Added mood to the slot at Anfield
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Highlights of the Premier League match between Liverpool and Chelsea
Liverpool fans are famous for their loyal support, so it was a strange afternoon to be at Anfield and witness such discontent. Midway through the first half, things became unsettled as Chelsea began to dominate the ball and Liverpool’s press disappeared.
It’s tempting to think, as Ryan Gravenbirch said in a subsequent talk, that this was of no use. But those same supporters might argue that they could see their poor performance being rewarded with Chelsea’s equalizer soon after.
Things briefly boiled over in the second half, especially when popular youngster Lio Ngumoha was replaced by Alexander Isak. Slott probably wouldn’t consider this a controversial comment, but it shows how the mood among supporters has soured.
There were more boos at full time. Slott and those above him will be hoping to finish this season with Liverpool safely in the Champions League and looking to continue their rebuild next season. But is it realistic if this fan sentiment carries over into the new season?
Liverpool haven’t improved and Slott’s inaction suggests he has the answer to a long-standing problem. Chelsea exploited open spaces in the right-back zone throughout the match. The crowd could see it, but the problem remained.
It appears he intends to drag his feet through the summer, but the feeling of frustration will only increase when the Dutchman hints at another transition season. The longer he stays in that position, the less support Liverpool will have as they see it.
Adam Bate
Chelsea showing signs of life
Only Burnley have conceded more goals within the first 15 minutes of a Premier League match this season than Chelsea. They were on the brink of seven consecutive Premier League defeats when they fell behind early on at Anfield. Now they’re back.
Callum MacFarlane will at least be encouraged by that. The interim head coach also named Levi Colwill into his starting XI and was particularly pleased to see the defender deal with the rigors of a return to the Premier League. “I thought he was a special person.”
Colwill hadn’t started a game all season, so his performance was a welcome boost, even though there were other players. “I thought there were a lot of good performances,” MacFarlane said. However, just one point means they are still on the back foot in the European race.
Bournemouth’s win means Chelsea are now six points adrift of sixth place and are unlikely to take advantage of the possibility of their Champions League qualification slipping to the bottom of the table. Even Brighton, who are four points behind in seventh place, will have to catch up.
The Europa League alone will not be enough for Chelsea, but they may need to win the FA Cup final to get it. They will be clearly the underdogs against Manchester City at Wembley. But at least their performance against Liverpool gave a glimmer of hope that they could improve their game.
Adam Bate
Doku chooses the right time to advance to the next level
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Highlights of the Premier League match between Manchester City and Brentford
A three-goal victory looked like an easy win for Manchester City vs. Brentford this afternoon, but it took a moment of brilliance from another Jeremy Doku to break through a tense game. The 23-year-old hit at the right time.
Doc’s goal was an almost exact copy of the two goals he scored against Everton, coming from the left side of the box and firing his right foot into the top corner. Aaron Hickey took the lead with a backpedal to the goal line, but he still couldn’t save it.
Not only are their executions strikingly similar, but all three of his goals in the last five days have been decisive, either giving Manchester City the lead or leveling the score with his 97th-minute goal at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Josep Guardiola expressed his joy following the recent heroics. “He looks like the end product,” he told Sky Sports. He added that Doc has always had “incredible” dribbling ability, but now appears to have taken an important step in adding goals to his game.
While flow from City’s other support forwards has dried up – Antoine Semenyo and Rayan Cherki have scored twice in the Premier League since the start of March – Doc has thrived in the moment. Thanks to him, City’s right to win the title is alive and well.
nick wright
Andrews showed some tactical acumen to fool Pep
The scoreline pleased Manchester City. As Keith Andrews said, “I don’t think anyone should look at the scoreline and think it’s an absolute defeat.”
For long stretches of that match, Brentford gave City a proper scare. After an hour, the Etihad were on edge due to Brentford’s superior fighting spirit.
Andrews deserves a lot of praise in this regard – his tactical set-up has even the great Pep Guardiola enthused.
