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The Independent
3 minutes ago
- The Independent
Why Eberechi Eze holds the key to the cruel crossroads facing Crystal Palace
It was yet another game where you could see why the Premier League 's wealthiest clubs want Eberechi Eze and half of Crystal Palace 's players. It was also another game where you could see why there have been some doubts over whether Chelsea can go from world champions to champions of their own country. Enzo Maresca's team arguably deserved to lose this 0-0 at Stamford Bridge, and possibly would have had Eze's fine early free-kick not been disallowed for Marc Guehi's 'interference' with the wall. It had the look and feel of one of those decisions that are always zealously cracked down on for a brief period, but that no one would otherwise complain about. Chelsea didn't complain too much in the moment. After the game, Maresca fairly pointed out this was his side's first game after that Club World Cup. The new summer tournament may yet have a considerable effect on their season, since it seemed to leave them undercooked here. Palace, meanwhile, continued an already historic year. This was their 25th game of the year, and they have only lost three. Of those, the last 10 have involved six matches either away or at Wembley against the old 'big six', and another FA Cup semi-final against Aston Villa. They are unbeaten in all of them, and have won two trophies. In short, Palace have become that team that the title challengers and more entitled wealthy clubs absolutely detest playing. There's always one, but Oliver Glasner has possibly taken this side even further than any of them. Maresca said 'we know how tough they are, how well organised they are' but that was understating it. They're a serious side, a robust defence complemented by an exhilarating attack when it gets into flow. From that, unlike so many similar upwardly mobile teams, Palace also got that landmark silverware through the FA Cup. They look capable of so much more, which is why it is such a shame that it may be stripped for parts. That is modern football and its stratified economy, which led to this game being almost entirely framed by Eze's potential departure for Tottenham Hotspur. His very place in the starting line-up became a significant part of the story, with his lingering applause to Palace's travelling fans afterward only adding to it. In between, there were of course shots of Spurs consultant Fabio Paritici in the crowd. It's hard not to conclude that Eze's signing was discussed, although there is a lot of conflicting information about where the story is at. From speaking to people on various sides of the situation, The Independent understands the following: there was considerable progress over Friday and Saturday, where it looked like a deal could be struck for £55m plus add-ons. Sources even state that the idea of Eze not playing at Stamford Bridge was talked about. After the actual game, Glasner re-iterated t hat he was always going to play and that 'as long as he's a Palace player, he plays'. That points to the caveat, of course, since it could well have been the case that he was almost out of the door by Sunday morning. Instead, The Independent reported on Saturday evening that the negotiations had run into 'difficulties'. There were claims that this was about Palace wanting more of the fee up front, so they could immediately commit to Eze's putative replacement, Leicester City's Bilal El Khannouss. Leicester themselves need the money coming in. Palace are meanwhile looking at Club Brugge's Christos Tzolis. There is naturally a lot of brinkmanship to this, as well as a chain of purchases and sales that almost resembles the property market. While there are still obstacles, Spurs are understood to right now have a clear run. Arsenal had been interested in Eze all summer, but that was mostly because of the genuine belief that Ethan Nwaneri could have gone to Borussia Dortmund. As it was, Nwaneri committed, and Mikel Arteta now has a lot of options in the centre and on the right - exactly where Eze excels. Arsenal will only make another purchase if they can sell, and they are next prioritising a left-sided player. Talks with Spurs, and Spurs alone, are consequently expected to continue. For now, Glasner of course insisted that Eze will play in Palace's Europa Conference League play-off qualifier against Fredrikstad on Thursday, having been demoted from the Europa League after Monday's CAS case. This match at Stamford Bridge was soundtracked by chants about that situation - much of it not repeatable here. It would feel fitting if Eze at least fully carried Palace through to European competition proper. He was sparkling in so many other ways here, particularly one brilliant drive that almost caught out Robert Sanchez late on. On the other side, it was a largely quiet game for a lot of Chelsea's stars. Joshua Acheampong coped well with his promotion to the starting line-up, especially with the midfield in front of him looking flat. Jamie Gittens only offered promise. Liam Delap was active when he came on, and there was naturally a lot of anticipation when Estevao was introduced. The Brazilian teenager has been hailed as one of the brightest talents in football. There were only flickers of it here. While he looked so exciting when taking on players down the right, he did snatch at one good opening late on. It would have been very harsh on Palace had that gone in. It is already harsh that modern football is putting a team in a situation when they get to a moment of history, only to have their future stunted. You can certainly see why they generate such interest, though.
