Premier League 18/19

[Penk!]

Arsenal didn't play that badly last night,

Apart from the defenders, who played like geese on rollerskates trying to evade overexcited children, no, they didn’t play that badly.

Emery has done a good job with them but it’s becoming seriously clear that some areas of the team need a complete overhaul.

[Diamond Dog]

Arsenal didn't play that badly last night,

Apart from the defenders, who played like geese on rollerskates trying to evade overexcited children, no, they didn’t play that badly.

Emery has done a good job with them but it’s becoming seriously clear that some areas of the team need a complete overhaul.

He has papered over the cracks defensively but Liverpool, at the moment, aren't a team to play poorly at the back against. To be honest, Emery could replace all four defenders and no one would feel he'd lost the plot.

Man City looked good against Southampton earlier but will need to improve for the Thursday bonanza against Liverpool.

Majestic goal by Kane yesterday. Shame about the last 17 minutes though.

[Diamond Dog]

Spurs are playing some wonderful football on the way to a 3-0 half time lead at Cardiff.

[Diamond Dog]

It's rare for a game in the first week of January to have such massive importance, but I don't think it's an exaggeration to say a Liverpool victory tonight probably wraps the title up for them.

[Darkness_Fish]

I think Liverpool could well collapse in a nervous heap of pressure yet, even if they win tonight. They have to hit a bad run of form at some point, surely, and that's when we'll see if they have the bloody mindedness to drag themselves over the finish line.

Looking forward to tonight's game though, I hope it's as open as you'd expect it would be. I slightly fancy Man City to win it, but it's hard to predict.

[Diamond Dog]

I think Liverpool could well collapse in a nervous heap of pressure yet, even if they win tonight. They have to hit a bad run of form at some point, surely....

They only have to face three of the top six after tonight - with two of those games (Chelsea and Tottenham) at Anfield. That really does mean they would need to endure a catastrophic loss of form to give even Spurs a chance of catching them (Spurs would be 9 points behind, with a massively inferior goal difference too, and Man City a further point away).

Realistically a point won't be enough for Man City - they need to win. They'd be four points behind Liverpool then - and that would be manageable.

[trans-chigley express]

I’m as nervous as hell for tonight’s game which is 4am my time but I’ll be waking up early for it. I’d take a draw right now if offered.

[KeithPratt]

It's hard to believe that this City side are third in the table, but Liverpool have been outstanding. They've had a bit of luck with injuries too so far - no-one except Gomez.

I think it's hard to call tonight - Klopp has the edge on Guardiola and City will need to attack. With Firmino and Salah in form, I reckon Liverpool might get a couple of goals on the break.

[trans-chigley express]

Apart from Liverpool’s nearly goal it’s been pretty much all City first half and deserve their lead.

[Darkness_Fish]

Klopp looks to have picked an overly cautious midfield, not sure Milner, Henderson, and Wijnaldum should all play at the same time. Need someone more dynamic to link with the front three.

[KeithPratt]

City deserved it - two world class finishes.

[trans-chigley express]

Agreed, a deserved win for City. Liverpool didn’t create much and some of their passing was very poor tonight.

[Penk!]

That was a lot of fun. Two top-class teams snapping and scrapping at each other; it felt like it could go either way but City did probably edge it overall.

[Goat Boy]

Liverpool were never gonna run away with it but when I saw the team sheet I wasn't sure about that midfield. Man City are just a slightly less offensive version of Chelsea.

Let's hope for Markus's sake Liverpool still pump 'em.

[KeithPratt]

I'd still rather Liverpool win the League and I feel, that on the whole, they are defensively more robust. But with Fernandinho back and De Bruyne too, perhaps the momentum will be with City come Feb and March.

[Diamond Dog]

I personally thought the first half was as good a 45 minutes as I've ever seen in the Premier League - incredibly accurate passing and inventive movement, all at a stunning pace. An absolute credit to both sides - that was an astonishing half of football.

I think Man City did deserve it but... had Kompany been dismissed (and I have seen many go for a lot less) and Mane's shot hadn't hit the post, and Stones not make that absolutely incredible goal line clearance (for which he deserved a great deal more credit than he seemed to receive)... the game would have been entirely different. Man City clearly had more of the ball and were just that bit more inventive in midfield (certainly I think Fabinho instead of Henderson would have been a better choice) and, in Aguerro, have probably as good a finisher as has ever played in the EPL. But Liverpool more than held their own and looked very solid all round. Indeed, that was full scale panic at the end in the City box and, had Liverpool sneaked an equalizer, I'm not sure that would have been unjust.

A couple of things - Trent Alexander-Arnold was hugely impressive. I'm pretty sure he is the England right back of the future - And I imagine Kyle Walker is probably thinking the same too. Lovren is a weak link at the back for Liverpool - the sooner Gomez is fit, the better for them. Bernardo Silva was inspirational too - all the talent but what a work ethic too. I thought Laporte did excellently as a make shift left back too - that was a bit of a masterstroke from Guardiola.

That four point gap is still very significant - as long as they weather this first loss well, I don't see Liverpool dropping too many points before the end of the season. I'd imagine Guardiola thinks Man City probably need to win 15 or 16 of the last 17 games to win the League - seriously. And even then, that might not be quite enough.

[KeithPratt]

Agree with you on TAA. He is superb. Defensively far more robust than Walker and has an already envious range of passing under his belt. He could well be world-class in a year or two. Robertson too - a brilliant duel with Sterling that on the whole I think he just about won.

[Penk!]

Kompany could have gone but he got all ball which saved him, and City should have had a penalty for Robertson rugby-tackling Sterling so that’s probably even.

Fernandinho was immense and showed why City have missed him. They need to find a long-term replacement for him though. Fabinho made a big difference for Liverpool and it was peculiar to see Henderson and Milner preferred.

It was fascinating to see the managers in action punching and counter-punching and it’s arguable that they’re the two most influential on modern tactics; both teams last night were mixing Guardiola-style ball-playing in defence with Klopp-style ferocious pressing and swift upfield passing.

Klopp’s done a sensational job at Liverpool and I think that under him they will have the mental strength toget over the defeat and back to form, but for the sake of the title race a City win was good.

[Darkness_Fish]

Agree with you on TAA. He is superb. Defensively far more robust than Walker and has an already envious range of passing under his belt. He could well be world-class in a year or two.

Alexander Arnold is still better going forward than in defence though, that's the side that gets targeted by the opposition on the few occasions Liverpool have struggled this season. Admittedly, he was up against Sane, who'd provide a challenge to any defender in the world, and only had Lovren as cover, but he's not as strong as Robertson on the other side. I'd rather have him in the England team than Walker, having said that, I'm with Rio Ferdinand, Walker's always a worry.

That pass to Robertson for the goal was a thing of beauty though, and wasn't it with his weaker foot? Cant find a video of it now.

[Diamond Dog]

He hit three almost identical cross field passes in the last ten minutes. He really is growing in stature and had a great game defensively against Sane (despite the goal) and that's no mean feat.

I look at that Liverpool team and it's incredible just how brilliantly Klopp has bought talent. Give him another summer - and the money to compete again with Man City, Chelsea & Man Utd budget wise- and I think they'll be favourites in most peoples eyes next season.

When you list those teams, it does show what an astonishing job Pocchetino has done this season, with no additions in the summer.