Sky Sports' football writers analyse Saturday's action as Jack Grealish helps Man City outclass Liverpool and Gabriel Jesus inspires Arsenal to another win
Monday 3 April 2023 07:56, UK
Manchester City had won their previous two Premier League matches in which Erling Haaland did not start, although the last time that happened was in November - and he came off the bench to score a late winner. Against Liverpool, he was emphatically not required.
That was largely down to Julian Alvarez's impressive contribution. He scored one and was involved in the next two City goals. His finish was typical. His distribution in the build-up to De Bruyne's goal showed another element to his game, expertly playing in Riyad Mahrez.
"In football, the tactic is players," said Pep Guardiola afterwards when asked what he had to tweak in Haaland's absence. "With Erling you have something special and Julian is something special too." He went on to thank the scouts for discovering the Argentinian.
There was the odd moment in the first half when the ball bounced around the box and one wondered whether Haaland would have been there to convert. But the overriding emotion at the finish was that City might be more fluent without him. Credit to Alvarez for that.
Adam Bate
The hit performance of the game came from Jack Grealish, however. He tormented Trent Alexander-Arnold throughout, setting up the first goal and completing the rout by stroking in the last one. A decisive display from a player accused of not being decisive enough.
Guardiola addressed that afterwards when asked whether Grealish should be judged on his poor scoring record - remarkably, this was the 27-year-old winger's first goal of the season at the Etihad Stadium. His coach does not seem too concerned.
"You can judge the block on [Mohamed] Salah, maybe it could be 2-0," said Guardiola in his press conference. "Football is more than the stats, it is many, many things. The way he gave us the right tempo to play and the right tempo to make the extra passes."
That block on Salah, racing back towards his own goal, "like a teenager" according to Guardiola, was the pivotal moment in the match. Given what followed, Grealish's intervention, could yet prove to be the pivotal moment in the Premier League title race.
Adam Bate
"I have to explain it but I can't," said a baffled Jurgen Klopp afterwards. "I can only describe it." And he did, highlighting, in detail, the litany of defensive errors behind every Manchester City goal.
"Wow," exclaimed the Liverpool manager when reflecting on his side's bewildering openness in the second half at the Etihad Stadium. "They could do whatever they wanted and we were lucky they weren't in the most greedy mood."
Klopp insisted his side will learn lessons from the defeat. "It's a game we have to use to make clear which things cannot happen," he said. "We cannot have no challenges in key areas. We cannot be that kind of open. It's not possible."
But that's how it was on Saturday and it has been, time and again, throughout this dismal season. Liverpool lost only twice in the whole of last the last campaign. This was defeat number nine of the current one.
Watching the two sides, particularly after half-time, it was tempting to wonder whether the events of last term, when they were only separated by a single point, their extraordinary rivalry lasting the course of an epic campaign, was some kind of dream.
Such is the gulf which has now opened up between them. Klopp had called on his stuttering side to rise to the challenge of "the football week of all weeks", with Chelsea and Arsenal to come. Instead they showed their worst selves, a limp imitation of what they once were.
Nick Wright
One down, nine to go for Arsenal.
Week after week Mikel Arteta has insisted his focus is solely on Arsenal and not other results. That mantra would have been severely tested with Man City hosting Liverpool just before the Gunners' clash with Leeds. He would have been aware of Mohamed Salah's strike to give Liverpool the lead but he would have been just as aware of Man City's dominant second-half display to dismantle Jurgen Klopp's side.
In truth, Arsenal played like they were thinking about City's result as Leeds created a number of clear-cut chances in the first half, but in the end, thanks to Gabriel Jesus' double and goals from Ben White and Granit Xhaka, it was a case of all's well that ends well for the Gunners as they restored their eight-point advantage at the top of the table.
There were plenty of positives too for Arteta.
Bukayo Saka, after playing 175 minutes for England during the international break, got a bit of a rest after feeling unwell on Friday. The forward started on the bench and came on for the final 30 minutes which should benefit him for the run-in to the season.
Gabriel Jesus scored his first Premier League goals since October as his return from injury gathered place. Goals have not been the be-all and end-all for the Brazilian striker this season and he proved that again as it was his jinking run that won the penalty to provide Arsenal with the lift they so desperately needed at that stage in the game.
However, his double today is a huge boost and Arsenal will be hoping he can kick on and go on a scoring spree between now and the end of the season.
Thomas Partey was also successfully wrapped up in cotton wool after he was replaced in the 60th minute after injury rumours plagued his international break, while another game has passed with William Saliba absent, giving him more time to regain full fitness for what is a crucial part of the season for Arsenal.
So, it's as you were in the race for the title and that was the minimum outcome for Arsenal. Bigger tests lie in wait around the corner, with a trip to Liverpool up next and trips to Man City and Newcastle in the distance.
