theScore examines the most important Premier League developments from the weekend, dissecting the biggest talking points after a busy slate of action.
Pressure mounts on Lage
The wait to celebrate a Premier League victory at Molineux continues for Wolverhampton fans. On the heels of their first win of the season, a home clash against newly-promoted Brentford was supposed to continue their bid to kickstart the campaign after a slow start.
Instead, Bruno Lage’s men produced their poorest performance of the season, leaving the Portuguese manager at risk of becoming the Premier League’s first coaching casualty.
The hosts squandered countless scoring opportunities against a Brentford side that was more than comfortable in countering Wolves’ high press. After falling behind 2-0 in the first half, there was a glimmer of hope when Brentford went down a man after the break. But it was the same old story for Lage’s side, as Wolves never found a way to capitalize on their advantage en route to ending the day without registering a shot on target.
The embarrassing display might not be enough to end the Lage era in the immediate future. Still, the heat will undoubtedly increase if Wolverhampton’s struggles continue over their next two league games against Southampton and Newcastle.
Mane responds to the critics
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp often says Sadio Mane is a victim of his own success. Doubts emerge any time the Senegalese winger fails to live up to the incredible expectations he’s set during his five-and-a-half-year tenure at the club. But many times, Mane – still in his prime at age 29 – doesn’t need much time to reverse the downward trend.
His goal Saturday against Crystal Palace was a timely antidote. Mane needed to make a statement after being benched for Wednesday’s Champions League bonanza versus AC Milan, and he did so with his 100th goal in all competitions as a Liverpool player. He also became the first Premier League player to score in nine consecutive matches against the same team.
Longest scoring streak vs. one club
Player
Opponent
Matches
Sadio Mane
Crystal Palace
9
Robin van Persie
Stoke City
8
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
West Ham
7
Romelu Lukaku
West Ham
7
Olivier Giroud
Aston Villa
7
Liverpool struggled to find a breakthrough until Mane rushed to bury a rebound off Vicente Guaita’s initial save. Palace put up a great fight, and Guaita played fantastic in goal with seven saves. The Reds might have succumbed to the same frustration that denied them points last season if it wasn’t for Mane’s quick feet and typically good positioning. Instead, his effort put Liverpool at ease and helped turn a tight contest into a 3-0 win.
Ramsdale strengthens bid to win starting job
Aaron Ramsdale proved Arsenal manager Mikel Artera right, once again, as the English ‘keeper capitalized on another starting opportunity with a strong performance in Saturday’s narrow win over Burnley.
In what was ultimately an ugly victory for the Gunners, Ramsdale starred with a commanding performance to strengthen his grip on the starting job over counterpart Bernd Leno. He made a trio of big saves and was outstanding in establishing a strong presence in his box, which Arteta noted after the match.
“That’s his character and his leadership,” Arteta said. “That’s how he presents himself as a person as well, and that’s what I like. He has a presence, and he dominates his area.”
Now that Ramsdale has three clean sheets under his belt and appears to have a fan in Arteta, Leno could be relegated to appearing exclusively in the Carabao Cup and early rounds of the FA Cup if the 23-year-old keeps this up.
Midweek hangover is no joke
Manchester City laid an egg Saturday.
The Premier League holders, just a few days removed from a hectic Champions League win over RB Leipzig, could only muster one measly shot on target in a goalless home draw with Southampton. The result moves Pep Guardiola’s team three points back from the top spot in the table. The lone effort, which came in the 90th minute, matched the club’s lowest tally in a league outing since 2017. It was all very lethargic, even though Guardiola made five changes to the lineup that started Wednesday’s 6-3 win.
Southampton deserve plenty of credit for a dogged, determined defensive performance – it takes two to tango – but Manchester City should be crafting more opportunities, regardless of the circumstances, with all their attacking riches.
It calls into question the club’s inability to procure a bonafide No. 9 in the summer transfer window, even if Jack Grealish, the player they splashed big money on, was once again a shining light on the left side of the attack.
Was this just a bad day at the office, or a sign of bigger issues? Mouthwatering matches against Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, and Liverpool over the next few weeks will provide a clearer answer.
More to come from Bailey
What a cameo.