The decision to play Aaron Hickey as a midfielder caught everyone off guard, as did the decision to deploy Ehor Yarmoliuk on the right wing in a 4-4-2 formation. The Ukrainian chased Nico O’Reilly’s dangerous run all the way.
In the first half, Guardiola was forced to huddle tactically with 10 men, demonstrating the power of Andrews’ tactical acumen. This was the latest example of why Andrews should be the frontrunner for Coach of the Season.
Sam Blitz
Is Manchester United ready to meet the demands of Europe?
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Highlights of the Premier League match between Sunderland and Manchester United
If Manchester United are serious about returning to the elite level of English and European football next season, this team needs major surgery, not just cosmetic adjustments.
United have only played 40 games this season. There is no European soccer. Early withdrawal from FA Cup and Carabao Cup. A relatively light schedule by the standards expected at Old Trafford.
However, the lack of strength and lack of quality options is already evident.
That’s because they could easily face another 55-60 game campaign next season. That’s another 15-20 games of high-pressure football.
At the moment, the team doesn’t seem ready to handle that jump. The Sunderland stalemate exposed too many uncomfortable truths.
In Casemiro’s absence, Mason Mount was placed centrally and struggled severely with the physical and tactical demands of his role. Sunderland’s midfield ran past him too often and bypassed him too easily. There was certainly an effort, but I had very little control.
And then there was Joshua Zirkzee, who never looked like he could change the game. Their movement was lackluster and they lacked confidence even inside the penalty area. United held territory for a long time but posed little threat. I need an upgrade in the summer.
It’s one thing to qualify for Europe. Competing in Europe is a completely different challenge.
lewis jones
Bournemouth have ‘soul’ despite Iraola’s departure
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Premier League highlights of Fulham vs Bournemouth
This is proof for Bournemouth and Andoni Iraola that their season could be even better as their head coach announces his departure.
Since Iraola announced he would leave the club in the summer, Bournemouth have won three of their four games, extending their unbeaten run in the league to an astonishing 16 games.
“Actually, I feel like we were able to use it in a positive way,” Iraola said after the latest win against Fulham. “Everyone is clear.”
Iraola insists he will not regret the decision, which was “not easy”, even if Bournemouth end up competing in the Champions League. With many high-profile players leaving the club this summer, their chances of qualifying for European competitions are minimal for them, having defied expectations.
And it was clear at Fulham that everyone at Bournemouth was fully committed to the cause, even though Iraola was headed for an exit.
“The soul of the team was at stake in the second half,” Iraola said. “It’s 10-on-10, so there’s space everywhere, one-on-one, duels, tired legs, and at the end when you run out of energy, you need souls.”
Bournemouth may be preparing for life after Iraola, but their mentality suggests the foundations exist for the club to continue moving forward without him.
david richardson
Brighton towers over Europe
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Highlights of the Premier League match between Brighton and Wolves
Brighton are dreaming of playing European football for the second time in the club’s history.
The Seagulls’ lightning start, with a 3-0 home win over already relegated Wolves, showed their focus and determination to take advantage of the close race for European qualification.
Jack Hinshelwood was the driving force behind the rush to Europe. Scoring his third goal in as many games, he performed well from his number 10 position.
Another bright spot in the win was Maxim de Kuiper, who Soccer Saturday’s Michael Dawson described as a “breath of fresh air” for Brighton in his first start since February.
The Belgium international, who started at right-back in place of the injured Mats Wiefer, took the chance with both hands.
De Kuiper became the third player to assist two goals in the first five minutes of a Premier League match, after Andrei Arshavin (Arsenal in February 2011) and Islam Slimani (Leicester in December 2016).
The 25-year-old’s Champions League experience with Club Brugge could help him qualify for Europe’s top club competition against Brighton.
If the Seagulls continue this way, they will be aiming for a sixth place finish, which is good enough to qualify for the Champions League. Next Sunday they face Leeds, who are already considered safe, live on Sky Sports, before heading into their final home game against Manchester United, who have little to play.
And with Brighton manager Fabian Hürzeler committing his future to Brighton earlier this week amid interest from Bayer Leverkusen, it’s exciting times on the south coast.
Declan Olley
