Southampton have had an instant new-manager bounce while Huddersfield and Fulham look as if they must spendMaurizio Sarri fell short of accusing his players of complacency, but admitted something strange keeps happening when his Chelsea team appear to be in complete control of matches. At Wolves recently their early lead was overhauled and they were beaten. They had more leeway at Brighton with a two-goal cushion established but still ended a contest, in which they had been utterly dominant, heaving to repel Albion’s late flurry of attacks. Every long ball suddenly seemed a threat, every set piece a route to parity. It ensured what had been an impressive display felt rather undermined at the death. “We are a danger to...
A crunch clash at Anfield, depleted Palace and Huddersfield teams, and the start of a crucial run for FulhamIt is a marker of how far Manchester United have fallen to see that when Gary Neville set about choosing his combined XI for Liverpool and Manchester United on Monday Night Football, he included just three outfield United players. The only player he picked with conviction was Anthony Martial at left wing, admitting Eric Bailly would not be in if Joe Gomez was fit and laughing that his selection of Paul Pogba alongside Naby Keïta and Gini Wijnaldum was “just an opportunity to get a United player in”. Nobody would argue that Liverpool are the better side, and have been for a...
Chelsea are fragile before meeting Manchester City, Manchester United at home to the bottom club no longer looks a walkover and will it be same old for Saints despite a new manager?It is far too early for any “I’m Sarri I haven’t a clue” headlines but the past few weeks have given a more accurate impression of the job Chelsea’s manager faces. Their defeat by Wolves was sloppy, particularly given they looked comfortable at 1-0 up, and with an evisceration by Spurs still fresh in the memory Sarri is presented with his first real bump in the road. The odds on things improving this Saturday, when Manchester City visit Stamford Bridge, are unpromising but Sarri has always been aware this...
The Merseyside and north London derbies did not disappoint whilst Wolves might need to change tactics and personnel Related: Spurs face FA inquiry after fan throws banana skin at Arsenal’s Aubameyang Related: The Dozen: the weekend’s best Premier League photos Related: European round-up: PSG drop points for first time in Bordeaux draw Related: Manchester City’s Georgia Stanway inflicts first WSL defeat on Arsenal Continue reading...
Manager’s VAR anguish would be permissible if it did not entirely oppose his previous grumble over Southampton’s treatmentAlmost 20 years into his career as a manager, we finally appear to have reached peak Mark Hughes. Following Southampton’s Carabao Cup defeat on penalties at Leicester, he used his post-match interview to complain about a refereeing decision that had not gone his team’s way. In itself, that was not unusual – rarely a weekend goes by in which Hughes does not publicly lay blame for their many shortcomings at the door of officialdom. Long before Donald Trump developed a reputation for tediously ranting and raving about the perceived injustices repeatedly inflicted upon him by the Fake News Media, Hughes had earned one...