Liverpool finally exploit value of set pieces and Granit Xhaka’s…

Liverpool finally exploit value of set pieces and Granit Xhaka’s…

Step apart Arsenal, Liverpool can do set-plays too

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Highlights from the Premier League match between Liverpool and West Ham.

At 3-0 up in the first half of a 5-2 victory over West Ham, Liverpool had scored seven straight targets from set-pieces in the Premier League. It marks the longest run of any facet in competitors historical past. And yet, it looks like only yesterday that we had been condemning that facet of their game as out of date. They used to have the worst file in Europe.

Arne Slot and his technical employees have labored some magic on the training floor because, virtually in a single day, Liverpool have change into as harmful as Arsenal from set performs. If only this method had been discovered earlier Aaron Briggs may still have a job.

The three nook targets they scored against West Ham had been helped in no small half by West Ham themselves. The Hammers didn’t react to the second section for Hugo Ekitike’s opener, gave Virgil van Dijk a free soar at the second and allowed three contacts on the ball without intervention as Alexis Mac Allister netted a 3rd.

Mateus Fernandes even told Sky Sports at full-time that his facet had labored all week on a plan to cease Van Dijk, now the second-highest scoring central defender in Premier League historical past behind John Terry. It didn’t have any impact.

“In some games, when the game is stuck and you know you can score from a set-piece – which we lacked in other moments – it’s very important,” Cody Gakpo mirrored. This is a new level unlocked in Liverpool’s salvation mission, scoring 5 without both of their £100m plus rated forwards – each injured.

“There was a time when we were 23 goals behind Arsenal, including penalties, and we have closed the gap a bit,” remarked Slot. “Set-pieces can make a massive difference.” On this event they had been the distinction.
Laura Hunter

Ait-Nouri including edge to City’s management

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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Leeds United’s match against Manchester City in the Premier League.

If ever you wanted a second to showcase just how Pep Guardiola is altering from a tactical standpoint, the successful aim at Leeds was just that. A Manchester City full-back in Rayan Ait Nouri charged ahead into house. Not drifted infield. Not recycled possession. Ran ahead and created the successful aim.

This is a different dimension to City. For years under Guardiola, the full-backs have been playmakers or defence-first considering gamers fairly than sprinters. Think of Joao Cancelo inverting or Josko Gvardiol shutting down the opposition in a single vs ones.

But Ait-Nouri is offering one thing Guardiola’s facet have quietly lacked. Direct, aggressive working down the left flank.

Old-school wing play delivered by a contemporary full-back with high quality along with his final ball.

The help itself was exact and composed, but it surely was the journey that did the injury. Leeds weren’t anticipating it. In a Guardiola construction constructed on management, Ait-Nouri injected chaos and it is these moments of unpredictability that might show to be an enormous weapon in this title race.
Lewis Jones

West Ham’s previous habits will make them die onerous

Just when West Ham had been clawing their method again in the direction of an excellent escape, their previous unhealthy habits re-emerge.

Liverpool’s set piece prowess will rightly be hailed however that has been the Hammers’ Kryptonite all time period. Conceding three more nook targets before half-time took them to fifteen nook targets conceded all season.

To put into perspective about how unhealthy that is, no other Premier League team is in double digits in that same self-discipline.

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On top of that, no top-flight team has conceded more targets from set pieces (16) or crosses (12) this time period.

Despite two different managers, so many striker signings, and constant rotations in the goalkeeper and centre-back departments, if West Ham go down then their incapacity to defend their box shall be the story of their season.
Sam Blitz

Leeds rue missed probabilities however City show enhances survival hopes

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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Leeds United’s match against Manchester City in the Premier League.

1.47. That was the anticipated targets whole that Leeds completed of their defeat to Manchester City. At half-time, that stood at 1.24. That emphasises how a lot they flatlined after Antoine Semenyo’s aim, however also exhibits how a lot of a risk they had been prior.

On another day, Daniel Farke’s facet could have had the lead. Calvert-Lewin’s early miss shall be weighing on him closely. But, with 10 games left to go, the what might’ve been ought to give Leeds confidence.

No team this time period has peppered Gianluigi Donnarumma’s aim with more efforts in a gap 45 minutes than Leeds. If they will do that against a team preventing at the very top of the desk, then they need to don’t have any drawback in doing so up until May.

Given that seven of their remaining ten league games are against groups in the backside half of the desk, there’s no purpose on paper that Farke’s males don’t discover the success they should keep up ought to they replicate their first-half exhibiting.

The extra fact that three of those games are against the current backside three, and Farke can take lots of positives from the defeat into the coming weeks.
Callum Bishop

Xhaka leads Sunderland again on monitor

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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Bournemouth’s match against Sunderland in the Premier League.

Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris praised the “resilience” and “intensity” of his facet after their 1-1 draw at Bournemouth busted a three-game dropping streak in the Premier League. It was no coincidence Granit Xhaka was beginning for the first time in six weeks.

The Black Cats have had a belated actuality test of late after their unimaginable start to this season. But with captain Xhaka again on the pitch at Bournemouth they appeared more like their previous selves.