Leon Bailey only played 21 minutes against Everton on Saturday, but they were some of the most electrifying of the campaign thus far. The Jamaican winger, recruited amid much excitement from Bayer Leverkusen this summer for roughly £30 million, came off the bench and took over proceedings, creating a Lucas Digne own goal before opening his Aston Villa account with a thunderous finish in the 75th minute to cap a 3-0 triumph.
He had to be replaced shortly after due to a thigh issue but was still named man of the match. That alone shows how dominant the speedy attacker was.
“He’s really special. He’s a really good player,” manager Dean Smith gushed post-match. “That’s why we got him here. He’s a good lad, the lads love him. He’s really humble, and a good person.”
Replacing Grealish was always going to be an impossible task, but Bailey will soften the blow of the former captain’s move to Manchester City if he builds on Saturday’s performance – assuming he’s fit. With games against Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Arsenal coming over the next several weeks, Bailey will get a chance to showcase his skills to a wide Premier League audience who may not yet be aware of how enjoyable he is to watch.
Manchester United still a team of individuals
Manchester United have, for the most part, relied on individual talent to win games this season. It happened again Sunday, with Bruno Fernandes sending in a delectable ball to Cristiano Ronaldo for the opening goal and Jesse Lingard firing a remarkable shot to win the match. Everything in-between was very average.
The pressure on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is clear. He’s never had a more accomplished ensemble at his disposal, and it’s now up to him to find a way to make it all work, even if it comes at the expense of younger players’ development. At the moment, Solskjaer doesn’t seem to have a plan. Luckily, his best players are figuring it out for him.
It’s not necessarily a bad thing, so long as United continue to win games. If and when it goes wrong, Solskjaer will have to identify solutions on the fly. The problem is that he’s often struggled to make adjustments in his two-and-a-half years in charge, specifically when it comes to substitutions. West Ham wrestled control of Sunday’s game in the second half, winning duels both in the area and in midfield, and Solskjaer responded by throwing on Nemanja Matic. It hardly moved the needle.
Ronaldo certainly isn’t the issue. He’s scored in every match since returning to the club, and Fernandes seems to have a telepathic understanding with his compatriot. But how far can this team go without a discernible style of play? It depends on the form of two or three players.
Last-minute subs shouldn’t take penalties
The crowd roared as manager David Moyes threw on West Ham United’s longtime captain, Mark Noble, in the 95th minute. The fans knew why: a penalty had been awarded, and the 34-year-old was near-flawless from the spot. Noble had converted each of his last 10 spot-kicks, dating back to December 2016. Moyes said afterward he couldn’t possibly leave one of the Premier League’s best penalty-takers on the bench with a late equalizer on the offing.
“We got a penalty kick, and I have one of the best penalty-takers in the Premier League and Europe. I think if I hadn’t made the decision, I’d have been more annoyed with myself,” the Hammers boss told BBC Sport.
“I asked him and he said, ‘I’m ready.’ He has a great record; why would we not? We’ve missed a few recently, so I thought I’d take the opportunity to bring Mark on.”
But Noble’s penalty was saved. He hadn’t warmed up, and he had only played a total of 10 minutes all season. He hadn’t even taken a penalty since before the start of the pandemic. Noble’s previous penalty-taking record seemed to blind Moyes to the circumstances of Sunday’s game.
Converting penalties isn’t quite like kicking a field goal in the NFL. The moment may seem similar, involving a singular kick of a stationary ball, but NFL kickers make a career out of coming in from the cold. Even then, kickers practice field-goal attempts on the sideline against a big piece of mesh.
Footballers aren’t built this way. They require touches on the ball, and there are many capable of scoring a penalty anyway.
Unlucky Leicester can’t catch a break
Leicester City’s struggles continued Sunday, as Brendan Rodgers’ men were unlucky to leave the American Express Community Stadium without at least a point against Graham Potter’s high-flying Brighton & Hove Albion.
In all, three controversial calls cost Leicester on the south coast. The first came when Brighton were controversially awarded a penalty just before halftime, which Neal Maupay converted. Leicester’s woes carried over into the second half when Danny Welbeck doubled the lead for the hosts five minutes after the break.
