Key thoughts and analysis from Sunday's Premier League action

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theScore examines an important developments and largest speaking factors from Sunday’s slate of motion in England’s prime flight.

Extra twists to come back in title race

Only a week in the past, Liverpool seemed poised to win the Premier League title. They had been 5 factors clear, successful video games with out Mohamed Salah, and able to ship off supervisor Jurgen Klopp on a excessive.

These sentiments died a sudden loss of life Sunday with a calamitous 3-1 defeat to Arsenal. Alisson and Virgil van Dijk’s mix-up on the again price Liverpool an opportunity to create an eight-point buffer on the prime of the desk and signaled to the remainder of the chasing pack how rapidly issues can flip. Arsenal at the moment are simply two factors again, Manchester Metropolis have two video games in hand and a successful streak on the go, and Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur are solely 5 and 7 factors, respectively, out of prime spot.

For a wide range of causes – a rash of accidents, VAR interference, dangerous kind, colossal mishaps – this season has been wide-open. There have already been a number of lead adjustments: Spurs had been early pacesetters, Arsenal took over earlier than blacking out in December, and Liverpool constructed credit score with comeback after comeback. With gamers feeling the pressure of such a livid and unforgiving schedule and the toll of the 2022 World Cup lastly catching as much as them, consistency has by no means been a rarer commodity.

Metropolis have demonstrated essentially the most resilience of all, and that is no shock. They’ve a deep sufficient squad to resist accidents to their largest protagonists and do not want Erling Haaland to attain all of their targets. However ask essentially the most studious followers about their possibilities of successful a fourth consecutive Premier League title and so they’ll inform you it is as removed from a assure as it has been throughout Pep Guardiola’s seven-and-a-half-year tenure. Ruben Dias has been shaky on the again, and their dependence on Rodri in the midst of the park has been uncovered. Defensively, Metropolis do not appear positive of themselves. Even Chelsea put 4 targets previous them in December.

Then you could have video games like Sunday’s that comply with no explicit script. Arsenal dominated the primary half however lacked the composure to guard their half-time lead. William Saliba allowed the ball to roll into hazard simply earlier than the interval, and Luis Diaz compelled an personal objective. A victory that was nicely inside the Gunners’ grasp had all of a sudden misplaced its sense of safety. Liverpool discovered themselves on the entrance foot and with it a larger probability of successful. However nobody may legislate for Van Dijk’s uncharacteristically weak protection of a hopeful lengthy ball and Alisson’s unbelievable whiff job. It left Gabriel Martinelli with the simplest of finishes.

You may envision comparable scenes enjoying out over the remaining months. Klopp has already admitted his gamers are bodily spent. Metropolis have additionally proven indicators of treble-winning fatigue. And Arsenal are, nicely, Arsenal, an extremely entertaining facet that is by no means removed from doing one thing silly.

By the numbers: Hojlund catches fireplace

The strain of his gargantuan switch payment was compounded with every match that Rasmus Hojlund failed to attain. Some critics had been prematurely sharpening their knives, making ready to dissect one more bust from Manchester United’s recruitment group.

However then Hojlund’s innovative got here to the fore. His opener towards West Ham United was additional indication of how he is now teeming with confidence. He beautifully collected the ball on the half-turn earlier than duping center-backs Nayef Aguerd and Kurt Zouma with a cool left-footed contact; then, along with his reverse foot, he arrowed house an unstoppable effort from the sting of the field.

Listed below are some standout statistics regarding Hojlund’s reversal of fortunes following United’s 3-0 win at Previous Trafford:

3 – Hojlund (21) was solely the third-youngest starter for Manchester United. His current kind, together with some spectacular performances from youngsters Kobbie Mainoo (18) and Alejandro Garnacho (19), are giving Crimson Devils supporters loads of hope for the long run.

4 – Hojlund is the youngest participant to attain in 4 successive Premier League matches since 20-year-old Dele Alli in January 2017.

7 – The striker has seven objective contributions (5 targets and two assists) over his final six appearances in all competitions. Solely Wigan Athletic have stored him quiet over his fruitful interval.

