The Score is Daniel Storey’s weekly verdict on all 20 Premier League teams’ performances. Sign up here to receive the free newsletter every Monday morning
Arsenal kept up pressure on Manchester City at the top of the Premier League with a stylish victory over Newcastle United.
Meanwhile West Ham beat Manchester United to put some distance between themselves and the bottom three.
Chelsea also got their first win under interim manager Frank Lampard and there are three other games taking place today.
This weekend’s results
Saturday 6 May
- Bournemouth 1-3 Chelsea
- Manchester City 2-1 Leeds United
- Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Crystal Palace
- Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 Aston Villa
- Liverpool 1-0 Brentford
Sunday 7 May
- Newcastle 0-2 Arsenal
- West Ham 1-0 Manchester United
Arsenal
Against Liverpool at Anfield, he stayed on the bench throughout. Against West Ham, he came on only after Arsenal had sacrificed a two-goal lead. Against Southampton, he was unused. Against Manchester City in the 4-1 defeat, he was introduced only when Arsenal were 3-0 down.
I’m not saying that failing to start Jorginho in any of those four games may have cost Arsenal the league title, but after Sunday it is an intriguing theory. Over those four matches, Thomas Partey played 337 minutes and Jorginho just 53. Arsenal’s issue was losing control in midfield through mental and tactical indiscipline. Jorginho has started each of the last two games and Arsenal have demonstrated both in spades.
Against Newcastle, he was comfortably the best player on the pitch. The game was a chaotic maelstrom, all bangs and whistles and tackles and charges and sprints. Jorginho completed ten more passes than any other Arsenal player. He created two chances. He played the pass to Martin Odegaard for the goal, which looked simple but actually tricked Newcastle’s defenders who thought he would pass it out wide. He repeatedly received the ball to feet with an opponent haring down on him and yet knew instantly where his next pass was going.
This matters, because it allowed Odegaard to push higher up the pitch. With Granit Xhaka and Partey (especially when Partey isn’t playing well), Arsenal lack the passing midfielder who picks out the right options further up the pitch, thus making Odegaard drop deeper to pick up the ball. I’m talking myself into this being a decisive element of the title race…
Aston Villa
Both runs had to come to an end eventually. Aston Villa were unbeaten in 10 league games and had scored in all 20 matches under Unai Emery before last weekend’s trip to Manchester United. Now it’s two 1-0 defeats in two games and, probably, a Villa side finally reverting back to the mean.
There are things for Emery to consider. Ollie Watkins’ magnificent run has come crashing to a close (no goal in four games now) and his reliance upon service should not only fall at the feet of Emi Buendia. Bertrand Traore started his first game since a loan spell in Turkey and it seems the Super Lig is probably his natural level now. Finding a new right winger in the summer should be Villa’s top priority because neither Traore nor Bailey have worked out.
Against Wolves, at a ground where Villa have now lost five of their last six games, one of their early-season issues came to the fore. Only two teams in the Premier League have conceded more goals in the first 10 minutes of matches this season. Before Christmas, Villa gave their opponents a head start in five separate games and were unable to mount comebacks. Only Chelsea have gained fewer points from losing positions than Villa’s seven this season, so conceding early is to be advised against.
Bournemouth
There is certainly no need for recriminations after Bournemouth became the first team to lose to Frank Lampard’s Chelsea since his second return to Stamford Bridge. Bournemouth had chances to win the game after their equaliser, with Jefferson Lerma missing a free header. It matters not: they will watch Monday’s relegation-themed matches on the sofa with a smile and pinch themselves that they are not bothered who wins any of the three games.
Instead, thoughts will turn to the summer. The investment in January that helped to power Bournemouth’s survival suggests that the new ownership have delegated responsibility to savvy decision-makers, but next season will be tougher still and they probably need a new right-back, central defender and central midfielder. Adam Smith and Joe Rothwell struggled against Chelsea and probably should only be squad players next season.
