Premier League
English Premier League talking points
Talking points from the English Premier League weekend:
Feel-good factor sweeping Arsenal
Even in the latter years of Arsene Wenger’s long and illustrious reign as Arsenal manager, the atmosphere at The Emirates could often be toxic among the divided home fans.
The same can be said when Unai Emery replaced him and there have been a sizeable minority who have wondered whether Mikel Arteta was the right man to lead Arsenal forward.
But after their best start to a Premier League season since 2004-5, with four straight wins, the feel-good factor has swept the stadium and there is a growing belief in Arteta’s project.
Even when Gabriel made a dreadful mistake to hand Fulham an opener on Saturday (Aug 27), the fans remained very much on board and they roared their side to a 2-1 victory.
There is a long way to go but suddenly the red half of north London has its pride back and the season looks full of promise.
United need focal point in attack
Cristiano Ronaldo’s rich haul in front of goal was among the few bright spots for Manchester United last season but with the Portuguese unable to break into the starting line-up under Erik ten Hag, the team are in dire need of a traditional striker.
Ten Hag employed Marcus Rashford up front in the win at Southampton but he proved ineffective, often drifting wide or dropping deep. The injured Anthony Martial can also operate as a striker but the Frenchman has had limited success in the role.
United often took a direct approach in attack against Southampton but failed to break down their opponents more than once due to the lack of a natural goal scorer, a problem ten Hag will be keen to fix before the transfer window closes next week.
Firmino underlines value to Liverpool
Roberto Firmino has sometimes been overshadowed at Liverpool by Mohamed Salah and their former forward Sadio Mane but on Saturday he showed just how valuable he is after helping to kick-start his side’s season with a vintage showing in a record-equalling 9-0 rout of Bournemouth.
The tireless Brazilian was unstoppable in the first half, creating three assists and then scoring himself – all inside the opening 31 minutes at Anfield.
He scored again in the second half as he showed just why manager Jurgen Klopp holds him in such high esteem and last month called him “the heart and soul of this team”.
Impressive Brighton enjoying purple patch
Brighton & Hove Albion beat Leeds United 1-0 to make it 10 points from a possible 12 in a brilliant start to the campaign and their defensive discipline has been the envy of some of their more illustrious rivals in the competition.
Graham Potter’s side, who are emerging as early contenders for a top-six push, currently boast the best record in the top division, having conceded just once, an own goal by Alexis Mac Allister in their impressive win over Manchester United.
In Pascal Gross they have an experienced figure at the other end of the pitch and the German midfielder scored his third goal of the season to secure the win over Leeds and extend his team’s unbeaten run in the top flight to a club-record nine games.
Gerrard needs to stem Villa’s decline
Aston Villa have won just once in their last eight Premier League games and Sunday’s 1-0 home defeat by West Ham provoked boos around Villa Park as the slump continued.
Steven Gerrard’s honeymoon period is over and the former England skipper is badly in need of some positive results to deflect some of the unwanted spotlight.
Villa’s biggest problem is a lack of creativity with too much of the onus on Philippe Coutinho, who went off injured against West Ham. They have only scored three times and have also gone nine Premier League games without a clean sheet.
With Arsenal and Manchester City up next, the omens are not good for Villa to climb the table any time soon after three defeats in their opening four games.
-Reuters
Thomas Partey, who formerly played for English Premier League soccer club Arsenal, has been charged with rape and sexual assault, London’s Metropolitan Police said on Friday.
Partey, a Ghana international, was charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, with the charges relating to three women and the offences reported to have taken place between 2021 and 2022, the statement said.
Partey’s management did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
He is due to appear at London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Aug. 5.
Partey, 32, was signed by Arsenal from Atletico Madrid for 50 million euros ($59 million) in October 2020 and became a key member of Arsenal’s first team.
He was first arrested in July 2022, though he was not named at the time and continued to play for Arsenal while investigations were ongoing.
-Reuters
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Five players including England forward Marcus Rashford and Argentina winger Alejandro Garnacho have informed Manchester United that they wish to explore a future away from the Premier League side, a club source said on Friday.
Brazilian midfielder Antony, Dutch defender Tyrell Malacia and England international Jadon Sancho are also looking to leave the club, the source added.
Rashford, who has made more than 400 senior appearances for United, has fallen out of favour with manager Ruben Amorim, played for Aston Villa on loan while United had their worst-ever Premier League campaign, finishing 15th in the standings.
Amorim had called Rashford’s work rate into question, saying he would rather put a goalkeeper coach on the bench than a player not giving their all.
Rashford said he was feeling fitter and better since joining Villa, where he scored two goals in 10 league appearances.
United also failed to qualify for the Champions League as they lost the Europa League final 1-0 to Tottenham Hotspur. Garnacho, who was a late substitute in the final, voiced his displeasure on social media after the loss.
“Up until the final, I played every round helping the team, and today I play 20 minutes, I don’t know,” he wrote in a post . “The final will influence (my decision), but the whole season, the situation of the club.”
Sancho was on loan at Chelsea, where he made 31 league appearances last season. Antony, who joined United from Ajax Amsterdam in 2022 for a reported initial transfer fee of more than $100 million, scored five goals in 17 LaLiga appearances on loan at Real Betis.
Malacia joined Dutch side PSV Eindhoven on loan in February.
-Reuters
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Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes turned down the opportunity to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal in order to keep playing “at the highest level”, he said on Tuesday.
The Portuguese midfielder admitted that he had considered the move, which media reports said was worth four times his current salary, after being contacted by Al-Hilal’s president.
“There was that possibility, the president of Al-Hilal called me a month ago to ask me about it,” Fernandes, who is preparing to face Germany with Portugal, told reporters on Tuesday.
“It was a big offer, very ambitious. There was a waiting period for me to think about the future.”
Fernandes ultimately decided to stay at United and said he was motivated by his desire to continue playing at the top level and encouraged by his family and the club’s coach Ruben Amorim.
“I would be willing to do it if Manchester United thought so,” Fernandes added. “I spoke to the coach Ruben Amorim who really tried to talk me out of it. The club said they would not be willing to sell me, only if I wanted to leave.
“I spoke to my wife and family, and she asked me what my personal goals were in my career.
“It would have been easy to move there but I want to keep myself at the highest level, playing in the big competitions and I feel capable of it. I am happy with my decision.”
The 30-year-old Fernandes scored 19 goals and provided 19 assists in 57 appearances across all competitions for United last season, winning the club’s Player of the Year award for the fourth time.
However, it was a season to forget for the team, as they finished 15th in the Premier League, their lowest league finish in half a century, and lost the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur.
-Reuters
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