Arsenal their own worst enemy as Michael Carrick’s dream Man Utd start continues – Premier League hits and misses | Football News

Arsenal are their own worst enemy

Arsenal appeared in complete control of their meeting with Manchester United when Lisandro Martinez turned Martin Odegaard’s cross-shot into his own net in the first half. But when cool heads were needed, they instead allowed chaos to take over.

Bryan Mbeumo’s equaliser came from a glaring error by Martin Zubimendi but it was the second time he had got in behind Arsenal’s defence in the eight minutes after the opening goal. Bruno Fernandes had spurned an excellent chance moments earlier too. Arsenal cannot say they weren’t warned, in other words.

Their composure was shattered and they spent the rest of the game struggling to pick up the pieces, their edginess mirroring the mood among their fans. Arsenal are Premier League leaders but it does not feel that way inside the Emirates Stadium right now.

Patrick Vieira questioned the side’s mental strength afterwards but the most damning assessment came from a former Manchester United captain. “They have to get back to basics and embrace this challenge instead of being frightened of it,” said Roy Keane.

The fear stems from the manner in which their previous title challenges have ended. Increasingly, it is seeping into their performances. Goalless draws with Liverpool and Nottingham Forest were not disastrous but alarm bells are starting to ring now.

This was the first time since December 2023 that Arsenal have conceded three goals in a game but the manner in which they shot themselves in the foot felt familiar. They have developed a habit of making things more difficult than they need to be.

They still have a four-point cushion. But this is a team and fanbase struggling to shake off the baggage of previous seasons.
Nick Wright

Carrick’s dream Man Utd start can keep getting better

Manchester City – tick. Arsenal – tick. Michael Carrick couldn’t have wished for a better start as Manchester United head coach – and it can keep getting better.

Carrick has breathed new life into United, unleashing their forwards from Ruben Amorim’s stale 3-4-3 formation and restoring the club’s ‘DNA’ – fast wingers and attacking football against the two best sides in the Premier League.

He boldly threw on Benjamin Sesko as the injured Patrick Dorgu’s replacement late on at the Emirates with the score at 2-1, when it would have been easy to opt for the industrious Mason Mount to help Luke Shaw stifle Bukayo Saka.

Sesko went down the middle and the attack-minded Matheus Cunha was shifted to the left, with his winning goal coming from when he was able to drift into space before curling in.

“We’re not getting carried away,” said Carrick, but some Man Utd fans left the Emirates singing “we’re going to win the league”. They now sit inside the top four and while a title challenge is most unlikely, securing a Champions League spot is much more achievable.

And Man Utd’s next five fixtures are inviting: Fulham, Tottenham, West Ham, Everton and Crystal Palace.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer didn’t lose in his first 11 games, winning 10, when he took over on an interim basis in 2019. It was a run that earned him a three-year contract.

With 15 matches remaining, another former Man Utd player can stake his claim for extending his time in charge.
David Richardson

Konsa is England’s best defender

Is Ezri Konsa the best English centre-back in the Premier League right now? It’s hard to argue against it.

Newcastle away is a ferocious fixture. Konsa, instead, made it look calm. That, more than anything, is the mark of top-level defending.

What stood out wasn’t crunching tackles or sliding blocks, it was his positioning. Konsa was always where Newcastle didn’t want him to be. He read the game two or three seconds quicker than those around him.

There’s a maturity to his defending now that suggests a player who truly understands risk. When to step out, when to hold the line. It was a performance that oozed class and intelligence.

This wasn’t a one-off, either. Konsa’s consistency has been quietly excellent for some time, which perhaps explains why he started six of England’s World Cup qualifiers.

Right now, Konsa is playing with authority, composure and a footballing brain that elevates those around him.

If England are looking for a defender they can trust when the pressure rises this summer at the World Cup, Konsa is making a compelling case.
Lewis Jones

If Spurs are in a relegation battle, Palace are too

Crystal Palace have had six rough weeks.

