After a comfortable win by Liverpool, Arsène Wenger may regret turning down the chance to field his ideal triumvirate of forwards at AnfieldWere Arsenal fans excited about the return of Alexis Sánchez? Yes. Were they dismayed when it turned out to be at the expense of Alexandre Lacazette? You bet. Much had been written and said about the performance of Liverpool’s front three after the performance against Hoffenheim in midweek. Here was Arsène Wenger’s chance to fight fire with fire by selecting a fairly nifty front three of his own. Yet instead of going for the obvious option, not to mention the strongest, the ever quirky Arsenal manager chose to bench his new record signing and give Danny Welbeck a...
Anfield’s other Brazilian provided a masterclass in the second leg against Hoffenheim with his coveted countryman Philippe Coutinho absentBarcelona are expected to test Liverpool’s resolve with one final bid for Philippe Coutinho in the next few days before looking around to see if there are any credible alternatives. For the sake of Jürgen Klopp’s peace of mind it is to be hoped they do not settle on his other Brazilian, Roberto Firmino, because in the absence of the little magician this season the former Hoffenheim player has not only stepped up to the plate but also stepped up his game. Related: Liverpool return to big time after early flurry sinks Hoffenheim Continue reading...
West Brom, even without Jonny Evans, give a masterclass in defending again; Newcastle underpowered in attack; Sadio Mané shows his importance to LiverpoolNathaniel Chalobah had an eventful match for Watford on Saturday. By dummying the ball at the suggestion of Bournemouth’s Harry Arter he inadvertently reminded the world of the subclause to Law 12 which states a player should be cautioned if he “verbally distracts an opponent during play”. The England Under-21s midfielder missed two good chances to score; a header and a one-on-one. He gave the ball away several times. But in only his second Premier League start Chalobah also led the match in both tackles and dribbles. It was his breakaway sprint that proved to be the catalyst...
The full-back’s performance against Hoffenheim suggests Liverpool may have the first locally born star on their hands since Steven GerrardThe road from academy prospect to first-team regular is one that only a select few complete. The big clubs in particular are simply not prepared to be patient and wait for a raw teenager to make the grade. The demands are too great, the choices in an increasingly heated transfer market too tantalising. So when one does make a breakthrough it feels only right to take notice and especially when he is curling in free-kicks on his Champions League debut. Related: Jürgen Klopp hails Alexander-Arnold’s courage after crucial Liverpool win Related: Liverpool close on Champions League group stage with win at...
Liverpool’s defensive frailties, Wayne Rooney’s nous in both boxes, an unwanted headache for Paul Clement and Manchester United’s unsung heroesSo, why was it that Chelsea decided they could afford to let Nemanja Matic join Manchester United and willingly pass over one of the more brilliantly effective midfield players of the modern game to a major rival? When that question was posed to José Mourinho after Manchester United’s biggest league win since he took over as manager he made it sound as if he was slightly bewildered, too. “It depends on what is happening, or what was happening, behind doors and we don’t know,” he said. “The only thing I know is that, with Chelsea’s money, I brought him to Stamford...