The Premier League has reached its final stretch and we are fully focused on the title battle between Arsenal and Manchester City. Mikel Arteta’s side have dominated most of the Premier League season but once again find themselves in familiar ground with City breathing down their necks.
Liverpool will expect their Alexander Isak to come good lose Hugo Ekitike for the rest of the season and well to the next one. Roberto De Zerbi was given a dose of reality in his first game and will be hoping he can inspire his side and get back into the groove against his former side.
Brentford and Everton continue their push for Europe as the Premier League weekend promises some incredible fixtures.
Are Arsenal afraid of their supporters?
Arsenal are faltering while Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City are playing with great confidence and dominance. Is Arsenal’s familiar curse of nervous end-of-season stumbling happening again?
Football fans often stand for the extra man on the pitch and Arsenal fans are no different. They are passionate and emotional, but when negativity arises, they can also be cruel and critical. After the defeat to Bournemouth, some players as well as Mikel Arteta were upset by boos from a section of the crowd. He became almost emotional in response during his press conference on Tuesday, saying:
“There’s no fear now. It’s just purpose, fire, direction and belief that we’re going to do it.”
The fans still love their team, but after a season in which the Gunners dominated the Premier League, they are worried, worried and desperate for Arsenal to lose the plot and let City slip past them at the crossbar. The weekend battle between the two contenders for the title is undoubtedly the most important match of the season. Arsenal must bring their A-game against City (Courtesy: AP)
The visit of Bournemouth at the Emirates Stadium was not a game Arsenal fans expected to lose and I don’t think the booing was intended to embarrass or criticize the team. Rather, it came from shock and worry – the only way they could express themselves.
What I said to several Arsenal insiders after the game questioned Mikel Arteta’s tactics. From his experience facing Andoni Iraola’s side at Bournemouth, he knew that they would be a high-attacking team that would give Arsenal very little time on the ball. Yet he ordered his defense to play from behind and they lost the ball time and time again. Indeed, that’s how Bournemouth scored their winning goal through Alex Scott. Pep Guardiola, I believe, would not make such a mistake. Arsenal have great defenders, some of the best in the game, but suddenly they look nervous and fragile.
Meetings were a big strength for Arsenal at the start of the season, but they seem to have dried up.
They are also too slow to move the ball upfield and cannot release it quickly enough to their wingers such as Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli. Even when they succeed, both talented players often hesitate, almost as if waiting for the audience’s reaction.
Are Arsenal players afraid of their fans? They don’t seem to want to commit for fear of making mistakes or being beaten too easily and frustrated fans howling criticism and picking on players. That didn’t happen earlier in the season, but as the final curtain begins to fall, Arsenal must be at their fearless best this weekend at the Etihad Stadium – or Guardiola will punish them.
Is it time for Alexander Isak’s firepower?
The big question at Anfield at the moment is: when will Liverpool finally let Alexander Isak off the leash and hopefully bring some sunshine to his inconsistent form?
Isak has been at Anfield for 224 days and has spent 145 of those in the medical room on the casualty list. Liverpool desperately need his ability in front of goal and fans want to see something behind the club’s £125m investment in his talent. Hugo Ekitike has carried the weight of Liverpool’s attack on his shoulders for most of the season and now looks tired while battling injury. Mohamed Salah scored at the weekend, but nobody would argue that his best days are still ahead of him at the age of 33. Isak is very much needed if Liverpool are to finish the season strong.
Reality hits De Zerbi as Tottenham fail yet again
When new Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi walked into the club’s Hotspur Way training ground on Monday morning, a member of staff approached him and said: “Welcome to Spurs.” Whether it was sarcastic or genuinely friendly, I’m not sure, but the 1-0 loss to Sunderland brought back the same old feelings for fans and staff alike. Eleven games without a win and this famous club is now mired deep in relegation danger.
No matter how well De Zerbi worked with his players last week – and seven days is hardly enough time to reverse a season of failure – their failure was evident 11 minutes into extra time when right-back Pedro Porro fired Tottenham’s only shot on target. De Zerbi tried to make a good impression early (courtesy: AP)
Three thousand supporters traveled four and a half hours to make the 270 mile trip to the Stadium of Light. Many of them left before the final whistle and had a long, sad journey back to London, dejected and worried.
