PL hits and misses: Viktor Gyokeres shines for Arsenal and ‘world-class’ Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo is a monster | Football News

Gyokeres shines but injury big concern for Gunners

There has been so much noise around Viktor Gyokeres this season.

Is he good enough? Is he scoring enough? Is he doing enough?

However, the Sweden striker has quietly been going about his business and at Burnley, he produced his best 45 minutes in an Arsenal shirt so far – before he was forced off at the break with a muscular injury.

Gyokeres struck the opener from a corner as Mikel Arteta’s side also improved on their league-leading set-piece goals tally before the striker’s brilliant pass freed Leandro Trossard in the build up to Declan Rice’s superb header.

It was an all-action display that showed his strength, his power, his pace, and his instinct to be in the right place at the right time to score, which is what ultimately Arsenal bought him to the club to do.

“Everything,” Mikel Arteta said when asked what impressed him about Gyokeres’s display. “His high press, his position and his touches. His threat in behind, the way he linked play, the way he gets us from these situations to transition moments. I think he was in a really good moment. It’s a shame that he felt something.”

Gyokeres’ injury will now be the concern for Arsenal – as will concerns over Martin Zubimendi, who was replaced in the second half.

With Kai Havertz, Martin Odegaard, Noni Madueke and Gabriel Jesus still out after long-term injuries, the Gunners can’t afford to lose much more quality, especially in the centre-forward position.
Oliver Yew

Caicedo is a beautiful monster

Sometimes this job is a real privilege. Watching Moises Caicedo up close was a real thrill – even the Tottenham fans would have to agree. This was a performance that showcased everything you want from a world-class midfielder. Tenacious, intelligent, full of quality and affecting the game in the final third. Jamie Redknapp called him “world class, perhaps the best of his type in world football.”

It’s hard to argue.

The £115m price tag had seemed to hang around his neck like a glittering weight in his early days at Chelsea but we’re now seeing the player that bulldozed opposition players at Brighton.

There’s something N’Golo Kanté-esque about him, not just in engine or energy, but in humility. He doesn’t crave the spotlight, he craves the ball. And when he gets it, the whole game dances to his tune. Xavi Simons looked almost frightened at times to dribble near the Chelsea enforcer such was the domination in the duels.

He has that fear factor now. And that’s one of the main reasons why he’s the best in the world at what he does.
Lewis Jones

Sanchez shows how to stop Spurs

To beat Tottenham looks simple at the moment: defend set pieces properly and you’re onto a winner. Chelsea, who before this game had conceded the most expected goals from set pieces this season, stood up and were counted against the Spurs set piece machine that had blown away Everton last weekend.

Enzo Maresca’s side didn’t concede a single shot from set piece situations as Robert Sanchez commanded his area like he was the king of the skies. Yes, Spurs’ delivery was unusually poor but the goalkeeper time-after-time took the pressure off his defenders by coming to catch and purposefully punch clear high balls.

In a season where being able to defend your box under pressure from dead balls counts for a lot, Chelsea took a huge step in the right direction with this resolute defensive showing.
Lewis Jones

Lerma seizes his chance

Jefferson Lerma had only made one Premier League start since the start of the season before the visit of Brentford to Selhurst Park – but he took his chance with both hands after Adam Wharton was ruled out through illness.

The Colombian played a pivotal role in Crystal Palace’s opener, latching onto a floated free-kick from Yeremy Pino and guiding a header into the path of Jean-Philippe Mateta, who did the rest. For their second, it was his long throw that Nathan Collins headed into the back of his own net.

The nature of the second was ironic, given just how much of a threat the Bees have been from long throws this term. But Lerma was adept in that area before it was on trend.

He won five of his seven duels on the day, too, and overall proved to Oliver Glasner that, while he is playing a bit-part role at the moment, he is ready and waiting to step up from the off whenever he’s required.
Dan Long

United slow out of the blocks

Manchester United’s winning run in the Premier League was brought to a halt at three at the City Ground as Nottingham Forest’s quick start to the second half proved to be enough for the spoils to be shared. And in truth, Ruben Amorim’s side only had themselves to blame.

The Red Devils had gone into half-time with an albeit controversial lead, but were good value for their advantage. But what happened when the teams returned to the pitch was nothing short of a disaster.

By minute 50, Morgan Gibbs-White and Nicolo Savona turned the game on its head. And the United players just didn’t look like they were with it in the slightest.

It forced them to be in a position they haven’t been in over the course of the last three matches – chasing a goal. And more often than not, Amorim’s men have struggled in this very circumstance as when teams set up against them in a low block, they just can’t break them down.

Thanks to Forest’s set-piece woes and a wonderful strike from Amad Diallo, they took something back up north with them. But it could’ve been more if they hadn’t stayed asleep at the start of the second 45.