The Independent
3 minutes ago
- The Independent
Man United had an obvious weakness against Arsenal and what happened was inevitable
Unless Manchester United can defend a corner, they will not turn one. Until Ruben Amorim 's big decisions succeed, the verdicts on his reign may be unflattering. A new season brought an improved United in various respects, but a third win at Old Trafford for Arsenal under Mikel Arteta. A club who once clinched a Premier League title on United turf can hope the road to another began with the same scoreline and at the same venue. 'A big, big result,' said Arteta. But Arsenal were given a helping hand by Altay Bayindir and, indirectly, Amorim. The Turkey international's lame punch allowed Riccardo Calafiori to head in from a yard; if Viktor Gyokeres, the debutant striker, was supposed to be the final piece in Arteta's jigsaw, there was something typical of his teams in that the goal came from the left-back. The manner of the goal was familiar for both clubs. The Arsenal fans' first chorus of the season of 'Set-piece FC' came after 13 minutes. If the same tag is attached to United, it would a criticism. They conceded from a corner in last week's friendly against Fiorentina. They let in 15 Premier League goals from set-pieces last season, the majority after Amorim's appointment and his assistant Carlos Fernandes took charge of dead-ball situations. Bayindir was beaten direct from a corner by Tottenham's Son Heung Min in the Carabao Cup in December. This was only slightly less embarrassing. But it was a story of three goalkeepers. David Raya was terrific, excellent saves from United's new forwards Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo the pick of seven stops, and a reassuring presence. Arteta got his own goalkeeping decision very right two years ago, ruthlessly replacing Aaron Ramsdale with Raya. The Spaniard's quest for a third consecutive Golden Glove began well. Arsenal could thank two goalkeepers for their three points. Meanwhile, Andre Onana was a spectator. Injured, he had missed United's friendlies. Fit again, Amorim decided to omit him, arguing afterwards: 'It's not the case of dropping Onana. It's not putting Andre Onana in [after] just one week without seeing the game, without time, with training.' Yet before kick-off his explanation was that he wanted to reward Bayindir for his performances in pre-season. Whether logical or a leftfield choice, that backfired in his first display of the actual campaign. United could argue that William Saliba fouled Mason Mount as Declan Rice's corner came in; yet Bayindir's attempt to deal with it was feeble. Amorim was defensive and touchy. 'I'm saying that you choose to push a player or to get the ball in that moment,' he said. 'So he chooses to get the ball, but he's getting pushed. He cannot defend it himself.' He harked back eight months to say that, had VAR been used in the Carabao Cup, Son's goal against Bayindir would have been disallowed. He looked back to Bayindir's last encounter with Arsenal, to his triumphant FA Cup tie in January. 'Who saved the penalty? Who saved the game?' he barked. 'Bayindir was unbelievable in that game. So I consider everything.' What he won't consider, he suggested, is buying at the back, even if Gianluigi Donnarumma is available. 'I'm happy with the three goalkeepers,' he said. Onana's omission, on a day when Rasmus Hojlund did not make the matchday squad, had suggested an exit for both. Amorim implied the Cameroonian was only out for the game, not for good. Wronged or a wrong choice, Bayindir's reunion with Arsenal came at a cost. His problems were ill-timed when Amorim's team were looking for a new script for a new season. In some respects, United progressed. 'We proved today that we can win any game in the Premier League, especially against a great team like Arsenal, and we were the better team,' Amorim said. United had possession and pressure, far more shots and touches in the penalty area and a higher xG. They took the game to Arsenal and had encouraging debuts from Mbeumo, who was their best player, and Cunha. They still lost. After nine league defeats at Old Trafford last season, they have one already. 'We created some chances but we didn't score so that is the main negative of the day,' said Bruno Fernandes. That was despite the £200m upgrade to the forward line. But Benjamin Sesko was held in reserve, his bow coming as a substitute; it meant there was no direct comparison with Viktor Gyokeres, the two men who comprised Arsenal's striking shortlist, with the Swede going off before the Slovenian came on. Gyokeres' was a relatively quiet debut. He scored 65 goals for Amorim at Sporting CP and didn't even have a shot against the Portuguese's United. In contrast, his £65m signing was terrific. Mbeumo was indefatigable and electric, making speedy bursts in the inside-right channel. Encouragingly for United, his new colleagues kept finding him. Annoyingly for them, his former Brentford teammate Raya parried his downward header, just as he had when Cunha almost scored from an acute angle. 'The save from Cunha was a tough one,' said Raya. 'I don't know how I saved it.' Raya was only beaten when Patrick Dorgu whistled a low shot against the far post. He was required, in part, because United's new signings gave Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes a tough afternoon. 'Defensively we weren't at our best, so that was a hard fight,' said Raya. Arteta added: 'You know when you are not at your standards, which today we weren't, we can still come away and find a way to win the game.' It is a habit United must envy. Fifteenth last season, they find themselves 15th now. If the table is largely meaningless, if performances can count for more than results at this time of the season, United got the performance, Arsenal the result. And it was Arteta who looked the happier with that.
BBC News
4 minutes ago
- BBC News
Gyokeres does not get dream debut
The excitement before meeting against Manchester United for Arsenal supporters was that they were going to see their new £64m signing Viktor Gyokeres in action in a Premier League Gunners have come into this season with a new direct style that they are hoping will get the best out of the Sweden striker, and be the difference in them lifting a trophy during this main attributes are using his power and strength to burst through the centre-backs and boss Mikel Arteta is trying to increase the amount of chances he Gyokeres is lacking in match sharpness and has only been back in full training since signing for Arsenal - after he did not attend Sporting's pre-season while he looked to force through a were occasions when the 27-year-old was played into promising positions, but it looks as though it will take time for the players to get used to their new system and for him to build up the fitness he needs to become a key part of the Arsenal was not the debut Gyokeres would have dreamed about, and the forward was jeered off by the United supporters when he was replaced by Kai Havertz in the 60th usually reliable Arsenal defence did not settle and had some shaky moments during the match - Manchester United able to create chances with direct passes behind the visitors' Calafiori is important to the Arsenal attack due to his unpredictability on the ball but his runs into midfield and further up the pitch left Bryan Mbeumo in space and that also caused problems for the Arsenal will be pleased to get off to a winning start but there is a lot for the manager to work on before their next game.
