Featured
Arsenal have won five in a row, while Liverpool’s unbeaten run has reached eight games.
Arsenal emerge winners from day of draws as Chelsea capitalise on ‘sleepwalking’ Man City
Enzo Fernandez scores a late equaliser for Chelsea against Man City
Enzo Fernandez snatches a point for Chelsea
On a day of draws, it was Arsenal who ended up the big winners.
Manchester City’s baffling decision to approach the second half of their game against crisis-addled Chelsea with all the vim and vigour of Thomas Frank’s Tottenham Hotspur bit them on the bum at the last as Enzo Fernandez’s three-putt equaliser drew wild celebrations from the travelling fans but surely even bigger ones in north London.
There was always something puzzling about the sheer physics of how and why Arsenal’s lead at the top of the Premier League had ever been reduced to a mere two points.
Ad
It didn’t really feel like either they’d done enough wrong nor City enough right for it to be anything less than the eight or nine points that felt about right.
That lead is now once again stretching out at six points after two Arsenal wins have been followed by unconvincing City draws. Not since the Invincibles have Arsenal looked more compellingly like Premier League champions.
City, handed what appeared to be the very ideal time to play Chelsea after a week of familiar yet nevertheless sizeable upheaval at Stamford Bridge, once again look way off it.
City were the better side in a low-key first half and deserved the lead smartly handed them by Tijjani Reijnders. We will always be suckers for a ball-roll, and the way he fashioned that precious half-yard before firing past Filip Jorgensen was a delightful moment in a half short, in truth, on compelling quality.
But it was a curiously low-energy City who emerged for the second half, sleepwalking through the rest of the game apparently unaware of the latent threat Chelsea still posed.
That might, admittedly, have been because so many of Chelsea’s moments of opportunity fell at the stumbling, pratfalling feet of Pedro Neto. Bless him, he had a terrible time.
There’s a particular type of cursed performance where you are doomed to have everything break your way, and thus your failings to be harshly spotlighted. For Neto, this was one of those days.
His contrast was Enzo, Chelsea’s best player by a margin yet one who seemed doomed to watch all that good work go to waste until his vital contribution at the very end.
That it came from just about his own least convincing and most Neto-like moment of the game was a further bit of fun business.
Ad
Pep Guardiola was not smiling, though. The draw at Sunderland was frustrating, but following it with another stalemate where his side were so far off it physically and mentally is a worry.
Erling Haaland is mired in one of those occasional fallow periods he has experienced in each of his absurdly successful seasons in England.
Reijnders has now scored three Premier League goals since Haaland’s last. Given the way Haaland scored pretty much all their goals in the early weeks of the season, it’s an eye-catching adjustment.
At times like these Haaland can look an astonishing burden on his team. We all know by now how low his touch count can fall even at his deadly best.
But that’s not necessarily because City aren’t looking for him. All the time. This manifested most clearly when, in the closing stages and with the game there to be killed off, Phil Foden attempted an outrageously high-tariff pass to play in the Big Man when a far easier pass to create a far more presentable chance was on offer. It would prove deeply costly.
It now requires Arsenal errors that appear unlikely to reignite any real race for the title.
POPULAR ON FOOTBALL365
They didn’t really need dispiriting draws for Liverpool, Man United and Tottenham but they’re all a nice little bonus in what has been a lovely start to the new year for Mikel Arteta and co.
As for Chelsea, a real bonus of their own to emerge from this awkward, caretakered trip with a point at the end of a challenging week that has put the future direction of their whole faintly ludicrous project under the microscope.
It seems unlikely caretaker boss Calum McFarlane emerges as a genuine contender for the permanent gig despite coaching Chelsea to a hard-won and entirely unexpected point here. But maybe he can have the Strasbourg job as a thank you?
Featured
Arsenal injury, suspension list and return dates vs. Portsmouth: Piero Hincapie, Riccardo Calafiori, Cristhian Mosquera latest
Arsenal will begin their bid to win the FA Cup for the 15th time in their history when they travel to Fratton Park for Sunday’s meeting with Championship strugglers Portsmouth.
The Gunners missed the chance to further extend their six-point lead at the top of the Premier League table in Thursday’s underwhelming goalless draw against Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium.
While their five-game winning league run came to an end, Mikel Arteta will be pleased with the fact that his side are now unbeaten in seven competitive matches ahead of Sunday’s cup tie and Wednesday’s EFL Cup semi-final first leg against Chelsea.
Here, Sports Mole rounds up all of Arsenal’s latest injury and suspension news ahead of the clash with Portsmouth, who are languishing in 21st spot in the Championship standings.
Piero Hincapie
Status: Major doubt
Type of injury: Muscle
Possible return date: January 11 (vs. Portsmouth)
Hincapie was forced off with what appeared to be a muscle problem in the 57th minute of Thursday’s draw with Liverpool. Arteta now faces a nervous wait to discover the full extent of the defender’s injury.
Kai Havertz
Status: Minor doubt
Type of injury: Match fitness
Possible return date: January 11 (vs. Portsmouth)
Havertz has recovered from the knee injury that kept him out of action for months. However, he has been left out of Arsenal’s last two matchday squads as he continues to build up his fitness. There is a possibility that the forward could make his first appearance since August in Sunday’s FA Cup clash.
