Man Utd home form leaves Ten Hag with nowhere to turn
{Old} Trafford is now not the place it was once. In additional methods than one.
The leaky roof made a well timed look as Gary Neville criticised the working of the membership in his post-match evaluation of Sunday’s derby defeat to Metropolis. “We want Daniel Radcliffe, not Jim Ratcliffe,” he mused.
After 5 defeats of their final eight residence video games, it does really feel like Erik ten Hag must conjure up some magic to show issues round at Man Utd. Their residence type hasn’t been this unhealthy after 10 video games since 1930.
It is also the primary time United have misplaced successive residence video games by three targets or extra since October 1962.
Final season’s success was constructed on residence type. Simply two defeats, each within the early levels of Ten Hag’s tenure, ensured the worry issue returned to {Old} Trafford. That is a distant reminiscence now although.
Even within the 5 video games they’ve received, there was a component of fortune in all however one. That was in opposition to a Crystal Palace facet that had made wholesale modifications within the Carabao Cup third spherical.
Followers come to the stadium anticipating disappointment now. With greater than 20 minutes to go of Wednesday’s 3-0 defeat to Newcastle, Neville may sense the temper of the supporters.
“You’ll be able to simply begin to hear the conversations within the crowd: ‘We could nip off? We could beat the site visitors?’,” the previous United captain stated on co-commentary.
When issues acquired powerful final season, Ten Hag and his gamers may all the time fall again on their residence type. Now there’s nowhere to show. A season that promised a lot is popping right into a nightmare.
Zinny Boswell
Rice return shows his importance to Arsenal – and how West Ham are moving on
Declan Rice was centre of consideration on the London Stadium regardless of beginning the sport on the bench. His absence solely confirmed his already-established significance to Arsenal since his summer season arrival, whereas West Ham went some strategy to demonstrating how they’re transferring on with out their talisman and captain.
The Gunners seemed quick on drive in the midst of the park with Jorginho ineffective, Fabio Vieira was on the fringes till his injury-time help and Kai Havertz – clearly missing confidence – could not get into the sport.
However that was partly as a result of feistiness of the West Ham gamers, who had been determinedly hounding down Arsenal in possession and bodily in tackles as they seemed to nick the ball away. Edson Alvarez was relentless, Lucas Paqueta made extra tackles than anybody on the pitch, whereas Rice’s {old} associate Tomas Soucek was dominant within the air.
This was a sport which confirmed why Arsenal want Rice – but additionally how West Ham are transferring positively into a brand new period with out him.
Peter Smith
Nunez’s magic shines through again
On Wednesday night time, those that may nonetheless see by means of the torrential downpours witnessed the great facet of Darwin Nunez.
Solely on the pitch for 28 minutes, he scored a shocking winner for Liverpool at Bournemouth, and offered the build-up to what may have been the third with some beautiful footwork on the half-way line.
Over the past seven days, we have seen the great, the unhealthy and the ugly from the Uruguayan – most notably his scintillating 25-yard run to current an open aim in opposition to Toulouse final Thursday, earlier than lacking the goal altogether.
However he nonetheless ended up on the scoresheet in that sport, in addition to Sunday’s routine win over Nottingham Forest.
On the south coast, he confirmed solely the great facet and, but once more, what an asset he could be for Jurgen Klopp this season.
Not solely is he a handful, each to the opposition and at instances himself, however that is the third sport of this marketing campaign already the place he has made a significant contribution on the scoresheet – after netting each in opposition to Newcastle in August, and the second to place Liverpool again forward in opposition to West Ham in September.
You have a look at the choices the Reds had in reserve in assault even once they received the league in 2020, when Divock Origi was their highest-scoring ahead behind the Salah-Firmino-Mane triumvirate.
Nunez is on a unique planet. And he won’t be a reserve an excessive amount of longer ought to he persist with these sorts of showings.
Ron Walker
James fitness will be key for Chelsea
It confirmed the significance of Reece James that the second Chelsea doubled their lead on the night time in opposition to Blackburn, Mauricio Pochettino instantly eliminated him from the pitch.
The appropriate-back had a really productive hour on his first begin in almost three months, trying energetic down the flank and at instances their fundamental aim risk from open play, whereas additionally as stable as ever in defence.
There are such a lot of methods he shall be pivotal to this Chelsea facet, and it’s important they do all they’ll to maintain him match for the remainder of the season.
“The plan was to verify how he felt at half-time,” stated Pochettino. “quarter-hour after that he began to really feel drained.
“The temptation is to ship him out for 90 minutes. However we should be cautious how we handle him. The plan is to go little by little with him.
“Once they’re your captain you want them to remain match. He’s a tremendous participant, the most effective footballers on the earth.”
Simeon Gholam
Resurgent Everton expose Burnley’s flaws
After years of wrestle, the grins could slowly be returning to the faces of Everton supporters.
5 wins throughout seven video games in all competitions have lifted the Toffees 5 factors away from the drop zone within the Premier League and into the final eight of the Carabao Cup.
The one unhappy word from Wednesday night time’s routine 3-0 victory over Burnley was that former chairman Invoice Kenwright was not there to see it following his loss of life on the age of 78 final week.
Kenwright was remembered pre-match and his gamers paid a becoming tribute by easing into the following spherical – and exhibiting that this might maybe be greater than a season of scratching round. Fulham at residence subsequent within the Cup appears a really respectable draw.
The defence has stiffened up, not that it was overly examined by a meek Burnley, thoughts you, with former Clarets centre-half James Tarkowski doing extra work in and across the opposition field than his personal, powerfully heading within the opening aim after which helping the second for Amadou Onana with a cushioned header.
Dwight McNeil and Jack Harrison had been threats on the wing, whereas Dominic Calvert-Lewin highlighted as soon as once more how helpful he’s when match, along with his physicality usually too scorching for Burnley to deal with because the guests seemed weak taking part in out from the again. Beto, who changed Calvert-Lewin late on, was a livewire, too, organising Ashley Younger’s strike in stoppage time.
Everton are on the up, with Burnley very a lot heading in the wrong way. The facet that had been a lower above within the Championship final 12 months may very nicely find yourself again there subsequent 12 months in the event that they maintain dicing with hazard on the again and can’t discover a innovative up prime.
David Ruse