'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Chelsea get back to winning ways, but not title contenders
Sunday’s derby day kicked off with Chelsea needing to pull up their socks after the mauling at the hands of Spurs last week. They were up against a dogged Fulham team, who had been given a new lease of life after the appointment of the charismatic Claudio Ranieri. Chelsea needed to show a reaction, but more importantly, they needed 3 points to stay within sights of Manchester City, whom they face next week.
An early goal from Pedro, after great work from N’Golo Kante, made it seem like this would be a stroll, but it was anything but. While Maurizio Sarri has made a good start to the Premier League, his side is way off the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool.
There were exceptional individual performances throughout the game, most notably from Kante who came under criticism from the manager last week for his performance against Tottenham. The performances of Jorginho and Kepa also stood out, with the latter making a string of exceptional saves to keep Fulham at bay, but Sarri needs his team to function as a unit.
The positive for Sarri is that his side keeps churning out the results against mid-table opposition, despite lacking the fluidity that was so evident in his time at Napoli. This Chelsea team is a work in progress, and not genuine title contenders. The miscommunication between David Luiz and Alonso remains a real concern and the lack of consistency from the two Chelsea forwards will make it hard for them to Challenge the top sides in the league.
Special mention must go out for Ruben Loftus Cheek, who has impressed with every chance that he has got and made a difference again with his energetic cameo, killing the game off with a well-taken goal. His recent performances surely make him a top contender to start the midweek game against the Wolves.
Unai Emery deserves credit for Arsenal’s derby win
Arsenal’s win against Tottenham marked a major shift in approach. Gone are the days when Arsenal was considered fragile and easily succumbed to pressure. This Arsenal team is not only pleasing to watch, but also possess the character to get them out of hot water.
The win over their London rivals was a clear sign that this team is not afraid to dig in deep to get them out of trouble. After starting the game so well and taking a deserved lead, it seemed for a moment that their mental fragility would come back to haunt them again. They fell back into their old habits and let Spurs back into the game almost embarrassingly to take a shock lead at halftime.
This is where the new Arsenal stood out from the old. Unai Emery made a couple changes at halftime, most notably bringing on Aaron Ramsey for the ineffective Mkhitaryan. Ramsey had an instant impact on the game.
His tireless pressing and ability to read the game posed a different threat, one which the Spurs had no answer for. His energetic runs deep into the opposition half caused all sorts of mayhem and freed up Aubameyang, who was exceptional on the night, to score his world-class second goal.
Emery’s decisive decision making meant that Arsenal is in the top four, one point off Chelsea and can head into the titanic midweek clash against a struggling United, filled with confidence.
Liverpool edge Everton, literally
For 94 minutes, it looked as though Manchester City would be four points clear at the top of the table. Then came the moment of madness from Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, who had the simple task of putting the ball out of play, but instead ended up gifting the forgotten man Divock Origi an open goal to ensure that Liverpool well and truly maintain their title ambitions.
The importance of this win cannot be overstated, as was evident by Jurgen Klopp’s manic celebration by running on the pitch. Liverpool has been a fascinating team to watch under the management of Klopp when they are good, they are irresistible and blow teams away with ease. On their off days, however, Liverpool have struggled to beat even relegation-threatened teams.
One of their biggest weaknesses has been their inability to win on their off days. Every championship contender needs the ability to grind out narrow 1-0 wins when the sailing is tough. It is the hallmark of a title-winning team. No team can perform at their peak for 38 weeks. There are bound to be games that leave the players scratching their heads.
It is games like this that have to be won. The win against Everton proved that this team is willing to dig in for the entire match to get the three points. The fact Liverpool had plenty of chances but failed to convert is not a major concern; what needs to be appreciated is the will to try until the very end.
For the first time in a long time, Liverpool have all bases covered: a fantastic squad, a competent goalkeeper, strength in depth and the will to win by playing dirty. If they can keep this up, we may have one of the most exciting, two - way battles ever seen in the Premier League.
