Premier League
Three talking points as the Premier League halts for the World Cup
A Premier League season like no other has been put on hold for six weeks to make way for the World Cup, with Arsenal enjoying a five-point lead at the top of the table.
The Gunners, who have not won the title since “The Invincibles” unbeaten season of 2003-04, have failed to even finish in the top four for the past six seasons.
Mikel Arteta’s men are well on course for a return to the Champions League, but Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United have ground to make up if they are to climb back into the top four.
AFP Sport looks at three talking points from the Premier League season so far:
Arteta’s Arsenal project bears fruit
The three-year anniversary of Arteta’s appointment as Arsenal boss will take place during the World Cup hiatus.
Arsenal have been through a series of highs and lows since, from winning the FA Cup in 2020 to finishing eighth in back-to-back seasons
But the patience shown towards the Spaniard is bearing fruit in spectacular fashion as Arteta has moulded a young side into title contenders.
City may come to regret the decision to sell Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko to the Gunners as they have added title experience to a collection of promising stars.
No side has ever failed to win the league after taking 37 points from their opening 14 games.
The true test still awaits, particularly with two fascinating clashes against City to come, but Arsenal’s early-season pace has set up another intriguing title battle
Newcastle rise ahead of schedule
The traditional top six were well aware of the threat Newcastle will pose in the coming years, backed by the seemingly endless wealth of the Saudi sovereign wealth fund.
But the Magpies are well ahead of schedule in fighting for a place in the top four.
Eddie Howe’s men have taken 22 points from a possible 24 to go into the break in third.
With Champions League riches a realistic goal, Newcastle are expected to splash their newfound wealth once more in January.
But Howe’s best work so far has been in reviving the careers of players that arrived at St James’ Park long before the influx of Saudi cash.
Miguel Almiron won October’s Player of the Month award, while Callum Wilson’s form earned him a call-up to the England World Cup squad.
Even if their form eases off in the new year, Newcastle are English football’s new force who are not going to go away.
Haaland takes England by storm
Arsenal’s achievement in keeping City off the top of the table is all the more impressive in the context of Erling Haaland’s explosive start to his career in England.
Pep Guardiola’s men have won back-to-back titles largely without a recognised striker, but got the man they wanted to be the long-term successor to Sergio Aguero in the towering Norwegian.
Haaland, who scored 86 goals in 89 games for Borussia Dortmund before moving to Manchester, has dismissed any notion he could struggle to adjust to City’s style.
The 22-year-old at one point scored a hat-trick in three consecutive home league games amid a run of 18 goals in his first 13 Premier League games.
A foot ligament injury has slowed that rate in recent weeks, but Haaland will be rested and refreshed after the World Cup break with Norway having failed to qualify for Qatar.
– AFP
Liverpool will have to wait for a few more days to be crowned Premier League champions despite a 1-0 victory at Leicester City after Arsenal kept their slender hopes just about alive with a 4-0 romp at 10-man Ipswich Town on Sunday.
Trent Alexander-Arnold came off the bench to score Liverpool’s winner in the 76th minute at the King Power Stadium to restore their 13-point lead at the top with five games left.
While Liverpool can almost taste a record-equalling 20th English crown, Leicester’s defeat confirmed their relegation back to the Championship after just one season.
The Midlands club have now been relegated from England’s top flight a record 13 times.
Chelsea secured a massive win in their bid to qualify for the Champions League as they came from behind to beat Fulham 2-1 at Craven Cottage with Pedro Neto scoring in stoppage time.
The win pushed Chelsea above Nottingham Forest in to fifth place, the last spot for qualification to the Champions League, although Forest play at Tottenham Hotspur on Monday.
Chelsea have 57 points from 33 games, two behind third-placed Newcastle United and one behind Manchester City. Forest and Aston Villa are level with Chelsea on 57 points.
Wolverhampton Wanderers guaranteed their safety as they beat Manchester United 1-0 at Old Trafford. Pablo Sarabia’s stunning free kick wrapped up a fifth successive league win, the first time Wolves have achieved that in the top flight since 1970.
Liverpool were wasteful at Leicester with numerous chances going begging and Mohamed Salah suffering a frustrating afternoon including hitting both posts with an early shot.