Marc Guehi has left for Man City, Oliver Glasner has announced he will leave the club at the end of the season and speculation about Jean-Philippe Mateta’s future is rife – not to mention their embarrassing FA Cup exit at the hands of non-League Macclesfield.

And now, if Tottenham are being mentioned in conversations about the battle against relegation, the Eagles – level on points with Spurs, but a place below in 15th – must be, too.

Since the 2-1 win at Fulham on December 7, it’s now eight without a win in the Premier League.

Indeed, they have now failed to win any of their last 11 matches across all competitions (D4 L7), which is both the longest current winless run of any Premier League side and the Eagles’ longest winless run since a run of 13 between January and March 2023.

They’ve picked up two points in the league across that run and scored only three goals, while shipping 18.

There were plenty of signs they can avoid being dragged into the mix-up as it takes shape in the coming weeks, but right now, they just need a win, and with tricky trips to Nottingham Forest and Brighton up next, it’s hard to see where it is going to come from.
Dan Long

Damsgaard injury a concern as Brentford lack creativity

As Rob Green put it, Nottingham Forest were unspectacular but effective. But that was more than enough to blunt Brentford for only the second time on home soil this season.

The hosts had two gilt-edged chances before half-time, attempted 35 crosses but only forced Matz Sels into one real save across 90 minutes at the Gtech. They faced a Forest side playing peak Sean Dyche football for much of the game, but one they played into the hands of.

Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic will head and kick everything away all day. Brentford did not move Forest around enough, and on the rare occasion they did manufacture something from a clever pass they nearly scored.

The timing of the visitors’ two goals, book-ending the game as they did, could not have been much better and showed up a Brentford attack which laboured but had few ideas to combat the visitors’ low block.

Brentford will not face Dyche every week. But losing Mikkel Damsgaard to a suspected knee injury will not aid their cause given a lack of real creative alternatives in midfield. Keith Andrews himself said it had been a delight to watch the Danish midfielder play – and he will hope more than anyone that his diagnosis is not serious.
Ron Walker

Newcastle’s summer signings fail to fill the Isak void

Newcastle’s summer recruitment in forward areas was meant to soften the blow of life without Alexander Isak. Instead, it’s starting to underline just how hard he is to replace.

The 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa felt like a case study in attacking shortfall. Plenty of effort, plenty of running but very little incision. When the game needed a spark, Eddie Howe turned to his bench and got no real lift.

Jacob Ramsey, Anthony Elanga and Nick Woltemade – a combined cost of £175m – were all given opportunities but the game passed them by. Ramsey looked lost, Elanga’s pace never translated into end product and Woltemade looked isolated against Villa’s centre-backs.

Meanwhile, Yoane Wissa, another summer recruit, couldn’t find space to threaten from the start.

This is where Isak’s absence looms large. He doesn’t just score goals, his movement and intelligence won Newcastle games. Without him, the attack looks flatter, easier to contain and more predictable.

Recruitment is always judged over time, but right now the early evidence suggests Newcastle haven’t found the right blend to cover for Isak’s unique profile.
Lewis Jones

Estevao excites for Chelsea

Joao Pedro was the player of the match at Crystal Palace but Estevao continues to excite. The 18-year-old Brazilian became the youngest Chelsea player to score and assist in the same Premier League match since Neil Shipperley in 1993. Different times.

His goal in the 3-1 win was superb, showing not just pace but skill and strength to hold off a quality defender in Tyrick Mitchell. The finish was emphatic, ramming the ball beyond Dean Henderson. No wonder Chelsea supporters want to see more of him.

This was Estevao’s first goal since the win over Barcelona in November, although Chelsea as a whole have been a little out of sorts since then. This was a first Premier League away win since beating Burnley that month, ending a run of five without a win.

There are a plethora of options for Liam Rosenior in the attacking positions at Chelsea. That, coupled with some fitness issues, has led to Estevao making more of his appearances off the bench than from the start since losing to Leeds in early December.

But Estevao’s potential far outstrips that of his peers in Chelsea blue – not just for the future but the here and now. No player has scored more goals for the club at the same age during the Premier League era. His impact at Selhurst Park feels like just the start.
Adam Bate