Premier League

Five Talking Points As Premier League Returns

The Premier League returns this weekend – for its first properly undisrupted run of the season.

Top-level club football has had to stop for international breaks in September, October and November, but the next one is not until March now.

It coincides with the busy festive period next month.

BBC Sport looks at five talking points as the Premier League gets back under way.

Can anyone stop Liverpool? Will City get back to winning ways?
Liverpool are flying under Arne Slot and sit top of the Premier League and the Champions League table, having dropped points in just two games this season.

They are five points clear of Manchester City, who have lost four games in a row in all competitions – something Pep Guardiola had never experienced before in his managerial career (excluding penalty shootouts).

Despite their recent run and speculation about the Spaniard’s future, however, Guardiola this week agreed a new one-year deal to extend his stay at Etihad Stadium to 10 years.

It is a timely boost for City, who have another potentially tough game at home to Tottenham on Saturday (17:30 GMT) as they bid to avoid five defeats in a row.

This is the sixth occasion a team has been five points clear after 11 games – the first five all ended up as champions.

But City have won the last four Premier League titles and trailed the leaders by more than five points at one stage in each of those seasons.

Liverpool and City have one Premier League game each before they meet in a potential blockbuster at Anfield on Sunday, 1 December.

There were two big questions to ask at Stamford Bridge, both of which might have seemed unlikely ones to pose at the start of the season – but neither Arsenal or Chelsea could find a definitive answer.

Arsenal, who have been runners-up for the past two seasons, are four points back – level with Chelsea, Nottingham Forest and Brighton.

The Gunners and Forest meet on Saturday at 15:00 GMT at the Emirates.

There will be a new face in the Premier League this weekend – new Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim.

The deal was done for the Sporting manager on 1 November but his Portuguese club wanted him to wait until the international break before moving.

Ruud van Nistelrooy had been in interim charge after the sacking of Erik ten Hag – but the club’s former striker departed too as Amorim did not want him part of his backroom staff.

New Manchester United Manager

Amorim takes his new team to Ipswich on Sunday (16:30 GMT) in the Premier League.

He is expected to play the 3-4-3 formation he preferred in Portugal – a big change from the standard four-man defence they had under Ten Hag.

However, he might only get his full squad together two days before his first game because of players being around the world for international games.

United will hope Amorim’s first Premier League game goes like his first Portuguese top-flight match as a manager – when his Braga side won 7-1 at Belenenses in January 2020.

Everyone has won, but who will kick on at the bottom?
After eight games there were four teams without any wins but, three games later, Ipswich Town, Crystal Palace, Wolves and Southampton have one victory each.

Everton and Leicester, who have two wins this term, remain only three points clear of the bottom three.

The Saints are only given a 5.2% of survival by Opta, despite being only four points off safety at this stage.

“Hopefully I’ll be talking to you in two weeks,” Saints boss Russell Martin told journalists before the international break. “If not, we’ll see.”

But he remains in charge for Saturday’s home game against leaders Liverpool.

One Southampton player in buoyant mood will be defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis, who scored on his England debut against the Republic of Ireland on Sunday.

Fixture congestion coming up…
Four teams have nine games in December. The Carabao Cup quarter-finals are also being played the week before Christmas – and European games continue through December as a result of the new formats.

Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester United all have nine games in December, an average of one every 3.4 days.

Some clubs, including Nottingham Forest and Brighton – who are fifth and sixth in the table respectively – only have six matches in the final month of 2024.

However, rest periods from rounds 17 and 20 this year have been increased to ensure no club plays within 60 hours of another match.

Last season Chelsea played three games in the space of 142 hours.

There will be no winter break in this campaign either – meaning clubs will be playing pretty much solidly until the first World Cup qualifiers – and next Nations League games – take place in March.

Palmer’s late double gives Chelsea win in 7-goal thriller against Man United

And what about injuries?
Nine players pulled out of the England squad for the recent Nations League double-header, an amount that raised eyebrows from fans – and even Three Lions captain Harry Kane.

