Analysis

Bukayo Saka inspires rampant Arsenal as Ruud van Nistelrooy sees scale of Leicester task - Premier League hits and misses

Plus: Julen Lopetegui back under pressure against at West Ham; Mikkel Damsgaard continues to impress for Brentford; Daniel Munoz is Crystal Palace's hero - eventually; Newcastle's attacking issues mount up; Wolves' defence puts them in trouble

Saturday 30 November 2024 21:18, UK

Rampant Arsenal firing on all cylinders

Arsenal made it three wins a row and 13 goals scored with their 5-2 thrashing of West Ham. Having laboured through the opening months of the season, the Gunners are flying now.

Martin Odegaard's return has been the catalyst for their upturn in form but Bukayo Saka is the one leading the charge. His goal and two assists took him to 15 goal involvements in 12 Premier League appearances this season. He also won the penalty for their third.

Jamie Redknapp described his potential as "frightening" after the game but Saka is already playing at a level few players in the Premier League can match. Only Mohamed Salah has had a direct hand in more goals this season. On this kind of form, Saka is just as devastating as the Liverpool winger.

Most satisfying for Mikel Arteta, though, is that Arsenal are hurting their opponents in different ways and from varying sources. The 13 goals they have scored in the last three games have come from nine different scorers. West Ham were destroyed from set-pieces and in open-play.

Arteta described Saka's contribution to their latest win as "incredible" in his post-match press conference but he was eager to talk up the collective too. "To have various ways of scoring goals makes the team much more unpredictable," he said. Arsenal, like Saka, are on the ascent. Their title challenge looks far from over.
Nick Wright

Schade's treble shows Van Nistelrooy what he is taking on

A victory for Thomas Frank's men helped Brentford back to winning ways following last week's goalless draw at Everton, with four goals on Saturday putting their season tally to 26 after 13 matches.

Conversely, Leicester look in need of a big lift. Some supporters turned on their club towards the end with chants against director of football Jon Rudkin and shouts of 'you're not fit to wear the shirt' at the players. Many of those bedraggled faces kept their distance from the away section at the final whistle.

What Ruud van Nistelrooy would do for a player of Kevin Schade's ability in front of goal. The former Manchester United striker was in attendance in west London - but the Dutchman will now be under no illusions of the size of his task keeping the Foxes afloat as he takes to the dugout for the first time on Tuesday at home to West Ham.

Brentford have had a relatively kind set of opening home fixtures, but the manner in which most teams have simply been dispatched here is a testament to the job Thomas Frank continues to do.

There is a unity and strength - as the Bees boss led the lap of appreciation at full-time - that is severely lacking in the fragmented Leicester ranks as they dispersed down the tunnel and into the night.

Van Nistelrooy didn't go into the dressing-room in the aftermath but he will have few choice words for his new group of players when they meet at the training ground on Sunday morning as they front up to the challenge of somehow preserving their Premier League status.
Ben Grounds

Does dancing Damsgaard deserve more plaudits?

Schade may grab the headlines, but Mikkel Damsgaard was instrumental in Brentford's sixth home win of the season.

"I thought he was unbelievable today," Thomas Frank said afterwards. "I'm so pleased that he's shining. His two passes for the first goal and the third goal are the highest, highest international level.

"He's in a very good place and a big reason why we are creating so many chances. He just needs to keep pushing, keep adding layers."

When asked if he feels his countryman is among the best performers in the Premier League this season, Frank paused before adding: "That's a big call. I want to see more.

"He danced very beautifully one summer and now he's showing he can actually do that in more than one summer. But I'd like to see it for the whole season."

You wouldn't expect any less from the Brentford manager in raising the standards further. The injuries and the setbacks have made Damsgaard a dangerous opponent through his tough mentality, not just his balletic feet.

Frank was 'hit in his Danish heart' when it was posed that Damsgaard would be getting more plaudits were he Spanish, but he won't pass under the radar for much longer if he continues pulling the strings at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Ben Grounds

Munoz goes from zero to hero

How did Munoz fail to convert from close range at the end of that slick, sweeping counter-attack from Crystal Palace in the first half? He's probably still asking himself the same question. He was agonisingly looking to the sky after Dan Burn somehow blocked his shot bound for an unguarded goal in the second half, too. But what a way to finally grab your first Palace goal.

The header was the toughest chance of the lot but it was excellently executed by the defender, rising high to squeeze the ball in at Nick Pope's near post.

