1. Are Man City Liverpool’s ideal opponents?
PRIOR TO TONIGHT’S match, Jurgen Klopp said that Liverpool’s previous league win over City at the Etihad had been their best performance of the season. After the game, the German coach said that tonight’s display, in which they won 3-0, was their best home performance of the campaign.
Liverpool aren’t usually the most prolific of teams — the 38 goals they have scored this season is fairly average in the context of the league. Everton, just a place above them, have scored 49 in total.
Yet in two league games against Man City, Liverpool boast an aggregate score of 7-1 in their favour. What is it about Manuel Pellegrini’s team that often bring out the best in the Reds?
On Sunday, in the League Cup final, City showed admirable patience and discipline, and eventually deservedly beat Liverpool on penalties.
Yet when the Blues are lethargic and off their game — as was the case tonight and back in November — they become Liverpool’s ideal opponents.
When teams sit back and ask Liverpool to open them up, Klopp’s sides often struggle to create chances, which explains their inconsistency this season.
Yet tonight, City’s cavalier approach (they had three strikers on the field at one point) played into Liverpool’s hands, as the Reds ruthlessly pressed their opponents into submission, prompting numerous unforced errors and putting another significant dent in their title hopes.
2. Can Tottenham afford to rest players?
Tottenham faced a significant test of their title credentials at Upton Park tonight and it was one that they ultimately failed.
Up against a West Ham side that had gone 13 games unbeaten at home, Michail Antonio’s seventh-minute header ultimately gave the Hammers a deserved victory.
Perhaps with Sunday’s North London Derby in mind, Tottenham rested a couple of first-choice players, most notably Deli Alli.
Yet the gamble failed to pay off, with Nacer Chadli among the players to disappoint in attack, as Tottenham missed an opportunity to go top for the first time in March since the 1960s.
Suddenly, this weekend’s Arsenal clash has become even more crucial.
3. Shades of last season as Man United gain late momentum
Despite all the talk about various crises and the constant speculation surrounding Louis van Gaal’s future, Man United suddenly look like genuine top-four contenders.
Only goal difference separates the Red Devils and City in fourth spot, and while Pellegrini’s men have lost their last three league games, United are unbeaten in four matches in all competitions.
While the far-from-convincing 1-0 win over Watford may not have been as impressive as Sunday’s defeat of Arsenal, it will nonetheless provide a serious morale-boost as the season approaches its climax.
And if this sudden unexpected surge of momentum amid a turbulent season feels familiar, it’s because the exact same thing happened last season, when United earned impressive victories over Spurs and Liverpool among others to ultimately seal a Champions League spot.
4. Pellegrini’s excuses ring hollow
Man City boss Manuel Pellegrini blamed his side’s inept performance at Liverpool tonight on a lack of recovery time.
The Etihad outfit played a grueling 120 minutes against the same opposition last Sunday in the League Cup final.
“It is difficult to have an excuse, but I saw the team was not recovered from the last week,” the Chilean coach told BBC Sport.
“We played Champions League and then League Cup final and I saw team was not fresh and Liverpool played better.”
Yet overcoming such obstacles is what winners do — teams such as Barcelona can rack up several trophies in spite of their similarly hectic schedule.
And after tonight, City could be in danger of missing out, not just on the title, but on a Champions League spot.
Incoming coach Pep Guardiola would certainly find it difficult to attract top talent in the summer if they had to face the undesirable prospect of Europa League football next season.
5. What is happening at Arsenal?
People who prefer more sophisticated analysis tend to balk at simplistic theories blaming Arsenal’s ills on ‘a lack of leadership’ and mental weakness.
Yet it’s hard to come up with an alternative explanation when every season feels like Groundhog Day for Arsene Wenger.
The fact that a team of such obvious talent continually implodes whenever the pressure intensifies is surely far from a coincidence.
The Gunners’ 2-1 loss at home to Premier League strugglers Swansea, coupled with their 3-2 defeat to an inexperienced Man United outfit at the weekend, has done little to silence the common criticisms aimed at them.
The fact that they are still in with a realistic chance of winning the title is a reflection of their rivals’ similar vulnerability more than anything else, and a win at Tottenham on Saturday would put them right back in the trophy hunt.
In fact, in many ways, it would be fitting if this year of consistent inconsistency from the top teams culminated with the Gunners finally ending their long wait for a league trophy.
