London on prime, Manchester Metropolis in dire straits, and Liverpool play one other blinder. The gameweek 8 of the 2023-24 Premier League season supplied us with one other set of good video games. The Premier League desk is beginning to take form with eight video games performed. Arsenal and Tottenham are within the prime two spots (Tottenham on prime courtesy aim distinction).
Regardless of intense competitors, the groups within the prime 4 look a degree or two above the remaining, and this is the reason different groups harbouring top-four desires must elevate their recreation if they’re to remain in competition.
Twenty-seven targets had been scored a tad low in keeping with requirements set within the earlier recreation weeks. We additionally noticed two pink playing cards, which this time, although, didn’t have an effect on the outcomes of the actual recreation.
So, what did we study from gameweek 8 of the 2023-24 Premier League season?
Chelsea, Manchester United lastly winÂ
If there are two groups which have had essentially the most strain on their shoulders in latest weeks, it’s undoubtedly Chelsea and Manchester United. Chelsea, particularly, had been woeful regardless of spending over €1 billion prior to now 12 months. At one level, they had been hovering over the relegation zone. Nonetheless, Chelsea weren’t enjoying badly; they had been simply lacking their taking pictures boots.
Information from Soccerment exhibits that Chelsea had been prime in Gegenpressing within the league. They had been additionally second-best in possession, whole passes, passing accuracy, and Passes Allowed per Defensive Motion (PPDA). And at last, in opposition to Burnley, the crew backed these stats with an exquisite efficiency.
Targets from Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson, Raheem Sterling, and an personal aim from Ameen Al-Dakhil helped Chelsea to get useful three factors earlier than the worldwide break.
Manchester United additionally received a win, although in much more dramatic circumstances, with Scott McTominay scoring two injury-time targets to get Erik Ten Hag a much-needed three factors. Nonetheless, United’s win was much more scrappy, with the crew unable to discover a well past an impressed Thomas Strakosha in Brentford’s aim.
United, although, will take the win and hope that this win supplies them with momentum after their gamers return from worldwide duties.
Arsenal get a champions’ winÂ
Ever since their unimaginable resurgence final season, Arsenal have been good. Nonetheless, one space the place they’ve attracted criticism is their legal responsibility to get wins when below strain or when they don’t seem to be at their finest. And once they went into the sport in opposition to Manchester Metropolis with out their star gamers Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli within the beginning lineup up, issues regarded bleak.
On prime of that, Metropolis midfielder Mateo Kovacic additionally escaped what regarded like a sure pink card. Nonetheless, with their backs in opposition to the wall, Arsenal got here roaring again within the second half. Martinelli, who Mikel Arteta despatched in, created all the possibilities. And at last, the Brazilian scored the successful aim, which went in off a deflection from Nathan Ake, which left Ederson wrong-footed. This was a fortunate aim, however that is the kind of win {that a} champion’s crew accumulates, and are available Might, these three factors will be the distinction between successful the title or ending second.
For Pep Guardiola, it has been two back-to-back losses. The widespread theme in each video games is the unavailability of defensive midfielder Rodri, who’s on a three-game suspension, the second of which was in opposition to the Gunners. This explains the significance of the Spaniard within the crew, and Guardiola shall be hoping that Rodri stays out there for the remainder of the season if they’re to win 4 titles in a row.
Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham are a crew nobody needs to faceÂ
Might promoting Harry Kane be a masterstroke by Tottenham Hotspur? After eight video games, it does seem because the North Londoners are on prime of the desk and are additionally but to lose a single recreation. Ange Postecoglou, who took cost solely this summer season, has already ingrained his techniques into his gamers. Tottenham will not be simply successful but in addition enjoying attacking soccer, urgent the opponents of their half.
Tottenham have essentially the most pictures heading in the right direction within the league and are additionally first within the Buildup Disruption Share (BDP), second in Gegenpressing Depth, and third in Discipline Tilt. It is a large change for a squad who had been massively struggling simply seven months again.
With Kane gone, Son Heung Min has taken the duty for the assault scoring targets whereas the onus for creating them has been taken over by James Maddison. The English midfielder has 5 assists (essentially the most within the league) and can be ranked because the best-played on the Anticipated Risk (xT) metric.
One other Liverpool recreation, one other VAR controversyÂ
After a horror present by VAR officers in Liverpool’s recreation in opposition to Tottenham, the highlight was again on them within the subsequent recreation for the Reds. With the sport tied at 1-1, Brighton misplaced the ball close to their aim, and in a determined second, Pascal Gross introduced Dominik Szoboszlai down within the penalty space. Whereas the referee did award the spot kick, Gross escaped a pink card though he wasn’t difficult for the ball, which, below the foundations of The Worldwide Soccer Affiliation Board (IFAB), is deemed a pink card.
This did assist Birghton come again within the second half, with Lewis Dunk scoring the equaliser off a Solly March cross.