Premier League talking points: How much longer before Man United sack Ole Gunnar Solskjaer?

Ten talking points from the weekend's Premier League

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (left) and Edinson Cavani at Old Trafford. Picture: Martin Rickett/PA

Awful Spurs make Arsenal look good

Mikel Arteta may have saved his job into the new year with this result alone. It was nice of Spurs to gift him such a horrible performance, especially for the first hour. This was a side rolled over easily by Brentford, so that Spurs found it so hard to play them is a sign of how much they have slipped in recent weeks.

Dele Alli made just one attacking-third pass in the first half, and Tottenham were lucky not to be five down by half time. Harry Kane appeared almost dazed, and was heavy-legged. At one point he took a pass and just fell over like a big useless lump. Arsenal took the ball and scored. Kane can’t be this awful on purpose, can he? At times he was just staring, blank-eyed and slack-jawed. Once the game was lost and the pressure off, Arsenal reverted to type and looked flakey, Spurs relaxed, played a bit better, and scored. Kane missed a good chance, Ramsdale made a good save.

But it’s no good winning the second half when you’ve been thrashed in the first. That first half was such a poor performance, it would be no big surprise if, for once, ‘you’re getting sacked in the morning’ was an entirely accurate prediction for the Spurs boss.

Guardiola’s search for grief goes on

Pep Guardiola has spent a couple of weeks trying to drum up tension with his fans, accusing them of staying away, possibly to motivate himself as much as anything. When you’ve got it really, really easy, you need some form of suffering to get you out of bed in the morning. It all smacks of the over-privileged, numbed by luxury, desperately trying to feel alive.

At Stamford Bridge, his team absolutely dominated in a fine display of teamwork. Partly because Chelsea’s set-up invited them to do so, partly because they worked so hard to close the Blues down. This was high-quality football, as it should be between two of the richest clubs in world football with owners who are not even interested in making money. Ultimately, there was a lot of foreplay in the first half, and in that, it was a little frustrating. City didn’t have a shot on target despite enjoying over 70% possession. Having scored, the second half opened up, but Chelsea still didn’t register a shot on goal.

Chelsea were too deep for too long

Defending deep and hitting Man City on the break was not a bad idea per se, but Thomas Tuchel’s side ended up retreating too far and City wouldn’t let them out. This was a rare mis-step from the Blues. They missed Mason Mount’s ability to connect defence and attack throughout.

The fact tat the entire team, all 11 players, were in the penalty box when City scored their goal was indicative of a self-made problem. Of course Gabriel Jesus’ shot was deflected in — it would’ve been surprising if it hadn’t been in that kind of traffic.

Tuchel’s tactic did nothing for Romelu Lukaku, who barely got a touch until well over an hour had passed. He’s not a target man, so don’t use him as though he is. When the game finally opened up, it all looked a bit forced from Chelsea, as though it was against their nature. The introduction of Ruben Loftus-Cheek on 76 minutes did inject some badly missing midfield dynamism, but by then it was too late.

For all their success, this was a very poor performance by Chelsea, and City will not surrender their title as easily as some may have assumed.

Are they Gunnar sack him?

Let’s not understate the facts; that was a sad, flatulent performance by Man Utd — their second of the week following a limp, aimless display against West Ham in the League Cup. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer should not be allowed to be in charge of this team anymore.

The problem is glaring. They have a huge, talented squad that play as individuals not as a team. Their only tactic is “just do something”. That they are not a team is purely because the manager has not shaped them to be so, has not cohered their talents behind one vision. They have no real style of play. Much of the time you can’t discern what they’re actually trying to do. And they are all great players, that is what is so galling about the situation. There is no blaming anyone else. It is all down to the manager.

They just seem to be making it up as they go along and hoping for the best. One wonders how many similar performances will it take before the board pulls the eject lever? It’s getting embarrassing now. This team could be great. But not under this manager.

Pointless Norwich

What is Canaries’ boss Daniel Farke to do? Norwich have lost all six of their games so far, scored just twice, and let in 16. You have to admire their travelling fans, not least because it is a long way to anywhere from Norfolk. But it is a long season, with 32 more league games to play and the prospect of losing almost all of them is far from unrealistic.

His and the club’s problem is that Farke has proven to be a great manager in the Championship, with two titles to his name. That should not be lightly dismissed. They’ll need him to make it three next season. But how long can any manager tolerate losing? Although the team can’t be said to not be playing for him, they are simply not a good enough collection of players, and there’s no point in spending money in January to avert the inevitable relegation. Whether Farke will just wait out the season and get back to work in 2022-2023 or jump ship before Christmas is possibly the only question left to be answered. There certainly is no question they will go down.