The Swiss introduced his mixture of fight, calm and high quality to the center of the park, topping the passing accuracy among Sunderland starters and recording the most final-third passes, yet also successful possession more occasions than any other team-mate bar Dan Ballard, and incomes the joint-most fouls.

His withdrawal just after the hour was half of his managed return to action following his lengthy ankle layoff. And this was proof of why Sunderland want him match and firing in the final levels of the season to complete their spectacular campaign strongly.
Peter Smith

Now Burnley’s resilience will actually be examined

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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Burnley’s match against Brentford in the Premier League.

How do you mentally recuperate from clawing again a three-goal deficit only to blow it in added time – and then see another equaliser chalked off by VAR?

That is the query Burnley head coach Scott Parker must reply before his Burnley facet journey to Everton on Tuesday.

The wind has been firmly ripped from the Clarets’ sails, with the intestine punch method of Saturday’s 4-3 defeat to Brentford a tricky tablet to swallow.

Burnley had finally appeared to be constructing some momentum with 4 factors from two games against Chelsea and Crystal Palace.

Even clinching a draw to make it 5 from three would have represented their best type of the season however instead all that onerous work, endeavour and character to recuperate from 3-0 down inside 35 minutes will really feel in useless. Scott Parker said his overriding emotion was one of feeling “sad for the players” after the match and that is a sentiment they most likely share.

The psychological fatigue won’t be straightforward to take away within three days, particularly after the jubilation of another late equaliser in the 98th minute – shortly turned to bitter disappointment by a VAR review.

It will take so much for Burnley to bridge the eight-point hole to security regardless, however this may have not made it really feel any more achievable.
Ron Walker

Moyes still dreaming of Europe with top six now in placing distance

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Highlights from the Premier League match between Newcastle and Everton.

David Moyes said in the buildup to Everton’s tricky-looking journey to Newcastle United that his gamers weren’t prepared just yet to surrender on their ambition of European soccer next season and those hopes are still very a lot alive after their scintillating 3-2 win at St James’ Park.

A fortnight in the past, the Toffees might have moved into sixth place in the desk, only for back-to-back defeats against Bournemouth and Manchester United to see them slip all the way down to ninth. But Saturday’s victory strikes them as much as eighth, just three factors off seventh-placed Brentford and with the top six now within placing distance.

The method of the guests’ show in the northeast, during which they not only defended resolutely throughout, however also twice responded to being pegged again by the Magpies, only to right away return in entrance, bodes nicely for his or her final ten games of the campaign.

And whenever you keep in mind that only league leaders Arsenal have received more top-flight away factors [29] than Everton [24] this season, then the Toffees must now have every likelihood of qualifying for Europe for a fifth time under Moyes.
Rich Morgan

Midweek adjustments don’t repay for Howe and Newcastle

The dominant win in Azerbaijan in the first leg of their Champions League play-off round gave Eddie Howe a uncommon alternative. An alternative to rotate his facet and relaxation gamers in the second leg.

Given that his facet had received just as soon as in six earlier Premier League games, having his stars match and firing for the go to of Everton would in principle give him the best likelihood of stopping the rut.

And yet, the Magpies appeared as depleted as ever.

The performance was slow, jaded and lacked any creativeness. St James’ Park is often a fortress of noise, however was often left silent as followers had little or no to get behind. And anytime there was some hope, it could be snatched away by a scientific Everton.

Barcelona are awaiting in the round of 16 of the Champions League. But certainly now, Howe and his males have to organize for that tie realizing that it might certainly be the final time they hear the well-known anthem this yr.

The defeat leaves Newcastle 12 factors adrift of the fifth spot that is predicted to be sufficient to qualify for Europe’s elite competitors. They’ve even received work to do in the event that they wish to make the Europa League or Conference League.

Pressure is rising at St James’. Pressure is rising on the gamers. Pressure is most positively rising on Eddie Howe.
Callum Bishop

Panic for Villa amid Molineux distress

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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Wolves’ match against Aston Villa in the Premier League

Unai Emery lower an unusually animated determine in the press convention after Aston Villa’s 2-0 defeat to Wolves. After spending a lot of the season telling the world that Villa weren’t contenders, he admitted he had been dreaming of a title win just a month in the past.

Five factors from a attainable 15, culminating in this dismal defeat to the backside club have ended those hopes. Now, Villa face a battle to carry on for a spot in the top 5 and so Emery used his platform to rally supporters, preaching unity amid the panic.

And there shall be panic after this. Former Aston Villa and England midfielder Lee Hendrie talked on Sky Sports of Villa’s season “hanging in the balance” and argued that he might “see Villa falling apart” – and many supporters are sharing such sentiments.

Those Villa followers cursing Emery’s team alternatives and the latest insipid performance during which their facet misplaced duel after duel do have a point. Why was the out-of-form Ollie Watkins most popular to Tammy Abraham? Why was Lucas Digne recalled at left-back?

But while Emery will not be above criticism, he’s certainly proper to evangelise perspective with Villa still in the Champions League spots and chasing European silverware. He called for togetherness ahead of the go to of Chelsea on Wednesday. It now feels large for Villa.
Adam Bate

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