Post-match, Amorim bemoaned his team’s lack of energy away from home, saying that they “need to work on bringing the same away from home,” as they do at Old Trafford. They may be showing signs of improvement, but this is one bad habit that they are clearly yet to shake.
Callum Bishop

Encouragement for Forest – but set pieces holding them back

Morgan Gibbs-White said he and his Nottingham Forest team-mates were frustrated not to take three points against Man Utd. It’s been a long wait for a second Premier League win of the season, with their first coming way back on the opening weekend on August 17.

They were good value for the win, too, looking comfortable until Amad Diallo’s wonderstrike. Igor Jesus and Callum Hudson-Odoi went close to extending their advantage before that late equaliser and the Expected Goals data shows in their favour as well – 2 vs 1.15.

But until Forest solve their set-piece problems, they are going to find winning matches hard. For all the controversy about the award of United’s corner for Casemiro’s opener, the defending from it was poor. Forest were static, the Brazilian given too much space to rise and head in.

Amad’s strike also came from a corner, when the ball was only half-cleared. That makes it 16 Premier League goals from set-piece situations conceded by Forest in 2025. That’s the most of any other side in the competition.

It’s an obvious weakness. At least boss Sean Dyche can be encouraged that, if he solves that issue, he is developing promising signs elsewhere in Forest’s play.
Peter Smith

Brighton pressing vital to first clean sheet of season

Brighton’s dominant win over Leeds saw them pick up their first clean sheet of the season – but Fabian Hurzeler’s side provided a masterclass in defending from the front.

The Seagulls’ press was frenetic from the first whistle to the last, and didn’t give the Leeds defence a moment of peace with the ball.

The first shot on target for the visitors didn’t come until the 85th minute – according to manager Fabian Hurzeler, that was just as much the result of the attack as the resolute defence.

“The clean sheet was well deserved. Everyone worked hard for it – not just the midfielders, but the defenders and the strikers.”

Consistency is the key from here on out for Hurzeler – but if the high press is this effective every week, the sky is the limit for his team.
Noah Langford

Toothless Leeds’ away struggles continue

Leeds’ struggles away from Elland Road continued with a limp performance on their way to a comprehensive defeat at Brighton, and this was perhaps the worst of the bunch.

Their ineffective attack has been a key theme away from home this season – their only goals on the road came in their win against 20th placed Wolves.

Leeds had only converted a staggering six per cent of their shots in October compared to 23 per cent for their opponents. November didn’t start much better, as they only managed their first shot on target in the 85th minute against Brighton.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin looked lost at sea once again at the head of the Leeds attack – his only half-decent chance came from a 25-yard effort that was always veering wide. Brendon Aaronson and Noah Okafor, his partners in attack, looked nowhere near as dangerous as they did against at home against West Ham.

A ferocious West Yorkshire atmosphere has been able to spur Leeds to home victories this season – but a boost in attacking quality is needed if they want to pick up points on the road.
Noah Langford

Pereira still looking for answers, but time running out

Despite having just watched his win-less side lose 3-0 loss at Fulham to remain rooted to the foot of the Premier League, beleaguered Wolves boss Vitor Pereira was still in a defiant post-match mood down by the River Thames, insisting they were capable of avoiding relegation.

The Portuguese pointed to last season, when he replaced Gary O’Neil at Molineux with Wolves having also not won any of their opening 10 league games of the campaign, as is the case this season, only for them to then embark on a six-match winning run that saw them finish in 16th.

However, things feel different this time, not only because no team in Premier League history has ever stayed up with just two points from their opening 10 matches [Wolves had picked up three under O’Neil at the same stage last season], but also more pertinently because of the quality of the three promoted sides this campaign.

Pereira said he has tried everything to get back to winnings ways – a new shape and different players at Craven Cottage – but admitted after what he called his side’s worst display since he took over last December, he still “does not have the answer.”

For his and Wolves’ sake, let’s hope he finds it soon…
Rich Morgan

Fine margins for Liverpool and Villa

Hits and misses is a fun concept but Liverpool’s win over Aston Villa highlighted the fine margins. Arne Slot’s side ended their four-game winless streak as their pressing was rewarded for the opening goal, Villa making what Unai Emery called “a huge mistake.”

The natural conclusion to draw was that Villa were foolish to attempt to pass out from the back, especially against a Liverpool side that have struggled against the long ball. But Villa came close to opening the scoring as a result of passing out from the back.

Morgan Rogers struck the post with that chance, the move having been started by Emi Martinez in the Villa goal – the culprit for the error that led to Mohamed Salah’s breakthrough strike. Matty Cash also struck the frame of the goal in the first half.

“The first 30 minutes we were fantastic continuing the way we did against Tottenham and Man City showing our capacity to dominate some times and create chances,” explained Emery, adding: “Of course, we need goals, but we hit two posts today.”

Slot acknowledged his team’s fortune on the night. “Maybe we were a bit more on the lucky side than we have been in the last few weeks. a mistake of their goalkeeper and a deflection led to two of our goals but these are the margins we are talking about.”

He added: “In other games, we have created more in open play than we did today but football is about results not the chances you create from open play.” Slot and Liverpool have found that out the hard way lately. This was Villa’s turn to be on the receiving end.
Adam Bate