And then there’s Gary O’Neil himself, who got the job thanks to his overachievement as a caretaker. It would be fantastically harsh to replace O’Neil in the summer, but new owners usually have new ideas and it is no guarantee that he stays in the role over the summer. That might be the toughest decision facing any Premier League club before August.
Brentford
There is a theme of Brentford’s sticky results recently: lots of unsuccessful crosses into the box. During the draw at home to Palace, Brentford attempted 25; in the defeat to Everton, 29; the Newcastle loss – 25; the draw with Aston Villa – 20.
It’s clearly a viable strategy when you have one of the best aerial strikers in the country in Ivan Toney, but after the 1-0 defeat at Anfield, Thomas Frank made the reasonable point that Toney is only as good as the crosses he receives: “In many ways I think we performed well enough to get something, but the one thing we missed was the quality with the crosses to create the chances.”
There are two options to address this in the summer (and that assumes that Toney is available to play at the start of next season). The first is obvious: recruit another player who is an expert at delivering crosses into the box, particularly from deep areas.
The other is to sign another forward or midfielder who has a physical presence to join Toney in the box. Kevin Schade may help, but he has only ever scored one headed goal in his career to date. Brentford’s other forwards are Yoanne Wissa (5ft 9in), Bryan Mbeumo (5ft 7in) and Keane Lewis-Potter (5ft 7in). A list of some of Frank’s midfielders: Mathias Jensen (5ft 11in), Saman Ghoddos (5ft 9in), Mikkel Damsgaard (5ft 11in), Shadon Baptiste (5 ft 9in). Of all their midfielders, only Christian Norgaard is more than 6ft tall.
Brighton
Play Everton on Monday.
Chelsea
Well it’s nice to win under Frank Lampard, even if the full-time whistle was met with ironic chants from the away end of “We. Are. Staying. Up”. Chelsea even have a shot at finishing in the top half, although someone might need to tell Todd Boehly that doesn’t guarantee Champions League football next season.
The most instructive element of Saturday’s game wasn’t the three goals, although it was only the second time they had scored more than twice in a game since October. It was the reaction of some Chelsea fans when Raheem Sterling and Hakim Ziyech were introduced as substitutes – they were booed onto the pitch.
After the game, Lampard understandably deflected questions about the reaction, preferring to focus on the impact of both players and the positivity that can stem from a long overdue victory. But it demonstrates the disconnect that has formed between supporters and players this season and the danger of buying so many players over the course of a single season. Those fans who think that neither player cares are completely wrong – that is not how it works. You arrive at a club with promises made and, when they are not kept, it is increasingly hard to play catch-up in difficult circumstances.
Lampard’s appointment as interim manager was supposed to fix some of this reputational damage; that was the only possible explanation for the “knows the club” spiel that was trotted out after his return was announced. In fact it has made it worse, because supporters guilty of over-simplification see a manager who loves the club and players who have less connection and presume that the problem is that they do not care.
Crystal Palace
On Sunday morning, Tottenham Hotspur released a statement after Son Heung-min was racially abused by a Crystal Palace supporter during the game on Saturday afternoon. The only thing to be thankful for is that the odious individual was caught on camera and he will be identified. If he attends another live football match again in his life, it will be too soon.
It is unthinkable that players are still receiving this treatment. Palace will do everything they can to aid Tottenham’s investigation, but how on earth are there still people who resort to this type of behaviour? They know it is unacceptable, they know it is racist and they do not care. They are the worst amongst us and, until football is able to entirely eradicate it, the game is infinitely poorer for it. It deserves to be the standout conclusion from the match because shying away from it does nobody service.
Everton
Play Brighton on Monday.
Fulham
Play Leicester on Monday.
Leeds
Three minutes before half-time, Leeds United got a free-kick midway in Manchester City’s half. Given the way the preceding half hour had played out, that was cause enough for celebration. Several defenders went forward and Patrick Bamford pointed to where he would like the ball delivered. The subsequent free kick was, at a conservative estimate, overhit by 20 yards and went out for a goal kick. Cue the jeers of 85 per cent of the Etihad.
