Kolkata: In 5 matches in April and Might 2023, Arsenal noticed their Premier League title hopes evaporate. Three defeats, 1-4 to eventual champions Manchester Metropolis, 0-3 at dwelling to Brighton – the most important shock of all of them – and 0-1 to Nottingham Forest the place they regarded spent, killed hopes of ending a 19-year wait to be champions.
It will be oversimplifying to say that these defeats, or the double whammy by Aston Villa final time period, alone value Arsenal two league titles. There have been additionally accidents, tiredness, incapacity to make their domination rely in different matches and Metropolis’s relentlessness. However there is no such thing as a denying {that a} title race will be influenced by how a contender offers with a troublesome run of fixtures.
For Premier League leaders Liverpool that point is now. Their subsequent 9 matches in England and Europe embody contests towards RB Leipzig, Arsenal, a double header towards Brighton, Actual Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen and Aston Villa. That’s 5 matches towards groups who’re both defending league or European champions or are within the prime 4. Within the case of Actual Madrid, it’s all three. Brighton, who meet Liverpool twice in three days, are fifth within the standings. Neither defending champions Metropolis nor Arsenal have it this dangerous.
“That is our greatest check, to play Champions League and Premier League, the toughest video games, three days in a row,” stated Liverpool supervisor Arne Slot after Sunday’s 2-1 win towards Chelsea. It was Liverpool’s tenth win in 11 matches in all competitions and their seventh in eight rounds of the league. Liverpool’s Dutch supervisor although has at all times performed down the excellent begin saying they haven’t met any of the highest groups within the league.
Liverpool beat Milan away 3-1 within the Champions League however Chelsea have been their first opponents within the league who have been within the prime 9. If how they handled a staff that had come to Anfield on an eight-game unbeaten run in all competitions and had Cole Palmer is to be a pointer, Liverpool followers can look forward in anticipation not apprehension.
Chelsea had 56% possession and 12 photographs, which was 4 greater than Liverpool. However Liverpool had 4 photographs on track, two greater than the visiting staff. Which is proof of how troublesome it has been to attain towards Liverpool this season. They’ve conceded thrice within the league which is 5 lower than subsequent finest Arsenal and Newcastle amongst groups which have performed eight rounds.
“Defensively Liverpool look extra strong. Below Juergen Klopp it was superb to look at, however as defenders you might be uncovered,” former England defender Micah Richards stated on Sky Sports activities. “The timing through which defenders drop again and push up is much more balanced.”
In opposition to Chelsea, Liverpool absorbed early strain and, as anticipated, have been swift and modern on the counter. “The higher the groups you face, the extra you want to combat,” stated Slot afterwards. “We confirmed up, that was an important factor.”
Mo Salah now has 5 assists, which is what he had in the complete 2020-21 season, and 5 objectives. Nobody is aware of if he’s going to remain however within the right here and now, Salah, 32, appears to be at his finest.
Chelsea took away numerous positives however effectivity within the entrance third was not certainly one of them. They could even have switched off within the quick aftermath of Nicolas Jackson’s good end. Salah punished them with a supply that was intelligent and stylish. Curtis Jones did the remaining.
Utilizing one foot to cushion and one other to attain was proof of Jones’s means. He had a task within the first aim as effectively, successful the penalty that Salah transformed. Cody Gakpo’s disallowed aim too had Jones’s involvement.
Having risen from Liverpool’s academy, Jones, 23, received solely his second Premier League begin of the season on Sunday as a result of Alexis Mac Allister wanted relaxation after worldwide responsibility. And slot in he did. As did Darwin Nunez after Diogo Jota was injured.
Substitutes filling in adequately, or greater than adequately in Jones’s case, is vital to a staff coping with powerful matches coming thick and quick. From Ibrahima Konate changing Jarell Quansah towards Ipswich of their opening fixture of the season, Liverpool have been ready to do this.
This was additionally Jones’s first Premier League aim since January 1. He could possibly be a type of who assist Liverpool finish the yr effectively.