Ryan Fraser ran Leicester ragged; Neil Warnock will not tolerate more Cardiff mistakes; and Rafael Benítez needs a new planJürgen Klopp was asked to describe his emotions during stoppage time in the 2-1 victory at Tottenham. His dominant Liverpool team had led 2-0 going into it but they conceded to Érik Lamela in the 93rd minute to set up a nervy finale. “I would love to say it is the first time in my life I have been in a situation like that but it happens so often,” Klopp said. “My wife hates it.” The Liverpool manager would not have gone through the wringer if some of his players – Sadio Mané, in particular – had played in a teammate...
Spurs’ rough month could be extended by Liverpool, another perfect record is on the line at Watford and fears for West HamSeptember hasn’t exactly been great for Tottenham thus far. Defeat at Watford was followed by landing in Barcelona’s Champions League group, Daniel Levy confirming more costly delays to the new stadium and a night in Milton Keynes. Dele Alli got injured on international duty and their captain, Hugo Lloris, was ruled out with a thigh problem shortly after admitting being two times over the drink-drive limit. Ever a man to brighten the mood, Son Heung-min returns this week fresh from pulling the nutmeg of the year, with Asian Games gold (and military service exemption) also in the bag. How...
The Italian has made the most impressive start of the seven managers new to the top flight or on fresh assignments, while doubts already dog Manuel Pellegrini and Neil WarnockThere are no fewer than seven new managers in the Premier League this season, four of them completely new – Maurizio Sarri, Unai Emery, Nuno Espírito Santo and Slavisa Jokanovic – and three others with previous experience but in new club situations. As the domestic programme returns with two from the latter group meeting at Goodison Park, it is already evident that at least one of the fresh faces – if Manuel Pellegrini has ever been thus described – is under pressure.Before we move into the nitty-gritty of the season, with...
This weekend’s fixtures are as much about the past as the present and Huddersfield against Cardiff is the most evocative of the lotThe haiku is generally considered the shortest form of poem in the world. Related: Sergio Agüero embraces defending to erase Pep Guardiola’s doubts | Jonathan Wilson Related: Premier League managers should forget the mythical 40-point mark Continue reading...
Italian has good fortune Chelsea have started with two wins while Unai Emery must feel aggrieved Arsenal are stuck on zeroFor two managers new to English football, bringing their own ideas and cultures to these shores, it did not take long to experience the full chaos of the Premier League in all of its maddening, unpredictable, helter-skelter glory. At half-time, as Maurizio Sarri and Unai Emery went back to their dressing rooms to digest a splurge of goals, misses and some harrowing defending, it must have been a challenge to know where to start to try to make sense of it all. The lurching turbulence and shifting tension was relentless. Sarri did not mind admitting that during the most wayward...