Premier League hits and misses: Man Utd return to form, Arsenal suffer bizarre defeat, while Blades plot great escape | Football News

Man Utd return to form in style

If one level from two video games had brought about perception in Manchester United’s title hopes to wane, this was an emphatic technique to restore it. A record-equalling Premier League victory as Southampton had been overwhelmed 9-0 at Previous Trafford, this win strikes Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s facet again stage on factors with Manchester Metropolis on the high of the desk. Recreation on.

United’s assault has not been firing so effectively of late with even Bruno Fernandes wanting a bit of off it. The failure to attain at Arsenal even had Luke Shaw criticising the efficiency. “We did not appear to be we wished to play,” he mentioned. “We created the possibilities and failed to attain once more and it value us two factors. At occasions we had been too gradual. We had been sloppy.”

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The pace was again of their play right here with Shaw creating extra probabilities towards his outdated membership than he had carried out in any of his earlier 173 appearances within the competitors, regardless of being substituted at half-time. He had two assists by then and had helped lay on one other as each he and Aaron Wan-Bissaka raided ahead to nice impact from the full-back positions.

The 9-0 scoreline will deliver again recollections of the win over Ipswich in 1995 however 5 of these targets got here from one participant, Andy Cole. The satisfaction for Solskjaer is that seven completely different United gamers had been heading in the right direction right here with each Edinson Cavani and Anthony Martial scoring.

The entire ahead line may simply have performed themselves into type on an evening when United scored as many targets as that they had managed within the earlier eight Premier League video games mixed. The seventh of the 9 targets made them the outright high scorers this season.

Manchester Metropolis nonetheless have two video games in hand, after all, and rightly stay title favourites. However simply as United had been exhibiting indicators of fading, they’ve sparked again to life with a standout outcome to recollect. Winnable video games towards Everton, West Brom and Newcastle provide hope they will lengthen the problem into March. Something can occur then…
Adam Bate

History repeats for Hasenhuttl

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Ralph Hasenhuttl has actually skilled the highs and lows throughout his two-and-a-bit years in cost at Southampton. Now he has carried out so within the house of little over a month. The tears of pleasure got here when he defeated Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool at St Mary’s initially of 2021. 4 weeks on and, remarkably, he has needed to endure one other 9-0 defeat.

That recreation towards Leicester has been mentioned so usually it has change into one thing of a operating joke, an inescapable reference level for Hasenhuttl’s reign. No person thought for one second that historical past would repeat. It’s uncommon for a coach to outlive one such outcome. Now the Austrian should hope to get better from the ignominy of it taking place twice.

He has earned loads of belief within the interim interval and the way of this defeat was not so damning towards a free-flowing Manchester United facet at Previous Trafford. The gamers labored laborious after dropping Alexandre Jankewitz within the second minute and three of the United targets hit the again of the web after his Southampton facet had been decreased to 9 males.

However a fourth consecutive Premier League defeat means Southampton are on the worst run of type of any crew within the competitors. They had been unlucky towards Aston Villa and are with out some key gamers due to damage. They, of all groups, know to not panic. However it’s a reminder as soon as extra of simply how shortly fortunes can change in soccer.
Adam Bate

No cause for alarm at Arsenal

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After one other David Luiz dismissal – his third in Arsenal colors, to be exact – was adopted by a second-half collapse which noticed a promising seven-game unbeaten revival unravel at Molineux, you’d have been forgiven for considering Arsenal had been as much as their outdated methods once more.

The controversial determination which led to Luiz’s dismissal undoubtedly dominated the fall-out from the primary bump within the highway Arsenal have skilled this 12 months, but it surely mustn’t overshadow a efficiency which, at occasions, served as an illustration of the strides the Gunners proceed to take underneath Mikel Arteta.

For 47 first-half minutes, proper up till Luiz’s sending off and Ruben Neves’ equaliser from the spot, Arsenal had been superior in each division towards Wolves, the one criticism being that they didn’t safe a extra good-looking lead.

Even after being decreased to 10 males and falling behind to a second of sheer brilliance from Joao Moutinho, there was perception, nonetheless unlikely, that one thing could possibly be salvaged from the sport.

