Marcus Rashford needs restoring to centre stage, Victor Moses is shining for Chelsea at last and David Moyes should be allowed to rebuild SunderlandThe splurge of title-winning questions after Liverpool’s breathless victory at Selhurst Park provoked a wonderfully enigmatic response from Jürgen Klopp. Can his team conquer the league playing in this wild fashion? “I’ve no idea,” he said. “It’s my first proper season in the Premier League. I have no idea what to do to win the Premier League. I’m pretty sure it was never decided at the end of October. We feel good in the moment, that’s all.” The notion that an experienced manager with 15 years on the job – who won the Bundesliga twice and has...
Impressive start to the season has been tempered by a run of five without a win but there is enough talent out wide to arrest their run against West HamWayne Rooney heading back to Everton makes a great story but let’s face it, Ronald Koeman was only answering a question. Probably as keen as anyone else to change the subject after five winless games, the Everton manager was not about to turn down the invitation to wax lyrical about a Goodison old boy, though he has enough problems at the front of his own team without importing an extra enigma from Manchester United.Another Everton old boy is on Merseyside on Sunday, and Slaven Bilic returns in charge of a side...
Liverpool’s main contenders are embroiled in European competition, while Jürgen Klopp’s men can stay fresh in their quest for a first title since 1990Arsène Wenger must be a genius if he can come up with a points total that will be necessary to win the title. Between 82 and 86 points, since you ask. Either that or he was having a little joke, which has been known to happen. “He must have more experience of the English league than I thought,” the Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said, making his own little joke. “Because I have no idea how many points it will take.”Leaving aside the matter of how Wenger expects a more competitive league to result in a higher...
Theo Walcott flicks switch for Arsenal if not England, Pedro Obiang takes his chance for West Ham and Tony Pulis acquired a gem in Nacer ChadliOne of the curiosities of the last international break was the ineffectual performance of Theo Walcott for England against Malta and Slovenia. Put him back in an Arsenal shirt, however, and it was as if a switch had been flicked. The 27-year-old scored twice to set his team up for a 3-2 home win over Swansea City and it prolonged his eye-catching start to the club season. He is Arsenal’s top scorer, with seven goals in all competitions. “It’s always difficult when you go from your club to international, there’s a different transition at this...
With the top-flight back in action this weekend, we take a look at the top seven’s strengths, weaknesses, squad depth and key players before asking whether they have got what it takes to win the leagueThe Premier League is back after the international break and, following a breathless start to the season, we assess the top seven sides in the league in search for clues as to which side will lift the trophy come May. Manchester City are the early pacesetters but their defeat at Tottenham Hotspur have given the rest of the clubs hope. It is also worth remembering that seven games into last season, Louis van Gaal’s Manchester United were top, West Ham United third and eventual winners...