14 – The Dane went 14 matches with no Premier League objective earlier than the Boxing Day win over Aston Villa. From that match onward, Hojlund has recorded 4 targets and two assists over 4 top-flight outings.

21 – On his twenty first birthday, Hojlund grew to become the youngest-ever participant to attain in 4 consecutive Premier League matches for Manchester United. He is additionally simply the second participant to rejoice that birthday with a objective after Noel Whelan (for Coventry Metropolis in 1995).

85 – Hojlund reportedly price €75 million with an additional €10 million doubtlessly being paid in bonuses. It was a colossal sum for a teen who scored simply 9 targets in Serie A for Atalanta final season, however he is making nice strides towards justifying that payment.

Fast free-kicks

Oh pricey, Emerson

West Ham will rue poor decision-making and approach from Emerson Palmieri because the second the sport slipped away at Previous Trafford. The complete-back pinched the ball from a flat-footed Harry Maguire and was spoiled for selection as he ran towards Manchester United’s objective. He had two teammates in glorious positions to his proper and, though it was the worst choice of the three, the angle was ok for many Premier League gamers to at the very least take a look at Andre Onana. Emerson shot – and it was horrific. A slight hesitation threw Emerson off steadiness, tilting his physique to the precise as he fired along with his left foot, and he wastefully ballooned an unsightly try excessive and extensive. It ought to’ve been 1-1.

And little over 40 seconds after Emerson held his head in his fingers, Garnacho was celebrating his deflected objective to provide United a two-goal lead. Garnacho simply beat Emerson earlier than unleashing a strike that successfully ended the match.

Time for Chelsea to blow it up

It has been practically two years since Todd Boehly’s consortium bludgeoned their approach into the Premier League with spending within the billions of kilos, and the return on their funding continues to plummet. Chelsea’s 4-2 defeat to Wolves on Sunday was an unmitigated catastrophe, as a group comprising practically £700 million in switch charges struggled underneath the strain of a squad value a mere fraction. Matheus Cunha and Pedro Neto ran the Blues ragged – Thiago Silva and Ben Chilwell could not deal with their tempo – and there was no stopping the bleeding as soon as the hosts blew their 1-0 lead.

Now, Chelsea must deal with the possible prospect of a Monetary Truthful Play investigation, which may drive them to sacrifice their prized homegrown expertise simply to steadiness the books. And for what, an Eleventh-place end within the Premier League and a group with out an identification? Nobody is joyful on the membership, and sufficient time has handed to conclude that this expensive experiment has failed. Three totally different managers have come and gone. Sacking Mauricio Pochettino will not make a distinction. It is time to blow it up.

Nuno should discover steadiness

Some components of Nottingham Forest’s lineup are extraordinarily promising. Murillo, 21, is an thrilling expertise and his creating defensive partnership with Andrew Omobamidele helped stifle Dominic Solanke within the 1-1 draw at Bournemouth. Morgan Gibbs-White, a bodily attacking midfielder, is troublesome to comprise and was complemented by Nicolas Dominguez’s tirelessness and tenacity behind him. And though he did not do a lot on the south coast, Taiwo Awoniyi is a fearsome striker making an attempt to regain full health after his nagging groin points.

Nuno Espirito Santo inherited an honest squad from Steve Cooper, however there’s nonetheless work to be achieved. Ryan Yates labored admirably in midfield, however Ibrahim Sangare’s return from the Africa Cup of Nations will convey some much-needed solidity to that space of the pitch. And as for Nuno Tavares, he is merely nowhere close to the standard of the opposite full-back, Neco Williams, and his beginning function ought to be reconsidered.

Stat of the day

Matheus Cunha was by no means a dependable finisher. Nevertheless, the Wolves attacker now has 9 targets in 14 video games throughout all competitions and is, extremely, outscoring a few of Chelsea’s lavish signings at Stamford Bridge.

Tweet of the day

We’re with you, Andy Murray. Ideally, Piers Morgan would keep away from speaking about soccer – or anything for that matter.