We will find out when managers do their news conferences on Thursday and Friday how many out of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Aaron Ramsdale, Levi Colwill and Jarrad Branthwaite will be fit for this weekend’s games.

Liverpool have not yet said whether keeper Alisson Becker could be back after six weeks out injured – but if he does return that could be the end of Caoimhin Kelleher’s spell in the team.

One player who will be out for a while is Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur, who was handed a seven-match domestic ban by the Football Association for using a racial slur about team-mate Son Heung-min.

He can still play Europa League matches but will not be available in the Premier League until 26 December.

BBC Sports

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Premier League

Liverpool Fans Are Starting To Get Concerned About £150k p/w Star After Wolves Display

Arne Slot’s arrival at Anfield has sparked a complete transformation in Ryan Gravenberch, who now looks every bit a complete number six and a vital cog in his new manager’s system.

Originally brought in by Jurgen Klopp two summers ago, the Dutchman has seemingly become the beginning, middle, and end of Liverpool’s defensive midfield conundrum.

What was once seen as the Reds’ weakest link – prompting a pursuit of Martin Zubimendi – now appears a problem solved. However, a new concern has emerged: just how much more Gravenberch can endure in Liverpool’s grueling February schedule. With fixture congestion piling up, the Anfield faithful are calling for Slot to give the former Ajax wonderkid a well-earned breather.

Against Wolves, the 22-year-old looked like a shadow of his usual self as Liverpool clung to their 2-1 lead at Anfield. But a deeper dive into his workload this season makes it clear that his recent dip in form is more fatigue than flaw.

Concerns Raised Over Ryan Gravenberch

Gravenberch has been one of two players to reap the rewards of his compatriot’s arrival at Liverpool, alongside Cody Gakpo, who’s flourished since returning to his natural left-wing role. However, unlike his attacking counterpart, the defensive midfielder has rarely had the luxury of a rest, thanks to the lack of depth in his position.

In the 2023/24 season, while Alexis Mac Allister took on the primary number six role, Gravenberch played only 1,121 Premier League minutes. This stands in sharp contrast to this season, where he’s already logged 2,139 minutes in the league, with 14 games still to play.

Easily one of the best midfielders in the world right now, it’s crystal clear to see why Slot has given so much time to Gravenberch, especially since his position has become one of the most important on the pitch.

The confidence and calmness of his displays in the engine room, complemented by his running power that is very reminiscent of a certain Yaya Toure and neat spins reflective of old Anfield favourite Thiago Alcantara, have been a breath of fresh air.

Against Wolves, Gravenberch’s performance seemed like a silent plea for relief. Even the strongest engines need a pit stop, and after committing three fouls, winning just five of his 11 duels, being dispossessed twice, and failing to win a single tackle, it was clear his energy reserves had been drained. The Dutchman’s shields were down in his latest appearance, leaving Liverpool fans urging for him to be rested. Thankfully, a solution is only as far away as the bench.

Givemesport

Premier League

Everton v Liverpool: 22 Stats To Know Ahead Of Merseyside Derby

Liverpool visit Everton in the Premier League on Wednesday night – read a statistical preview of the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.

The rearranged game – which was postponed in December due to adverse weather conditions – is set to kick off at 7.30pm GMT.

Here are 22 facts and figures to know ahead of the 245th official meeting between the Reds and Blues…

This match is Liverpool’s 122nd and last visit to Goodison Park, including two FA Cup semi-final appearances.

This will be the latest in a season that the first derby of a campaign has been played. The previous latest was in 2005 when the Reds won 3-1 at Goodison on December 28.

Liverpool have won 99 matches against Everton in all competitions (drawn 77, lost 68). If the Reds win on Wednesday, it will be the fifth time an English league side has beaten another on 100 occasions since the formation of the Football League in 1888 (Arsenal 111 v Everton, Manchester United 106 v Aston Villa, Liverpool 103 v Aston Villa and Arsenal 100 v Manchester City).

To date, the clubs have won 41 times apiece in their clashes at the current home of the Blues, with 37 draws.

