Arsenal lead Premier League winners and losers as Liverpool crumble with Rodgers and Hasenhuttl

There is a crisis of confidence at Liverpool. Arsenal will take their place as challengers, provided Gary O’Neil doesn’t get there first.

We have your regular Premier League winners and losers column and Liverpool get a much-deserved kicking.

Winners

Arsenal
As one remarkable resistance to the inevitability of Manchester City fades, another defiant force emerges.

There was an element of symbolism in Arsenal beating Liverpool to remain at the top of the Premier League. It felt like an official passing of the torch, a ceremonial handing over of the reins, a formal trade of the baton.

It was Arsenal winning at Newcastle in November 1996. It was Chelsea vanquishing Manchester United in November 2003. It was Manchester City defeating Chelsea in September 2010. It was Liverpool overthrowing Tottenham and Manchester United in late 2018.

It was the fall of one challenger, temporary or otherwise, confirmed by the rise of another to replace them, fleetingly or not.

Arsenal achieved something remarkable at the Emirates. This was only the fourth time in 23 years that Liverpool had conceded a goal in the first minute of a Premier League game – and they went on to win on the previous three occasions (Dacourt for Everton in April 1999; Kane for Spurs in October 2019; Gayle for Newcastle in July 2020). Arsenal became the first team since Bayern Munich in May 2005 to take the lead against a Jurgen Klopp side three times in the same match. Only 10 younger starting line-ups have been named by any club in the Premier League this season than the one the Gunners deployed to dethrone Liverpool, whose average age was four years older.

The changing of the guard was visceral and perhaps ultimately futile, dependent on the continued strength of Manchester City. But this is an Arsenal team which collapsed at the end of last season and was tentatively predicted only to break into the top four at most this. They have hijacked the title conversation and are guiding it. Even if they don’t achieve the unthinkable come May, it is testament to Mikel Arteta, his players, the supporters and the hierarchy which trusted the process even when it became a punchline, that Arsenal being a legitimate force again at the top table is not a laughable prospect.

Pep so bored of strolling the Premier League that he's literally made himself a challenger in Arteta and given him a couple of quality players to get them going. Fair play.

— Steven (@StevenMcinerney) October 9, 2022

Bukayo Saka
An extra word could go to any of those Arsenal players: Takehiro Tomiyasu was brilliant on his first Premier League start of the season, Gabriel Martinelli was stunning and Benjamin White proved his England critics wrong at right-back. But Bukayo Saka has taken three penalties for Arsenal since missing the decisive spot kick in the Euros final defeat to Italy, scoring important goals against Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool. That takes balls.

Gary O’Neil
Throughout Europe’s top five leagues, only 10 teams are currently on a longer unbeaten streak than Bournemouth.

That list includes some crushingly unsurprising names, like Paris Saint-Germain, Napoli, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atalanta and Manchester City. It also features some less likely clubs, such as Udinese, Freiburg, Lorient and Rennes.

None of them are under the interim rule of a coach with barely 18 months of senior experience, whose predecessor bowed out with a 9-0 defeat after which he predicted many similar thrashings.

Bournemouth should not be 8th, two points above the Liverpool team which inflicted upon them such a historic and season-altering embarrassment. They have earned that place through no little grit, determination and courage; against Leicester there was attacking cohesion and creativity, too. But it is clear to see who the players want incoming billionaire owner Bill Foley to appoint when both of O’Neil’s wins so far have come from behind.

Eberechi Eze
There is a clip of Eberechi Eze’s winning goal against Leeds in which the foreign commentary either slightly mispronounces the Crystal Palace midfielder’s surname or accurately sums up how he can often make the game look.

“Easy, easy,” they seem to exclaim as he strides beyond Leeds captain Liam Cooper and leaves Illan Meslier stranded with a glorious finish.

It is a delight to see Eze in full flow again, free of the chains both physical and mental which threatened such a bright career. That Achilles injury kept him out of the provisional England squad for the Euros and while World Cup contention might come a little too soon, he is at least making a case.

Eze is back to his best. Only seven players have completed more dribbles and just six have been fouled more often. There are precious few players more effective at direct running in possession. His is a rare skillset which Crystal Palace are relieved to have back.

Chelsea
Stamford Bridge was treated to its biggest home Premier League win since last October. Graham Potter was not kidding when he said “it’s been a really strong week”.

While most of the coaching credentials he had honed and established at Ostersund, Swansea and Brighton were transferrable to his role at Chelsea, the one thing Potter would always have to learn on the Blues job was that constant weekend-to-midweek-and-back-again grind necessitated by competing on four fronts.

That the European filling and one of the slices in that sandwich were at home certainly helped but Potter’s first crack at that challenge produced three wins and seven different scorers of eight goals. He doesn’t half feel made for this opportunity.

Manuel Akanji
Manchester City have spent almost £400m on defenders since the appointment of Pep Guardiola as manager.

