Champions Manchester Metropolis surrendered pole place within the Premier League after their first top-flight defeat since December.
Liverpool benefitted from Metropolis’s slip to grab first place, whereas Arsenal’s malaise prolonged with a shock loss at Newcastle.
AFP Sport seems to be at three speaking factors from this weekend’s motion:
Man Metropolis’s week to overlook
Overwhelmed by Tottenham within the League Cup on Wednesday, downcast Metropolis boss Pep Guardiola had struck an ominous tone when he labelled his crew’s harm disaster an “emergency” previous to their journey to Bournemouth on Saturday.
Guardiola’s grim temper foreshadowed a shocking outcome as Bournemouth’s 2-1 victory handed the champions their first league defeat since they misplaced to Aston Villa in December.
The tip of Metropolis’s 32-game unbeaten league run got here with John Stones and Ruben Dias absent from a makeshift defence that was breached by Bournemouth goal-scorers Antoine Semenyo and Evanilson.
Josko Gvardiol, considered one of a number of gamers to characteristic regardless of being an harm doubt, received one again for second-placed Metropolis within the closing levels.
However Guardiola might be involved by a torpid show that instructed his fatigued crew have already hit a wall.
Metropolis stars Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku have been solely match sufficient to start out on the bench and centre-backs Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake have been each lower than one hundred pc, as their shaky performances proved.
“Manu and Nathan weren’t in good situation. Till the final second I did not know Nathan may play, he mentioned I need to attempt,” Guardiola mentioned.
“In the course of the season typically, this sort of factor occurs greater than throughout different seasons. We’ve got to deal with it. Individuals will come again and ultimately the crew might be again.”
Arsenal splutter once more
William Saliba insists Arsenal can bounce again from a dismal run that threatens to show their title problem to ashes.
The Gunners suffered a expensive 1-0 defeat at Newcastle on Saturday to go away them languishing in fifth, seven factors adrift of prime spot.
Mikel Arteta’s males are with out a victory in three league video games and have received simply 3 times of their final eight top-flight matches.
Even the return of French centre-back Saliba from suspension couldn’t revitalise Arsenal as they fell to Alexander Isak’s twelfth minute purpose.
Looking forward to Arsenal’s journeys to Inter Milan within the Champions League and Chelsea within the Premier League, Saliba mentioned: “Subsequent week, we’ve two large video games to come back again with the win. I believe we’ll do it if we give all the things.
“Inter is an enormous sport. If we win, we’ve the arrogance again and we’ve to do it. All of us need to play large video games like these.”
Liverpool present metal
Arne Slot believes Liverpool’s metal will stand them in good stead within the title race after the leaders fought again to beat Brighton 2-1 at Anfield on Saturday.
Slot’s aspect fell behind to a high quality strike from Ferdi Kadioglu, with Georginio Rutter and Danny Welbeck spurning possibilities so as to add to Brighton’s lead.
However Liverpool regarded a distinct aspect within the second half, with two objectives in three minutes from Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah proving decisive.
The Reds’ gritty triumph made it eight wins from 10 league video games to start out the Slot period, however the former Feyenoord boss was most impressed by his gamers’ psychological energy.
After final week’s restoration within the 2-2 draw at Arsenal, they as soon as once more dug deep to grind out a priceless outcome.
“What I do like is final week we have been two instances one purpose behind in opposition to Arsenal, 1-0 and 2-1, and two instances we have been in a position to combat again,” Slot mentioned.
“On this sport we have been 1-0 down at half-time – I believe we deserved to be – after which to come back again so strongly in opposition to a high quality crew, the way in which that we did offers me loads of confidence.”
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