Kelleher impresses again
Alisson Becker’s bout of flu meant Caoimhín Kelleher made a 13th appearance of the season against Burnley on Saturday, proving vital in Liverpool’s 3-1 win.
Kelleher in gave his best Alisson impression, making two vital one-on-one saves to bail out a fitful, injury-depleted Liverpool team. The first was the more impressive, denying Zeki Amdouni with a strong right arm, before blocking Fofana’s effort in the second-half. There was little he could do about Dara O’Shea’s goal, a brilliant header into the top corner.
Kelleher’s distribution is arguably better than Alisson’s, though he did get away with one lowly-flighted clearance late in the game. He is certainly more naturally two-footed than Alisson, and has a lovely languid style of striking.
Liverpool’s demotion to the Europa League has been good for Kelleher, and he has played as many first-team games this season as he did across the last two campaigns combined. It would be best for Ireland if Kelleher left to be first-choice elsewhere and this summer may be the right time to leave, given the scale of change that will come with Jurgen Klopp’s exit. For now he remains a dream back-up option for Liverpool.
Manchester United still have issues to address
It’s now three straight Premier League wins for Manchester United to raise the prospect of a spot in the Champions League again next season. To do a league double over Aston Villa is a significant achievement, and they will also be encouraged by Rasmus Hojland minting his potential with goals.
Erik ten Hag is talking bullishly about his team’s potential but there is something fragile about this run of form. On the balance of play they were fortunate to beat Villa yesterday, and Unai Emery’s decision to take off Leon Bailey at 1-1 seemed to tell his players that they should be happy with a draw. Scott McTominay duly punished them.
But had Villa been more clinical, they would have been out of sight by the endgame. United should be alarmed at how easily they were cut open by Villa’s passing, with Jacob Ramsey particularly wasteful. The balance of United’s team is still not quite right, and it exposing Casemiro’s greatly diminished engine. Garnacho’s switch to the right has proved hugely effective, and shown United to have firepower across the front line. They still have issues to address when they don’t have the ball, however.
West Ham collapse spells danger for Moyes
The Moyes/West Ham dynamic has always been slightly odd: Moyes has achieved great things with the club while never earning a place in fans’ hearts. Much like Roy Hodgson at Palace, Moyes has spent much of this season lecturing fans that they have never had it so good, which, even if it is true, is precisely what a supporter hates to hear. Nobody wants to be told they don’t deserve more.
Moyes’ contract is out at the end of this season and he has yet to sign an extension, a curious situation that has dragged on for months. A 6-0 hammering at home to Arsenal is exactly the kind of thing Moyes can’t afford amid such uncertainty. West Ham have certainly been denuded by injury: their counter-attacks have been shorn of Pacqueta’s passing and Antonio’s hold-up play. Jarrod Bowen is better suited to playing wider, while full-back Ben Johnson is desperately struggling in his new role on the left-wing.
Things will improve when those players return, but yesterday’s drubbing will leave a mark. West Ham have already had experience of wrongly thinking they would be better off with Moyes, but who’s to say it has to be the same this time around?
Brighton have missed another of their gems
A small testament to the quality of Brighton’s scouting. First they had a player who created a goal in a World Cup final, and now one of their guys has helped to make the difference in an AFCON decider. Following Alexis MacAllister in Qatar was Simon Adingra against Nigeria last night, as his cross was uniquely flicked in by Sebastian Haller.
Adingra’s return to fitness was crucial in Ivory Coast’s remarkable turnaround at the competition, but he has been greatly missed by his club. Brighton have won one of five league games since the turn of the year, failing to score in three of them. A key part of the blunting of their attacking threat has been the absence of their wide players, which has robbed the team of pace in key areas. Karou Mitoma happily made his return against Spurs on Saturday, but Brighton need pace on both flanks to maximise their attacking approach under Roberto de Zerbi. Adingra’s return will be vital.