Premier League Talking Points: Can Burnley outlast Frank's Everton?
FOUL: Liverpool's Fabinho collides with Everton's Anthony Gordon at Anfield.
This was probably the best team performance that Everton have put in under Frank Lampard's tenure as they sought to take advantage of Liverpool's nervousness at needing the win. Anthony Gordon is Everton’s one bright spark in this tortuous season and on Sunday, for a time, he was the best player on the pitch, playing with the sort of dynamism you’d expect from a local lad playing in a Merseyside derby. He might have had a penalty on another day.
But obviously, Liverpool were superior and the roar that greeted Andy Robertson’s opening goal was ear-splitting as the Kop’s tension was released. Such moments are why football is so compulsive, the outburst of emotion unlike any other in life. And what a cross from Mo Salah it was to make the goal. He hasn’t been prolific in recent weeks but he is still so important to the Reds, both in attack and in his tremendous workrate.
Jurgen Klopp made crucial substitutions, bringing on the wonderful Luis Diaz and Divock Origi, and that changed the game. An almost mythic figure, Origi only comes on when a result is needed and only scores important goals. He scored the second, his sixth strike in nine appearances against Everton and settled the game.
Everton are now in the third relegation slot with six to play, three at home, three away and their away form stinks, with a single win back in August at Brighton. It was always a poor decision to employ Lampard. A decision made with little to back it up. He’s not that great a coach, has no track record of fighting adversity as a manager and his team has obviously not responded to him for more than a couple of brief moments. It should be a warning to other club owners not to be so in thrall to the ex-player big name.
Being released from the cult of Sean Dyche has had a liberating effect on his former club. The vital 1-0 win over Wolves made it two wins and a draw and only one goal conceded since he left. This was also their third consecutive home win. Temporary manager Mike Jackson did not produce a thriller, but they got the job done all the same, lifting themselves out of the relegation zone. Where they had been stagnant, now they seem fresh. They’re also shooting at goal more, here with 14 attempts, five on target. Wout Weghorst has looked renewed, setting up Matej Vydra for the goal. They look more like Burnley looked maybe five years ago. Solid, no nonsense, always brave in defending and strong at home. They’ve got
momentum now and you wouldn’t back against them to stay up.
MAN Utd lost a chaotic game at Arsenal with lazy ball-watching defending, lack of intensity all over the pitch and inability to convert a penalty. It is hard to believe that many of the players are not trying very hard, but that is undeniably how it looks at times. With Harry Maguire benched to save his sanity, he couldn’t be blamed for the latest failure. However, they had spells where they laid siege to the Arsenal goal and could have scored two or three, so all is not lost, even if it appears so right now after their third loss in four games.
The club is nothing if not a soap opera. United problems have been picked over and analysed by almost literally everyone who is even vaguely interested in football. Some see it as a complex problem that will take years to get right, and others, including Ralf Rangnick (whose reputation has undoubtedly been damaged by this period), believe that it can all be fixed within two or three transfer windows. This is likely true but only if the new manager undertakes a short, sharp revolution, quickly creates a new plan for how the club plays, can buy in players he needs to enact it and can rigorously coach the team. Surely most of United’s players will be receptive and will want to do well, they can’t all just be taking the mickey and the money. But all of these are big ‘ifs’ and the rolling news content provider that is Manchester United will doubtless continue to give us a ride on their hysterical rollercoaster.
That Spurs had zero shots on target at Brentford, despite having 57% possession, tells its own story. It is actually quite hard to dominate the ball and not have at least one shot at goal in an hour and a half. For a top team to fail to do this is no small matter and illustrates their lack of depth in goal threats. Dejan Kulusevski, Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son all had off days and there was no-one to turn to in order to put some life into their torpid attack. Brentford were the better side and Thomas Franks, once again, showed an astute understanding of his opponents weaknesses and with Ivan Toney hitting the woodwork twice, they should’ve won this. With Spurs in fifth, two points behind their rivals and Arsenal more than capable of throwing in a poor game too, the North London derby has huge importance in the fight for fourth.
There is talk of Spurs being interested in re-signing the Dane this summer and you can see why. Brentford’s form and results have markedly improved since he began to play regularly. The way he has added coherence, stability and creativity in the middle and front third looks like everything Spurs lack. He has that sure sign of class: time on the ball. Now 30, and having proven himself physically capable after last summer's problems, he could be for Spurs what another of their former stars Luka Modric is for Real Madrid at 36 years of age. And better yet, he may not break Daniel Levy’s bank but then again, many a side would love a player like Eriksen, so he may have competition.
Newcastle are on a remarkable run of form having won 10 of the last 14 games and moving up to ninth on Saturday. Eddie Howe is getting a lot of praise, however it is no coincidence that their form has markedly improved with the £100 million spent in January. Before that, Howe looked at best average. That money came from a man who is behind the one of the biggest humanitarian crisis on earth right now in Yemen. Heard much about that on the sports reports? That’s why they buy our football clubs. It is why sports washing works every time. We may not like it but for enough people football is more important than a war somewhere that isn’t where they are. Still a 3-0 win at Norwich will send home happy those fans who can’t hear the screams of the 10,000 children their effective owner has murdered.
The Hornets inevitable defeat at the Etihad was their 23rd this disappointing season. They have lost 10 on the bounce at home. They won’t break the Premier League record for most losses in a season - 29 (achieved by four clubs) but it’s been a strange season. They don’t look as bad as they actually are, which is quite an achievement. Remember how they demolished Manchester United? Even in the Manchester City game, they pulled a goal back and missed a good chance to score again. Lack of goal chances and not being ruthless with finishing is always the relegated side’s hallmark, but at no point in the season did it feel as if they were a lost cause, which, in reality they now absolutely are.
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