Welcome to radarsky sports column Nick Wright We blend data and opinion to highlight the stories you need to know across the Premier League. This week:
🔴 Amorim’s system could trouble Liverpool
💪 Merino shows his worth at Arsenal
🔍 Players to watch this weekend
Can Amorim exploit Liverpool’s weaknesses?
Ruben Amorim’s system continues to dominate the discourse around Manchester United. His commitment to playing a three-man defense is seen as a flaw, but it could work in his team’s favor against Liverpool. Super Sunday.
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Gary Neville has given his verdict on Manchester United’s win over Sunderland, responding to Ruben Amorim’s comments that his players are being influenced by criticism of his system.
Arne Slot’s side are on an unusual three-game losing streak and tend to find it more difficult to play against a back three.
This problem was most evident against Crystal Palace, one of the few Premier League sides who habitually deploy a back three. A penalty shootout defeat for Liverpool in August’s Community Shield would take them to a run of three draws against Liverpool.
Liverpool have won five Premier League games against their back three since the start of last season, including away at Crystal Palace, Southampton, Burnley and at home against Wolves and West Ham, but it has been a nerve-wracking affair that has all ended by a one-goal margin.
It caused problems for Manchester United as well as the slot side. The last visit to Anfield in January resulted in a 2-2 draw. At the time, they used wing-backs to overload large areas. Gary Neville described him as the best under Amorim.
They will return to Anfield on Sunday as underdogs. Manchester United are yet to record back-to-back Premier League wins under Amorim. However, their last visit provides a blueprint to follow and they tend to perform better on these kinds of missions.
In fact, under Amorim, Manchester United’s win percentage in Premier League games where they had less possession than their opponents was almost twice as high as when they had more possession, while their loss rate fell from 64% to 25%.
Of course, the numbers are somewhat affected by game conditions. Teams that are ahead are more likely to give up possession, just as teams that are behind are more likely to have more possessions as they try to open up their opponents and find a way back into the game.
But this trend is not limited to Manchester United.
Since the start of last season, Premier League teams using a back three have had less possession on average in games they have won and drawn compared to games they have lost.
This supports the argument that the back three is, at least most of the time, a reactive system that is most effective when used as a means of absorbing pressure and using transitions to spring forward quickly.
Whether this is the right approach for a club of Manchester United’s stature in the long term is debatable. But Sunday’s game against Liverpool probably offers the best hope of a result.
The underrated merino shows its worth.
Mikel Merino’s arrival has been controversial among Arsenal fans, but he is pushing for a start against Fulham live. sky sports Saturday, after another fruitful international break.
The 29-year-old scored twice in Tuesday’s win over Bulgaria to take his tally to six goals in four appearances for Spain. Only Erling Haaland and Memphis Depay have scored more goals in European World Cup qualifying. Merino’s goal is the same as Harry Kane’s.
His eye for goal is not new. Merino has scored 16 goals in 35 appearances for club and country since scoring twice in the second half of Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Leicester in February. At that time, he took on the role of striker for the first time since Kai Havertz’s injury.
The positional change was transformative for Merino, who had never played up front before. However, his goals in Spain came from midfield and the same was true for Arsenal recently, where he scored a headed equalizer against Newcastle at St James’ Park.
Mikel Merino has shown versatility for club and country.
Merino is excellent at timing his runs into the box. “He can smell danger,” Mikel Arteta said in February. But his incredible aerial threat, which he showcased again with a headed double against Bulgaria, is not his only weapon when it comes to finishing off scoring chances.
Seven of his 16 goals since February have been with his head, but Merino has scored four with his weaker right foot and five with his left. One former coach described it as “not flashy or flashy, but perfect.” sky sports.
Spain’s Luis de la Fuente also uses the same term. “He’s absolutely perfect. We’re lucky to have him,” he said. Merino’s value to Arteta is equally clear. However, it is fair to say that external perceptions are not universally positive. He continues to be misunderstood as a defensive player, and some see his choice as a symbol of conservatism.
Merino is not a quick-footed creator like Eberechi Eze or Martin Odegaard. It’s true. However, given his lack of technical ability and his off-the-ball qualities being so important in putting pressure on opponents up the pitch, he will not start every game for Spain.
Of course, goals are the most important currency of all, and for Merino it is worth noting not only the quantity, but also the context.
He named Liverpool, Chelsea, Newcastle, Real Madrid, France and the Netherlands among the teams he has scored against in the past eight months. His eight Premier League goals have earned Arsenal twice as many points as any other player.
All this combined makes him very important despite stiff competition from both club and country. It would be no surprise to see him show his worth again at Craven Cottage.
Player Radar: Another One to Watch
Donnell Mallen He scored a brace in Aston Villa’s 2-1 win over Burnley last game out, and added another goal for the Netherlands during the international break.
He has had to be patient since arriving at Villa from Borussia Dortmund in January but appears ready to make his mark late in the Premier League with Tottenham next Sunday.
Donyell Malen scored twice for Aston Villa against Burnley.
Live Radar: What’s happening on Sky this weekend?
fulham illusion arsenal To Stamford Bridge saturday night football. Check out the following coverage: Sky Sports Premier League and main event Starting at 5pm, kickoff at 5:30pm.
on sunday spurs face aston villa On Kickoff Live at 2pm Sky Sports Premier League and main event, Then Liverpool’s confrontation man utd 4:30 PM.
monday night football It returns something like this: west ham face brentfordCoverage begins at 6:30 p.m. Sky Sports Premier League and main event Ahead of the 8pm start.
Read the last Radar column
I reviewed last week’s column. Mohamed Salah’s to soak for Liverpool And why did that person disappear? Trent Alexander-Arnold. There was also something to look into. Arsenal’s Great defense this season Graham Potter’s a ceremonial end west ham.
