European Leagues

Arsenal must improve to mount Premier League title bid – Arteta

Mikel Arteta has said Arsenal cannot win the Premier League title if they do not improve at both ends of the pitch.

Arsenal missed a chance to go top of the table on Thursday after losing 2-0 at home to West Ham despite registering 30 shots to the visitor’s six.

Tomás Soucek and Konstantinos Mavropanos scored for West Ham, while Saïd Benrahma had a stoppage-time penalty saved by David Raya to leave Arteta’s side with just two points from their last four matches.

Although Arsenal have the second-best defensive record in the division — only behind leaders Liverpool — they have scored the fewest number of goals in the top five (36).

Arsenal had 77 touches in their opponent’s box — a record for a team that failed to score in a Premier League game since records began in 2008 — and asked if his team can win the title playing the way they did against West Ham, Arteta replied: “If we don’t improve in the boxes, no. Because at the end that is what it is. But generating the rest, yeah. You say it is a record, no? I don’t think there are many teams in the league who have done that for many years. Something very positive, I think.”

Bukayo Saka has scored just one league goal since September while Gabriel Martinelli has struck just twice in all competitions since October.

Pushed on whether the pair needed a rest with Sunday’s trip to Fulham fast approaching, Arteta said: “I don’t know. Obviously there are a lot of games but they looked really good, looked fresh. When you win, you don’t look at that. They are young. If they were 35 maybe it would be a different question. They are young, they have a lot of energy. They can keep going, that is for sure.

“Without a spark you don’t generate what the team generated today. It is impossible. But it is the final thing, the final touch, the final action that puts the ball in the net or not. That is what we need.”

Premier League

Scholes suggests Amorim may need to offload up to 14 players at Man United

Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes believes that current manager Ruben Amorim may need to offload up to 14 players as part of a major rebuild.

Scholes stated that Amorim faces a far bigger rebuilding job than Mikel Arteta did at Arsenal, citing the challenges Amorim has encountered since taking over at Old Trafford. The 40-year-old manager recently referred to the team as the worst in the club’s history.

Scholes highlighted Arteta’s transformation of Arsenal, which began when he inherited a team in disarray. Arteta’s success came through significant player changes, such as moving on Matteo Guendouzi, Mesut Ozil, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Amorim appears to be following a similar path. He has left Marcus Rashford out of his matchday squad for over a month and has also sidelined Casemiro.

“The trouble Amorim’s got is there’s not just three of them,” Scholes told The Overlap fan debate. “You could be talking about 13 or 14 of them he doesn’t want.”

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Slot rests key players for Champions League clash against PSV

‘Something Is Wrong’ With Liverpool' - Arne Slot Admits Ahead Of AC Milan Clash

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has opted to leave out several key players for their upcoming Champions League match against PSV on Wednesday night.

Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and seven other prominent players have not made the trip to the Netherlands, with Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konaté, Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Luis Díaz also being rested.

Slot is focusing on Liverpool’s busy schedule, with important Premier League and Carabao Cup fixtures ahead.

Caoimhin Kelleher is set to start in goal, while fringe players such as Wataru Endo, Darwin Núñez, Federico Chiesa, and Harvey Elliott are expected to feature. Cody Gakpo, a former PSV player, will also be part of the squad and could face his old team.

Liverpool’s squad for the match includes:

Goalkeepers: Kelleher, Jaros, Davies.
Defenders: Quansah, Bradley, Norris, Nallo, Tsimikas, Robertson.
Midfielders: Endo, Mabaya, McConnell, Morrison, Morton, Nyoni.
Forwards: Chiesa, Gakpo, Elliott, Kone-Doherty, Danns, Núñez.

Premier League

PGMOL stands by referee Michael Oliver amid controversial red card, assigns him to key fixtures

The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) has decided not to drop referee Michael Oliver for the upcoming Premier League fixtures despite recent controversy.

Oliver has faced criticism for his decision to send off Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly during Saturday’s match against Wolves. The 39-year-old referee issued a straight red card to Lewis-Skelly after he caught Wolves defender Matt Doherty’s calf and ankle with his studs. The decision was upheld by VAR, and Arsenal secured a 1-0 victory at Molineux.

There had been speculation that Oliver would be sidelined due to the backlash and online abuse. However, he is scheduled to referee Wednesday’s Champions League clash between Barcelona and Atalanta.

The Premier League has confirmed that Oliver will officiate Ipswich Town’s match against Southampton at Portman Road on Saturday.

Additionally, he has been assigned to handle next month’s rescheduled Merseyside derby between Everton and Liverpool at Goodison Park.