For almost 90 minutes, that was the flow of the match in a nutshell. Before Sam Allardyce, Leeds were either too chaotic with the ball or too slow. Judging any team under any manager on their first game or against City is unfair, but on Saturday afternoon the immediate solution seems to be not having the ball at all. Bamford spent most of his game 20 yards away from every teammate; he had his own postcode.
There is nothing wrong with sitting deep to try and repel City, but it is not as simple as just falling closer and closer towards your own goal. Both of the first-half goals were identical: ten Leeds players behind the ball in their own area, nominally protecting their goal and yet falling into an obvious mistake. If City are world leaders in one thing, it is getting midfielders on the edge of the opposition box. What is the point in crowding your own penalty area if it leaves those midfielders with time and space.
Was there more organisation than under the doomed Javi Gracia experiment? Maybe. But a) it was at the expense of any attacking intent or cohesion, and b) Leeds were highly fortunate to catch most of City’s attackers on an off day. Julian Alvarez frequently lost possession and leant back when shooting from 15 yards. Erling Haaland produced his worst shooting performance of the season: one hit post, one missed kick, one one-on-one chance hit straight at Robles, one header off the bar (although that one would have been offside).
But Leeds did fight back. Rodrigo, finally on to join – and then eventually replace – the ineffective Bamford up front, offered unlikely and unwarranted salvation with a tidy finish that followed scruffy defending and the way end roared in surprise and joy.
And in those moments, even in eventual defeat, something seemed to change. Renewed belief sprung out from the ground like a green shoot in early March. They crossed the Pennines not in search of victory or draw, not really. They travelled because they wanted to tell their heroes that they hadn’t given up and nor should they.
They know that their collision with Allardyce, Karl Robinson and Robbie Keane is a bizarre short-term stand of convenience, but also that it is their shot to nothing and everything all at once. There is still life here. Now onto Newcastle and West Ham, with something that feels a lot like hope in their hearts.
Leicester
Play Fulham on Monday.
Liverpool
Six wins in a row for the first time this season and consecutive clean sheet for the first time since March. The trend that runs through the last five of those victories is that Liverpool have won each of them by a single goal. There have been chaotic knockabouts (Forest, Tottenham) and grinding wins (Fulham, Brentford), but for the first time in too long things are falling Liverpool’s way in the fine margins.
Does this mean anything in the context of Liverpool’s season? Maybe not. A top-four place has probably gone. Liverpool have left it too late and the inevitable assessment of that is that they are merely stepping up when the pressure has dissipated. Even Europa League football comes laced with caveats. Are you better missing out on Europe entirely if you are attempting a midfield overhaul?
But it will please Jurgen Klopp very deeply, not least because there must have been times when even he must have wondered whether things were slanting downhill towards him. The response since proves that he will stay and oversee the next age of Liverpool. Since that rotten performance at Molineux in February, Liverpool have taken 33 points from a possible 45 and lost only to Bournemouth in circumstances where we expected better. That allows the summer to take on a different inflection.
Manchester City
With two-thirds of the game remaining and seemingly nothing left to watch that interested or entertained them, what was there left for Leeds supporters to do? Sing, sing and sing again. The only time their noise was silenced was when substitute Pascal Struijk tripped Phil Foden in the penalty area. Sam Allardyce turned round in his technical area and threw a wad of chewing gum to the floor. Ilkay Gundogan missed the resulting penalty.
If that moment temporarily risked shifting the course of the match, it had been coming. Rarely have we seen Manchester City so profligate this season. Erling Haaland was downright poor, missing at least three chances we would usually expect him to score. Julian Alvarez did the same twice; he is still raw. Around the penalty area, City were oddly slack as if the game was already won. They have already watched Arsenal fall foul of exactly that mistake; it would be deeply dim to do the same.
Unsurprisingly, Pep Guardiola was furious. He screams at his players like an overbearing schoolmaster at the best of times, but watching them squander chance after chance and break after break before handing Gundogan a chance at the hattrick penalty rather than their first-choice option made him hop on the touchline as if tasked to walk on fire without training or safety assessment.
