MANCHESTER, Sept 22 — Liverpool opened up a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League after beating Everton in the Merseyside derby, while Arsenal and Manchester City shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw.
MANCHESTER, Sept 22 — Liverpool opened up a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League after beating Everton in the Merseyside derby, while Arsenal and Manchester City shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw.
Despite their victory, the defending champions again showed vulnerabilities in the second half, though Hugo Ekitike seized his opportunity to start ahead of record signing Alexander Isak.
Here are the weekend’s key talking points from AFP Sport:
Arsenal still short of champions’ pedigree
Gabriel Martinelli’s stoppage-time strike rescued Arsenal from a second defeat in five league games, but their failure to overcome a weary Manchester City casts further doubt on their ability to dethrone Liverpool.
Having finished runners-up three seasons in a row, Arsenal spent heavily in the summer to add depth but chose to spread their budget rather than go all-in on a marquee striker. That left them out of contention for Isak, while Erling Haaland once again underlined the difference a proven finisher makes with his 13th goal of the season in just eight outings.
Meanwhile, Viktor Gyokeres continues to falter in the big matches, having also struggled against United and Liverpool earlier this campaign. Already five points adrift of Liverpool, Arsenal face a daunting trip to Newcastle next weekend, a ground where they lost twice last season.
Ekitike underlines Liverpool’s attacking depth
Liverpool manager Arne Slot can now call on two elite strikers after the club spent nearly £200 million (RM842 million) on Isak and Ekitike.
While Isak debuted in midweek against Atletico Madrid, Ekitike has started all five league matches, making an immediate impact since his £69 million switch from Eintracht Frankfurt. The Frenchman netted his third league goal with a cool finish in Saturday’s 2-1 win over Everton.
“Every team needs two number nines — and we have two of excellent quality,” Slot said.
Ekitike’s form has been crucial to Liverpool’s flawless start, with Isak still regaining sharpness and £100 million signing Florian Wirtz yet to meet expectations. Even without hitting peak form, the Reds look like the team to beat in this season’s title race.
Palace extend unbeaten streak
Crystal Palace remain the only other unbeaten Premier League side after a 2-1 win at West Ham piled more pressure on Hammers boss Graham Potter.
The result stretched Palace’s club-record run to 17 games in all competitions, a sequence that includes last season’s FA Cup final victory over Manchester City and tough trips to Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham and Aston Villa.
“This is the reward for consistent performances, not just for a couple of weeks but for months,” said manager Oliver Glasner. “The players trust in our approach, and football is all about momentum.”
Palace will host Liverpool next weekend before embarking on their first-ever European campaign in the UEFA Conference League. They are among the favourites to win the competition after being relegated from the Europa League due to multi-club ownership regulations, but the added fixture load could test the limits of their relatively small squad and threaten their push for a top-six finish. — AFP
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