Confidence was restored after Jamie Vardy netted the 150th goal of his illustrious Leicester City career. But the club’s frustrating day was about to get even worse. Twice the Foxes thought they’d scored an equalizer only for VAR to call both goals back because Harvey Barnes was adjudged to be offside.
While there’s no doubt Barnes was clearly in an illegal position on the second disallowed goal, the first decision was a cruel one that cost Leicester dearly. Third-place Brighton went on to celebrate the victory and their best start to a season in the Premier League while the Foxes toil in the bottom half of the table.
Tottenham in transition, and nothing more
Tottenham’s three 1-0 wins to begin their Premier League campaign gave false hope to Spurs fans: this is a transitional season and little else, just as many forecasted before the term kicked off.
It only took injuries to Lucas Moura and Steven Bergwijn, plus a suspension for Japhet Tanganga, to expose Tottenham’s shallowness in certain positions and a lack of trust in young players pushing for top-flight minutes. There are also other squad members who should’ve been moved on long before this summer.
Central midfielder Giovani Lo Celso was an uncomfortable fit to the right of Nuno Espirito Santo’s attacking trio in Sunday’s 3-0 home loss to Chelsea. His inclusion suggested that 20-year-old Bryan Gil isn’t ready for much more than Europa Conference League games. Emerson Royal’s struggles against Crystal Palace and Chelsea indicate he would’ve benefitted from a more gradual introduction to the English game, but fellow right-back Matt Doherty is out of favor. And Dele Alli, following a promising showing in Spurs’ opening-day defeat of Manchester City, was ineffectual and easily beaten in the air for Thiago Silva’s header.
Spurs seem incomplete. There are some elements that are capable of becoming the future spine of this team – Cristian Romero did fine on his full Tottenham debut, especially considering the little time he’s had with his new teammates, while Gil and Oliver Skipp have promise. But Nuno’s side needs fine-tuning and offcuts need discarding.
This will take time.
Tuchel’s Chelsea show their resilience
Thomas Tuchel has his luxuries at Chelsea. How many managers can look to their bench and find the likes of N’Golo Kante and Timo Werner waiting in the wings? But it’s the way Tuchel manages games – with little adjustments here and there – that makes him a phenomenal coach and Chelsea a well-oiled machine.
Chelsea survived Tottenham’s onslaught in the first half to emerge victorious by a considerable margin, and they did so with careful maneuvering. After withstanding Spurs’ high pressing, the Blues began to take the sting out of the game with prolonged spells of possession before flexing their own muscle with Kante’s introduction at halftime. The game swung entirely in Chelsea’s favor when Thiago Silva rose to head in the opener in the 49th minute.
First half
Possession
Shots
Expected Goals
Tottenham
52%
6
0.67
Chelsea
48%
6
0.43
Second half
Possession
Shots
Expected Goals
Tottenham
42%
2
0.06
Chelsea
58%
14
1.78
Tuchel has clearly taught Chelsea how to stay patient. Less experienced teams would’ve lost a game like this, having thrown caution to the wind to seize control. But the west London side used possession to equalize the flow of the game and took its opportunities when they came up. The players kept moving into different pockets of space, wearing out Spurs defenders. Silva’s header came off of a run he started on the edge of the penalty area, and Antonio Rudiger shuffled free in the 18-yard box to score the late insurance marker, showing energy even at the tail end of a tiring match in hostile territory.
Breaking down thrilling EPL title race with 10 games left
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One of the most intoxicating title races in Premier League history is, mercifully, ready to resume.
The quirks of the calendar – an FA Cup weekend succeeded by an agonizing international window – means the titanic tussle between Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester City will have been on hiatus for a full three weeks before it gets back underway on Sunday.
But there are no more impending interruptions. With 10 matches remaining for each title contender, we’re barreling toward a resolution to the type of three-way battle that’s exceedingly rare in England’s top flight. There’s never been a season in the Premier League era where three teams went into the final day with a chance to hoist the trophy. This could be it. The last time it happened was the 1971-72 campaign, when Derby County won an incredible four-team fight, narrowly beating Leeds United and, ominously, Liverpool and Man City to the crown. We’re overdue for that kind of drama.
That three sides have converged this way at all is, frankly, remarkable.
