Bruce might have what it takes at Anfield, Manchester United and Spurs under pressure and a six-pointer at the Amex?Newcastle don’t have much of a record at Anfield. They’ve not won there since Steve Watson knocked Roy Evans’s side out of the League Cup in 1995; they’ve not tasted league victory there since Andrew Cole and Robert Lee secured a 2-0 win in 1994. It’s been mainly defeats ever since, though they did get a point three years ago against a starting XI featuring Alberto Moreno, Connor Randall and Kevin Stewart. The Magpies won’t be flying down the A1 with too much hope in their hearts, then. Liverpool are on a 13-match Premier League winning run, and Mo Salah and...
There are defensive issues for Arsenal, Bournemouth, Chelsea and Manchester City, while Fabinho shone for Liverpool The Dozen: our pick of the weekend’s best photos You have to wonder what was going through the minds of the Arsenal hierarchy over the summer when they belatedly decided that David Luiz was the answer to their defensive issues. There is no doubting the positives of the Brazilian’s play; David Luiz can change games with his passing and prowess in the opposition box but his propensity for switching off is there for all to see. Unai Emery played three defensive midfielders at home against Tottenham, and one suspects he has limited faith in his defence, as proved by the counterattack for the opener,...
Cahill shows his worth to Palace, Lacazette proves Emery’s odd one out again and Wilson could be the signing of the seasonIt will not end the culture war between Newcastle fans and Mike Ashley, but victory at the Tottenham Stadium might just lift a few suspicions over Steve Bruce. In the first half, Newcastle were the team with greater vigour, and Joelinton’s finish for his goal followed a fine pass from Christian Atsu. Bruce does not enjoy comparisons with Rafa Benítez, but players such as Atsu, Miguel Almirón and Sean Longstaff might just be allowed greater freedom to express themselves under his supervision than they were within the Spaniard’s rigid tactics. Having taken the lead, plenty of last-ditch defending was...
Bournemouth exposed defensive failings in Oleksandr Zinchenko and Kyle Walker but City still have ominous depthHow exactly do you beat a team like Manchester City? It’s a conundrum that has outfoxed all but a select group of managers over this and the previous two seasons as Pep Guardiola’s side have swept all before them, with only Jürgen Klopp, José Mourinho, Maurizio Sarri, Claude Puel, Roy Hodgson and Rafael Benítez having tasted victory against them in the Premier League since August 2018.Yet while his battling side ended up becoming the 67th victims of Guardiola’s unrelenting machine in the league since then, Eddie Howe’s approach to tackling the champions will at least have given some of their title rivals some reasons for...
Ljungberg and Trossard make instant impact, Wilson has Liverpool quality and Rodgers leaves ‘young Frank’ on back footThe inclusion of Joe Willock and Reiss Nelson against Burnley a week after they became the first pair of teenagers to start a Premier League game for Arsenal since Paolo Vernazza and Matthew Upson in 1998, was more evidence of Unai Emery beginning to trust his young players. That may have something to do with the promotion of the former under-23s coach Freddie Ljungberg to become the Spaniard’s assistant, with Willock particularly impressive alongside Matteo Guendouzi in midfield. The 19-year-old played in a more advanced role in the opening day win over Newcastle and shows how Emery is tapping into the former Sweden...