Hits and misses: Man Utd deserve to be in relegation scrap

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Man Utd deserve to be in a relegation scrap

If you take the three relegated clubs out of the equation, Manchester United have won one of their last 17 Premier League games. They are fortunate the gap between the Championship and the top-flight is so great otherwise they’d be genuinely flirting with a relegation fight with two Premier League games to go. If they lose both their remaining league games they won’t have even amassed 40 points this season – usually the standard bearer of what you need to stay up.

Apart from the flashy feet of Amad Diallo, who got 80 minutes under his belt down the right flank, this was another dispiriting afternoon for the locals.

West Ham carried the greater attacking threat, were more robust without the ball and were clinical with their finishing. United have now failed to score in 14 Premier League games this season – only Southampton (15), Everton (15) and Leicester (16) have blanked more.

Yet this team are one win away from playing Champions League football next season. Someone make it make sense.
Lewis Jones

Arsenal’s striker hole laid bare at Anfield

Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool. The Champions League finalists and the Premier League champions.

Arsenal had two of their biggest tests of the season this week and how they close the gap to those two teams cannot be clearer now.

Both matches started in the same vein – Arsenal came flying out of the blocks in both. Like in Paris on Wednesday night, the Gunners had multiple chances to open the scoring – most notably Bukayo Saka’s from a free-kick – but they failed to take them. Then just like the other night, Arsenal fell behind and were playing catch-up.

Mikel Arteta’s side ended the first half with the same number of shots as Liverpool, but they were two goals down. Liverpool took their chances while Arsenal didn’t have the firepower. It hit the nail in the coffin that a new striker was needed.

Arsenal’s midfield got into countless good areas at Anfield only for there to be a vacuum of emptiness in the penalty box to help out. The first 45 minutes painted the story of their season.

The second half told a little bit more. Leandro Trossard went off injured while Mikel Merino made it six red cards this season for Arsenal. Setbacks and sending offs have also defined their 15-point gap to Liverpool.

But so many red cards and injuries are likely to make up a freak campaign. But if Arsenal don’t be ruthless in the forward areas this summer, they won’t bridge that gap.
Sam Blitz

Trent circus far from ideal for Liverpool

Arne Slot insisted afterwards that Trent Alexander-Arnold’s introduction was not a distraction at Anfield, even getting into an exchange with a journalist in the press conference discussing the percentage of supporters who booed the departing full-back.

The Liverpool coach found himself making a point about the relative decibel levels of booing compared to clapping. Probably the point at which one might have to accept that the reaction to Alexander-Arnold coming on had become a bit of a sideshow.

Slot’s calculation regarding the player – who has confirmed he will leave the club at the end of his contract this summer – is coldly logical. He started Conor Bradley because he is the future. He brought Alexander-Arnold on as he thought he could help win the game.

But Liverpool is a club fuelled by emotion and those emotions ran high at Anfield on Sunday. Slot seemed to regard the chants for Bradley and Steven Gerrard as a positive thing but they clearly represented a pointed response to Alexander-Arnold’s decision.

Mohamed Salah flung an arm towards the Kop in disgust at the boos, applauding his team-mate onto the pitch, while Andy Robertson told Sky Sports that it was “not nice to see a friend get booed” so it is naïve to think this does not detract a little from the mood.

Slot insisted afterwards that nothing can take the edge off this Premier League title win. And yet, here he was answering questions about Alexander-Arnold rather than his team. It is an unfortunate way for Liverpool’s magnificent campaign to be coming to an end.
Adam Bate

Potter needs to build around Kudus and Bowen

West Ham fans were singing about Niklas Fullkrug for much of their enjoyable away day at Old Trafford. They obviously like what they heard from him after the Southampton game. But despite having the adulation of his fans it is very difficult to see how he fits in.

This was another example of West Ham being at their best under Graham Potter when Mohammed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen are allowed to play as the flexible front two. Potter has now beaten Arsenal and Manchester United away from home and was minutes away from getting a point at Liverpool.

It was Kudus and Bowen – as a pairing – that provided the attacking platform for West Ham to go and get those results. Kudus, especially, was red hot at Old Trafford. The best player on the pitch. You feel if Potter can add some steel and some trusty lieutenants to this system, West Ham could be a tough nut to crack next season.
Lewis Jones

Fragile Spurs on brink of big success or big failure

With the sun shining and the buzz of Thursday’s Europa League semi-final win energising the Spurs fans ahead of kick-off, there was positivity in the air. It didn’t last long.

Crystal Palace swiftly scythed through Ange Postecoglou’s much-changed team and what might have otherwise been a celebratory homecoming for Spurs’ European finalists instead saw them booed off at the break and then at full-time.

There were plenty of empty seats by that final whistle too. Palace fans had taunted their Spurs counterparts by asking why they were even here as the hosts slumped to a 20th Premier League defeat of the season. That resilience shown in Norway nowhere in sight. Many Spurs supporters seemed to come to the conclusion it wasn’t worth watching.

The priority, of course, is that Europa League final. But Postecoglou pointed out fringe players missed their chance to impress and push for a place in his XI for that Man Utd showdown. It will be even harder to catch the eye at in-form Aston Villa on Friday.

This is a group of players hit by injuries this season and Dejan Kulusevski limping off was another worry. From Spurs’ physical shape to their performances to the feeling around the club – it’s all fragile right now.

Will Bilbao bring a sweet remedy or a crushing blow?
Peter Smith

Guehi shows his value to Palace

Eberechi Eze was Crystal Palace’s match-winner against Spurs, his two goals taking him to five in his last four games in all competitions. But Marc Guehi might just have been their best performer.

The 24-year-old was outstanding from the very first minute of the game, when he cut out a Pedro Porro cross at his near post, setting the tone for a totally dominant individual display.

Every time Spurs got into a dangerous position, Guehi stood in their way, snuffing out danger, tackling, intercepting. A highlight came in the penultimate minute of the game, when he blocked a Heung-Min Son shot with nonchalant ease, then won his side a free-kick.

Moments after that, Guehi provided an example of his outstanding ball-playing ability, sending Eddie Nketiah through on goal with a superb pass in behind Spurs’ defence. He used the ball smartly all afternoon, switching play, threading passes into his midfielders.

For Spurs, it was a first-hand reminder of why they, like many other clubs, have coveted him in the past. Guehi’s suitors will surely come knocking again in the summer for centre-back who looks increasingly like the full package. Right now it’s Palace feeling the benefits.
Nick Wright

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