1
Amorim's tough task off the pitch
The selection of Manchester United was a surprise, with Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho completely out of the team and Rubén Amorim was even more surprising by saying that the decision had been made after analyzing “everything: training, performance, commitment to teammates.” However, it was only a surprise because the XI was published on Facebook by Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News at 10.23pm on Saturday night, just over 18 hours before kick-off. “Tonight an interesting XI has already been leaked,” he wrote. “Teams have been leaked from United for years, but the current regularity, the blatant manner of doing so and the apparently public identity of the source make it a bigger problem.” Amorim's dual task is to create a successful team and a disciplined club where no one threatens the collective to promote their individual agendas. Despite this positive result, it has a lot to do on both fronts. Simon Burnton
2
The city's incompetence is shocking
In the first division city of manchester They have now lost 10 points from winning positions, exactly as many as they lost during last season, and the same number they have lost on average in each of the last five seasons (although they peaked at 16 in 2022-23, the average drops (by a ridiculous record in 2021-22, when the only time they dropped points from winning positions was in a draw, after leading twice, against Liverpool in April, their 31st league game of season). As Bernardo Silva pointed out after the game, a decent team with a corner in the final minutes of a game that narrowly leads, leaving defenders behind to act as insurance, should not concede a penalty just seconds later. The shocking thing about their recent run is not that City lack quality, but that they lack competition. S.B.
3
Robinson may attract suitors in January
The contrasting fortunes of two left-backs made for a gripping spectacle at Anfield. A knee injury in the first minute and a red card in the 17th minute, with a deflection of Fulham's first goal in between, made it an unforgettable afternoon for Liverpool's Andy Robertson. Antonee Robinson, on the other hand, put in a performance that left Marco Silva wondering whether he handles the best left-back in the world. first division. “I'm the Fulham manager, of course I'm going to say yes,” he replied. “But January is coming and I don't want to go in that direction again.” Robinson provided two excellent assists at Anfield and, without being too critical, could have provided two more by exploiting space against Arne Slot's bold three-man defence. His athleticism and adventure combined with an imposing defensive display against Mohamed Salah, who had scored in seven consecutive league games for Liverpool before the visit of Fulham. Despite Silva's attempts to stay away from transfer talks in January, they could be inevitable. andy hunter
4
'Sly old fox' Gueye frustrates Arsenal
Idrissa Gueye is 35 years old but remains a vital presence in Everton's midfield. It clearly helps to have Orel Mangala and Abdoulaye Doucouré flanking him, sharing the workload, perhaps even doing some of his running for him, but it is Gueye who controls the structure. Not only did he maintain a 91% pass completion rate, he also carried the ball when necessary and drew fouls to relieve pressure. “Gana, with his understanding,” Sean Dyche said, “he's a cunning old fox. “He knows the script – he’s played for a lot of different clubs.” Your heat map for Saturday's draw Arsenal shows that he had no contact in the opposition area, not even close to it, but the most important thing is the access point in his own half, to the left of center, where he played a huge role in nullifying the threat of Martin Ødegaard and limit his connection with Bukayo Saka. jonathan wilson
5
Taylor is the last Ipswich player to move up a level
For Ipswich, the win over Wolves meant another invaluable three points, this time with the advantage of putting a dent in a relegation rival, as well as another slice of history. Jack Taylor, playing for League One side Peterborough 18 months ago, became the latest player to score in the top four divisions of English football in the Premier League era, a select club joined by his captain, Sam Morsy, after tying late in Southampton in September. “There are 10 or 11 players in history (who have done it) and we've got four of them, so I think that's a testament to the group,” Ipswich head coach Kieran McKenna said. He wants to strengthen the right flank in January, but his disciplined team is packed with players determined to seize their opportunity. Six of his starting line-up at Molineux represented Ipswich in League One. Five years ago, Taylor was not linked to Barnet. Ali Al-Hamadi was in League Two with AFC Wimbledon last January. “The group has been on an incredible journey, each individual has their story,” McKenna said. ben fisherman