Riccardo Calafiori
Status: Out
Type of injury: Muscle
Possible return date: January 14 (vs. Chelsea)
Calafiori has sat out Arsenal’s last four matches with a muscle injury. The defender is making progress in his recovery, but he is not expected to be ready for the upcoming trip to the south coast.
Cristhian Mosquera
Status: Out
Type of injury: Ankle
Possible return date: January 14 (vs. Chelsea)
Like Calafiori, Mosquera is closing in on a return to action after missing over a month of action due to an ankle injury. However, the former Valencia defender will not be available for selection this weekend.
Max Dowman
Status: Out
Type of injury: Ankle
Possible return date: Unknown
Max Dowman is likely to be out until February after sustaining an ankle problem while playing for Arsenal Under-21s in last month’s behind-closed-doors friendly against Manchester United.
ARSENAL’S SUSPENSION LIST
Arsenal have no players suspended for the third-round tie.
Featured
Full confirmed list of Arsenal ins and outs in January transfer window as first deal announced
Arsenal transfer ins and outs as Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta get to work in the January window
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta.
Arsenal remain in the driving seat to clinch the Premier League title crown this season – and they could strengthen Mikel Arteta’s squad to bolster their chances.
Phillip Schofield’s latest replacement revealed as Holly Willoughby gets new co-host
Whether or not the right players are out there remains to be seen, but with Arteta enduring several injury blows already this season – particularly in defence – the manager will be keeping a close eye on potential targets.
The Gunners splashed the cash in the summer, bringing in the likes of Viktor Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze, Martin Zubimendi, Noni Madueke, Piero Hincapie and Cristhian Mosquera to the Emirates Stadium – so a loan deal might favour the club
Gabriel Martinelli ban and fine verdicts as FA make punishment decision on Arsenal ace
There could also be high-profile exits, both loans and permanent deals, with young midfield talent Ethan Nwaneri linked with an exit. Other youngsters could also make loan moves to get a taste of first-team football.
With that said, football.london takes a closer look at all the moves completed by Arsenal so far this January.
Read the latest information on injuries, suspensions and availability in the Liverpool men’s squad.
Injuries
Hugo Ekitike
Ekitike was unavailable for the clash with Fulham because of DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). Arne Slot was asked whether he will be fit for the game at Arsenal on January 8.
Slot on January 7: “He has not trained with us until now and let’s see if he can today.
“I’ve said, I think, two or three days ago when we played Fulham that he is not going to be out for long but because games come so fast he is in between maybe training with the team or it would take him one or two days extra.”
Wataru Endo
The midfielder has been out of action with an ankle injury since appearing in the 3-3 draw at Leeds United on December 6.
Alexander Isak
Isak is facing a spell on the sidelines after undergoing surgery on an ankle injury that included a fibula fracture on December 22.
He sustained the issue while scoring against Tottenham Hotspur two days prior.
Slot on December 23: “It’s going to be a long injury. For a couple of months. That’s a big, big, big disappointment for him and as a result of that of course also for us.”
Slot did also confirm he is confident Isak will be able to play again during the 2025-26 season.
Giovanni Leoni
The defender is amid a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury at the end of his debut against Southampton in the Carabao Cup.
Slot on September 26: “He is not in a good place, of course, because he tore his ACL and it means he will be out for a year. Being so young and coming to a new country and playing so well in your first game… it’s very hard to take the positive side.
“There’s never a positive side – but you always try to look at a positive side and that is that he is still so young, so he has so many years still to go after he recovers from a terrible injury like that.”
Availability
Mohamed Salah
After featuring off the bench versus Brighton on December 13, the forward is now with Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Salah scored in the group games against Zimbabwe and South Africa to help his country reach the last 16. They are next in action on January 5.
Suspensions
Conor Bradley
Bradley is one yellow card away from receiving a one-match suspension in the Champions League.
The Reds travel to Marseille on January 21 for matchday seven of the league phase and then host Qarabag a week later.
-
Featured3 months agoVAR AND REFEREE ERROR Why Manchester United goal stood despite head injury to Liverpool star Alexis Mac Allister
-
ARSENAL'3 months agoArsenal’s next five fixtures compared to Liverpool and Man City after Crystal Palace win
-
Liverpool3 months agoPremier League explains two controversial Liverpool penalty decisions as referee replaced
-
ARSENAL INJURY UPDATE2 months agoGabriel Jesus training footage sends clear message to Mikel Arteta ahead of Tottenham clash
-
Featured2 months agocentre-backs available THIS SUMMER for Liverpool FC
-
Arsenal predicted XI3 months agoFulham 0-1 Arsenal 69: NO PENALTY! Finally the decision is made. Anthony Taylor steps away from the screen and announces that Kevin played the ball. It seemed pretty clear but it took an age to get there.
-
Liverpool3 months agoGOAL! Brentford 2-1 Liverpool | Kerkez ’45+5
-
Arsenal predicted XI3 months agoFormer Arsenal star training with first-team ahead of Atletico Madrid