Premier League: Ten Key Talking Points from the Latest Round of Matches
This past round of Premier League action delivered plenty of excitement, surprise results, and interesting subplots. Ranging from clashes between coaches to personal masterclasses, here are the primary points stemming from the matches.
Calum McFarlane Makes a Statement When Facing A Master Tactician
The young coach's surprise battle with Pep Guardiola evoked memories of previous David vs Goliath coaching battles. For the Chelsea boss, embarking on his senior management debut, the task was overcoming his side's dreadful sequence against Manchester City. A last-gasp equaliser from the Chelsea star snatched a valuable result, a feat former managers had failed to achieve.
The Reds' Struggle to Close Games Out
Even with Florian Wirtz getting the net, Liverpool were left frustrated after allowing a winning position slip at Marco Silva's side. The issue of not managing to command matches when in the lead persists, with the team previously throwing away identical advantages in previous outings. Until they learn the skill of defending a lead, the campaign will remain a frustrating process.
The Arsenal Midfielder Shows Faith In Gyökeres to Fire
Viktor Gyökeres is going through a significant run without scoring from general play, but his midfield colleague the England international is adamant the number nine is nevertheless hugely important. The midfielder highlighted the striker's work off the ball and unselfish performances as crucial to Arsenal's form. "Good things are bound to arrive," was Rice's confident message for his misfiring strike partner.
Ruben Amorim Needs The Slovenian to Find His Edge
With the Red Devils adopting in a incredibly cautious fashion, the burden was placed on the attacking pair to produce. While the Brazilian continued his impressive run, his strike partner endured another forgettable game. The young striker has found goals scarce since his big-money switch and spurned a golden chance to snatch the contest. January offers a obvious imperative for him to regain his confidence.
Enzo Le Fée Leaves Tottenham in a Spin
The Sunderland manager positioned Enzo Le Fée in a more defensive role at first, before pushing him up the pitch as the contest wore on. The decision turned out to be masterful, with he becoming the chief creator of Sunderland's comeback for an equalizing goal. After glancing the upright, Le Fée supplied a perfect pass for the crucial goal. Having fully adapted to the intensity of the Premier League, his campaign is on the rise.
Nuno Espírito Santo Wastes Chance to Use New Signing
During an woeful loss for the Hammers, head coach Nuno Espírito Santo opted not to utilize any of his named bench players. Among them was recent acquisition Pablo Felipe, who watched on despite his club's utter ineffectiveness. The manager reasoned it would have been "unfair" to send the new player into the action. However, with goals at a dearth, the need to assimilate the 22-year-old quickly is painfully clear.
The Teenager Delivers Another Major Claim
Lewis Miley produced another superb display while playing out of position. The midfielder was flawless in his own half, provided the opening goal, and set the standard in a scrappy affair. With established full-backs returning, the question for manager Eddie Howe is how to accommodate the astonishingly composed player in his natural central midfield berth. "Future Magpies teams will certainly be built on the lad," seems an a safe assessment.
Are the Sean Dyche Impact Running Out at The City Ground?
Sean Dyche's first influence at Nottingham Forest was positive, but concerns are now arise about the squad's versatility. The team's transition ability exists, but looks less potent without previous personnel. Whilst structured when defending deep, they have looked vulnerable when forced to chase a game. Cheap turnovers in such circumstances has been disastrous, a lesson they must address quickly.
Igor Thiago's Scoring Form Halts Thomas Frank's Side's Travel Woes
The West London club put in a showing that belied their troubled form on the road. Vital to their commanding victory was the in-form streak of forward the Brazilian. Thiago's presence are offering a base for the squad to build on. Winger Kevin Schade even suggested the lofty dream of a top-seven finish as a potential outcome, highlighting the renewed confidence in the camp.
