Category: Football (Soccer)

Michael Keane put Everton ahead, but Jarrod Bowen’s equaliser, West Ham’s first goal under Nuno Espírito Santo, earned them his first point

Seeing as Michael Keane is playing, here’s one of my favourite goals of recent times.

West Ham, meanwhile, will look to play off Fullkrug, with Bowen coming off the flank in support while, down the left, Summerville keeps the width and behind, Paquetá prompts. I don’t think they’re anywhere near as bad as their league position suggests, but i do worry about the centre of their defence – which is why is makes sense to bring Magassa in for Ward-Prowse.

With late goals a major factor, the four major players for the trophy saw their narratives crystalize over the weekend

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There’s always a danger this early in the Premier League season of reading too much into a single set of games. Titles may be lost in September but they are very rarely won. This past weekend, though, did feel like one where many of the prevailing narratives crystalised as Arsenal dug deep to win the sort of game they’ve become used to losing, Liverpool’s defensive shortcomings were exposed as they lost for the first time this campaign, Manchester City swept aside lesser opposition in the manner of old and Chelsea fell apart again.

Liverpool have looked defensively shaky all season. Having been the team of control in the last campaign, making the unremarkable 2-0 win a trademark, they have become the side of the late winner, clinching games this season in the 88th, 94th, 100th, 83rd, 95th, 92nd and 85th minutes. That was never going to be sustainable, but the question was whether general performances would improve, or whether the late strikes would dry up.

This is an extract from Soccer with Jonathan Wilson, a weekly look from the Guardian US at the game in Europe and beyond. Subscribe for free here. Have a question for Jonathan? Email soccerwithjw@theguardian.com, and he’ll answer the best in a future edition.

Mikel Arteta proves he may have changed his ways while Eddie Nketiah shows off his worth for Crystal Palace

St James’ Park has done strange things to Arsenal. It had become Mikel Arteta’s bogey ground, defeats the last three visits, his team unable to score. Each time, bright beginnings had given way to becoming bogged down by refereeing controversy, Arsenal pulled into the rolling maul football that better suits Newcastle’s muscle. Sunday’s attacking team selection and Arteta throwing the kitchen sink in chasing a win when a point had already been rescued hinted at a change in mentality. Arteta’s team eventually wrested control of the physical battle to push for three. If the dimensions that Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyökeres have added failed to pay off, the Premier League’s deepest squad found the aerial power within itself, via Arteta’s attacking substitutions. An early overturned penalty and missed chances felt all too familiar. Arsenal’s response to those reverses, overturning their St James’ mental block, suggested a fresh determination that will serve them well in the title hunt. John Brewin

Match report: Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Match report: Aston Villa 3-1 Fulham

Match report: Brentford 3-1 Manchester United

Match report: Crystal Palace 2-1 Liverpool

• Nuno is third manager since he left 16 months ago

• Moyes’ Everton host West Ham on Monday night

David Moyes has said he takes no comfort from the turmoil at West Ham with his former club on to their third manager since he departed 16 months ago.

Moyes delivered West Ham’s first trophy for 43 years in the 2023 Europa Conference League only for many supporters to demand a change of manager and more adventurous style throughout the following season. He admits that 2024 was probably the right time to leave from his perspective too.

During a year as a Newcastle ­midfielder under Rafael Benítez, Mikel Merino struggled to settle in the north-east. He departed for Real Sociedad without offering ­Tynesiders more than a few glimpses of his best work but, when Merino trotted on as a 70th-minute Arsenal substitute here, Eddie Howe had reason to be fearful.

At that stage Newcastle were ­leading thanks to Nick Woltemade’s second goal for the club but their manager did not need telling that Mikel Arteta’s reincarnation of Merino as an emergency forward last season proved one of the triumphs of his north London tenure.

Arsenal moved up to second after late headers from Mikel Merino and Gabriel Magalhaes gave them a precious win

Mikel Arteta’s pre-match thoughts

[On Eberechi Eze’s inclusion] We’re very happy with what he’s doing so he’s earned the right to start the game.

[On Cristhian Mosquera’s inclusion] Willy [Saliba] is coming back from an ankle injury that he is still trying to resolve. He’s played twice in six days and we have another two games coming up this week so we have to managed the squad.

Aston Villa came from behind to record their first league win of the season, the goals coming from Ollie Watkins, John McGinn and Emi Buendía

Email! “Thank you for your kind, and deserved, words about Fulham and Marco Silva,” begins Richard Hirst. “As a lover of Bob Dylan you’ve always been known as a man of great discernment, other than in your support of Man Utd. On that note, I’m interested in your views of whether Marco is the kind of manager United could do with; has a clear tactical plan but is willing to be flexible and certainly won’t be pictured staring helplessly at the turf or not watching penalties? Marco’s contract expires at the end of this season and I imagine he’ll walk if he doesn’t get Fulham into Europe, and quite possibly even if he does.”

I’m not sure: managers have different strengths, and it might be that his is what he’s doing now. I think he’s got the aggression you need to manage the biggest clubs, but I’m not certain he whether he can coach a side to dominate the ball, or whether anyone in the world can turn United into anything resembling a football team.