6
Van Nistelrooy approaches Almirón
Newcastle are desperate to sign a right forward next month, but the current occupant of that role, Jacob Murphy, reminded that he is not bad after all by scoring twice in this 4-0 demolition of Leicester. “We defended poorly,” said Ruud van Nistelrooy after suffering his first defeat in three games since becoming Leicester manager. His team also offered a negligible attacking threat, something which perhaps explains why the Dutchman showered Newcastle's Miguel Almirón with praise in the pre-match press conference and then singled out the Paraguayan right forward, an unused local substitute, for a brief chat after the final whistle. . While Eddie Howe hopes to sell Almirón in January, he is desperate to keep the excellent Sandro Tonali. With Bruno Guimarães moved further forward, Tonali controlled the midfield as Howe's inconsistent players prepared for Wednesday's crucial Carabao Cup quarter-final match at home to Brentford. Louise Taylor
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7
The continued growth of Settled Forest
Antonio Elanga believes Nottingham Forest They have the squad and the understanding that means they can compete “100%” to qualify for Europe this season after climbing to fourth place with Saturday's 2-1 win over Aston Villa. The winger, who came on as a substitute to score the winning goal in stoppage time, highlighted the organization of the preseason, when Nuno Espírito Santo made key signings early and knew how to establish his playing patterns. This contrasted with the previous two summers, when Forest's chaotic signings made it difficult for the team to settle. “I think the difference this season is the fact that we made the signings early and we all did a pre-season,” said the former Manchester United player. “Nuno had to do a proper preseason because that made a big difference. He had his ideas early. And we have accepted them and I think that is shown by the attitude of the players today.” Peter Lansley
8
Sarr reassures those who miss Olise
Any Crystal Palace Fans still mourning Michael Olise's departure to Bayern Munich in the summer may finally have something to get excited about. Two goals from Ismaïla Sarr, who inherited Olise's number 7 shirt following her arrival from Marseille, capped a brilliant performance by the Senegalese striker in a 3-1 victory over arch-rivals Brighton, as Oliver Glasner's side pulled further away of the problems. Having struggled to make his way into the reckoning at the start of the campaign, the 26-year-old has started Palace's last seven games and is beginning to fulfill his huge potential. “We knew we couldn't replace Michael, but Ismaïla has her own qualities,” Glasner said. “We knew that when we got him into the right areas he would have opportunities and score goals. He's getting better and better, but now is not the time for him to relax; “Now he shows why we hired him.” Ed Aaron
9
Maresca sticks to his script
Enzo Maresca's insistence that his team is not a Premier League title contender has been regurgitated ad nauseum in the football media recently. He Chelsea The manager stood tenaciously firm, somewhat ridiculously, after negotiating a difficult date with Brentford. “There are a lot of things we can do better,” he said. “The reason we are not ready to compete is because if you look at the goal we conceded, it is a throw-in for us (in) the 90 minutes. The team that is ready to compete (for the Premier League) uses that ball in a different way.” Their logic looks increasingly questionable and if they keep this up Chelsea could even be on top by Christmas. So surely Maresca would have to admit that he's very good at his job: he's even smart enough to give the media a convenient line to latch onto as he continues to improve his team. Lucas McLaughlin
10
Is the situation changing for Postecoglou?
Tottenham seemed ready to capitulate at Ibrox on Thursday night when the Rangers were looking for a second goal and the crowd was chanting for the home team. However, instead of retreating, Ange Postecoglou's triple substitution saw Spurs take control and equalize thanks to an exquisite finish from Dejan Kulusevski. They now have this ruthless, relentless thrashing of Southampton under their belt, and a potentially calamitous December is looking more palatable. Djed Spence also took 36 seconds to produce a world-class assist for James Maddison, and will soon have another start in the Premier League. It may be premature to say that the situation has changed, but at least Tottenham can face another difficult week with optimism. What about Southampton? Russell Martin appeared to diagnose the problem during a humiliating first half. They were a disaster and relieving Martin of his duties on Sunday night didn't seem unfair to me. L.M.
