Damien Kayat looks back at an action-packed weekend of European football which saw Man United get the better of their cross-town rivals in the Manchester Derby.
Arsenal seize eight-point lead
Practically every mainstream pundit has been counting down the days till an Arsenal implosion. There’s no way that Arsenal- the team of the hipsters- could possibly fend off the challenges of Prem League behemoths such as Man City and Liverpool.
This sentiment intensified in the immediate aftermath of the World Cup, with many citing Gabriel Jesus’ injury as a potential turning point in the season. How wrong we were. Arsenal were simply magnificent in the latest North London derby, suffocating Spurs with their insane press and all-round technical prowess.
Odegaard controlled proceedings while Saka was a livewire throughout. Hugo Lloris has to shoulder plenty of responsibly following his shocking start to the game. He dallied on the ball, almost inviting Arsenal’s calculated press to push him back. And the way he let that first goal sneak in at the near post was frankly unacceptable.
The fact that he won a World Cup in 2018 has insulated him from criticism for far too long. Also, as irritating as Aaron Ramsdale can be, it doesn’t give anyone the right to physically assault him. I do think that the league has been somewhat lackadaisical in ensuring player’s safety (just look at Olsen at the Etihad last year).
Mikel Arteta's @Arsenal are loving life 📈#TOTARS pic.twitter.com/cx8JLYaKPR
— Premier League (@premierleague) January 15, 2023
Manchester is Red
Man City demolished United 6-3 at the Etihad earlier this year, with Erling Haaland scoring a hat-trick that underlined his blistering start to the campaign. The burgeoning Ten Hag reign was rocked to the core, with many knee-jerk pundits saying that the pragmatic Dutchman was already under threat (Graeme Souness, anyone).
What a turnaround it has been. Sure, City controlled the ball in their nearly fetishistic way. But they could barely fashion an opportunity, with United’s press continually stifling their lacklustre forward line. Phil Foden looks a pale imitation of the wonderkid that drew favourable comparisons with a young Messi. He touched the ball three times in the first 30 minutes!
It’s become clear that Haaland- despite his avaricious desire for plundering goals- has fundamentally altered the fabric of City’s football. He just doesn’t link things up in typically intricate Guardiola fashion. But let’s hand it to the Reds. This was far from a smash and grab. They defended with purpose and broke accordingly. Sure, there was more than a slice of fortune in Fernandes’ strike.
But I don’t think anyone would argue with this result. United have now won nine on the spin and 12 in a row at home. That match at the Emirates next week is starting to look mouth-watering.
Sidenote: Liverpool gave perhaps the worst performance of the Klopp era with a flaccid 3-0 defeat at the Amex. It two teams that have dictated the pace of English football for the past six years- City and Liverpool- are both becoming victims of their own success.
Their styles- though distinct- have become telegraphed and wholly predictable for teams to absorb. It really feels like we could be on the precipice of a huge paradigm shift in English football.
Napoli have destiny in their sights
Napoli have danced this dance before, often flattering to deceive when it comes to the business end of the season. The pressure of securing that first Scudetto title since the Maradona era has weighed heavily on Napoli.
But Luciano Spalletti’s current crop of exuberant talent looks the real deal. Their 5-1 demolition of Juventus was arguably their most impressive result since those aforementioned halcyon days. Max Allegri’s Juventus came into the match in resurgent form, having won seven consecutive matches after a frankly humiliating start to the campaign.
The Napoli of old- from the Higuain and Hamsik era- would have capitulated in this match, ceding control to the ‘Old Lady’ of Italian football. But they were in devastating form, with the duo of Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia linking up in deadly fashion. That victory now sees them hold a nine-point lead.
Napoli HUMILIATE Juventus to go 🔟 points clear on 🔝 of the table 😱 pic.twitter.com/uUeHcdFlGw
— 433 (@433) January 13, 2023
Barca crush Real to claim Spanish Super Cup
It’s been a rough couple of weeks for Carlo Ancelotti’s all-conquering Real Madrid. They have ceded ground in the La Liga race and have just been utterly trounced by eternal rivals Barcelona in the final of the Spanish Super Cup.
This match actually reminded me of those grossly one-sided finals between United and Barca, where Messi and co taught Ferguson’s side a lesson in Tiki-Taka football. Pedri and Gavi absolutely dominated proceedings, further enhancing their reputation as the natural successors to the Xaviesta union. Pedri is very much the Xavi in the equation, rarely giving away the ball and acting as the fulcrum of the midfield.
Gavi- like Iniesta- is far more direct and penetrative. Whoever manages Spain in the upcoming decade will do well to nurture this budding partnership. This was a hugely significant moment, delivering Xavi his first major trophy as Barcelona manager. Ancelotti’s side need to find some rhythm as that Champions League tie against a similarly wounded Liverpool approaches.
BARCELONA ARE THE SPANISH SUPERCOPA CHAMPIONS 🏆
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) January 15, 2023
Their first trophy since winning the 2020-21 Copa del Rey 👏 pic.twitter.com/DTsOzxrcuG
The Player of the Week – Solly March
The 28-year-old March was a pest throughout Brighton’s 3-0 victory against Liverpool, setting the tempo for a fantastic performance.
He scored twice and assisted Wellbeck with the 3rd. He has now scored four goals in his last three matches. He also linked up expertly with 18-year-old sensation Evan Ferguson. March’s relentless energy is emblematic of everything that this Brighton side does so brilliantly.
