Guardiola goes two goals ahead, but then lets himself be caught again. Surprisingly the Bees conquer Villa Park. And Aston Villa are now third. How United are running: they are now fourth again
Manchester City is slowing down. Aston Villa even collapses. And in the end, without playing, Arsenal wins, closing the 24th matchday of the Premier League with a 6-point advantage over Guardiola’s team and regaining full control of the title race (here is the standings). If the Villans, collapsing at home with Brentford outnumbered, confirmed Emery’s prophecy that they are not in the running, City lost ground with a 2-2 draw at Tottenham, after a dominated first half and a second half in which Donnarumma’s saves did not avoid Solanke’s brace but saved Guardiola’s team from the collapse of defeat. In the last 6 games, City have put together 7 points and only one victory, last Saturday against Wolverhampton who close the table: it is certainly not a title-winning march (here is our podcast on English football).
braking
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City seemed ready to get back in Arsenal’s wake after that sensational first half, with goals from the overflowing Cherki and Semenyo, already a successful signing. The two goals were the tip of the iceberg of a clear superiority, of a dominance also resulting from Tottenham’s incomprehensibly defeatist attitude. Frank, after having made the wrong initial formation, made up for it by removing the uncertain Romero for Sarr and switching from the 5-man defense to 4-2-3-1: Dominik Solanke took care of the rest, being stubborn in the goal that reopened the game in the 53rd minute and lit up like a ball artist in the 70th minute, when he mocked Donnarumma with a sensational backheel lob that the national team goalkeeper only managed to graze. Tottenham (just 2 wins in the last 15 matchdays) deserved the draw: they changed their skin, played as they do in the Champions League where they easily finished in the top 8. City, on the other hand, went down, suddenly put in difficulty by the same team they thought they had knocked out. The 6 points gap from Arsenal is a lot, especially given how slowly Guardiola’s team is going. And the calendar next Sunday says Anfield against Liverpool is back on track.
the collapse
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Unai Emery seems to be right when he repeats that Aston Villa, despite the ranking, is not ready to fight for the title. Confirmation comes from the home defeat against Brentford, the 1-0 with which the Bees conquer Villa Park with the decisive goal scored in the 46th minute by Ouattara in 10 against 11 after Schade’s dismissal in the 42nd minute. Aston Villa, with new signings Douglas Louiz and Tammy Abraham immediately in the engine, shot 26 times (only 5 on target) but failed to break through. The second defeat in a row at home means Arsenal remain 7 points ahead and Aston Villa are now third.
the others
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Carrick’s Manchester United continues to run, but what a struggle to make it three out of three with the ferryman: ahead 2-0 in the first half with Casemiro and Cunha, the Red Devils were caught up again in the 91st minute by Kevin (Jimenez had shortened the penalty in the 85th minute) but immediately found the decisive goal with Benjamin Šeško. The Red Devils take back fourth place in the standings from Chelsea, Fulham remains stuck at 34 after their second away defeat in a row. It ends in a draw between Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace, with Lorenzo Lucca’s new team down to 10 men for the entire second half due to Nico Williams’ expulsion for his hands which led to the final 1-1 penalty converted by Sarr. Forest remain fourth from bottom with 26 points, Palace are three points ahead.
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