1
The broad men of the forest provide hope
the academies of manchester united and Chelsea have a decent reputation for bringing in highly talented and technical players. Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi tried Premier League football with their first clubs but for various reasons were allowed to leave in the summer to join Nottingham Forest. Aged 21 and 23 respectively, the duo have time on their side. Against Newcastle, Elanga's pace was a constant danger, helping him throw dust into Dan Burn's face as he ran past the full-back, who had no answer to the Swede's pace. Hudson-Odoi's threat comes from a cut in from the left, which earned him a goal on Saturday. Nuno Espírito Santo was keen to sign a winger in January and acquired Gio Reyna, another 21-year-old, from Borussia Dortmund because he believes counter-attacking football could be key to Forest's success. won't win
2
Southgate left to feast on Rice
If Gareth Southgate was hoping to pore over this match for clues as to which of West Ham's eligible midfielders might be best qualified to partner Declan Rice, he probably would have given up and gone back to scanning the Eredivisie highlights after the First half.–hour. James Ward-Prowse is absent from the team for a long time, but remains the most effective substitute in the league qualified for England. Deployed in a useless advanced scrapping role, he had to wait here 14 minutes and 48 seconds for the first slightly exasperated touch from him. Kalvin Phillips entered with the score already 4-0. In the last half hour, with Arsenal taking turns setting up Mohamed Elneny for a late goal, the idea that there was anyone in the West Ham squad with a compelling claim to match Rice's levels at the Euros seemed a little distant. Perhaps there was also a clue as to why Rice has perfected his all-round game under Mikel Arteta, for whom the midfield is an obsession, unlike a manager like David Moyes, who sometimes seems to want to play without one. Barney Ronay
3
United suddenly look up
Whatever happens to Erik ten Hag, there is hope of leaving a better legacy than his predecessors from Manchester United's lost decade. To accompany the young promise of Alejandro Garnacho, Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund, whose first goal was the fifth goal in five games, have resurrected a couple more careers at United that were previously believed to be insurmountable. Harry Maguire, as well as gaining aerial supremacy from set pieces, dominated Ollie Watkins when pre-match analysis, including that of Roy Keane, had pointed to the England pair's battle as one the United player was likely to lose. . Meanwhile, match-winner Scott McTominay, put up for sale last summer, has become a super substitute in the best traditions of the club, a latter-day Ole Gunnar Solskjær or Javier Hernández. “I know big Scottie is great coming in like that,” said a repentant Aston Villa Captain John McGinn of his fellow Scot's winning goal, scored after a cross from Diogo Dalot, another rescue job from Ten Hag. John Brewin
4
City prepares to achieve the double
The defining phase of the season arrives, Manchester City arrives. Pep Guardiola's celestial machine is second, two points behind Liverpool with a game less, has a tie in the fifth round of the FA Cup with Luton Town and is in Copenhagen on Tuesday in the first leg of the round of 16 of the Champions League. The double hat trick is firmly established, despite the manager calling it a “99.99%” Impossibility. Instead, Guardiola wants to focus on the Danish team. “Maybe we'll rotate on Tuesday,” he said. “We won all the games (in the group) and now we are there. We want so much (to win the Champions League again) that it will be a problem for our rivals. But Copenhagen were in a group against Bayern Munich and Manchester United and went through. we play there last year and I didn't win. In my experience, the first leg of the round of 16 is always complicated.” Jaime Jackson
5
Super sub Elliott leaves his mark
It was more by accident than design, but Harvey Elliott's introduction against Burnley provided another example of Liverpool's ability to turn a game around thanks to the quality and mentality of their substitutes. Elliott replaced the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold after a subdued first half from Jürgen Klopp's side and lifted the afternoon with two pinpoint assists, propelling Liverpool back to the top. first division summit in the process. He may wish for more starts but, at the age of 20, the talented midfielder is just two away from reaching 100 appearances in a Liverpool shirt. As Virgil van Dijk said: “He goes through a lot personally. He would love to play week after week, but playing at the highest level you also have to be patient and take advantage of the moments when you have them. He has to move on, don't get frustrated by not playing because sometimes he is part of the business, but when you have opportunities you have to perform and that is what he has done again. andy hunter
6