However, after a seventh straight win in the league this should be a side full of confidence and up for the challenges that lie ahead. Job done, for now.
Oliver Yew
"I take responsibility," said Graham Potter, after Chelsea's defeat at home to Aston Villa, which finished with the home fans at Stamford Bridge singing, "You don't know what you're doing" at their manager.
It was another miserable result for Potter, who has won just seven of his 22 Premier League games in charge. After the mini-revival before the international break, it feels like the pressure is piling up again.
But should his players be taking responsibility too? The mix-up between Marc Cucurella and Kalidou Koulibaly for Aston Villa's first goal was laughably bad. Should Potter really need to coach a defensive duo worth £93m how one should attack a long ball and one should drop?
Then there were the one-on-one chances for Mykhailo Mudryk, with the £88.5m signing firing the first too close to Emi Martinez and then snatching at the second when he had time and space to run the ball closer to goal. Kai Havertz, Ben Chilwell and N'Golo Kante all should have scored.
Potter - as is becoming his custom - picked out the positives but accepted his side hadn't been good enough in both boxes. They badly missed Thiago Silva and Wesley Fofana at the back and, for all their lavish spending, the absence of a proper No 9 is plain to see - and proving costly.
Chelsea have slipped into the bottom half and Potter ultimately does have to take responsibility. But he may rightly feel hard done by with how his tenure is going. The players need to share the blame.
Peter Smith
Such was the confidence of Aston Villa's play at Stamford Bridge that their worst moment ended up being their most admirable.
Early in the game, Villa were casually passing out of the back when Mykhailo Mudryk pinched the ball off Boubacar Kamara on the edge of the box.
The Chelsea attacker was denied by Emiliano Martinez in a major let-off for the visitors - but the confidence and arrogance Villa showed in the first place was one of the reasons they won at Stamford Bridge.
Unai Emery's side arrived in west London and forgot about their status, began passing out the back when most would play it safe, and backed themselves to succeed.
It is why they have scored in every single game under their Premier League manager. Now, you have to score twice if you want to beat this team.
And when tasked with only had 30 per cent of possession, two corners and five shots - Villa's players did the hard work off the ball and showed the grit and pragmaticism to keep the Blues at bay.
That is what we are used to seeing under most Emery teams and when you consider the fact they are two points off sixth and only going up, we are starting to see signs that this is the manager that can get his side playing like a European team and take them towards continental football.
It is no longer far-fetched to say Aston Villa are going places. In fact, you can pinpoint Europe as a potential destination.
Sam Blitz
Football is seen by the hierarchies at both Brighton and Brentford as a numbers game. This data-led driven approach in terms of their recruitment is the backbone of their success, spearheaded by their two owners who make their fortunes in the betting world beating the bookmakers.
So, it feels relevant to point out that the 3-3 draw between the two clubs - a game that will live long in the memory - painted a very different picture when assessing the underlying numbers than the scoreline of the spoils being shared.
The numbers showed Brighton absolutely dominated - to a quite frightening level really.
Brighton posted an incredible tally of 33 shots at Brentford's goal with 15 of them on target - no side have posted more shots or shots on target in a game this season. You have to go back to 2018 for a side to have registered more than 33 shots on goal in a Premier League game when Liverpool racked up 36 in their victory over Manchester United.
What was even more remarkable about their remarkable chance creation numbers was that every outfield starting player registered at least two shots at goal which made Brighton the first side since Opta started collecting data in 2003 to achieve such a feat. Yet despite creating a total expected goals figure of 4.55 - the second highest a team has achieved this season - the numbers didn't quite add up to three points.
Lewis Jones
There were perhaps some eyebrows raised or eyes rolled when Roy Hodgson rolled up to Copers Cope Road 10 days ago, ready to retake his place at the Crystal Palace helm. Some argued it was a step back from the vivacity of Patrick Vieira's appointment.
But, as Hodgson said himself, Palace produced one of their best recent displays, particularly in the first half of their victory against Leicester. They had an eye-watering 20 shots - adding 11 more after the break - with Wilfried Zaha in particular unplayable down the left.
You worried that when the newly reappointed captain went off with a groin strain, Crystal Palace would revert back to their former ways. It looked to be true at the start of the second half, but they showed real character to immediately equalise and then snatch a dramatic late winner.
In under two weeks, Hodgson has appeared to inject some real belief into what is already a talented squad. While he may not be the glamorous appointment, Steve Parish has opted for the tried and tested method and it helps that Hodgson has a relationship already established around the club. The Eagles are rightly ambitious, but they can be revisited once Premier League status is secured once again.
Under Vieira, Crystal Palace's players always had the passion and performances, but for some reason, lacked a cutting edge that you need to secure points. It felt like that would be the same story again, but scoring goals in the manner they did on Saturday proves they are able to do it, which will only boost their confidence further.
