Captain Martin Odegaard and Arsenal have been feeling much more upbeat about their title cost because of Aston Villa’s shock 1-0 residence loss towards Everton. Photograph: AFP
LONDON:
Arsenal prolonged their lead on the prime of the Premier League as title rivals Manchester Metropolis and Aston Villa slipped up.
Tottenham boss Thomas Frank may very well be dealing with the sack after one other dismal loss, whereas Liverpool’s spluttering type continued.
AFP Sport appears to be like at three speaking factors from the weekend’s motion:
Arsenal retain higher hand
As Arsenal digested their 0-0 draw at Nottingham Forest on Saturday, the over-riding emotion was frustration at failing to take full benefit of Manchester Metropolis’s 2-0 defeat at Manchester United earlier within the afternoon.
However simply 24 hours later, Mikel Arteta’s facet have been feeling much more upbeat about their title cost because of Aston Villa’s shock 1-0 residence loss towards Everton.
Third-placed Villa might have closed to inside 4 factors of Arsenal with a victory however as an alternative they sit seven factors adrift.
Successive goalless stalemates towards Liverpool and Forest within the league have underlined Arsenal’s occasional Achilles heel in assault.
However Gunners winger Noni Madueke isn’t involved.
“We weren’t medical sufficient in entrance of objective. There’s a lengthy method to go. We all know that we have been very constant and we’ll proceed to take action,” he mentioned.
Metropolis, in second place following 4 league video games with out a win, are additionally seven factors behind the leaders after shedding to United in Michael Carrick’s first recreation as boss.
“We dropped many factors within the final video games however we’re going to combat till the tip,” Metropolis midfielder Rodri mentioned.
Frank on the brink
Barraged by requires his sacking from livid followers, Thomas Frank insisted he feels “belief from everybody”, however the Tottenham supervisor’s religion could show misguided.
Reviews on Sunday mentioned that Tottenham’s hierarchy had met to debate Frank’s future within the aftermath of Saturday’s dismal 2-1 residence defeat towards struggling West Ham.
Tottenham’s third successive defeat and eighth loss in 14 matches left them languishing in 14th place.
Already out of each home cups, the north Londoners are in disaster simply months after Frank was employed to interchange the sacked Ange Postecoglou.
The previous Brentford boss has irritated Tottenham supporters together with his prosaic ways and their depressing outcomes have pushed him to the brink.
Tottenham captain Cristian Romero referred to as for unity after giving an acerbic verdict on the turmoil.
“It’s tough and likewise a catastrophe second for us, however particularly on this second, we want silence. Again in coaching, work exhausting daily and keep collectively,” he mentioned.
Van Dijk prepared for Liverpool summit
Virgil van Dijk plans to carry a gamers’ assembly on Monday to handle the problems that threaten to derail Liverpool’s bid for Champions League qualification.
Van Dijk was indignant on the sloppiness which allowed lowly Burnley to equalise within the 1-1 draw at Anfield on Saturday.
It was the primary time that Liverpool had drawn 4 successive league matches since 2008.
And for the second time this season, Reds captain Van Dijk is asking questions of the gamers, as he did after defeat to Manchester United in October in the midst of a run of 9 defeats in 12 matches.
“I am annoyed that after 60 minutes we began to change into sloppy and it is not the primary time,” he mentioned.
“It has been spoken about already however we have now to handle it once more apparently and Monday might be an enormous one for it.
“It is not about me addressing it, it’s about how can we clear up it as a result of all of us wish to win video games.”
Liverpool have been jeered by followers after a end result that left them in fourth place and Van Dijk added: “I do not like boos from my very own followers.”
