Manchester City’s second-half sloppiness punished at Spurs – Premier League hits and misses | soccer news

Manchester City ended up being disciplined for their poor performance in the second half.

It was an easy distance for Manchester City in the first half. There was no need to get out of first gear at Spurs. The problem was that they stayed there for the rest of the game.

There is a common theme about Pep Guardiola’s teams and that is a slow second half after falling 2-0 down.

Against Wolves, Joao Gomes and Jorgen Strand Larsen should have scored for the team bottom of the league but missed opportunities. Victor Osimhen should have scored once or twice for Galatasaray in midweek. This drop at Spurs was too much and felt similar to the two second-half goals conceded in the Manchester derby.

Guardiola said his City team suffered emotionally after Dominique Solanke’s first goal was unfairly ruled out by Marc Guehi’s collision. He said a duel with a full-back in particular went astray and Nico O’Reilly and Nico Gonzalez were seen confused in the equalizer.

And Guardiola’s excuses began to emerge. The condemnation of the Gehi-Solanke incident follows similar complaints about a penalty not being awarded against Wolves in the Manchester derby with Diogo Dalot remaining on the pitch. The reality is that City are struggling in the most important parts of the game.

Is the injury an ongoing physical issue? Have there been too many new players in the last 12 months? All of this is a reminder that this is not the Manchester City of the past. How many times in the past have Guardiola’s side finished a game early, taken the lead and pushed for more?

The next team in the Premier League is Liverpool, so they need to sort out their second-half problems quickly. The gap with Arsenal cannot afford to widen further.
Sam Blitz

Casemiro in style at Manchester United

Casemiro is just one goal away from returning from his best goalscoring season of the league campaign.

He will be leaving at the end of the season and is in the midst of much of a farewell tour after announcing he would turn back a few years under Michael Carrick.

His opener set the tone and Matheus Cunha’s no-look assist reflected his confidence. Since taking over as interim coach, Carrick has noted how important his “presence” and his experience are.

The five-time Champions League winner’s reputation has taken a hit since arriving on these shores. But the Brazil international has maintained the goodwill of his coaches.

With his 34th birthday approaching, any suggestion he should have been part of United’s plans beyond this season would be wrong. But on the other hand, along with Kobbie Mainoo, he remains a vital cog in Carrick’s machine.

Casemiro is often regarded as the anchor of the midfield, having served as the famous water carrier for Toni Kroos and Luka Modric at Real Madrid.

However, for Manchester United he is proving to be a much more complete package as he shows a willingness to break lines with forward passes, which led to his seven goals against Fulham.

Aside from his goal contributions, Casemiro suddenly looks like a player United can rely on once again. This is a call back to the player, who signed from Real in 2022 in a deal worth £70m.

There’s been a lot of talk about United’s midfield overhaul this summer, but the hole Casemiro will leave and the boots he needs to fill are growing bigger by the day.
william vitibiri

Simmons is starting to show his quality in the Premier League.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of the game against Manchester City, Thomas Frank said Xabi Simmons needs to translate his Champions League performance domestically. He certainly did that.

The Dutchman was the biggest beneficiary of the 3-4-3 system forced by the injuries that plagued the team. With the wide wing-backs moving up, Simmons had plenty of space inside to operate in dangerous areas.

Often he was Spurs’ go-to player when transitioning from defense to attack. His neat footwork was sometimes enjoyable and the weight of his passes was often exemplary.

Still, what was most impressive was his persistence. He never gave up the fight for possession. He showed the grit needed in a tough, physical Premier League game and lived to tell the tale.

This was an upcoming match for Simmons. His quality was never in doubt, but it was an example of whether he was fit for English football.

Perhaps one of the most difficult games Spurs will face this season, both with regard to the pressure they are under and the opposition they face, an unsung hero stepped up and summed up what Spurs’ comeback is all about.
callum bishop

Anderson is the perfect midfielder

Morgan Gibbs-White was named man of the match as 10-man Nottingham Forest held Crystal Palace to a draw, but Elliot Anderson was an equally deserving candidate.

The 23-year-old displayed every aspect of the game with a flawless performance that once again underlined his status as one of the Premier League’s best central midfielders.

He had the best performance of the first half, showing his technical ability and passing range to keep Forest in the attack.

He continued to show on-ball value even after Neco Williams’ red card. No Forest player had more touches or passes in 90 minutes. Anderson also completed all five dribbles he attempted.

However, he had a great defensive influence even after the break. Anderson rose to the challenge and played a key role in frustrating Palace, working tirelessly to persuade and coach his team-mates.

In total, he had 10 total possessions, the most of any player on either team. He also succeeded in 12 of his 14 duels. A great all-round performance from a player who is only getting better.
Nick Wright

Palace’s troubles were revealed in front of the goal.

The draw with Nottingham Forest extended Crystal Palace’s winless run to nine wins in the Premier League and 12 in all competitions. Shelbourne were the last team they beat until December 11th.

But as miserable as that is, arguably more worrying are their struggles in front of goal.

In their last 12 games they have scored nine goals, three of them from the penalty spot. This is the same goal from open play in all other games.

Despite the absence of Jean-Philippe Mateta, who was left out of the squad amid speculation about his future, Palace probably should have put more than Ismaila Sarr’s penalty past Matz Sels and half-time substitute Angus Gunn. Their hosts were reduced to 10 men after a pointless handball from Neko Williams.

But despite having 74% possession after half-time, they couldn’t. In fact, in the second half, they recorded only 0.22xG and did not record a single effective shot.

speaking sky sports Afterwards, Eagles coach Oliver Glasner said that “you could see how thin our nerves were” in the second half. It was a fair assessment. This team desperately needs a win.

Mateta’s future is currently up for grabs, but Palace made a bid worth a total of £48m for Jorgen Strand Larsen, which Wolves accepted. If the deal goes off without a hitch, they’ll have to fire him from the start.
short long

Brentford defeat highlights Villa’s lack of depth

Aston Villa welcomed Douglas Luiz and Tammy Abraham back to the club this week, with the duo straight into the starting lineup against Brentford.

Both looked dazzlingly bright, but this was no nod to their talents. It was a testament to the tension that Unai Emery’s side are currently experiencing.

Captain John McGinn and top scorer Ollie Watkins both watched from the stands due to injury, while Boubacar Kamara and Youri Tielemans joined them on the sidelines.

Amadou Onana, who sings on the club’s records, was also not fit enough to feature despite being named on the bench.

The injury crisis continues to engulf the club and a faltering performance against 10 men from Brentford highlighted their lack of depth.

Arsenal know better than anyone how injuries can affect a team at the top of the table.

They remain seven points adrift of sixth-placed Liverpool after this defeat, but to move forward, Villa may need to pay closer attention to the players behind Arsenal at the top of the table.
patrick rowe