Hodgson predicted three more wins would likely be enough. Easier said than done, but the positives are there for Crystal Palace to build on further.
Charlotte Marsh
Saturday's trip to Crystal Palace was Brendan Rodgers' 152nd game in charge of Leicester in the Premier League, equalling Martin O'Neill's top flight record with the Foxes.
However, it could very well prove to be one his last.
The last-gasp nature of the defeat at Selhurst Park is bruising for the Foxes. It was a game against a team only two points ahead of them in the relegation battle, who hadn't won in 12 Premier League outings. Leicester were also unbeaten in this league fixture in the last seven meetings.
But aside from a 15 minute period at the start of the second half, the Foxes were second best. Admittedly, they defended brilliantly in the first half as Palace ran them ragged, and did take advantage when they were - briefly - on top.
But having just three shots is not relegation-beating form. Neither is conceding in the 94th minute of the game, a moment that left a member of Leicester's staff to drag James Maddison back to his feet, such was the disappointment.
There is no denying that Rodgers has done wonderful things for Leicester and the club's hierarchy has backed him during a tough period. But the Foxes find themselves back in the relegation places with 10 games to play, and clearly, there needs to be a change somewhere to avoid a return to the Championship.
With every game that points are not added to the board, Rodgers' position becomes increasingly untenable. He has an almost immediate chance to put things right against Aston Villa on Tuesday - but after their win against Chelsea on Saturday Night Football, confidence will be high.
Another defeat, coupled with Saturday's late loss, and you would have to question just how many more Premier League games Rodgers will be able to add to the existing 152.
Charlotte Marsh
Bournemouth head coach Gary O'Neil's enthusiastic celebration at the final whistle said it all. Saturday's comeback win over Fulham felt like a turning point in his side's season, but he'll be desperately hoping it isn't another false dawn.
The Cherries were given a reality check with a 3-0 loss at Aston Villa before the international break after stunning Liverpool 1-0 on the south coast the previous weekend. But another crucial three points at the Vitality Stadium against top-half opposition took them out of the relegation zone and as high as 15th in the table. Those results have shown they have what it takes to preserve their top-flight status.
O'Neil has always remained optimistic, and the 39-year-old has even more reason to be as the season enters the home straight. Bournemouth face six other sides battling to stay up during the run-in. While four of those games are away and 19 of Bournemouth's 27 points have been achieved at home, they've now given themselves another opportunity to build some momentum. Their push for survival may well have started.
Dan Sansom
Aleksandar Mitrovic and Willian have 19 goal involvements between them in the Premier League this season. Tenth-placed Fulham have far exceeded expectations on their return to the top flight, but where they finish in the table after 38 games could depend on how well they cope without two of their star players.
After both were sent off against Manchester United in the FA Cup quarter-final before the international break, the suspension of Mitrovic could prove most costly, with the Serbia striker anxiously waiting to find out whether he will face a punishment more severe than his current three-match ban.
It comes at a time when Fulham's performances and results have suffered in comparison to what they have produced so often this term. A run of three Premier League defeats in a row for the first time this season has left them four points behind sixth-placed Brighton and seventh-placed Brentford.
Marco Silva's men have earned the right to endure a slight dip in form, though, and their next three games present them with a chance to get back on track, despite the unavailability of both Willian and Mitrovic for at least two of those fixtures.
Saturday's match against Bournemouth was the first of four in a row against relegation-threatened teams. Fulham host West Ham and travel to Everton before welcoming Leeds to Craven Cottage. Defeat on the south coast was undoubtedly a blow, but they are still capable of finishing strongly and qualifying for Europe for the first time in over a decade.
Dan Sansom
The reports were circling again: Steve Cooper's job was, is, under threat. However, his team and the entire City Ground rallied behind their leader before and during this ill-tempered match.
Emotion and intensity spilled over as Forest coach Alan Tate and Wolves assistant Pablo Sanz received red cards for grabbing hold of each other during a raucous period of the game after the hosts had taken a deserved lead.
There were penalty appeals and a controversial spitting incident, when Daniel Podence, who had not long scored Wolves' equaliser - appeared to spit towards Forest scorer Brennan Johnson.
Both managers referenced the tension in their post-match comments, but, in terms of the football played, Cooper emerges with more to glean - both good and bad.
His side dominated swathes of the game and carved through the visitors' midfield at ease, orchestrated by former Wolves forward Morgan Gibbs-White. Ultimately, Wolves were fortunate not to come away empty-handed.
The all-action attacking trio of Johnson, Gibbs-White and Emmanuel Dennis fuelled regular gung-ho breaks and panic at the heart of Wolves' defence, but Forest's inability to double down and secure three points could prove costly come May.
Cooper could well have allayed circling vultures for another week with that performance, while the abundance of passion on the pitch - and sidelines - suggests he has the full backing of his squad and staff.
Adam Smith
