Centre-half David Luiz negated Middlesbrough’s threat by staying tight to Álvaro Negredo while Chelsea then tried to profit down the wingsSix matches into Antonio Conte’s 3-4-3 system, and opposition managers are no closer to working out how to defeat Chelsea – or indeed, even score against them. It is now a cumulative score of 17-0 since Conte switched to that formation in the aftermath of the 3-0 defeat at Arsenal, and they have risen from eighth to top in that period. While this was not an overwhelmingly impressive attacking display, Chelsea had very few problems defensively.Whereas other managers have reorganised dramatically in an attempt to cope with Chelsea’s formation, Aitor Karanka stuck to his usual template. This was a narrow,...
Eight months on from a pre-promotion meltdown, Aitor Karanka now cuts a calmer figure and his Middlesbrough team host Chelsea this Sunday on the back of three fine resultsAitor Karanka sits facing a window, contemplating the pristine green training pitches at the bottom of the hill and the treetops defining dense woodland beyond. Middlesbrough’s manager is in the upstairs canteen at Rockliffe Park, the club’s training ground set in undulating parkland on the border between County Durham and North Yorkshire. Related: Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola says side must be more ruthless Continue reading...
Arsenal’s title hopes are on hold, Tony Pulis is hoping for money in the January transfer window and Loris Karius is keeping Jürgen Klopp happy Related: The Dozen: the weekend's best Premier League photos Continue reading...
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...
David Moyes’ side are bottom of the league and Aitor Karanka’s Boro have lost four of their last five, so what needs to change?The clocks do not go back for another week but it is never too early for a north-east crisis and, sure enough Sunderland and Middlesbrough already look deeply troubled.David Moyes’s bottom-placed side go to West Ham on Saturday having collected only two points this season, and Aitor Karanka celebrated his sole win at Sunderland’s expense and has seen his team – 17th and at Arsenal on Saturday – lose four of their past five games. Related: Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend Continue reading...