Sarr's energy transforms Spurs
Tottenham was one of the most active clubs in the January transfer market by incorporating the defender. Radu Dragusin and the forward Timo Werner on loan, but perhaps their most important signing of the month could prove to be the new six-and-a-half-year contract handed to Pape Matar Sarr. The 21-year-old was outstanding in the vibrant late win over Brighton on Saturday, scoring on their return from the African Cup of Nations during an action-packed performance in central midfield that showed why the Senegal international is so valued by the coach. , Ángel Postecoglou. Trained at Génération Foot, the same Dakar academy that helped produce Sadio Mané, Sarr joined Tottenham from French club Metz in 2021 and is quickly becoming one of the league's best young midfielders who seems to cover every corner of the field. “He is one of those midfielders who causes real problems for the opponent because, whether he runs with the ball or without it, he runs forward, runs aggressively and disturbs the opponent,” Postecoglou said of Sarr after his goal at Old Trafford in August. . “He just has a great temperament for a young guy.” Ed Aaron
7
Toney makes the bees hum again
It's no big surprise that, in the absence of Ivan Toney, Brentford slipped a bit this season, starting the weekend just three points above the relegation zone. But now that he is back, it is no great surprise to see Thomas Frank's men improving rapidly, although they are still without Bryan Mbeumo, Rico Lewis and others. Brentford played well in the defeat against Spurs and city of manchester, and having achieved their first away win and clean sheet since October, a promotion up the table seems inevitable. Naturally, Toney was instrumental and a confident finish gave him his third goal in four games. “When you think you're the man, you put on a 'Him' act,” he said later, referencing the new tattoo he pointed out in celebration. But what is most impressive is his all-round contribution: a leader and focal point who exudes composure on the ball and mestizo with it. Given his likely departure in the summer, we should enjoy him in this team while we can. Daniel Harris
8
Wilder not worried about security breach
Disbelief greeted Chris Wilder's claim that, despite winning at Luton, he still had no idea how many Premier League points Sheffield United have amassed. “No one has talked about the gap,” he said. “We've been talking about the next game since we walked in the door. I know we're 12 or 13 now, you don't know what's going to happen. You just have to put your head down.” For Wilder, a lifelong Blades fan, the primary function of a well-constructed tactical strike at Kenilworth Road was as penance for last week's attack. 5-0 defeat against Aston Villa, a topic he returned to repeatedly: “The most important thing for me was the connection with the fans, it was 100% what was needed.” It was up to the scorer Vinícius Souza to make the calculation: “Seven points behind Luton and safety. That's not impossible. I have seen similar leaks during my stay in Brazil.” J.B.
9
The villa must find a plan B
Unai Emery's trepidation on the touchline suggested fears his Aston Villa team would be trapped. He subsequently did not take kindly to the suggestion that his replacement of Leon Bailey by Mousa Diaby on Villa's right flank had been crucial; Bailey took a beating from Victor Lindelöf. Moments before Scott McTominay's winning goal, Emery was urging his players to keep going. They seemed to settle for a draw to maintain their eight-point lead on United. André Onana had to put in one of his best performances for United, but in the end the points were lost. Perhaps the element of surprise that carried Villa so far in 2023 has lost power. United gave up territory, but the swift counterattacks that previously carried Emery's team into Champions League positions were not as evident as in the autumn. Harry Maguire and Raphaël Varane were usually on the prowl, reducing many of those chances to half-chances taken. J.B.
10
Silva finds gold with Muñiz
With all due respect to oil, goals remain the most precious commodity in football, especially in the current climate where there is a relative shortage of centre-forwards. So Marco Silva hopes to find one in Rodrigo Muñiz, whose double he secured Fulham a comfortable and crucial victory. Muñiz has had a slow start to his England career, a knee injury keeping him out for six weeks. But he is now in the flow of things, scoring in last weekend's draw at Burnley before adding two sneaky shots to give his team victory over Bournemouth. But it wasn't just his scoring intuition that impressed. “He's worked very hard,” Silva said after the match. “He is fighting for what he wants and he is showing the desire to play as a striker for Fulham. The way he brought our game together and played behind the pressing of the midfielders was really good.” And with Raúl Jiménez injured and Armando Broja settling in, an unexpected opportunity to establish himself in Silva's starting eleven surely awaits him. HD
