Why did things go so badly on Sunday?
Arsenal: Mikel Arteta’s decision to disrupt the formula that has served them so well since the turn of the year backfired spectacularly against Aston Villa, who came to the Emirates Stadium with a clear game plan. Kai Havertz looked threatening in the first half as he consistently broke through the lines from his midfield position, but Gabriel Jesus was unable to provide the attack as Arsenal faded poorly after the break. Ollie Watkins, on the other hand, was a constant threat and confused the usually assured Gabriel Magalhães, while John McGinn and co were able to control possession for Villa against an ineffective Arsenal midfield. But most worrying was how panic seemed to spread among Arteta’s players as they chased the game and were ultimately overwhelmed. E.A
Related: Man City once stumbled in the greatest title race of all time. This time looks different
Liverpool: When Eberechi Eze completed a flowing Crystal Palace move with 21 passes – and very little resistance – it was the fourteenth time this season that Liverpool have initially fallen behind in a Premier League match. They have conceded the first in four of the past five league matches at Anfield. Jurgen Klopp’s side have received more praise than criticism for gaining 27 points from losing position this season, but without righting the wrong, too many passive starts were destined to eventually catch up with them. Liverpool were defeated twice at Anfield in four days. Despite Klopp demanding a response to the Europa League defeat to Atalanta, his side started dismally against Palace, who somehow opened up the hosts. Collectively, Liverpool’s defensive organization was again poor. When things improved again in the second half, the problems moved to the front line, with Darwin Núñez, Diogo Jota and Curtis Jones squandering golden opportunities. AH
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Pos |
Team |
P |
GD |
Ptn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Men’s city |
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|
2 |
Arsenal |
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|
3 |
Liverpool |
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|
4 |
Aston Villa |
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5 |
Tottenham Hotspur |
Is this coming?
Arsenal: The team’s progress was serene until the 18th minute against Bayern Munich last Tuesday. Arsenal were 1-0 up in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final but a moment of confusion between David Raya and Gabriel gave the German side a lifeline and looked to sow doubt among a defense that has been key to their recent form. . Despite Arteta insisting before the match against Villa that his players would learn from their experiences after recovering from the draw against Bayern, it was clear that these problems persisted as a series of mistakes saw Unai Emery’s side win all three could get points. The ease with which Leon Bailey scored Villa’s first goal after Lucas Digne’s weak cross cut through Arsenal’s defense highlighted the growing uncertainty that has crept in. E.A
Liverpool: Absolutely, and in retrospect that’s not smart. There was an anxiety before kick-off at Anfield on Sunday that was justified and ultimately prescient. Atalanta’s comprehensive victory was one reason, and a 3-0 away win in no way flattered a sixth team in Serie A, but Liverpool’s recent performances have been the main harbinger of doom. A month ago, Klopp’s team remained in the hunt for four trophies and the perfect farewell for their outgoing manager. However, since letting the FA Cup quarter-final slip through their fingers at Manchester United, there has been a lack of belief in Liverpool’s play, which has affected them at both ends of the pitch. Faith seems to be draining away from both players and fans. “I’m not 100% sure that the way we handled the United games helped particularly,” Klopp admitted on Sunday. “We lost the cup match and it was like a catastrophe.” AH
Manchester city
April 25 Brighton A
April 28 Nottingham Forest A
4th of May Wolves H
11 May Fulham A
May 14 Tottenham A
May 19 Westham H
Arsenal
20th of April Wolves A
April 23 Chelsea H
April 28 Tottenham A
4th of May Bournemouth H
May 12th Manchester UnitedA
May 19 Everton H
Liverpool
April 21 Fulham A
April 24 Everton A
April 27th Westham A
5th of May Tottenham H
13 May Aston Villa A
May 19 Wolves H
What are their biggest problems?
Arsenal: Concerns about the mental impact of last season’s failed title chase on such a young side will undoubtedly arise after Sunday’s defeat. This time Arteta has a near-full squad to choose from after being hampered by injuries to William Saliba and Gabriel during the run-in 12 months ago, but negative memories will have surfaced for many of his players. The challenge for Arteta, who often speaks about how important controlling your emotions can be when push comes to shove, is to make them believe that all is not lost. As Declan Rice – one of those unaffected by last season’s scar tissue – said, the chance to beat Bayern in their own backyard is the “perfect game” for a response. E.A
Liverpool: Fatigue is obvious, both mentally and physically. The workload of a side under pressure from injuries and needing inexperienced youngsters to maintain the momentum and win the Carabao Cup is starting to take its toll at the worst possible time. Alexis Mac Allister and Wataru Endo have had to play more minutes than Klopp would have liked in recent months. Both looked broken against Palace and Atalanta. Conversely, while Liverpool’s injury problems have subsided, players returning from long layoffs – Dominik Szoboszlai, Jota, Jones and even Mohamed Salah – need time to rediscover the intense rhythm that Klopp’s approach requires. An exciting battle for the Premier League title and the quarter-finals of the cup do not offer such luxury. AH
Have the managers done something they regret?
Arsenal: Arteta has tried to appear calm as the intensity of the title race has increased. He is likely to regret the selection of Jakub Kiwior at left-back against Bayern after the Polish defender was at fault for the second goal, having previously been a solid player in a position that has caused the Arsenal manager the most headaches this season . Leaving Jorginho out until the 79th minute against an increasingly confident Villa side seems unwise in retrospect. Arteta has shown that he has learned a lot from last season and will be well aware that there is no room for error at this stage. E.A
Liverpool: Klopp’s options have been limited by injuries for much of the season. It is therefore harsh to blame the manager for Liverpool’s sudden decline, when his skilful handling of reduced resources has kept the team in contention for an unexpected title shot. However, he may regret the amount of slow starts and missed chances that have cost Liverpool their lead. His confidence in a Salah-Núñez-Luis Díaz front three must also be eroding after another ineffective performance from the trio against Palace. Cody Gakpo was a bigger threat when he was introduced in the 66th minute and is certainly in contention to start for Atalanta on Thursday. AH
What gives reason for optimism?
Arsenal: Although Arteta gave a terse response to questions about Martin Ødegaard’s fitness after the Villa match and did not reveal the extent of the injury that forced his captain off the pitch, Arsenal are hopeful the playmaker will be fit against Bayern on Wednesday. Ødegaard will be crucial to their chances of reaching the last four for the first time since 2009 and there were signs during the first leg that Thomas Tuchel’s side are vulnerable, especially along the left flank where they will be without the suspended Alphonso Davies. A memorable victory at the Allianz Arena could provide the impetus Arsenal need to revive their Premier League title challenge and potentially set up a mouthwatering semi-final against Manchester City. Who knows what impact that could have on the title race?
Liverpool: It may be poor after the past two results, but Liverpool’s ability to bounce back under Klopp is well established and, as mentioned, the side is close to full strength again with Alisson and Trent Alexander-Arnold making their comebacks against Palace. And Liverpool are just two points behind the leaders with six games left to play. But the leaders are Manchester City. And Liverpool’s next four games are away from home. AH