In the long run, a defeat is finally a defeat, however with Arsenal sides within the not so distant previous prone to have slumped to a extra damaging or demoralising setback, the very fact this crew coped within the face of such adversity would haven’t solely happy Arteta, however proven him he has a gaggle prepared to sort out to challenges that lie forward.
Jack Wilkinson

Could this be Wolves’ springboard?

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What a wierd night this was for Wolves. They had been hapless for a lot of the primary half, wanting devoid of confidence as Arsenal bought in behind their defence with alarming ease. The swap to a again 4 was unconvincing, the strain on the ball non-existent. Stepping into the dressing room at half-time only one objective behind appeared like being the one bonus.

Because it was, one neat passage of play was sufficient for Willian Jose to win the penalty that resulted in David Luiz’s pink card earlier than being expertly transformed by Ruben Neves. The profitable objective from Joao Moutinho was spectacular. The Bernd Leno sending off ended any prospect of an Arsenal comeback. Three factors and a primary Premier League win of the 12 months.

Nuno Espirito Santo will hope it’s a turning level as a result of for the primary time in his Wolves reign he’s being questioned. Seven video games with out a win will try this however what has been extra worrying has been the lack of id, the little patterns his gamers knew so effectively.

Going as soon as once more to 4 on the again is a sign Nuno just isn’t but able to return to the system that introduced relative success in his first three seasons in cost. He needs to proceed the seek for a brand new means. Whereas the crew’s efficiency towards 11 Arsenal gamers didn’t provide a lot proof that he has discovered it, the victory over 9 of them may simply encourage some much-needed confidence that they may get there in the long run.
Adam Bate

Blades key men return to form

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The outdated band are firmly again collectively and hitting the suitable notes at Sheffield United. For giant elements of this season, the intricate passing the Blades had been famend for final season has been changed by unimaginative patterns of play.

Nonetheless, the return to type of Chris Basham and John Fleck has bought Chris Wilder’s crew again to their greatest – each had been excellent within the second half of their comeback victory over West Brom as their miraculous survival bid gathered extra momentum.

The marauding Basham lived as much as his “Bashambauer” title with a efficiency of a sheer class down the suitable. His means to affix the assault and play harmful passes was the catalyst for the sensible second-half efficiency by his crew.

It was no coincidence each of the Blades targets got here down the suitable flank. He was ably supported by Fleck, who dictated the sport from his central place. When these two play effectively, the Blades are a totally completely different animal to the one we’ve come related to this season. The good escape could possibly be on.
Lewis Jones

Palace victory comes at what cost?

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Gary Cahill marked his return with the decisive objective as Palace got here from behind to win 2-1 at Newcastle, however Roy Hodgson will return south maybe contemplating the price of claiming back-to-back Premier League victories for the primary time since September.

Together with his facet defending a slender second-half lead, Wilfried Zaha was compelled to depart by way of damage, denting his facet’s means to rise up the pitch. The 28-year-old was seen clutching the again of his proper leg, suggesting a possible hamstring damage.

Palace sit 15 factors away from the relegation zone, however it’s the rising record of these on the therapy desk that would derail any hopes of breaking into European competition.

Hodgson mentioned afterwards: “All of the sudden we’re wanting round questioning the place all our gamers are. It will be an issue making an attempt to get these gamers match once more. These accidents must be assessed.

“[Wilfried Zaha] would not usually get injured so it is regarding he has come off. Hopefully it is nothing severe as a result of Wilf’ bought large powers of restoration however so as to add him to the gamers we misplaced on the weekend, the squad will get smaller and smaller.”

Monday eighth February 7:00pm


Kick off 8:00pm

Palace’s report with out their talisman is effectively documented. Because the begin of the 2016/17 season, they’ve collected 1.3 factors/recreation with him within the facet in comparison with simply 0.5 factors/recreation when he has been absent.

Extra just lately because the begin of final time period, Palace have misplaced all three video games with out the winger so Hodgson will probably be sweating over the medical evaluation within the coming days. Eberechi Eze and Michy Batshuayi might must shoulder better the attacking accountability ought to the prognosis be worse than first feared, beginning with the journey to Leeds on Monday Evening Soccer.
Ben Grounds