Leeds entertain, but can’t win

If you want entertainment, Leeds United remains the side to watch, but they’re yet to win and that’s because they are simply not clinical enough in front of goal and not tight enough at the back. That’s a fatal combination. With Patrick Bamford sidelined, Raphael Raphinha, the scorer against West Ham, was a constant exciting threat, but with 10 attempts at goal, five on target, Leeds should’ve emerged from the game with at least a point, especially after leading.

They ran out of energy after 80 minutes. This will worry Marcelo Bielsa. Their game is built on absolutely not flagging, and on out-running the opposition. By the time Declan Rice played a great through-ball for Michail Antonio to run onto and score the winner, Leeds looked out on their feet.

It is painful to see a side so well-equipped to attack fail to defend a lead. Bielsa isn’t the sort of man to change his style, and it has served Leeds very well so far. He will hope that this is just a blip, and that they won’t end up flirting with relegation, but a striker must surely be on their shopping list for January.

Brentford and Liverpool show how to entertain

What an utterly fantastic game of football this was. Nothing cynical or measured, it was a full-blooded affair which either side could’ve won. Liverpool will regret missed chances, but will not be overly concerned by dropping two points. The fact that Brentford scored three times to get a draw is a sign of two things. First, they are a well organised side who play to a system and all know how to go about their business. The second is that the confidence factor in football is at least 50% of the battle. Brentford clearly do not feel inferior, and fancy their chances against anyone. Liverpool kept carving them open and should’ve scored five or six, but that was of no concern to the home side who earned a scrappy but deserved equaliser.

Liverpool remain the most thrilling attack dogs of English football, capable of the most incisive play. The fact that Brentford just about held their own against such a nuclear strikeforce was impressive.

Salute Mo Salah

Simply; he brings the joy. There is no finer sight in the game than seeing Mo scuttling — and he really does scuttle — at pace towards goal. He has an odd running style, with chest out and shoulders back as though he’s running into a stiff wind or that the top half of his body is slower than his fast small-striding legs. His hair seems blown backwards by his own pace. He’s already scored six in seven games this season, and that takes him to 131 in 210. A poor season for Salah is scoring 23 goals. When other strikers are so hailed, Mo seems to fly under the radar somewhat. His role in the Liverpool team perfectly suits him, and at 29 years of age, he is in his absolute prime. The nearest thing to unstoppable, he should’ve won the game against Brentford for Liverpool with a wee chip that just went over the bar. He’s one of those players who future generations will talk about seeing. For anyone who loves football, Mo Salah remains one of its most exciting and impressive exponents.

Brendan Rodgers’ tan, and other Leicester problems

The Foxes’ descent from top six into being a mid-table team continues, with only two wins from six. While Jame Vardy continues to be their ever-sharp scalpel, defensively they’re a total mess. It was pure luck that prevented them from conceding a last-gasp goal. VAR saved them when they had fallen apart and ran around like the proverbial headless chickens. Without the experience of Johnny Evans, they look especially vulnerable, and they were cut open by the blunt knife that is Burnley’s attack. It’s not a good look, but the truth is their defenders are not up to the standard needed to trouble the top half of the league. Post-game, Brendan Rodgers talked about having to work harder at the back, and they do. Signing a better centre-half would be a start in January, but were it not for Vardy’s goals, Leicester would be wondering if they’ll be down in the boondocks this season, rather than reaching for the snowy peaks again. And by the way, can a human be more tanned than Brendan? He looks like a newly creosoted fence. Somehow, that rather undermines him, I feel. Seriously. It speaks of vanity over work ethic.

Magpies muted by Jacob Murphy's miss

How Newcastle did not end up beating Watford by five clear goals was just down to awful finishing, none more heinous than Jacob Murphy’s one-on-one in the last minute. With only the keeper to beat instead of just putting his foot through the ball to take all three points he attempted some sort of chip. It was pathetic and a terrible decision that will haunt the already exhausted-looking Steve Bruce. You have to feel sorry for the fella.

Perhaps all the poor choices in front of goal are a result of chronic lack of confidence. Even the normally exuberant Allan Saint-Maximin seemed to panic when he only had the goalkeeper to beat and passed up the chance to score.

Newcastle, far from being the hopeless whipping boys that their critics might assert, are an entertaining side to watch, create plenty of chances and could be a top half side. How Joelinton gets a game though, is a genuine mystery, the fact he picks up £320,000 as a basic wage per month is even more shocking, to the point of obscenity. I don’t wish to be harsh but frankly, they could surely put a local kid from the reserves in the side who was as bad for 1% of that money.