He knows why this matters. This City rejuvenation and pursuit of Arsenal has been founded on relentless and ruthless efficiency. You can take your chance to manage a game and conserve energy, but only when it is won and it is never won at 2-0.
But more important than that, Real Madrid are coming next. Carlo Ancelotti, king of the pragmatists, has continued Zinedine Zidane’s glorious run not through winning games, but by making sure that Real are never out of them. Give Madrid an inch and they will extend it to a mile in the wink of an eye, as City themselves know to their cost. This was not the weekend to be picking up silly bad habits.
Manchester United
Before we realised that Hugo Lloris’ decline was permanent rather than temporary, there used to be a vaguely amusing pattern whereby each of his mistakes would be viewed, usually in TV punditry, as a “rare Lloris error”. Those errors would get closer and closer together until they were happening so often that something needed to change. In Tottenham’s case, that was naming Fraser Forster as their No. 1.
The same is now happening with David de Gea, whose season has been increasingly littered with mistakes like a reverse Fibonacci sequence. The latest, an abysmal attempt to save Said Benrahma’s shot, was the worst yet: weird double jump so he couldn’t dive properly, one hand rather than two, that odd ability to make himself look smaller than he is (that we see best in his lack of penalty saves).
The problem for De Gea is that his other attributes mean that he’s not worth the patience. He isn’t an on-pitch leader. He isn’t a passing goalkeeper, nor a sweeper-keeper. He is a shot-stopping goalkeeper who isn’t saving enough shots. The miracle saves remain, on occasion. But they are now eclipsed by the mistakes.
You can take the absolute accuracy of those “highest-paid Premier League players” lists with a pinch of salt, but most of them have De Gea in the top three so we can safely say he’s the most handsomely rewarded goalkeeper in the country. All that talk of winning the Golden Glove as if that was purely down to him was piffle. He hasn’t been in the top six goalkeepers in the league this season. And Manchester United need to move on from him this summer.
Newcastle United
In the first 10 minutes, Newcastle were at their imperious best. They created chances, they hassled and rattled Arsenal’s players and they used the home support to whip up a frenzy that they have learnt to harness and some opponents haven’t managed to cope with. See Hotspur, Tottenham.
The opening goal, against the run of play, evidently altered the pattern of the match because it allowed Arsenal not just to catch their breath but exhale a sigh of relief. Joelinton’s charge to block the shot was half-hearted because he turned his back and therefore wasn’t facing the ball fully. Sven Botman just gets unlucky; his little jump into the air is a natural reaction but it means you can’t close your legs quickly enough if the ball is travelling through them.
But after that, Newcastle lost their way for three reasons:
1) Alexander Isak was wasted out on the left. Newcastle fans (and I!) have been asking for Callum Wilson and Isak on the pitch at the same time, but the idea is that they play as a combination, either as a front two (which seems less likely) or with Isak just off Wilson. Isak’s assist down the left wing against Everton was extraordinary, but you can’t beat six players every time you want to create a chance. Here, he was left too isolated and too often 40 or 50 yards from goal, particularly during the first half.
2) If Bruno Guimaraes doesn’t play well, Newcastle are a far lesser side. Whether it was because he was shackled by Jorginho or just got a little panicky in possession, this was probably Bruno’s worst showing for six or seven weeks. In the first half he dropped deep to knit play and it occasionally worked (the build-up for Joe Willock’s chance the best example). But in the second he was sloppy in possession and made the wrong decision repeatedly on the edge of the box. No problem; it happens.
3) Newcastle lost their heads, and with it the game. During the first half, Arsenal’s game management was exceptional. They took their time over set pieces and slowed down the pace to kill Newcastle’s momentum. Newcastle clearly felt aggrieved about the penalty decision, although it was entirely correct to overturn the call: the ball hit leg, not hand.