Two (Ruben Dias and Joao Cancelo) were bought for at least £60m. Three more (Aymeric Laporte, Benjamin Mendy and Kyle Walker) fell into the £50m bracket. Another cost £47.5m (John Stones), before a drop-off to the next at £26.5m (Danilo).

They tend to spend that degree of money on players in the backline to come as close as possible to guaranteeing they suit the style and demands of the role. It is rare that Manchester City don’t dig particularly deep when investing in that position. Angelino at £5m proves why.

Manuel Akanji will buck the trend; Sergio Gomez might do the same in time but it is Manchester City’s resident mathematician who is showing that there is value in the market for those who look closely enough.

It was a deal that came out of left-field but Akanji is already demonstrating his excellence on the right and in the centre of Guardiola’s defence. The Spaniard might never have spent £15m so wisely.

Newcastle
Not since the final day of the 2015/16 season had Newcastle scored five goals in a Premier League game. Not since September 2001 had Newcastle scored four goals in consecutive Premier League games.

Eddie Howe could have made Emmanuel Riviere, Xisco and Stephane Guivarc’h look half-decent. He – and Bruno Guimaraes more than anyone – is working his magic at St James’.

Gianluca Scamacca
For the first time since January, West Ham have won three consecutive matches. It might not be a coincidence that Gianluca Scamacca scored in each of those victories.

While the tally includes three Europa Conference League games, West Ham have won all six of the fixtures Scamacca has started since joining.

The Italian might well have snapped the east London striker curse. He has no obvious weakness to his game, from the accomplished link-up play to his mobility, movement and deceptive speed. With finishing so prolific and varied – two goals each from inside the six-yard box, inside the 18-yard box and outside the area – West Ham have a complete centre-forward.

It was not a bad idea to pair him with Lucas Paqueta either. The Hammers being good at transfers is weird.

Cristiano Ronaldo
There remains a suspicion that Cristiano Ronaldo and this iteration of Manchester United are no longer comfortable bedfellows, but the Portuguese is too proud and driven to have this fling end with a whimper.

Erik ten Hag would welcome the version of Ronaldo that graced Goodison Park from the bench. After replacing the injured Anthony Martial, the 37-year-old showed energy, poise and quality. He even tracked back at one stage to make a tackle on the edge of the Manchester United area, like a pensioner acclimatising to modern technology.

The sense that Ronaldo will score every chance presented to him has dissipated but his winning goal was a welcome flicker of what the Portuguese once guaranteed. Those moments are no longer absolutely certain but they still come around often enough to make him worth keeping happy before a conscious uncoupling in the summer.

Harry Kane
Mr. Cheat Code himself.

Losers

Liverpool
It was surprising to hear any Liverpool player discuss the importance of “confidence”, but the significance of the message coming from Virgil van Dijk was not lost.

“We’re all human beings,” said the Dutchman. “Sometimes you need a bit of confidence in certain moments. If it’s not as high, it won’t help in certain situations.”

Considering no player had built more of an impermeable aura than Van Dijk during Liverpool’s period of remarkable success it was strange to hear. This was Clark Kent or Bruce Wayne talking, not their alter egos.

That message was evident in the performance. Saka showed no trepidation dribbling at Van Dijk in the build-up to the opening goal; a Liverpool side that once tore through any and every opponent with rapier-like counter-attacks was ripped to pieces on the break for the second; Arsenal’s third came from a debatable penalty, but also a situation three or four different Liverpool players should have cleared long before it came to anything.

As Van Dijk said: “Sometimes you need a bit of confidence in certain moments.” Liverpool’s has been collectively and individually shattered. There is no longer any fear in facing them.

The defensive structure is diabolical, regularly casting Trent Alexander-Arnold as the lamb for slaughter. Jordan Henderson cannot be relied upon at such a high standard. The attack is in a state of flux.

What once worked no longer does because confidence has taken a battering and what once came naturally is now the subject of doubt. Even if momentarily, that undermines Klopp’s whole system. And for the first time in his seven years as manager, it doesn’t feel as though he has an answer.

Leicester
The record for most points dropped from winning positions in a single Premier League season is the 33 Chelsea surrendered under Glenn Hoddle in the 1995/96 campaign. Leicester are not far off halfway to that total (14 points) with 29 games to play; they have dropped 30 points in such circumstances this year.

It’s on. This latest masterclass in squandering all positive momentum and riding the crest of a wave until crashing squarely into the sea was delivered with all the gusto of Brendan Rodgers’ uncunning Foxes.

They earned an early lead which they subsequently and summarily failed to build on, to the extent that the opposition were able to recalibrate and establish a foothold.

The initiative having changed hands, the manager tried to manufacture a shift of energy back in their favour with a double substitution; Bournemouth equalised within a minute and went in front three minutes after that.

The turnaround complete, Leicester chucked a couple more attackers on but still managed just one shot – off-target – after Bournemouth’s second goal. They didn’t have a single effort in the final quarter of an hour plus stoppage-time of a game they were chasing against a newly-promoted side.

