Premier League: 10 talking points from the weekend’s action

Arsenal’s creative trio showed their worth while Pascal Gross and Pedro Neto profited from defensive frailties.

Mon, 05 Feb, 2024 - 09:01

Guardian

1 Saka and Martinelli shoulder burden

The critics were lining up to skewer “same old Arsenal” as Kai Havertz – No 9 for the day – was denied by Alisson after being sent through on goal. The Gunners had misfired in this same fixture in the FA Cup, undone by late Liverpool counterattacks. Havertz never looked confident but he was bailed out by Bukayo Saka, alert in turning home the rebound. Gabriel Martinelli did something similar to pounce on a rare misstep by the Liverpool defence later on. And thus a theme of last season was evoked; the productivity of Arsenal attackers who are not out-and-out strikers. Last season, Saka, Martinelli and Martin Ødegaard scored 44 goals between them. This season, the trio had just 15 going into this game. Arsenal are challengers for sure, but those three must provide the bulk of the goals for that to be sustained. Dominic Booth