Premier League
SHAPE OF EXPECTATIONS AS PREMIER LEAGUE RESUMES
BY RICHARD JOLLY
With the title race all but over, let’s take a look at the race for European places and the challenges facing each club from second-placed Manchester City through to Arsenal in ninth. Who will the key player be in each team’s run-in and a prediction on where they will likely finish.
MANCHESTER CITY (CURRENT: 2ND. PREDICTED: 2ND)
Outlook: It depends on two things: their appeal against their two-year European ban and whether they can win the Champions League. City are almost certain to come second, but could do with Raheem Sterling getting a first goal of 2020. Having Leroy Sane fit again is another boost to make them more potent.
Key Player: Aymeric Laporte – City have not conceded with Laporte on the pitch since August. Injury has destroyed his campaign and disrupted their rearguard, but the crucial centre-back is available again.
LEICESTER CITY (CURRENT: 3RD. PREDICTED: 3RD)
Outlook: Eight points ahead of fifth, they should get Champions League football but a tough last two games mean they need to keep that cushion. They are without their pivotal right-back Ricardo Pereira and could do with Jamie Vardy, who only has two goals since Christmas, scoring more regularly.
Key Player: Wilfred Ndidi – It is no coincidence Leicester’s form dipped when their defensive midfielder was injured in January. They have won both times he has started since he returned.
CHELSEA (CURRENT: 4TH. PREDICTED: 5TH)
Outlook: Healthy, in that Timo Werner arrives in the summer. But worrying: after eight months in the top four, they still have to face four of the top six. They could need the departing Willian and Pedro to make fine final contributions and for Kepa Arrizabalaga to justify his fee.
Key Player: Tammy Abraham – A revelation, but has only scored once in an injury-hit 2020. Needs to produce the right response to Werner’s imminent arrival.
MANCHESTER UNITED (CURRENT: 5TH. PREDICTED: 4TH)
Outlook: Encouraging. They are unbeaten in 11 in all competitions, conceding only twice, have Marcus Rashford fit again and can pair Paul Pogba with the catalytic Bruno Fernandes. But opening games against Tottenham and Sheffield United will be a barometer if their February form was a false dawn.
Key Player: Paul Pogba – Not played in 2020, not got an assist since August or a goal all season but finally fit again and likely to stay. If motivated, he can give United an extra dimension.
WOLVES (CURRENT: 6TH. PREDICTED: 7TH)
Outlook: A marathon, 13-month season could yet end in Europa League glory but a small squad may not be suited to a world where teams can make five substitutions. Only Liverpool and Manchester City are harder to beat but a drawing habit could cost them.
Key Player: Adama Traore – A shoulder injury restricted the roadrunner before lockdown and Wolves’ goals dried up. Now the winger has had time to recover.
SHEFFIELD UNITED (CURRENT: 7TH. PREDICTED: 9TH)
Outlook: Shutdown came at the wrong time for the in-form, overachieving Blades. Now they have to try and regain that momentum. With four games against rivals for fourth, their destiny will be decided in head-to-head clashes. They have six away games, but only two defeats thus far on their travels.
Key Player: Dean Henderson – The goalkeeper has been instrumental in giving United the second best defensive record but is ineligible for next week’s clash with his parent club, Manchester United.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (CURRENT: 8TH. PREDICTED: 8TH)
Outlook: Better. Jose Mourinho was willing the season to end when Spurs were miserable in March. Now they have attackers Harry Kane, Son Heung-min and Steven Bergwijn available again. But a tough run-in, especially at home, means they face a battle to salvage anything from a sorry season.
Key Player: Harry Kane – Out of action since New Year’s Day but back now. Scored seven goals in 10 games under Mourinho. Something similar could be needed now.
ARSENAL (CURRENT: 9TH. PREDICTED: 6TH)
Outlook: Unbeaten in 2020 and with a game in hand but a July run of Wolves, Leicester, Tottenham and Liverpool threatens to end any hopes of Champions League football. But Mikel Arteta could further his good start by guiding them back into the Europa League.
Key Player: Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang – Has responded well to Arteta’s appointment and has scored from 63 percent of his shots on target. Finishing that deadly could be decisive.
The Straits Times
Liverpool will have to wait for a few more days to be crowned Premier League champions despite a 1-0 victory at Leicester City after Arsenal kept their slender hopes just about alive with a 4-0 romp at 10-man Ipswich Town on Sunday.
Trent Alexander-Arnold came off the bench to score Liverpool’s winner in the 76th minute at the King Power Stadium to restore their 13-point lead at the top with five games left.
While Liverpool can almost taste a record-equalling 20th English crown, Leicester’s defeat confirmed their relegation back to the Championship after just one season.
The Midlands club have now been relegated from England’s top flight a record 13 times.
Chelsea secured a massive win in their bid to qualify for the Champions League as they came from behind to beat Fulham 2-1 at Craven Cottage with Pedro Neto scoring in stoppage time.
