Invincibles unmatched
eshlin.vedan@inl.co.za
THE big talk of last weekend would have no doubt been Liverpool’s defeat against Watford. The Reds were thoroughly outplayed by an average Watford side who beat them 3-0. They will end the season without matching the record of Arsene Wenger’s famous “Invincibles” Arsenal side who claimed the league title without losing a match in the 2003/04 campaign.
Liverpool fans can at least console themselves with the fact that they will not lose the league title at this point. While they can afford to now relax a bit in the league as it is virtually won, they will have to pull up their socks if they want to retain the Champions League.
Liverpool’s loss against Watford was surprising especially considering that Watford are a side who have been below par this season, even by their standards. The Hornets have already sacked two managers this season and their win takes them out of the relegation zone. Nigel Pearson’s side will be hoping that their victory against the league’s top side can inspire them to avoid the drop this season.
The form of third and fourth-placed sides Chelsea and Leicester respectively has been concerning. Both teams have lost momentum after playing well in the first half of the season and both have claimed one win from their past five league games.
The top four race is heating up and Manchester United, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Tottenham Hotspur and Sheffield United will fancy their chances of playing Champions League football next season.
Frank Lampard will need to do some serious work on his squad at the end of the season. The young team surpassed expectations in the first half of the season but the pre-season doubts that many held began to show from November. In defence Antonio Rudiger is the only player who has pulled his weight recently, whilst they have been over-reliant on Tammy Abraham up front.
They need a new striker to support Abraham and a new goalkeeper seeing that Kepa Arrizabalaga has not lived up to expectations.
Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes continued to live up to expectations by scoring and saving his side from defeat in their 1-1 draw against Everton last weekend. United were lucky to leave Goodison Park with a point after Dominic Calvert-Lewin had a goal controversially ruled out by VAR in the dying seconds of the game. Like Chelsea, United will have some serious thinking to do ahead of next season but it is now a no-brainer that the side should be built around Fernandes.
SATURDAY MARCH 7 Liverpool v Bournemouth Wolves v Brighton Arsenal v West Ham Southampton
on SuperSport 3). (Live from 2.20pm
(Live from on SuperSport 3);
4.50pm on SuperSport 5);
(Live from 4.50pm on SuperSport 3);
(Live from 4.55pm on SuperSport 8); (Live from 4.50pm
(Live from
v Newcastle Sheffield United v Norwich City Crystal Palace v Watford Burnley v Tottenham
on SuperSport);
4.50pm on SuperSport 12); (Live from 7.20pm on SuperSport 3).
SUNDAY MARCH 8 Chelsea v Everton Manchester United v Manchester City
(Live from 3.50pm on SuperSport
3);
(Live from 6.20pm on SuperSport 3).
MONDAY MARCH 9 Leicester City v Aston Villa
(Live from 9.50pm