De Zerbi’s energy during the first half could be compared to fireworks – popping, hissing, jumping, waving his arms – and he was so loud that even the fans in row 10 could hear him. In the end, he stood with his hands in his pockets and a look of disbelief on his face.
Tottenham’s new manager suddenly understood why Thomas Frank and Ange Postecoglou had failed before him and how he accepted the huge challenge.
On Tuesday morning, De Zerbi sat in his office with Bruno Saltor and Marcattilio Marcattilii, who worked with him in Brighton. They were trying to figure out what to do. Richarlison missed chances, Dominic Solanke offered little, Lucas Bergvall was substituted after just 62 minutes and even the energetic Randal Kolo Muani failed to create any clear-cut opportunities.
De Zerbi was relatively happy with his defence, but it is Tottenham’s attack that needs urgent surgery. That has been his priority this week in training ahead of the next home game – ironically against his old club Brighton, who have won four of their last five.
Who will replace Iraola at Bournemouth?
Bournemouth tried hard to keep their manager Andoni Iraola, but in the end negotiations did not meet his expectations and he leaves on June 30.
This has sparked both interest and concern at several clubs, with Championship contenders Ipswich closely monitoring the situation as their coach Kieran McKenna is heavily considered for the job. Ipswich are frustrated that speculation surrounding McKenna could derail their ambitions to return to the Premier League next season. He has a £5m release clause in his contract but a lot depends on where Ipswich stand at the start of next season. It could also be argued that Bournemouth is no bigger than Ipswich, so why would McKenna head to the south coast?
Crystal Palace are also in the sights of Iraola, with Oliver Glasner moving on at the end of the season. Several other clubs could also be involved, with managerial uncertainty at Chelsea, Manchester United, Newcastle and West Ham.
Privately, Iraola has said he would like to return to his native Spain and manage in La Liga, which could bring Athletic Bilbao into the picture as his coach Ernesto Valverde leaves in the summer.
Newcastle’s finish has cost them 24 points this season
Another manager facing a touch of reality is Newcastle’s Eddie Howe. Passionate Magpies supporters have been patient all season, but sitting 14th in the league, there is little left to play for with just a handful of games remaining. There is no threat of relegation, and next season they are seven places out of qualification and even at the lowest level of European competition.
Eddie Howe looks tired and there is no hint of a smile in his eyes. He looked shocked when told minutes after the loss to Crystal Palace that Newcastle had dropped 25 points from the winning positions this season. He clearly had no idea what the fans recognized a few games ago – Howe’s side just can’t stop the opposition.
Newcastle’s 1-0 half-time lead was erased in the 80th minute, followed by a late stoppage-time penalty scored by two-goal striker Jean-Philippe Mateta.
Howe and his assistant Jason Tindall coached the players time and time again to finish strongly, but time and time again they failed. Against Palace, Sandro Tonali kicked the ball straight from the kick-off and it ended up offside as Newcastle looked to press Palace from the start and unsettle the south London side. It failed and within minutes they were fighting back with a back five. It is clear that their 7-2 thrashing at Barcelona’s Camp Nou still bears the scars. Howe and his team have a lot to deal with. The club’s owners say they will keep hold of him, but he has a long summer ahead of him as he decides how to reshape his tactics. There has already been talk of spending some of their Saudi owners’ money to bring in one or two quality players.
Why haven’t Everton offered Moyes a new contract?
When David Moyes took over Everton midway through last season, they were one point above the relegation zone. Now they are fighting for a place in Europe.
So why didn’t Everton step up and offer him a long-term deal? His current contract expires in the summer and I know several clubs are trying to lure him away from the Hill Dickinson Stadium. Oliver Glasner has confirmed he will leave Crystal Palace in June and Moyes is definitely on their radar.
When I spoke to an Everton insider, they couldn’t even tell me if negotiations had started.
– The end
Published on:
18 Apr 2026 18:44 IST
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