but extra dropped factors till Conor Gallagher’s intervention, with the previous Palace midfielder’s good end giving Chelsea their first away win since August 6 and saving Potter from having some awkward inquiries to reply.
Joe Shread

‘Magical Miggy’ lights up west London

It was the right afternoon for Newcastle United and their noisy travelling followers who had made the lengthy journey south on Saturday because the guests strolled to a stress-free 4-1 win within the west London sunshine to get again to successful methods, and specifically for his or her standard ahead Miguel Almiron, whose two targets both aspect of half-time had been the bedrock of the victory.

The ever-smiling Paraguayan might be assured to place in a shift for his aspect, however what should not at all times such a certainty from him are targets.

However, the 28-year-old greater than made up for that with a massively contrasting double at Craven Cottage, his first a goal-of-the-season contender that can stay lengthy within the reminiscence, not like his second, a easy far-post tap-in.

Incredibly for a participant of his abilities, these two targets had been his first within the Premier League away from dwelling since scoring in opposition to Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth in July 2020.

Not that his supervisor appeared to recollect as he praised his “magical” ahead after the sport, saying: “He’s capable of doing magical things and for me that was a magical goal.

“Bruno [Guimaraes] once more was concerned they usually’ve obtained a very good understanding the pair of them.

“I’m delighted for Miggy, he’s such an infectious character, his work sort of epitomises our play really so it was great to see.”
Richard Morgan

Progress beneath O’Neil however are Bournemouth ready on takeover?

Gary O’Neil continues to make regular progress with Bournemouth in his place as interim head coach, and this newest level in opposition to Brentford prolonged their unbeaten run to 4 Premier League video games – their longest with out a defeat within the league since October 2018, when additionally they went 4 undefeated beneath Eddie Howe.

It might need been extra had novice Premier League referee Thomas Bramall seen a first-half penalty incident the identical means as VAR John Brooks, when he opted to stay along with his authentic resolution after Kristoffer Ajer challenged Jordan Zemura contained in the field.

This was not advert for the Premier League, coming after an interminable worldwide break. With a £150m Bournemouth takeover fronted by Las Vegas businessman Bill Foley on the horizon, there was little or no razzle-dazzle on show.

It’s a wierd audition interval for O’Neil, who was nominated for supervisor of the month for September. There may be very little extra he might have finished, following on from that 9-0 loss to Liverpool which introduced an finish to Scott Parker’s reign and appeared to verify a gulf in school at this degree.

O’Neil will hope to be given the house sport in opposition to Leicester subsequent weekend to impress the potential new proprietor and to stake additional claims for the managerial function on a everlasting foundation, and having saved a 3rd clear sheet of the marketing campaign it’s clear the place his aspect should enhance.

The Cherries have now failed to attain in any of their final three Premier League dwelling video games, their longest-ever run with out a objective on the Vitality Stadium within the high flight. An xG worth of lower than one in every of their eight matches, essentially the most frequent of any aspect within the league this season, highlights precisely the place he’ll goal enchancment.
Ben Grounds

Bramall involves Brentford’s support on off day

This was the Premier League, however not as we have to realize it. Despite having been in existence since 1889 and 1899 respectively, this was a primary high division conflict between Bournemouth and Brentford.

As lately as 2009, this was a League Two encounter whereas referee Thomas Bramall was taking cost of solely his second Premier League match. But there was little or no to set pulses racing and for Thomas Frank, the very best performer on present throughout his 2 hundredth match accountable for Brentford was arguably the match official.

On three separate events, Bramall’s selections surrounding penalty calls favoured his aspect. Frank unsurprisingly hailed the inexperienced match official for the conviction in his selections, amid a patchy afternoon for the Bees.

Frank mentioned: “I’d like to praise Thomas Bramall for his job today, he’s a young referee, and every Premier League game is important. His character and calm head was important in a very, very stressful moment, when you’re called over to the monitor.

“It’s a decisive resolution for the sport, and 9 occasions out of 10 most certainly it is a pen. But he sticks to his resolution and that claims rather a lot about him. I’m not doubtful that is not a penalty, so very effectively finished for him.”

After the feast, the famine. Five targets within the win over Leeds has been adopted up by failure to attain in opposition to Arsenal and now Bournemouth.

Frank will take consolation in a primary Premier League clear sheet away from dwelling in over a yr, having failed to take action in any of their earlier 19 such fixtures, however an announcement show is now wanted at Newcastle subsequent weekend.
Ben Grounds

Pressure on Hasenhuttl after newest defeat

“It was horrible to watch.” Those had been the phrases of Ralph Hasenhuttl after Southampton misplaced 1-0 to Aston Villa earlier than the worldwide break.

Saturday’s defeat at dwelling in opposition to Everton wasn’t fairly as disappointing – there was a transparent enchancment when it comes to possibilities created – however general it was one other disjointed efficiency.

Southampton’s first sport at St Mary’s since a formidable 2-1 win over Chelsea on the finish of August appeared – on paper, not less than – a perfect alternative to show their poor kind round after back-to-back losses at Wolves and Villa Park. Instead, it’s now three defeats in a row.

Hasenhuttl has been beneath stress earlier than since taking cost in 2018. He has, in spite of everything, bounced again from two 9-0 thrashings throughout his tenure, so it could be no shock to see him get well from this newest run of poor outcomes.

But that is maybe his hardest check. When the clock struck 78 minutes in opposition to Everton, shouts of ‘what are you doing?’ and ’12 minutes to save lots of your job’ might be heard from some disgruntled supporters.

The Southampton boss mentioned he was not beneath stress earlier than this sport. It can be fascinating to know what he actually thinks now.
Dan Sansom

‘Super Frank’ main Everton revival

Three factors from their opening 5 video games represented Everton’s worst begin to a Premier League season in 12 years.

But after Saturday’s 2-1 comeback win over Southampton at St Mary’s, Frank Lampard’s aspect are actually unbeaten in six league video games (W2 D4). It’s their longest such run in a single marketing campaign since 2016/2017.

In his programme notes earlier than final month’s dwelling draw within the Merseyside derby, the Everton boss spoke concerning the technique of rebuilding and mentioned his crew will get higher.

Two matches later, his assertion seems to have been justified. After 4 consecutive attracts, back-to-back victories over West Ham and Southampton are indicators of enchancment and progress.

‘Super Frank,’ the Everton followers chanted at full-time. The Lampard period is effectively and really up and working.
Dan Sansom