In association with Planet Sport Bet, Robbie Savage will give us his own Winners and Losers from the weekend’s Premier League action.
It’s no surprise that much of Robbie’s focus was on Anfield, where the title seems to be heading…
Robbie’s Weekend Winners
Liverpool
After a superb start to the season, people said ‘they haven’t played anyone yet… they lost to Nottingham Forest at home… is Arne Slot the real deal?’.
In their last 10 games, they’ve beaten Chelsea, RB Leipzig, drew with Arsenal…
They’ve beaten Brighton – twice – then they beat Bayer Leverkusen, last season’s unbeaten Bundesliga champions. They beat Villa and Southampton.
Then they’ve faced the champions of Europe, Real Madrid, and beaten them. Finally, it’s City, who’ve won the last four Premier League titles.
It all shows that Liverpool are the real deal – give them the title now! Their lead is massive, they surely won’t be caught.
Read more: When will Arne Slot’s Liverpool beat their first Proper Team this season?
Chelsea
The Blues are up to third and still somehow going under the radar.
Enzo Fernandez has received plenty of stick amid questions over whether he’ll ever justify his massive price-tag, but that had nothing to do with him. Now he’s starting to score goals, he’s creating and he looks like he’s finally settled and finding his rhythm.
Joshua Zirkzee and Marcus Rashford
I suggested last week that Alejandro Garnacho could struggle to fit into Ruben Amorim’s system, but the opposite might apply to Rashford and Zirkzee.
I think the no.9 role could really suit Rashford, with him able to make the type of runs that got him his second goal against Everton if United can get the ball into the players around him.
People have questioned exactly what is Zirkzee. Is he a 9 or a 10? Some suggested when he signed that he could be a nine-and-a-half. Whatever label you pin on him, playing inside, off the front man seems to get the best out of his attributes. He was getting a lot of stick, and some reports suggested United were already looking to get rid, but Amorim’s system might see him become a success.
Justin Kluivert
The Bournemouth forward made history by becoming the first player to score a hat-trick of penalties.
I’ve taken plenty of penalties in the Premier League and, let me assure you, it’s not as easy as Kluivert made it look!
All credit too for Kevin Schade, also bagging a match ball with his hat-trick for Brentford.
Robbie Savage’s Diary: Why I became a boss | ‘No f***ing panenkas’ | Coping with abuse
Robbie’s Weekend Losers
Manchester City
Wow! One of the greatest managers we’ve ever seen in the Premier League and did I ever think I’d see his side go seven games without a win?
Losing six, drawing one; blowing leads; fifth in the Premier League table; 17th in the Champions League table; out of the League Cup; it’s quite remarkable.
Yes, they’ve had injuries, and it goes to show what difference it makes when you’ve got your best players available to play a system that works. But if you look at City’s bench at the weekend it had Ederson, Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish, Jeremy Doku, Savinho. So the strength in depth there, no question at all.
Pep Guardiola, I think, will find a way to recover. Can they win the Premier League title this season? Of course they can. Will they? No.
They are 11 points behind Liverpool, they’ve conceded 15 goals in the last five games. What is happening at Man City?!
F365’s winners and losers: Liverpool, Guardiola, Kluivert, Newcastle, Amorim, Martinez, Saka…
Tottenham
Spurs were my winners last weekend but I said they had to use that win over City as a springboard to find some consistency. So then they go and draw at home with Fulham.
Ange’s men were booed off by some home fans, tired of not knowing what they might expect from their team. Will Spurs ever change?
Aston Villa
For all the credit that Villa have received – deservedly so – they currently sit 12th in the Premier League table.
Is it because of their Champions League exertions? Unai Emery said his players need to recover their confidence, and they look off it at both ends.
If, as Emery said, they are to achieve their top five aim, they need to shape up quickly and rediscover the consistency that got them into the Champions League.
Robbie Savage is a brand ambassador for Planet Sport Bet
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