Liverpool have only lost two of their last 27 Premier League games against Everton (won 12, drawn 13), with those defeats coming in February 2021 (2-0 at Anfield) and April 2024 (2-0 at Goodison Park).

Everton v Liverpool is the fixture to have seen the most red cards (23) and been drawn 0-0 the most (12) in Premier League history.

Liverpool have scored more 90th-minute winners against Everton in the competition than any other side against a single opponent (five).

Everton last won consecutive league Merseyside derbies in the 1984-85 campaign.

Liverpool’s loss in this fixture last season ended a 12-game unbeaten away run in the Premier League against Everton (won three, drew nine). They have not lost consecutive visits to Goodison Park since a run of three between 1992 and 1994.

The Reds are unbeaten in their last 19 Premier League games (won 14, drawn five). On both previous occasions they have gone into an away league game against Everton on an unbeaten run of 19+ matches, they have lost (1-0 in October 1978 while on a 23-game run and 1-0 in March 1988 when on a 31-game run).

This is Arne Slot’s first meeting with Everton as Liverpool head coach. Only one Reds boss has won their first ever league Merseyside derby when that match has come away from home, with Kenny Dalglish overseeing a 3-2 victory in September 1985.

The Reds are the only side across the top four tiers of English football who remain unbeaten away from home this season (played 12, won nine, drawn three). Only in 1987-88 (15) and 2019-20 (13) have they enjoyed a longer away unbeaten run from the start of a top-flight campaign.

Liverpool rank top in the Premier League for goals (56), xG (54.7), shots (411), shots on target (159), and big chances (100) this season. They have also spent 47 per cent of their games in the lead, the highest percentage of any side in the division this term.

This is just the third time in the Premier League that Liverpool are facing Everton while top of the table at the start of the day. The others were a 5-2 win and a 0-0 draw in 2019-20, with the Reds going on to win the title that season.

David Moyes won three of his 22 Premier League Merseyside derbies in charge of Everton between 2002 and 2013 (drew seven, lost 12). This is his first match against Liverpool as Toffees boss since a goalless draw at Anfield in May 2013.

Moyes will be taking charge of a game against Liverpool for the 43rd time in his career. Only seven men have ever managed against the Reds more often.

Everton have won their last three Premier League games by an aggregate score of 8-2 – it’s as many wins as they had in their previous 21 league games, and as many goals as they had scored in their previous 14.

Only Liverpool and Nottingham Forest (10 each) have kept more Premier League clean sheets than Everton this season (nine), with the Toffees recording shutouts in each of their last two games.

Mohamed Salah has been directly involved in 21 goals in Liverpool’s 12 Premier League away games this season (13 goals, eight assists). It’s the joint-most by a player on the road in a single campaign in the competition’s history, level with Andrew Cole in 1993-94 (12 goals, nine assists).

Ryan Gravenberch can make his 50th league appearance for the Reds.

Luis Diaz could make his 100th start for Liverpool in all competitions.

Alisson Becker has kept seven clean sheets in his 10 appearances against Everton – all in the league.

Premier League

Amorim Explains Rashford’s Loan Move to Aston Villa

'I'm Frustrated' - Amorim Laments As Man Utd Lose Again

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has revealed that Marcus Rashford’s departure on loan to Aston Villa was due to differences in football philosophy.

Rashford, 27, joined Villa on a loan deal that includes an option for a permanent transfer valued at £40 million, with the Midlands club covering up to 75% of his wages.

Amorim explained that despite Rashford’s talent, he struggled to adapt to the coach’s tactical approach.

“I couldn’t get Marcus to see the way you’re supposed to play football and to train the way I see it,” Amorim said.

He acknowledged that player-coach dynamics can vary, saying, “Sometimes you have one player who is really good with one coach, and the same player with another coach is different. I just wish the best to Rashford and Unai Emery, and I hope they can connect because he’s a very good player.”

Rashford made notable contributions under Amorim, scoring his first goal during a 1-1 draw with Ipswich Town and starting key matches against Everton and Viktoria Plzen.

Villa fans will now anticipate seeing the forward make an impact under Unai Emery’s management.