Premier League Week 18: Arsenal Hang On, Villa Make A Statement, Wirtz Lights Up Liverpool
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United made easy work of misfiring Newcastle, and Rayan Cherki shone again for City in a week where Aston Villa backed their title credentials with a landmark victory. Manik Sharma writes.
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Villa punish Chelsea for lack of cutting edge AT HALF-TIME at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea’s players huddled at the halfway line before heading down the tunnel. It had been an impressive half of football from the Blues, where they had pummelled the in-form team of the league, without really troubling the opposition goal with any sort of regularity. The single-goal lead they carried with them at that point, though, merited the domination. The second half, or at least the last half hour, unfolded as a completely different story. On came Villa’s Ollie Watkins, a substitution that flipped the entire narrative. It was clinching evidence of the thing Villa has — solid pros in every position — and Chelsea don’t, despite their deep pockets. Villa weren’t anywhere close to Chelsea for most of the game, but like most elite teams, they turned the script with a little inspiration from the bench. Chelsea, absurdly — considering the gap in the money spent between the two clubs — have no such ammunition turn to in reserve. WATCH | Chelsea vs Aston Villa via your OTTplay Premium subscription. |
Wirtz finally comes good for fickle Liverpool In a welcome sight for Liverpool fans, under-fire German forward Florian Wirtz scored his first goal for the club with a deft finish from a brilliant Hugo Ekitike run-and-pass. Wirtz’s talent has never been in doubt, but he has looked out of his depth, both physically and mentally, ever since he donned the heavy Liverpool shirt. Over the course of this game against the bottom side of the league, he wasn’t exactly lip-smackingly dangerous, but produced moments of certain class. The joy around his goal notwithstanding, familiar concerns, however, resurfaced for a side that’s starting to look up, more in hope than any sort of conviction. Liverpool’s defence remains an area of worry as they looked brittle and chaotic at the back again. And this is against beleaguered and nailed-on-for-relegation Wolves. Against better teams, their unreliable back line will likely crumble faster. Watch the match highlights here City grind out another win as players gather form The bad news for Pep Guardiola is that Phil Foden seems to have retreated a couple of steps since he showed signs of reclaiming last season’s form. Erling Haaland will always remain a focal point, but he can endure quiet games like the one he did here against a bold Nottingham side. But the good news column for Pep has been overflowing of late. Rayan Cherki is purring in midfield. And Tijani Reinjders is beginning to showcase the class that made City pay top money for him. The only blot on this engine beginning to gather trademark festive steam is the fact that City can’t shut out opposition teams like the days of old. They don’t command the same control nor offer the formidable defensive solidity that title-winning teams ought to possess. Chaos has become their method. How long before Guardiola turns to the blasphemous long throw? |
United dispatch scruffy Newcastle with ease Things are turning for Ruben Amorim. Weeks after the United manager admitted to accepting foundational edits to his first draft of the Red Devils, Amorim’s team is beginning to show signs of an impressive attack-minded design that United teams of the past were known to embody. But in this comfortable win against Newcastle, the highlight must be focused on Eddie Howe’s misfiring men, who are enduring an oddly unpredictable season. Oscillating between scintillating and shambles, Newcastle have joined Spurs as one of the most can’t-tell-who-will-turn-up teams of the league. Against Chelsea at home, the Magpies uncharacteristically let a two-goal slip, and against a United side they should have bullied and pulverised, they were oddly passive and ineffective until very late in the game. Something’s up because this isn’t the season Newcastle fans were hoping to witness after the highs of the last. Arsenal hang on to win, yet again It’s a bit of a rolling mill now, but Arsenal’s victories have become operatic rather than acutely impressive. Against Brighton — who are a tough game any time of the year — Arsenal were expectedly dominant, but rarely a persistent goal threat. Captain Martin Odegaard, who has returned from a long-term injury, scored an excellent goal. Yet, there remains the mystery of just why the Gunners’ attacking riches won’t translate into landslide victories. It’s maybe unwanted criticism of a team sitting top of the table at Christmas, but Arsenal’s stream of victories decided by single-goal margins is both impressive and concerning. Cumulatively, there are more positives than negatives, but with the likes of free-scoring City breathing down their necks, it might become imperative to loosen the leash and test the waters with audacity as opposed to caution. WATCH | Arsenal vs Brighton highlights are here! |
Postscript: Chelsea’s lack of striking power will likely derail their season Enzo Maresca must be pulling his hair — if he has any — seeing just how dominant Chelsea’s midfield and attacking third can be, without ever converting chances into goals. Up front, both of Chelsea’s strikers — Jao Pedro and Liam Delap — cut sorry figures, as the goals and most concerningly, impact continue to evade them. Pedro has done relatively better — his goal at Newcastle was well taken — but put together, neither would bother even mid-table defences in the league, let alone the best across Europe. Buying the best isn’t Chelsea’s model, but the gap between intent and impact upfront at the moment is galling to say the least. It has and will continue to cost Chelsea crucial games. And may cost Maresca his job as well. Premier League matches come to you live and exclusive on JioHotstar, with an OTTplay Premium subscription for only Rs 149 per month. Don’t miss a minute! |
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