An Arsenal star saved the Gunners within the driver’s seat for the title race as Erling Haaland’s picturesque bicycle kick led to an all-time comparability proving the Norwegian is destined for greatness.
An important mistake from a Leicester City star pressured a potential supervisor to get chilly toes, whereas a Premier League legend felt a polarising English worldwide’s tactical tweak fell flat.
Foxsports.com.au takes a have a look at the weekend that was within the newest version of Premier League Talking Points!
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PL LEGEND ‘NEVER BEEN PROVEN MORE WRONG’ BY GUNNERS STAR
After letting a two-goal lead slip in opposition to Liverpool at Anfield, a raft of Arsenal stars appeared crushed.
The Gunners would stay prime whatever the outcome, however not successful means Mikel Arteta’s aspect maintain a six-point lead over Manchester City, who’ve a recreation in hand.
However, it may have been only a five-point lead had been it not for the late heroics of Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.
The former Sheffield United goalkeeper proved he was value each cent of his $AUD55m switch payment and extra with a string of mind-blowing saves within the dying embers of the conflict.
He received a fingertip to the ball to divert a slightly-deflected curling effort from Mohamed Salah within the ninety fifth minute.
Barely a couple of minutes later, Ramsdale got here up huge once more to disclaim Ibrahima Konate from point-blank vary, leaving each units of followers with their jaws gaping.
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It’s additional vindication behind Arsenal’s resolution to maneuver for Ramsdale in 2021 after he was unfairly tarnished as a relegation curse given he’d been demoted from the Premier League in consecutive years with Bournemouth and Sheffield United.
Liverpool nice Jamie Carragher was very happy to confess he needed to eat his phrases after witnessing Ramsdale’s late heroics.
“I don’t suppose I’ve ever been confirmed extra fallacious by a participant than Aaron Ramsdale,” Carragher informed Sky Sports.
“I watched him at occasions with completely different groups the place he goes down and also you see a number of targets go in and also you suppose, ‘Could the goalkeeper do higher there?’
“When Arsenal purchase him I used to be scratching my head. I couldn’t consider it after they purchased him. But the function he has not simply as a goalkeeper however he’s character. The crowd feed off him.
“I can’t consider what I’ve seen from him this season and the function he’s performed on this title cost.”
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CITY BOSS’ BIG HAALAND CLAIM AMID MESSI, RONALDO COMPARISON
With one leap into the air and a swift kick of the ball, Erling Haaland cemented himself on each sporting spotlight reel internationally.
The Norwegian’s second aim in Manchester City’s comfy 4-1 win over Southampton took his season tally to a staggering 30 targets, 4 shy of Alan Shearer’s longstanding document.
With 9 fixtures to go for City this season, it seems virtually sure Haaland will shatter Shearer’s feat and set the bar even larger for the long run.
The mind-boggling type displayed by Haaland this season has inevitably drawn comparisons with a few of the recreation’s greats, particularly Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
The pair have gone back-and-forth with regards to their respective particular person and group accolades all through the years, though Messi has maybe usurped Ronaldo within the debate given his World Cup triumph.
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They’ve additionally scored over 800 targets every all through their profession.
However, City supervisor Pep Guardiola believes Haaland may simply attain these figures ought to he keep his trajectory.
“You see what number of video games Erling has performed throughout his skilled profession and also you examine the targets he has scored in that point to Messi and Cristiano, it’s fairly comparable.
“I feel Messi is a extra full participant. He can play wherever as a result of he understands the sport.
“The different two, Cristiano and Haaland, are like a machine. But Erling is aware of the opposite two guys have dominated for twenty years, not only one 12 months.
“Erling is simply 22 years previous and he’s doing it within the hardest league on the planet. I can discuss as a result of I’ve been in different leagues. Doing what he’s doing is exceptional.”
Haaland’s absurd goalscoring type this season is exhibiting no indicators of slowing down. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
WHY KLOPP’S BOLD ALEXANDER-ARNOLD CALL CANNOT CONTINUE
Many have referred to as for Jurgen Klopp to make use of Trent Alexander-Arnold in a midfield place, particularly in latest occasions.
The Liverpool right-back’s defensive flaws have been uncovered a worrying quantity of occasions this season, coinciding with the Reds’ slide down the ladder.
However, his ahead forays stay probably the most spectacular points of his recreation and is a crucial a part of Liverpool’s attacking plan, as are his set-piece deliveries.
But in opposition to Arsenal, Klopp determined to maneuver Alexander-Arnold into extra of a defensive midfield function when Liverpool had the ball to reflect what Arsenal left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko does when the Gunners are in possession.
There has been right-backs who’ve transitioned right into a central midfield function and flourished, like Phillip Lahm at Bayern Munich when Pep Guardiola arrived, so it wouldn’t be an alien idea to retrain Alexander-Arnold.
However, Manchester United legend Gary Neville has not seen sufficient from the Liverpool star to warrant Klopp altering his place, even when it means his defensive recreation will proceed to come back into query.
Alexander-Arnold discovered himself tucking into midfield extra typically than he often would. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“Alexander-Arnold would drift into midfield in any case given the liberty being at right-back offers him, but when he was truly all the way down to play in midfield away from house within the Premier League and he was getting the ball popped into him, when he’s received his again to play, that’s a distinct ball recreation,” Neville informed Sky Sports.
“Some of the most effective midfielders on the planet, the Xavis, Iniestas, they’re those who can manipulate the ball and Rodri does it very nicely. Trent wouldn’t be capable to do this, truthfully.
Neville added: “I’ve heard it stated quite a lot of occasions about fullbacks with the ability to play in midfield earlier than … ‘he can play vast, he can play as a winger’ – no they will’t. That’s why they’re fullbacks.
“I feel he can play wing-back. Jurgen Klopp tried to play him in a distinct place in the present day, he tried to drag him into midfield – Zinchenko-like, John Stones-like – however he may positively play wing-back as there’s a right-sided centre-back who can shift into the channel to take care of the straight balls.”
Gary Neville has urged Jurgen Klopp to name off his midfield experiment of Trent Alexander-Arnold. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)Source: AFP
THE BACKPASS THAT GAVE LEICESTER FAVOURITE COLD FEET
Leicester City had been punished for a momentary lapse in focus for the second straight recreation as life within the Championship looms massive.
In the midweek fixture in opposition to Aston Villa, Leicester midfielder Wilfried Ndidi performed a careless move from simply exterior his 18-yard field that Villa winger Bertrand Traore pounced on and curled within the winner within the 87th minute.
You’d wish to suppose the Foxes would study from their errors, however no.
Leicester hosted Bournemouth on the King Power Stadium on Sunday in a proverbial six-pointer given the razor-thin margins for error within the relegation race.
But a stray backpass from Foxes skipper James Maddison allowed Cherries midfielder Philip Billing to race in on aim and slot the ball previous Daniel Iversen for the one aim of the sport.
Not solely did Maddison’s error reward three essential factors to Bournemouth, it additionally reportedly gave potential supervisor Jesse Marsch chilly toes.
Multiple experiences claimed Marsch was near being appointed as Brendan Rodgers’ substitute at Leicester, however talks shortly took a flip within the wake of the loss.
Perhaps Marsch realised the size of the job on his fingers as he’d have had two consecutive seasons taking on a membership locked in a fierce battle for survival.
Leicester have eight video games left to save lots of its season, together with fixtures in opposition to Leeds, Everton and West Ham United who’re additionally more likely to be scrapping tooth-and-nail to remain within the Premier League.
Whatever Leicester determine to do with regard to their managerial state of affairs, it will be a miracle in the event that they aren’t consigned to the Championship subsequent season.
