With Manchester United thrashing Stoke City 3 nil at the Old Trafford on Monday night, Football Weeks takes a look back at how everything happened in the English top flight this weekend.
#1. Arsenal in desperate need of new bloods
The Gunners’ 2-1 defeat to AFC Bournemouth at the Dean Court was further proof of poor Arsenal squad under Arsene Wenger this season.
The North London club lacked any sharp player instinct final third without Alexis Sanchez who is on course to join Manchester United according to emerging odds reports from football betting sites in the lineup. The club record signing Alexandre Lacazette was forced to play deep and create chances for himself and his teammates, a task that kept him from scoring a single attempt on target and breaking his nine-match goalless streak. In the defence, Wenger fielded Calum Chambers and Rob Holding and the duo once again looked out of their element, with Petr Cech committing another error leading to Jordon Ibe’s match-winner.
On the basis of the club’s performance, the club may need to make as many as five to six new signings to return to title race.
#2. Harry Kane on his way to set another Premier League scoring record
With 20 Premier League goals to his name and just 15 Premier League fixtures remaining until the end of the season, Spurs striker Harry Kane has every reason to believe he can break the Premier League’s scoring single-season record. The record has been set since the 1993-94 season by Andrew Cole and Alan Shearer matched it the following year. While the likes of ex-Arsenal and Manchester United striker Robin van Persie and former Liverpool Luis Suarez came close to breaking the record, no one has looked as destined to change it as Kane.
If the England international continues scoring at his current form, Kane could see another 14 goals and join Cole and Shearer on 34 goals in Premier League’s single-season. But as someone who has been scoring largely this season, he has enjoyed eight brilliant goals this season and could actually improve in the second half of the campaign.
Kane’s also become more than just a goal scorer, he adds assists to his record while showing a desire to track back for the team.
On Kane’s performance for the team, Spurs boss Maurico Pochettino said:
“He can do anything because of his mentality and how professional he is.”
“He can achieve all that he wants because of his willingness to work.”
#3. Liverpool’s relentless break Manchester City winning streak
Though Pep Guardiola predicted his side would eventually lose this season but not like this.
Jurgen Klopp’s men made the runaway Premier League leader look so uncomfortable throughout Sunday’s exciting fixture, earning a spectacular 4-3 win through the application of tireless gegenpressing.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who scored the opening goals for Liverpool, told the BBC:
https://youtu.be/okMglygVKSg?t=217
“When we get the press right and we’re winning the ball back with the Anfield crowd urging us on, it really gets us going.”
“It’s not the first time we’ve ran riot for five or 10 minutes, and we’ve done it again.”
Nine second-half minutes decided this encounter. It all begin with the stirring counter-attack that led to Brazilian Roberto Firminio’s effort. Multiple played ganged up against Kevin de Bruyne to disarm the Belgium maestro and spark Liverpool’s attack. The high pressure then resulted in Sadio Mane’s thunderbolt, and Ederson’s error led to Mohamed Salah netting the fourth for Liverpool. City ended up losing possession on a whopping 43 occasions.
Without any doubt, the Merseyside’s effort off the ball was impressive and it had to be, ‘they are the host.’ Andrew Robertson was a tank, holding down Raheem Sterling’s contributions on the left flank while completing a game-high seven tackles.
So, it may be no coincidence that Jurgen Klopp – one of the game’s greatest champions of the pressing system – has had more success against Guardiola than any other manager, according to Opta stats.
Elsewhere:
Chelsea 0-0 Leicester City
Crystal Palace 1-0 Burnley
Huddersfield 1-4 West Ham
Newcastle United 1-1 Swansea City
West Brom 2-0 Brighton & Hove Albion
Watford 2-2 Southampton: Calls for Video Assistant Referees intensified as Abdoulaye Doucoure handled the ball while heading in Watford’s late equaliser against Southampton.