Arsenal Fail To Capitalise On Liverpool's Slip-up & More: Talking Points From Matchweek 20
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From Manchester United holding league leaders Liverpool to a riveting 2-2 draw, to Brentford smashing Southampton at the St Mary's Stadium, matchweek 20 of the Premier League was not short of drama, controversy and goals.
A total of 32 goals were scored across ten games, with Wolverhampton Wanderers getting battered by Nottingham Forest in the final match of the matchweek. The Tricky Trees are now level on points with Arsenal in second place with fans now slowly ingesting the possibility that their team could well be in an actual fight for a top 4 finish.
Without further ado, let's take a look at the 10 talking points from Premier League matchweek 20.
#Will rumours surrounding Trent Alexander-Arnold derail Liverpool?
Trent Alexander-Arnold had a game to forget as Liverpool were held to a 2-2 draw by bitter rivals Manchester United at Anfield.
The right-back was culpable for Man United's opener, finding himself out of position and leaving an unmarked Lisandro Martinez to rifle a shot past goalkeeper Alisson Becker. Most of the visitors' attacks came down Alexander-Arnold's flank, with Ruben Amorim identifying the England international as the weak link in the Liverpool defence.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot was quick to defend his vice-captain after the match, playing down the suggestion that rumours of an approach from Real Madrid had affected Alexander-Arnold’s performance. With Alexander-Arnold entering the final six months of his contract at Anfield along with stalwarts Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah, it is practical to ask whether the outside noise and speculation will have an effect on the runaway leaders.
#Manchester United's coaching revival
Literally, nobody gave Manchester United a chance to take anything out of the game against Liverpool at Anfield.
A change in the system and style of play under new Ruben Amorim without ample training sessions has plagued his early tenure at Man United. After winning the Manchester derby in mid-December, Amorim's side were entering the Liverpool game off the back of a four-game losing run across all competitions.
However, after enjoying a near-week of uninterrupted training, fans were treated to a composed, energetic and bold display at Anfield, demonstrating an organised and measured approach with players sticking to their guns and delivering the goods. While the Portuguese tactician knows a fabulous point against Arne Slot's Liverpool is barely a cure for all the problems at the club, it mirrors the pathway forward for his team.
#Savinho moves ahead of Jack Grealish in the pecking order
Savinho was excellent in Manchester City's 4-1 win over West Ham at the Etihad Stadium, creating both of Erling Haaland's goals and forcing Vladimir Coufal's own goal.
When Pep Guardiola was asked about Jack Grealish competing with Savinho after the game, the Man City boss stated:
"Savinho is in better shape than Jack [who has suffered injuries this term] and that's why I played Savinho. I want the Jack that won the treble? Yeah. Savinho's delivery into the box: it's higher [better] than the other wingers in that position. They have to fight. They have to say: 'OK, I'm going to fight with Savinho, to deserve to play in that position.' I fought a lot for [Jack], for him to [recapture top form]. I know that he can do it. Is there someone in this room who thinks Savinho doesn't deserve to play right now? No. That's why I play him because he produces."
#Crystal Palace show grit to hold Chelsea to a draw
Crystal Palace were poor in the first half against Chelsea and there for the taking. Cole Palmer's goal separated the two sides at the break, which Oliver Glasner used to wake his players up and tweak a couple of things.
The result? Palace were a different proposition in the second half. Eberechi Eze and Maxence Lacroix missed chances and it was not a surprise when Jean-Philippe Mateta equalised with eight minutes left to earn the Eagles a valuable point against a Chelsea side that looked so disjointed and devoid of ideas.
#Chelsea making a bad habit of conceding late goals
Chelsea have developed a problem of conceding late goals. Enzo Maresca's side had enough chances in the first half to wrap up the victory against Crystal Palace, while Nicolas Jackson could easily have had a hattrick on any other day. Instead, Cole Palmer's only goal kept the hosts alive and they came roaring back after the break.
The Blues barely got going and were dealt a blow in the 82nd minute through Jean-Philippe Mateta's equaliser. This was the sixth time in nine games Chelsea have conceded after the 75th-minute mark. A pattern is clearly emerging.
Maresca was poor in his in-game management and it took him until the 81st minute to make substitutions. Paradoxically, moments after Chelsea's first substitution saw the Eagles equalize last weekend.
#Arsenal fail to close the gap on Liverpool
Just when it appeared as though Arsenal could put real pressure on runaway leaders Liverpool, they stumbled against Brighton at the Amex Stadium, drawing 1-1 – the ninth game in which they have dropped points this season.
Teenage prodigy Ethan Nwaneri was one of the Gunners' bright spots before his unfortunate injury, being a real threat with his movement and dribbling and scoring a fantastic goal to give them the lead in the first half. They created very little after Nwaneri was forced off at half time and could well have ended up losing following Joao Pedro's penalty.
Arsenal were far from their best, mustering only three shots on target against Fabian Hurzeler's side. By dropping points once again, Mikel Arteta's side failed to close down the gap on Liverpool, who themselves were held to a 2-2 draw by Man United.
#Everton's goalscoring problems continue
Everton have been alarmingly poor when it comes to scoring goals under Sean Dyche. They haven't scored in nine matches out of their last 11, including in the weekend's defeat to Bournemouth.
The game against Bournemouth further illustrated a lack of creativity, incisiveness and real quality in the box, as Dyche's men failed to register a single shot on target. Their only two strikes in the last 11 games have come in the draws against Fulham and Man City, and with only 15 goals scored from the opening 19 games, their new owners Friedkin Group must invest heavily on goalscorers this month.
#Tottenham's home struggles evident
Ange Postecoglou's ambitions to win a trophy and get Tottenham back into the Champions League have been marred by injury problems and poor home form. He went into Saturday's early kickoff against Newcastle United with a depleted squad yet again, and unsurprisingly lost 1-2 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The North Londoners have now gone six Premier League home games without a win—their worst form since October 2008. Defensively all over the place owing to an injury crisis, Tottenham have conceded 21 goals at home this season, ranking second-worst in the division. Postecoglou has to find a way to improve his team's defending and home form, at least, if he intends to keep hold of his job.
#Raul Jimenez's penalty brace earns Fulham a point vs Ipswich Town
Fulham showed character to twice come from behind to pinch a point at home against Ipswich Town.
Raul Jimenez was ice-cold from the penalty spot in either half, which not only salvaged a point for the Cottagers but also cemented his place among the few with a perfect spot-kick record, having converted all ten penalties taken in the Premier League. And by scoring a brace against Ipswich on Sunday, he leapfrogged ex-Manchester United star Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez as the all-time leading Mexican scorer in Premier League history.
#Southampton primed to go down
Southampton, promoted last season at the first time of asking, have mustered a mere six points from 20 games. They sacked Russell Martin last month and replaced him with Ivan Juric but fortunes have not appeared to be changing.
Juric has fared no better than his predecessor, losing all three games. Last weekend, the Saints suffered a new low as they were smashed 5-0 by Brentford at St Mary's Stadium. Southampton are very much destined to go back to the Championship but can they amass enough points to surpass Derby County's 11-point mark when they got relegated during the 2007/08 season?
The post Arsenal Fail To Capitalise On Liverpool’s Slip-up & More: Talking Points From Matchweek 20 appeared first on Mad About EPL.