But there are ways of dealing with perceived injustice and Newcastle got it wrong. Joelinton allowed himself to get caught up in trouble and committed multiple fouls. Fabian Schar was at boiling point, elbowing Gabriel Jesus – he then committed the mistake for the second goal. Eddien Howe’s players got caught up in the drama and allowed Arsenal to milk it. Any supporters criticising Mikel Arteta’s players – your team do it too and you love it then.
And yet, we’ll end with a positive spin. Newcastle may have lost the game, but they had chances of their own and competed fiercely. The game had the distinct feel of a Big Six match, all spice and feistiness and, occasionally, obvious dislike for one another. They are muscling their way into this company and they are not going to go away.
Nottingham Forest
Play Southampton on Monday.
Southampton
Play Nottingham Forest on Monday.
Tottenham
On Saturday, Harry Kane scored and Tottenham won. If Spurs avoiding the chance to shoot themselves squarely in both feet might surprise you, the method of that victory shouldn’t. The 2-0 home win over West Ham in February was the only occasion in the last six months that Tottenham have won a Premier League game without Kane scoring. Then, he provided an assist instead.
We have become far too used to Kane’s magnificence. Saturday was monumental because it took him past Wayne Rooney and on his own behind Alan Shearer for Premier League goals. Rooney played a fair bit in midfield, but he was also largely playing in a far more dominant team than Spurs and played 174 more Premier League matches than Kane has to date. Shearer is next – Kane must score 17 goals in each of the next three seasons to equal him, and that’s if he doesn’t score again this season. It’s now almost a guarantee.
Kane’s record of 26 league goals in 35 games this season might just be his greatest career achievement to date: three managers, off-form teammates, broken club. And still he keeps on keeping on. If you haven’t been keeping up, Kane’s hybrid role means that he’s often creating chances as well as taking them and regularly starting the moves he finishes. Kane has registered 15 more shot-creating actions than any other Tottenham player.
West Ham
We’ve said this over and over and over again, but we’ll do it at least one more time because he’s going to leave in the summer and they will miss him desperately: in terms of his service to the club, his rapid development and the consistency of his performances, Declan Rice might just be the best West Ham player of the Premier League era. In match No. 200 of his league career, he dominated Manchester United’s midfield.
At his best (and you rarely don’t get his best), Rice is a brilliant reader of the game. He doesn’t make lots of tackles, which slightly rails against the vision of him as a blood-sweat-tears midfielder. Where he flourishes is as an interceptor of passes, breaking up play by being in the right place at the right time, every time. No player in the Premier League has more interceptions.
And now, Rice is a multifunctional, hybrid midfielder. He doesn’t simply pass it to a teammate to create chances, drive forward and take on opponents; he does that himself. The list of Premier League players ranked by progressive carries (times when a player takes the ball 10 or more yards closer towards the opponent’s goal) is unsurprisingly dominated by wingers – the top four is Saka, Grealish, Martinelli and Mitoma. But who is that in 22nd, with more than Son, Rashford, Odegaard and Bruno Fernandes? It’s West Ham’s everyman, superstar and one-man band all in one.
Wolves
There will be time over the next few weeks to reflect on a desperate run of away form that has resulted in one away win (against Southampton) in 2023 and culminated in the 6-0 shellacking at Brighton last weekend, but Julen Lopetegui has masterminded a survival made to look simple with a period of exemplary home form. Wolves have now won four top-flight home games in a row for the first time since 1975 and done so for the first time without conceding a goal for the first time since 1969.
There is no one hero over the course of this run; the point is that, after being so reliant on one or two players to step up, almost everyone in the team has at one time or another during victories over Chelsea, Brentford, Crystal Palace and Aston Villa. Their last nine league goals have all been scored by different players. We asked for midfielders to step up when the strikers weren’t scoring; in the end, both have.
But if we are to pick out one individual, it has to be Craig Dawson. His move from West Ham in January was largely provoked by a desire to move back to the Midlands, but Wolves’ gain is West Ham’s loss. Dawson is dependable, composed, calm and deeply committed to whichever cause he is tasked with defending. Wolves have spent more than £160m since the end of last season. None of it was better spent than the £3m on Dawson.
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