One thing, okay, one of many things, I’ve been a bit lazy this season is covering the Champions League stuff that tends to happen in the middle of the week.
I mean, I struggle to take the Premier League circus so seriously, let alone the competition that the big shots want to expand to eventually take over the world, which means that the English top flight would be just as important as, say, the League. National South in 2042.
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Proposals for a renewed Champions League starting in 2024 will be discussed, making the tournament even bigger.
All I will say about the latest Champions League football is that Ederson is a very, very lucky kid and that could be the stroke of luck Manchester City need to win the damn thing, which means Pep Guardiola finally managed. what was recruited to achieve half. a decade ago.
Before his match with Dortmund, Erling Haaland was seen with a light blue backpack heading to the ground; I mean, in this day and age that amounts to a press conference announcing that the deal is closed, right?
City managed a victory there, but were not so lucky in the Bielsa / Guardiola love that showed well before the dividing line on Saturday. Marcelo does Dallas might have been an appropriate job title given that the Northern Irishman turned out to be an unlikely winner at the Etihad.
You had to feel a little bit for Leeds captain Liam Cooper who made a tackle that would have been the ideal setting for many defenders some time ago: take all the ball and leave a bit on the man, get on with the game. Sadly, in the VAR era, these tackles are slowed down to the point where even a saint could make a tackle that would look a little too tough.
Cooper’s challenge was a red card
The fact that Leeds was reduced to ten led expert Tim Sherwood to declare that City would obviously go ahead and win easily given that Bielsa would refuse to sit down and defend their lead and Sherwood, unsurprisingly given his management record, was something off the mark.
City will win the Premier League, don’t worry about it, and it could even win the League Cup final, FA Cup final and Champions League that you want so much. But Bielsa did a good number to one of his many disciples there, well and properly.
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Bielsa has yet to sign a new contract with Leeds, which runs until the end of the season
The most interesting thing about the first half hour between Manchester United and Tottenham in London was that Marcus Rashford and Paul Pogba switched flanks from time to time. Yes, it was that interesting.
United went slow and slow and then bam (and I’m not talking about Scott McTominay ‘brushing’ Heung-Min Son). Pogba found Cavani, led by United. Remember the VAR mantra: clear and obvious mistake. Clear and obvious mistake. Meh, soccer.
Well, it’s not football according to Sky Sports experts and I agree with them. If it was a foul, shouldn’t it have been a second yellow? I mean, why make a little tease?
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They are left on the ground after McTominay accidentally made light contact with his face.
Fortunately for Jose, Son’s eyesight recovered quickly enough to put the Spurs up 1-0 minutes later. Fred tied for United demonstrating the popular belief that if he ever has to shoot, he must shoot from as little distance as possible.
Obviously, United won; after all, they were one goal behind and that’s what they do. Not holding on to advantages is also what Tottenham does, so this was the perfect storm in many ways. Is Mason Greenwood rushing to buy Gareth Southgate’s plane tickets? Who knows. Pogba probably should have gone for crashing his elbow into Serge Aurier, but even that wouldn’t have changed the direction of the second half.
This is the first time Jose has lost ten league games in a season, and if he doesn’t drag the team to the top four, his best player will want to make one, too. Spurs have been hard hit financially by the pandemic, but firing Mourinho would likely double that number.
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Mourinho could be on borrowed time at Tottenham
I suspect that Jurgen Klopp has fired Southgate several WhatsApps in the last week or so to thank him for winding up Trent Alexander-Arnold enough that Liverpool’s ‘best right-back’ has suddenly awakened from his slumber and has become a party. winner again (that’s if you ignore Madrid’s game and its defensive material, right?).
TAA snuggled into a lovely little late, late, late winner at Anfield, who finished his longest run in history without a win against the Kop. It was a bit harsh on Emi Martinez, who had produced a world save moments before and if Ross Barkley had managed to clear the matter, Villa would have escaped with a point that would have given Alisson more nightmares.
Klopp had more reason to question the VAR point given the way Bobby Firmino’s rare goal was disallowed and that led to a halftime statistic (and who doesn’t love one of those?) Than the previous 127 from the Liverpool Kicks on goal in Liverpool had not resulted in a goal if you ignore penalties, and you should always ignore penalties.
Liverpool are not out of the Champions League chat yet, which is useful given that they are probably out of the Champions League unless they produce one of those Anfield nights on weekdays.
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Alexander-Arnold surprised Villa with a last minute stunner
Another team that continues to challenge the belief with a player who continues to challenge the same belief is West Ham United and Jesse Lingard. Sure, 3-0 is never a sure advantage for the Hammers, but they are in fourth place with seven Premier League games remaining. The Moysiah could really accomplish this.
Lingard was instrumental in firing Leicester from Brendan, who was left without three players for violating COVID regulations. Okay guys, it’s just about finishing in the top four, isn’t it?
Kelechi Iheanacho continued his hot streak, but Leicester is in exactly the same position it was last season: third, but the wheels look suspiciously like they’re falling off.
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Lingard celebrates one of his goals against Leicester
Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea did the unthinkable and that was to score more than two goals in a match for the German.
Kai Havertz and Christian Pulisic have received some criticism this season, but they were instrumental in helping the Blues beat Crystal Palace 4-1.
You would think it could be a turning point for Havertz in particular and if you were very, very kind, you might think the same of Christian Benteke, who scored a great header. Then you would remember that it is Christian Benteke, who probably now dreams of a loan to West Ham to be like Lingard.
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Havertz’s shot was impressive
Have the lights at Fulham finally gone out? Watching Adama Traore score in injury time would have been a bit heartbreaking, but then watching Steve Bruce turn into a tactical genius overnight will have hurt more.
Bruce said midweek that teams that play like Norwich are relegated (conveniently ignoring how Leeds plays) and then saw his substitution at Turf Moor work like magic – drop the Allan Saint-Maximin and three points will come your way, the French shuffling inside. and fire the winner. Six points now separate Newcastle and Fulham, that has to be enough.
It’s only a matter of time before the lights officially go out on Brammall Lane as well: Arsenal relaxed, if Arsenal can alleviate, to a 3-0 win over Sheffield United, proving once again that it really is. they could be a better team without Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
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