Munoz has rightly earned plaudits for his performances in a Palace shirt since joining the club in January but this was his most outstanding and important moment so far. Palace celebrated it like a win - and it could be a hugely valuable point, psychologically as much as anything, as they try to haul themselves out of this situation.
Pete Smith

Newcastle missing spark to launch top-four challenge

Three wins for Newcastle before the international break suggested they were back on track for a good season - but since the Premier League has returned a shock defeat at home to struggling West Ham and this last-gasp draw at Palace has blunted their optimism.

Victory at Selhurst would have had them closing in on the top four places but instead they are back in mid-table. The table is tight but with Liverpool next up, Newcastle aren't looking like a side ready to mount a charge for the Champions League spots.

They managed just one shot against relegation-threatened Palace and were fortunate not to concede more than that late, late equaliser. Isak's injury adds to the problems for Howe, whose side are missing a spark right now.
Pete Smith

No Solanke? No problem!

"He doesn't speak the language but understands football," said Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola about Evanilson after his side's 4-2 win against Wolves.

Evanilson did not get on the scoresheet against Wolves but his fingerprints were all over this win.

The Brazil forward raced between the lines to win the first penalty and used the same acceleration to beat Jose Sa to the ball on two separate occasions to win two more.

Three penalties. Three goals for Justin Kluivert. Three points.

Iraola continued: "I would like to give credit to Evanilson, he was the difference maker today. He created chances and made it difficult for them. His work rate without the ball gives us a lot."

It was not just his work rate that impressed on the afternoon. His footwork looked tight, the runs were intelligent, and he posed a threat in front of goal, too.

Any questions regarding whether or not he could succeed Dominic Solanke are now being answered. Bournemouth have their striker of the future and the exciting talent around him to go with it.
Patrick Rowe

Pressure back on Lopetegui

West Ham's 2-0 win over Newcastle on Monday eased the pressure on Julen Lopetegui but the relief was short-lived. Their dismantling by Arsenal puts it right back on his shoulders.

He was suspended for the game at the London Stadium, forced to watch from the stands as his side capitulated in the first half - and not for the first time this season.

The Hammers pulled two goals back, giving the home fans a flicker of hope, but a second-half recovery never looked plausible after Arsenal added a fifth just before the break.

This was the sixth game this season in which the Hammers have conceded three or more goals. The resilience shown at St James' Park was welcome but it was an outlier. This performance was more in keeping with what West Ham have produced this season and that's a big concern for their beleaguered head coach.
Nick Wright

Wolves woes continue

It was a disastrous afternoon for Wolves and Gary O'Neil against his former side.

Four games unbeaten and back-to-back wins was a promising foundation for the hosts to build on in this fixture - but their defensive woes reared their ugly head again.

Wolves have now been involved in 54 goals - including both for and against - which is the most of any side in the Premier League.

Attacking is not the issue. They have scored more than Arsenal and Aston Villa and as many Manchester City - but the defence is crippling this side.

It's 32 goals conceded and counting now, which is seven more than Southampton at the bottom of the table, and their weaknesses were exploited yet again today.

Evanilson wreaked havoc in between Toti and makeshift centre-back Mario Lemina and the horses had already bolted by the time Craig Dawson climbed off the bench.

Sa gave away three penalties in this performance but even if he had not, it felt as if Bournemouth could cut through their opponents at will today.

Wolves need to address their defensive issues quickly or they will be in deep, deep trouble come the end of the season.
Patrick Rowe

Aina impresses as Forest return to their steely self

Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo urged his team to go "back to basics" before the game against Ipswich - and they certainly did that in the 1-0 home win over the Tractor Boys.

Forest returned to their steely self putting the previous two leaky defeats, which saw them concede six goals, behind them.

Key to the win over Ipswich was right-back Ola Aina. He made a crucial goal-line clearance in the first half, while no Forest player made more tackles, won more tackles or made more interceptions than the Nigeria international in the victory.

The 28-year-old's contract is due to expire at the end of the season and Forest will be even more desperate to extend his stay at the City Ground.

Aina's strong display was matched by his fellow defenders as Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo were centre-back rocks, while left-back Neco Williams dealt well with the dangerous Omari Hutchinson.

Behind them goalkeeper Matz Sels pulled off a good save to deny Hutchinson.

The clean sheet against Ipswich is their fifth in the Premier League this season - only leaders Liverpool have more (6).

Forest have rediscovered their solidity at a perfect time too with a tricky run of games coming up as they go to Manchester City and Manchester United before hosting Aston Villa.

The basics are back to Nuno's delight.
Declan Olley

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