Sky Sports’ Paul Merson pens newest column on Liverpool returning to square a single just after their shock defeat at Bournemouth, Chelsea’s best week and the title race as Leandro Trossard and Martin Odegaard shone in Arsenal’s win at Fulham even though Man City edged previous Crystal Palace
By Paul Merson, Football Professional & Columnist @PaulMerse
18:38, UK, Wednesday 15 March 2023
Managers have to preserve level-headed and so do players. Liverpool had a excellent outcome against Manchester United that will place them in the history books but then you have got to turn up and execute at Bournemouth.
When you watch the Bournemouth game you feel, ‘What possibility have Liverpool got at Genuine Madrid?’ Needing to score 3, at least, is a large ask, it would be a single of the greatest Champions League comebacks of all time. Barcelona did it against PSG but that was at house. This is away at the cup holders. If it was two ambitions then you by no means know, but 3…I give them no possibility.
This is why wherever you go in the globe, the Premier League is becoming shown since a single of the bottom 3 teams can beat a single of the leading teams. You by no means get it exactly where Bournemouth rest everyone for subsequent week’s game since they never feel they will beat Liverpool. That does not come about in the Premier League and that is why it is the very best league in the globe.
Tottenham have won 5 of their final seven in the Premier League. They had a shocking outcome in midweek against AC Milan but that is football. They’ve bounced back to beat a poor Nottingham Forest away side who are chalk and cheese house and away. The leading 4 is in their hands and if they win their subsequent two games against Southampton and Everton they will be difficult to chase down.
Chelsea are a hazardous animal
Chelsea are a hazardous animal, they’ve got some unbelievable players and they just require to click – at instances against Leicester they did.
Terrible teams never score the ambitions like they did, two of them had been unbelievable. Kai Havertz’s flick has to go down as a single of the ambitions of the season, you happen to be not seeing that on a Sunday morning.
It was an outstanding week for Chelsea, with wins more than Leeds, Dortmund and Leicester, and now with Everton at house subsequent they can get on a roll. Football is a funny game how it can transform so speedily, you have only got to appear at Liverpool losing at Bournemouth.
Graham Potter has switched to 3 at the back and it is operating. It really is taken a even though for him to get it ideal but it is one hundred per cent superior than with 4 in defence.
And he nonetheless hasn’t got Reece James. Ruben Loftus-Cheek filled in for him on Saturday and played effectively but when James comes back you have got a single of the very best of the enterprise along with Ben Chilwell on the left. You have got to get your wing-backs higher up the pitch and James and Chilwell are really fantastic attacking players.
Mateo Kovacic has come back not too long ago, I am a enormous fan of him, and playing alongside Enzo Fernandez in midfield. Then Potter can choose any 3 from seven solutions up front that can trigger havoc to anyone. Never overlook, Thiago Silva is not playing either. James and Silva are Chelsea’s two very best players.
Marc Cucurella has carried out seriously effectively not too long ago. Often he can dive in, if you happen to be performing that in his position on the left of the 3 then there is a security net behind you if you never win the ball. For all 3 of the central defenders, there is a security net for them from every single other.
If the Champions League quarter-final draw goes their way, bar Man City and Bayern Munich, I never feel also lots of teams will want to play Chelsea. If they never meet these two then I feel they will get by means of to the semi-finals.
Trossard an ‘unbelievable’ signing for just £27m
Arsenal’s functionality in the very first half at Fulham was thoughts-blowing. It was like watching Man City in their pomp and this was against a fantastic Fulham group. It was scary. It was bordering on ridiculous.
It felt like they had at least two a lot more players on the pitch but the point that will win Arsenal the league is beginning matches effectively. I watched them at Leicester when they had been below stress for a outcome and they began effectively and had been excellent.
Then they had been at house against Bournemouth and start out poorly. Against Fulham they start out effectively and it is a stroll in the park. I never see how they are going to be stopped if they start out effectively in matches.
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Leandro Trossard made an great functionality against Fulham
Gabriel Jesus coming back is a bit of a trouble for Arsenal since the lad will want to play – he did not sign to be a bit-portion player like he was at Man City. It will trigger complications in time but at the moment it is like a different signing.
Leandro Trossard could play for Man City. It really is an unbelievable signing for £27m. When his agent stated to him he was going to Arsenal for that charge he need to have believed, ‘Is that all I am worth?!’
The lad could go in the Man City group on Tuesday and you would not know any diverse, he’s that fantastic. But Arsenal play like Man City, if you place them in a light blue kit you would feel they are. You never get larger compliments than that.
Odegaard possessing larger influence than De Bruyne
Jamie Redknapp believes Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard is at the moment the very best midfielder in the Premier League following their complete three- win at Fulham.
As we speak right now, Martin Odegaard is the very best midfielder in the Premier League. He has a lot more impact on the Arsenal group than Kevin de Bruyne has on Man City. We have to speak in moments and, in the present, Odegaard is quantity a single without the need of a doubt. I am not saying he’s a superior player than De Bruyne, but ideal now Odegaard’s possessing a lot more of an influence.
Palace away is a challenging game but Leipzig away is a larger match for Man City. If Man City win the league and not the Champions League then it is not been a excellent season. They purchased Erling Haaland in to win the Champions League, not the Premier League for the fifth time in six years. And De Bruyne will play against Leipzig.
The title race will come down to the fixtures. Whoever plays very first on a weekend will have a enormous benefit. If Arsenal had played very first against Fulham and beat them like they did, they would have been eight points clear of Man City, who had to go to Crystal Palace.
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Martin Odegaard celebrates scoring Arsenal’s third aim at Fulham
City play very first, they win and then Arsenal are only two points clear, and their game becomes a lot more challenging at Fulham.
If Arsenal play very first and they preserve going eight points clear with City needing to win to make it 5, prior to you know it, it will take its toll. It occurred with Tottenham and Leicester in 2016.
If Arsenal win their subsequent two games against Palace and Leeds, I never see how they can be stopped. They will be 5 points clear at least with eight games to go. They’ve got to play Man City but they will have to win that game.