Salah hit the woodwork again moments before the ball came out to Alexander-Arnold who fired a left-footed shot through the crowd to give his side the points — ripping off his shirt and celebrating wildly with the travelling fans.
“We just keep going, mentally we’re really strong,” manager Arne Slot, whose side could be crowned champions if Arsenal lose at home to Crystal Palace on Wednesday, told Sky Sports.
“They enjoy playing football and it helps when you are playing for something special. Today (Alexander-Arnold) knows when it matters most he can just bring a bit more which is something all the top, top players have.”
DISTANT SECOND
If Arsenal avoid defeat by Palace, Slot’s side will seal the title if they beat Tottenham Hotspur at home next Sunday.
“We will focus on Tottenham and looking forward again to a home game and I think the stadium will be full,” Slot, who can become the first Dutch manager to win the English title, said. “It’s a nice game to look forward to.”
Liverpool have 79 points with Arsenal a distant second on 66. Arsenal may have their eyes now on a Champions League semi-final against Paris St Germain, but they showed against Ipswich they will not hand over the title to Liverpool.
Leandro Trossard opened the scoring early on and Gabriel Martinelli made it 2-0 after a delightful flick by Mikel Merino.
Ipswich were reduced to 10 men before halftime as Leif Davis crudely raked his studs down the back of Bukayo Saka’s calf and the second half was academic.
Trossard grabbed his second in the 69th minute and Ethan Nwaneri added a late fourth to leave Ipswich stuck in 18th place on 21 points. They will be relegated if they drop points again or 17th-placed West Ham United pick up one more point from their remaining five games.
Chelsea were heading for a damaging defeat at neighbours Fulham as the hosts led with Alex Iwobi’s 20th-minute goal.
Substitute Tyrique George equalised with an instinctive shot in the 83rd minute, his first Premier League goal, before winger Neto swivelled and unleashed a thunderous strike in stoppage time to send the away fans wild.
Manchester United reached the Europa League semi-final with an astonishing comeback win against French club Olympique Lyonnais on Thursday but their Premier League woes returned against Wolves.
They are in 14th place and have now lost eight Premier League home games this season, their most defeats at Old Trafford in a league campaign since 1962-63.
“Wolves scored in the only opportunity they had. we had many chances, and we didn’t score. If you don’t score goals, you are not going to win games,” manager Ruben Amorim said.
-Reuters
Egyptian outlet, Ahram, has reported that Mohamed Salah has signed a new contract with Liverpool, extending his stay at Anfield beyond the 2024-25 season as he prepares for what could be the final chapter of a storied career with the club.
While the terms of the agreement were not disclosed, British media reports indicate the 32-year-old forward has signed a two-year extension, keeping him at the club until at least 2027.
Salah, who joined Liverpool from AS Roma in 2017, has become a modern-day icon at Anfield.
The Egyptian international has scored 243 goals in 394 appearances—third on the club’s all-time scorers list—and has helped the Reds secure seven major trophies, including the Premier League and Champions League titles.
“I had my best years here,” Salah told the club’s website. “Hopefully it’s going to be 10. I signed because I believe we can still win big trophies together.”
He has maintained his prolific form this season, scoring 32 goals and providing 22 assists in 45 appearances across all competitions. His 27 Premier League goals currently lead the division.
During his time with Liverpool, Salah has won the Premier League Golden Boot three times, been named the PFA Players’ Player of the Year twice, and claimed two FWA Footballer of the Year awards.
Now entering the latter stages of his career, Salah remains focused on adding more silverware to his collection and further cementing his legacy at Liverpool.
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Leicester City’s Jeremy Monga, who became the second-youngest Premier League player when he made his senior debut in Monday’s 3-0 loss to Newcastle United, had to wear a blank shirt because it is sponsored by an online cryptocurrency gaming platform.
Britain’s Gambling Act 2005, which underwent a review in 2020, prohibits players under 18 from wearing kits displaying gambling sponsors. Monga, an England U16 international, made his senior debut at 15 years 271 days old.
Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri remains the youngest Premier League player in history, having debuted in the competition when he was 90 days younger than Monga.
Leicester, who suffered an eighth straight loss in the league without scoring a goal, are 19th in the standings, 15 points below the safety zone.
-Reuters
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