The win pushed Chelsea above Nottingham Forest in to fifth place, the last spot for qualification to the Champions League, although Forest play at Tottenham Hotspur on Monday.
Chelsea have 57 points from 33 games, two behind third-placed Newcastle United and one behind Manchester City. Forest and Aston Villa are level with Chelsea on 57 points.
Wolverhampton Wanderers guaranteed their safety as they beat Manchester United 1-0 at Old Trafford. Pablo Sarabia’s stunning free kick wrapped up a fifth successive league win, the first time Wolves have achieved that in the top flight since 1970.
Liverpool were wasteful at Leicester with numerous chances going begging and Mohamed Salah suffering a frustrating afternoon including hitting both posts with an early shot.
Salah hit the woodwork again moments before the ball came out to Alexander-Arnold who fired a left-footed shot through the crowd to give his side the points — ripping off his shirt and celebrating wildly with the travelling fans.
“We just keep going, mentally we’re really strong,” manager Arne Slot, whose side could be crowned champions if Arsenal lose at home to Crystal Palace on Wednesday, told Sky Sports.
“They enjoy playing football and it helps when you are playing for something special. Today (Alexander-Arnold) knows when it matters most he can just bring a bit more which is something all the top, top players have.”
DISTANT SECOND
If Arsenal avoid defeat by Palace, Slot’s side will seal the title if they beat Tottenham Hotspur at home next Sunday.
“We will focus on Tottenham and looking forward again to a home game and I think the stadium will be full,” Slot, who can become the first Dutch manager to win the English title, said. “It’s a nice game to look forward to.”
Liverpool have 79 points with Arsenal a distant second on 66. Arsenal may have their eyes now on a Champions League semi-final against Paris St Germain, but they showed against Ipswich they will not hand over the title to Liverpool.
Leandro Trossard opened the scoring early on and Gabriel Martinelli made it 2-0 after a delightful flick by Mikel Merino.
Ipswich were reduced to 10 men before halftime as Leif Davis crudely raked his studs down the back of Bukayo Saka’s calf and the second half was academic.
Trossard grabbed his second in the 69th minute and Ethan Nwaneri added a late fourth to leave Ipswich stuck in 18th place on 21 points. They will be relegated if they drop points again or 17th-placed West Ham United pick up one more point from their remaining five games.
Chelsea were heading for a damaging defeat at neighbours Fulham as the hosts led with Alex Iwobi’s 20th-minute goal.
Substitute Tyrique George equalised with an instinctive shot in the 83rd minute, his first Premier League goal, before winger Neto swivelled and unleashed a thunderous strike in stoppage time to send the away fans wild.
Manchester United reached the Europa League semi-final with an astonishing comeback win against French club Olympique Lyonnais on Thursday but their Premier League woes returned against Wolves.
They are in 14th place and have now lost eight Premier League home games this season, their most defeats at Old Trafford in a league campaign since 1962-63.
“Wolves scored in the only opportunity they had. we had many chances, and we didn’t score. If you don’t score goals, you are not going to win games,” manager Ruben Amorim said.
-Reuters
Egyptian outlet, Ahram, has reported that Mohamed Salah has signed a new contract with Liverpool, extending his stay at Anfield beyond the 2024-25 season as he prepares for what could be the final chapter of a storied career with the club.
While the terms of the agreement were not disclosed, British media reports indicate the 32-year-old forward has signed a two-year extension, keeping him at the club until at least 2027.
Salah, who joined Liverpool from AS Roma in 2017, has become a modern-day icon at Anfield.
The Egyptian international has scored 243 goals in 394 appearances—third on the club’s all-time scorers list—and has helped the Reds secure seven major trophies, including the Premier League and Champions League titles.
“I had my best years here,” Salah told the club’s website. “Hopefully it’s going to be 10. I signed because I believe we can still win big trophies together.”
He has maintained his prolific form this season, scoring 32 goals and providing 22 assists in 45 appearances across all competitions. His 27 Premier League goals currently lead the division.
During his time with Liverpool, Salah has won the Premier League Golden Boot three times, been named the PFA Players’ Player of the Year twice, and claimed two FWA Footballer of the Year awards.
Now entering the latter stages of his career, Salah remains focused on adding more silverware to his collection and further cementing his legacy at Liverpool.
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Leicester City’s Jeremy Monga, who became the second-youngest Premier League player when he made his senior debut in Monday’s 3-0 loss to Newcastle United, had to wear a blank shirt because it is sponsored by an online cryptocurrency gaming platform.
Britain’s Gambling Act 2005, which underwent a review in 2020, prohibits players under 18 from wearing kits displaying gambling sponsors. Monga, an England U16 international, made his senior debut at 15 years 271 days old.
Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri remains the youngest Premier League player in history, having debuted in the competition when he was 90 days younger than Monga.
Leicester, who suffered an eighth straight loss in the league without scoring a goal, are 19th in the standings, 15 points below the safety zone.
-Reuters
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