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[April 03, 2023]
(Reuters) - Talking points from the Premier League weekend:
ARSENAL SHOW NO SIGN OF PRESSURE
Manchester United's former serial-winner manager Alex Ferguson
famously described the run-in to a title race as 'squeaky bum time'
but so far no such noises are emanating from Arsenal.
Manchester City's 4-1 rout of Liverpool sent out a strong signal of
intent on Saturday but a few hours later Arsenal had responded in
emphatic fashion with a 4-1 drubbing of Leeds.
It was Arsenal's seventh successive league win and kept them eight
points clear at the top.
With visits to Liverpool, City and Newcastle United looming it is
still too early for Arsenal fans to start preparing the
celebrations. But the way the team is playing, those looking for
cracks in their armour might be disappointed.
KLOPP BAFFLED BY LIVERPOOL INCONSISTENCY
Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp had no answers for his squad's
'passive' performance in the second half of a 4-1 thrashing by
Manchester City, saying they were lucky not to concede more goals.
Mohamed Salah scored in the first half, but Liverpool unravelled
after the break en route to their ninth Premier League defeat of the
season, casting more doubt on their hopes of a top-four finish with
the gap now eight points.
"If you want to get something here, 14 or 15 players have to be on
top of their game and that was not the case," Klopp said.
"We were not there, anyone, too passive, too open, too deep, too far
away from anything."
He said only four players played "OK": Jordan Henderson, Fabinho,
Cody Gakpo and Alisson.
PANIC STATIONS AS RODGERS AND POTTER SACKED
Leicester City and Chelsea parted ways with Brendan Rodgers and
Graham Potter respectively, as the two clubs looked to salvage their
campaigns with 10 games left in the season.
The two departures took the number of sackings to 12 in the league
this season, underlining how much patience owners have with
financial rewards at stake -- be it through higher league finishes
or simply qualifying for European competition.
While Leicester are 19th and staring at the drop after nine seasons
in the top flight which would severely weaken them financially,
Chelsea are 11th and in danger of missing out on European football
for the first time in seven years.
There is a stark contrast, however, with Rodgers barely getting any
financial backing from the owners after a creditable eighth-placed
finish last season and two fifth-placed finishes before that.
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Soccer Football - Premier League -
Manchester City v Liverpool - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain -
April 1, 2023 Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp shakes hands with
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola after the match Action Images
via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff
Meanwhile, Potter looked out of his depth as he
could not get his squad to be the sum of their parts despite the
owners shelling out over 600 million euros ($650.70 million) on new
players in two windows.
MAN UTD STRUGGLE WITHOUT SUSPENDED CASEMIRO
Casemiro's impact on Manchester United's midfield has been hugely
positive this season but if they ultimately fall short of their
goals, his rashness may come back to haunt them.
The Brazilian missed the first match of a four-game suspension in
the 2-0 defeat at Newcastle United on Sunday -- courtesy of his
second straight red card of the season in the draw with Southampton
in their previous fixture.
United have lost four of their eight Premier League games without
Casemiro this season, compared to three of 19 when he has played.
They will have to find a better way of dealing with his absence if
they are not to jeopardise their chance of finishing in the top
four.
HODGSON RESTORES PALACE'S SPARKLE
Roy Hodgson has seen it all since he became a football manager in
1976 but even he may have surprised himself with how well Crystal
Palace responded to his return as they beat Leicester City 2-1.
The 75-year-old has a mission to secure Palace's top flight status
and the victory at Selhurst Park was their first in 2023. The result
boosted their survival hopes after a 12-match winless league run
cost Patrick Vieira his job.
Palace were the lowest goal scoring side in the league under the
Frenchman but in Hodgson's first game in charge, they had 31 shots
-- almost as many as their five previous games combined -- and 10
corners as they put Leicester to the sword.
Hodgson could have opted for the easy life tending the garden or
opting for punditry but clearly still has his magic touch and Palace
fans will be resting more easy with the old master back at the helm
in their bid to reach safety.
($1 = 0.9221 euros)
(Reporting by Martyn Herman, Lori Ewing, Rohith Nair and Philip
O'Connor)
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