“I don’t know,” said the man employed to either be aware of such issues or quickly identify and immediately address them, when asked why his more senior players were letting the side down to such an extent. “It’s just the nature of it this season,” he added. And that really isn’t good enough for the money he is paid.

Wolves
Fans of a certain vintage will hear ‘Wolves caretaker’ and be bombarded with memories of Terry Connor’s clipboard. Steve Davis and James Collins are unlikely to plumb such depths, but only because the club will surely act and appoint a permanent Bruno Lage replacement before long.

That performance against Chelsea was a non-entity. Wolves offered approximately nothing in attack and desperately scant resistance to their opponents at the other end.

The midfield was formerly their absolute strength but Joao Moutinho and Matheus Nunes are trying to swim up a waterfall, with Ruben Neves similarly struggling when not either suspended or shoe-horned in at centre-half out of necessity in a bizarrely undercooked squad.

Wolves invested a considerable sum in the last transfer window yet are still forced to pick players out of position while relying on a free agent striker. They have matched their own risible scoring record after nine games of their last top-flight relegation season – 2003/04 – and only three teams in Premier League history have scored fewer times this deep into a campaign. Norwich went down in 2021/22 and while Crystal Palace (2017/18) and Everton (2005/06) suggest that not all is lost, Wolves need to change something soon.

Ralph Hasenhuttl
The best way to explain how long Ralph Hasenhuttl has been Southampton manager is to point out that his immediate predecessor is currently managing in League Two, without having had another job in between that and his Saints demise.

As bad as Mark Hughes was at St Mary’s, his Southampton was not close to as prone to collapse as Hasenhuttl’s. In his 146 Premier League games, Saints have conceded three or more goals 35 times (and four or more on 12 occasions), so once every four fixtures or so.

Perhaps that was to be expected from such a young team asked to mature together and instantly, but it should be noted that one of the Southampton players in the most damaging current run of form is James Ward-Prowse. That sort of development is likely to seal the manager’s demise.

Brentford
Thomas Frank forgot the identity of the man who replaced the injured Pontus Jansson before Brentford’s game against Newcastle. Ethan Pinnock returned the favour by completely misremembering how to defend competently.

It was the worst defeat of Frank’s tenure, both in terms of the basic scoreline and the catastrophic nature of their collapse. Brentford were the architects of their own downfall, caught twice when playing it out from the back and once in midfield transition for three of the five goals, the last of which Pinnock fired into his own net.

There was a striking naivety in using that style away at a Newcastle team whose pressing is among the best in the league. Brentford need Christian Norgaard back, but more than anything they have to stop embracing the chaos in favour of more stability.

Fulham
It is all starting to feel a tiny bit Fulham. The Cottagers have kept one clean sheet all season – and that was in their second game against the lowest-scoring team in England’s top 11 leagues.

That 0-0 draw with Wolves is the only match in which Fulham themselves have failed to score, but the attack bears a heavy burden when required to cancel out the concession of three or four goals every time. And if Aleksandar Mitrovic is not around to carry it, the task is close to impossible.

Tim Ream has performed admirably so far this season but it does not feel as though his centre-half partnership with Tosin Adarabioyo will be broken up with the player who is a decade younger making way.

Marco Silva must know a defensive change is necessary in any case: only Arsenal, Manchester City, Brentford and Leicester games have contained more goals than ones involving Fulham this campaign.

Everton
Therein lies the inherent risk in trying to write within the finest of margins. Every Everton game that has not ended in a draw so far this season has been decided by a single goal, down to their 1-0 League Cup win over Fleetwood. That can lead to scrappy, hard-fought victories over West Ham and Southampton but equally, a failure to strike that balance perfectly means a 1-0 lead over Manchester United can quickly become a 2-1 defeat.

Ball progression in midfield was a clear issue at Goodison Park. The midfield trio of Alex Iwobi, Amadou Onana and Idrissa Gueye made only 32 forward passes into the final third between them, restricting Anthony Gordon to a single touch in the opposition penalty area, while Neal Maupay had no shots or key passes and Demarai Gray was ineffective.

The underlying numbers had suggested that Everton’s defence was over-achieving. A regression to the mean and thus a reality-checking crash back down to earth was always likely.

Patrick Bamford
The 2020/21 season was very possibly a collective fever dream. Patrick Bamford has not scored in his last nine Premier League appearances, a sequence dating back to early March due to an injury which is at least partially culpable for his rustiness.

Jesse Marsch proclaimed the forward to be “in the strongest physical condition since I’ve been here” before the Crystal Palace game. But his miss when put through by Tyler Adams at 1-0 was decisive and played a part in extending Leeds’ winless run to five matches.

There is hope that Bamford can play himself into form and just needs a consistent run in the side; the paucity of options beyond him mean that will likely come, provided he avoids injury. But Leeds still relying on the forward and Liam Cooper – culpable for both Palace goals – at this stage of their development is stark.

Raphael Varane
The absolute nerd responsible for preventing the single most wildly celebrated goal in football history. Jordan Pickford would still be raving in Qatar if he connected with that header.