Ancelotti frustrates Liverpool again and other takeaways from restart
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was left disappointed with the lack of chances his team created after Sunday’s goalless draw at Everton in the Merseyside derby. The Premier League leader needs five points from its remaining eight matches to secure its first league title in 30 years.
On their return after the threemonth stoppage due to COVID-19, the Reds found themselves frustrated by Carlo Ancelotti’s well-drilled Everton side.
Ancelotti said his team had stuck to its game-plan well.
“It was not an open game because we did not want an open game,” said the Italian after the match. The performance was good against a strong team. We showed good personality and character. A draw is fair.”
Plenty of managers have gone into games with the same hope, knowing there is nothing Klopp’s team loves more than a match with plenty of space for it to exploit, but have been unable to translate that wish into reality.
Ancelotti’s tactics nullified Liverpool. He is not the first manager to ask his back-line to play deeper than normal, to deny Liverpool’s front three the space to exploit their pace, but the positioning was spot on.
Everton was helped by the absence of Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah, which reduced Liverpool’s explosiveness, but the approach also benefited from the tireless midfield work of Andre Gomes and Tom Davies, whose harrying forced Liverpool out wide.
Full backs Lucas Digne and Seamus Coleman needed to be at their very best and they were. While Liverpool’s left-side attack was weakened further when James Milner was replaced by Joe Gomez in the first half, Digne did a great job keeping Trent Alexander-Arnold quiet.
“It was very intense,” said Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk. “Both sides created small opportunities, they had the big one against the post. Everyone is just happy to be back, we didn’t lose and it is another point towards our goal.”
Klopp was pleased with the way his team approached the match, in terms of their fitness and defensive solidity, but was left frustrated by his forward players.
“We didn’t have enough chances. Most of the time we were dominant but they had the biggest chance,” said Klopp, whose side survived a late scare when Tom Davies hit the post in the 80th minute.
“I liked a lot of things about our game but we didn’t have those moments in attack, we didn’t have the rhythm,” he said.
“Everton defended really well and we were not smart enough to use the space. That is normal when you start to play again.
“It was a real fight. Both teams showed they understand it is a derby. Intense, physical, all players were all in.
“The point is one we deserve. When I think of all the derbies here, they looked pretty similar. Everton was well organized so we had to run a lot but we looked fit and ready.”
Arteta has busy summer ahead
Much was different about the return of soccer, behind closeddoors and with all manner of COVID-related changes, but for the first person in the Premier League to test positive for the virus, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, it was all too familiar.
Defeats at Manchester City and Brighton & Hove Albion, served to highlight how much work he has to do in the short off-season to get the Gunners even close to the top four next term.
‘Project Restart’ passes test
The detailed protocols put in place for a safe resumption of action, without fans and with zoning, social distancing and all manner of procedures, appeared to work well, to the credit of the league and clubs who in March had feared this season may have to be scrapped.
Mourinho hits back at criticism
Jose Mourinho launched an impassioned defense of Harry Kane’s form under his playing style at Tottenham Hotspur after television pundit Paul Merson suggested the England striker would struggle in the Portuguese manager’s system.
Merson, a pundit with Sky Sports, said 26-year-old Kane would consider switching clubs if Mourinho continued adopting a conservative style in the Premier League, like Spurs did in their 1-1 draw with Manchester United last week.
Kane has scored seven goals in 10 games under Mourinho but struggled to make an impact against United – his first match since returning from a hamstring surgery in January – and Mourinho said it was wrong to judge him based on one game.
“The record of goals that Harry has with me is easy for you to see… I think Harry Kane has no problems at all to score goals in my teams, especially when he’s fit, when he’s fresh and he has routines of playing.”
Tottenham, in eighth place, is set to play host to West Ham United on Tuesday night. (Reuters)
Liverpool 30 27 2 1 66 21 83 Manchester City 29 19 3 7 71 31 60 Leicester City 30 16 6 8 59 29 54 Chelsea 30 15 6 9 54 40 51 ManchesterUnited 30 12 10 8 45 31 46 Wolverhampton 30 11 13 6 43 34 46 Sheffield United 30 11 11 8 30 28 44 Tottenham Hotspur 30 11 9 10 48 41 42 Crystal Palace 30 11 9 10 28 32 42 Arsenal 30 9 13 8 41 41 40 Burnley 29 11 6 12 34 40 39 Everton 30 10 8 12 37 46 38 Newcastle United 30 10 8 12 28 41 38 Southampton 30 11 4 15 38 52 37 Brighton & Hove 30 7 11 12 34 41 32 Watford 30 6 10 14 28 45 28 West Ham United 30 7 6 17 35 52 27 AFC Bournemouth 30 7 6 17 29 49 27 Aston Villa 30 7 5 18 35 58 26 Norwich City 30 5 6 19 25 55 21
Burnley (late).
Manchester City vs
Leicester City vs Brighton & Hove Albion (live on Sport 1 at 8 p.m.); Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United (live on Sport 1 at 10 p.m.). Manchester United vs Sheffield United (live on Sport 2 at 8 p.m.); Wolverhampton Wanderers vs AFC Bournemouth / Norwich City vs Everton (live on Sport 1 at 8 p.m.); Newcastle United vs Aston Villa (live on Sport 4 at 8 p.m.); Liverpool vs Crystal Palace (live on Sport 2 at 10 p.m.).