These are the three best teams in the country by an enormous margin. They’re the only ones with an expected goal difference per game of plus-1.0 or greater this season. The next best mark, surprisingly, belongs to Mauricio Pochettino’s erratic Chelsea team at plus-0.36. So, yeah, it’s not close.
The three of them are also on a tear and show no signs of slowing down. Arsenal have won all eight of their league games in 2024, scoring 33 goals in the process; Liverpool have collected 22 of a possible 27 points in that time; reigning champions Manchester City have racked up 23 of 27 points. They’ve combined for just one loss since the calendar flipped – Liverpool’s 3-1 defeat against Arsenal in early February.
The only sides that look capable of halting their progress are each other, which makes this weekend’s clash between Manchester City and Arsenal at the Etihad all the more significant.
Euro 2024 playoffs: Miraculous Ukraine comeback, big result for Wales
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Wales, Greece, and Poland registered statement wins Thursday, joining three other teams in next Tuesday’s playoff finals for the three remaining places at Euro 2024.
Ukraine staged an incredible late comeback against Bosnia and Herzegovina in its semifinal to keep its Euro dream alive.
The highest-placed team in FIFA’s rankings that’s no longer in contention to reach the tournament in Germany is 60th-placed Finland.
Here’s how the playoff semifinals across Path A, B, and C played out.
Path A
Mateusz Slodkowski / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Poland 5-1 Estonia
Estonia barely stood a chance. Down to 10 men as early as the 27th minute, the northern Europeans could only muster a consolation goal in a 5-1 loss to Poland. The Polish achieved the rout without Robert Lewandowski getting on the scoresheet and remain unbeaten in 21 Euro qualifiers at home, a magnificent run dating back to September 2006. Poland is trying to make up for a poor qualifying campaign in which it finished third in Group E, four points behind the Czech Republic and Albania. The country hasn’t missed the Euros since 2004.
Wales 4-1 Finland
The Red Wall might descend on Germany this summer. Wales’ raucous supporters have legitimate hopes of traveling to another major tournament after the Dragons scorched Finland without the retired Gareth Bale and with Aaron Ramsey, 33, on the bench after more injury problems. Teemu Pukki gave the visiting team some hope just before halftime following well-taken finishes from David Brooks and Neco Williams. But Wales needed just 73 seconds of the second period to restore its two-goal cushion via Brennan Johnson’s tap-in. Daniel James took advantage of a defensive error before rounding the goalkeeper in the 86th minute to give the host a resounding victory.
Playoff final: Wales vs. Poland, Tuesday 3:45 p.m. ET
Path B
David Balogh – UEFA / UEFA / Getty
Israel 1-4 Iceland
Iceland’s Albert Gudmundsson stole the show with an emphatic hat-trick against Israel on Thursday. His stunning free-kick into the top right corner canceled out Eran Zahavi’s opening goal for Israel, and he created a nice cushion for his country with a pair of markers in the final 10 minutes. Just before that, Zahavi blew an incredible opportunity to equalize the match at 2-2, missing a penalty awarded for handball against Iceland’s Gudmundur Thorarinsson. A red card to Israel’s Haim Revivo didn’t help the trailing side. Iceland is now a game away from making only its second-ever appearance at the Euros following its quarterfinal run in 2016.
Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-2 Ukraine
Ukraine scored twice with just minutes remaining in regulation to snatch what seemed to be a sure victory from Bosnia and Herzegovina on Thursday. Bosnia controlled play for most of the match and took the lead in the 56th minute when Mykola Matviyenko turned in Amar Dedic’s shot into his own net. But a colossal defensive lapse cost the Bosnians a chance to make it a record four countries from the former Yugoslavia at Euro 2024. Roman Yaremchuk came off the bench to equalize in the 85th minute and teed up Artem Dovbyk’s sensational winning header three minutes later to turn the playoff semifinal on its head. Ukraine now faces Iceland with a third consecutive Euro appearance at stake.
Playoff final: Ukraine vs. Iceland, Tuesday 3:45 p.m. ET
Path C
GIORGI ARJEVANIDZE / AFP / Getty
Georgia 2-0 Luxembourg
Two clever finishes from Budu Zivzivadze in Tbilisi assured Georgia of a place in Path C’s final – and all without the help of suspended talisman Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. But it wasn’t that simple for the host. Luxembourg thought it equalized during the second half, only for the goal to be eventually snatched away due to Maxime Chanot’s apparent foul 45 seconds earlier. Luxembourg’s Chanot was controversially sent off for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity, and Zivzivadze effectively ended the match six minutes later with his second strike. Kvaratskhelia is available for the final.
