Is playing in front of fans again good for everyone? Two Premier League managers are already sporting that haunted lookThree weeks into the Premier League campaign, the international break has presented us with an early opportunity to take stock. And while it’s far too soon to draw definitive conclusions from what we’ve seen, we must make do with what little evidence we have got.For the prognosis looks bleak. Given the predictably furious reaction that greeted the Arsenal social media team’s tone-deaf decision to flag up a behind‑closed‑doors training ground win over Brentford this week, we can probably safely assume that any plans to release a commemorative DVD of this stirring victory have, much like any realistic aspirations of a top-four...
Chelsea and Liverpool aim to seal their Champions League places as Sergio Agüero bids farewell to the Etihad StadiumIf Harry Kane really is making his Tottenham swansong at the King Power Stadium, he will have wished it could come with stakes rather higher than a fraught battle to cling on to seventh place. The emotions will be inescapable and the motivation to provide one last star turn presumably huge. Winning at such a difficult venue would be bittersweet for Kane and Spurs, given how costly the collapse of their away form has been to their campaign, with only two wins in their last nine. Such an outcome would also be deeply frustrating for Leicester, who are still in with a...
Rodgers reaches his first English final, Spurs wait on Harry Kane’s ankle and Norwich make a welcome returnBrendan Rodgers’ previous FA Cup semi-final visit, in April 2015, ended in disaster, a deserved 2-1 loss with Liverpool to an Aston Villa team inspired by a teenage Jack Grealish. That was an afternoon when Liverpool froze but six years on, Rodgers is a manager with considerably more chops. His Leicester team approached their Sunday night visit to Wembley with poise, confidence and patience. On the sidelines, and even above the 4,000 fans in the stadium as part of a post-Covid experiment, Rodgers’s baritone was audible, talking his players through each passage of play. His suit is always reassuringly expensive but Rodgers remains...
Fabinho the key to Liverpool’s improvement, Pereira parades his talent and Saints regain their cutting edgeThe post-match talk was of Trent Alexander-Arnold ramming it down the throat of Gareth Southgate. But Liverpool’s performance also spelled out why the full-back has struggled to the extent of being considered expendable by England. For Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson to have maximum attacking impact they require a balanced midfield to create space and time to burn forward. Fabinho has spent most of the season either in central defence, standing in for Virgil van Dijk, or on the absentee list. His restoration to midfield and Liverpool’s improvement either side of the international break is little coincidence. The Brazilian’s assurance and simplicity make those around him...
With Sheffield United and West Brom cut adrift, our writers look at the three teams in the greatest danger of finishing 18thReasons to be cheerful Crucial wins against Southampton and Newcastle before the international break have eased the pressure on Graham Potter significantly after a disastrous run that yielded one point from five matches. The 3-0 thumping of Newcastle – only Brighton’s fourth victory at the Amex since December 2019 – was particularly important given it has helped establish a six-point cushion with nine games to go and showed that this team can have a cutting edge. Related: Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend Related: Which Premier League clubs have the hardest and easiest run-ins? Related:...