Let’s take a deep dive into the last weekend’s Premier League games and check out five things we learned from the previous gameweek.
Another matchday of Premier League action ended on Monday as teams locked horns with their opponents during the weekend.
Ten matches took place across England, with the league’s top-four race seeing some major changes.
As we prepare for another exciting week of Premier League football, let’s review our main takeaways from Matchday 31.
Arsenal must improve defensively to continue top-four race
Arsenal suffered a surprising 3-0 defeat against Crystal Palace in their Premier League on Monday. Unlike most of the current season, the Gunners have not seemed confident in front of the goal in their recent games.
Having scored only once in their past three games, Arsenal saw their arch-rivals Tottenham leapfrog them from the fourth spot this week. Next weekend, the Gunners will meet Brighton, who have won not any of their last seven league games.
However, given the worrying injury news on Kieran Tierney, Thomas Partey, and Takehiro Tomiyasu, Mikel Arteta’s team must do their best to avoid another surprise setback against the Seagulls.
Newcastle’s worst fears confirmed in Tottenham thrashing
After a busy transfer window in January, Newcastle managed to surprise Premier League fans with their quick escape from the relegation zone. The Magpies remained unbeaten for nine consecutive games, going as high as 13th place on the table.
However, Eddie Howe’s side have shown they are far from joining the league’s top-half team in their last three games. Back-to-back defeats against Chelsea and Everton had already shown Newcastle’s struggles in their attacking line.
However, a 5-1 defeat against Tottenham on Sunday exposed the Magpies’ defensive issues like never before. A crushing display from the Spurs tore Newcastle’s backline apart, sending Howe’s team back to 15th place on the table.
Let’s see if they can bounce back from the defeat when they meet Wolves on Thursday.
Bad days are title-deciding but rare with Man City and Liverpool
Manchester City and Liverpool continue their nail-biting race at the top of the Premier League table. City are still one point away from their closest rivals, but that might change when the two sides meet this weekend.
City will go into the match after beating Atletico Madrid 1-0 in the Champions League. Before that, they had defeated Burnley 2-0 in the league, with in-form Kevin De Bruyne delivering another brilliant performance for the Citizens.
On the other hand, the Reds defeated Watford with a similar result before beating Benfica 3-1 in the Champions League. Both sides are in top form, with fans waiting to see the title-deciding battle of the season.
Can Liverpool beat City and win their second league title under Jurgen Klopp, or Pep Guardiola’s team will, once again, clinch the title after a close race?
Man United reminded of Ronaldo’s effect in Leicester City stalemate
Manchester United displayed yet another underwhelming performance in their 1-1 draw against Leicester City at Old Trafford. The Foxes were on a run of three consecutive defeats but still managed to escape the Red Devils’ nest with a precious point.
Fred scored a quick equalizer to counter Kalechi Iheanacho’s opener in the 63rd minute. However, Ralf Rangnick’s side were too unorganized in their attacks to make serious chances after that. Upfront, they missed the presence of Cristiano Ronaldo, who missed the game through illness.
The Portuguese superstar will most likely return to the Red Devils squad next week. Let’s see if he can help his side defeat Everton as they make their last efforts to sneak back into the top-four race.
A brutal defeat ends Chelsea’s winning streak at Stamford Bridge
Chelsea were on a six-game winning streak in the league when they returned from the international break to face Brentford on home soil.
A brilliant attacking display from the Bees in the second half crushed Chelsea’s backline, which looked extremely out of form. The Blues also lacked enough intensity in their attacks as they struggled to get back into the game.
On Saturday, Thomas Tuchel’s side must face Southampton in their next league games. As we expected in our last week’s premier league tips, the Saints managed to hold in-form Leeds to a draw last week. Let’s see if they can use Chelsea’s defensive problems to their benefit in the upcoming game.
Be sure not to miss out on the latest news about Liverpool
Download our brand new App and follow your favorite players, clubs, and much more