Greece 5-0 Kazakhstan
Anastasios Bakasetas lashed home a penalty, Dimitrios Pelkas headed into the net’s roof, Fotis Ioannidis tapped in from close range, and Dimitrios Kourbelis added another header. And that was all before halftime. Kazakhstan’s impressive 2022-23 Nations League campaign and notable Euro 2024 qualifying wins over Denmark, Northern Ireland (twice), and Finland suddenly seemed ages ago, as Greece recorded its biggest halftime lead since October 1978 (5-0 against Finland). Aleksandr Marochkin’s embarrassing own goal in the 85th minute made Kazakhstan’s day even worse.
Playoff final: Georgia vs. Greece, Tuesday 1:00 p.m. ET
Look: Nike unveils beautiful kit selection for Euro 2024, Copa America
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Nike released a stunning batch of threads ahead of Euro 2024 and Copa America on Monday.
Days after Adidas launched its lineup for the summer’s top two tournaments, Nike followed suit with an array of colorful designs.
The U.S. manufacturer also announced redesigns for Canada and Poland, even though they’ve yet to qualify for their respective tournaments. The Canucks face Trinidad and Tobago in a one-off Copa America qualifier on Saturday, while Poland must navigate a four-team playoff to reach Euro 2024.
(All images courtesy of Nike)
Euro 2024
Croatia
Home
The square-shaped design that gives Croatia its unique look gets a slight upgrade. The home shirt features larger squares than ever before.
Away
Croatia’s away shirt plays on the national flag, with the traditional checkered pattern now on a slant.
England
Home
Influenced by England’s 1966 training gear, the home shirt has a classic feel with a rich blue collar and gorgeous trim along the cuffs.
Away
England embraces a deep purple hue for its away selection. The crest stands out with a contrasting off-white tint that makes the three lions pop.
France
Home
France’s home shirt may have the biggest crest of all of Nike’s offerings. The oversized rooster defines this shirt as much as the royal blue that’s made France’s kits a crowd-pleaser.
Away
The pinstripes mirror the colors of France’s national flag and span the width of the shirt in a simple, yet elegant design.
Netherlands
Home
Nike could’ve offered anything orange here, and it would’ve been perfect. But the Netherlands has something bolder and better to wear. The zig-zag pattern adds edge.
Away
The orange collar and cuffs pop alongside the three shades of blue Nike has chosen to create the abstract design on this work of art.
Poland
Home
Poland dedicates premium real estate on the country’s home shirt to its imposing crest.
Away
Poland’s away shirt is a daring choice. The graphic treatment adds texture, giving it a rugged feel while separating from the red tones of years past.
Portugal
Home
With possibly the best home shirt in Nike’s collection, Portugal leans heavily into its traditional red-and-green motif with a polo collar and thick cuffs. The logo sits prominently as well. A smash hit.
Away
Here’s another winner. Portugal’s away strip has a stunning textile imprint that gives off a cool summer vibe.
Turkey
Home
This is a menacing look. Turkey will look like a whirring red army with these imposing shirts.
Away
The classic red band returns to Turkey’s away uniform. Like the others, it features an oversized crest in the middle of the shirt.
Copa America
Brazil
Home
Nike goes big with Brazil’s crest and adds an intricate design to the same yellow hue the Selecao have used for decades.
Away
Brazil’s secondary strip feels like the beach. A horizontal wavy pattern covering the entire shirt mimics the country’s picturesque coastline.
Canada
Home
The only blemish in Nike’s lineup. Why is there a circle around the swoosh? And why are the shoulders so much darker than the body? None of it makes sense.
Away
The 13 pinstripes are supposed to represent the 10 provinces and three territories that make up Canada. Unfortunately, the rest of the shirt looks incomplete.
United States
Home
The United States men’s national team gets a classic home shirt with patriotic detailing along the color and sleeves.
Away
The gradient works perfectly with the red shorts the U.S. will wear at the Copa America.