There is no sport in the world as unpredictable as soccer, and possibly that is what makes it so beautiful and exciting. Liverpool and Manchester United, the great rivals of English football, faced each other at Anfield on matchday 26 and could not arrive in more different states of mind and form. Those from Ten-Hag, had just been crowned champions of the EFL Cup the week before, had eliminated Barcelona in the Europa League, and even saw themselves with options to fight with Arsenal and City for the Premier League title. Liverpool, on the other hand, was experiencing its most difficult season since the arrival of Jürgen Klopp and was still recovering from the painful win against Madrid at Anfield. It is true that that Champions League match had covered what was an obvious improvement in the reds in recent games, but it was obvious that they still had a long way to go to return to being the fearsome team of recent years.
Well, without respecting times or processes, Liverpool returned to its best level with a stroke of the pen. Against United, Klopp’s men played their best game of the season, and they did it with that electric football that has characterized them, full of onslaughts that a bewildered United could not contain. The second half will be best remembered for the six goals, but from the beginning the reds played at a high level. They successfully pressed United’s exit, and managed to combine quickly to get closer to De Gea’s goal. The only thing missing was the goal and it came late in the first half. A great pass from Robertson, sensational throughout the match, enabled Gakpo, who resolved wonderfully to score the opening goal.
Ready for the Bernabéu
The goal came in handy for Liverpool to face the second half, because it forced United to go up and concede spaces. In a brilliant start, the second and third arrived, scored by Darwin Nuñez and Gakpo respectively. The Dutchman’s goal was a delight, especially due to the play by Salah, who danced with Lisandro Martínez until he sat him down and assisted Gakpo, who subtly chipped the ball before De Gea left. Those of Ten-Hag, forced to score a goal that would put them in the game, continued to take risks, and Liverpool smacked their lips and waited for their moment to steal and shoot towards the opposite goal. This is how the fourth came, the work of Salah. The fifth was scored by Darwin in a spectacular header, which seemed to close the match. Nothing is further from reality.
Liverpool wanted to get even for all the ills of this campaign and could not find a more propitious rival than a United that had lost order and composure. Salah scored the sixth and assisted Firmino for the seventh. Since 1895 the reds had not inflicted such a rout on their greatest rival. We had to wait 128 years, but the victory could not come at a better time for Liverpool, which is full of morale for the remainder of the season. He is already fifth and has fourth place within reach after the defeat of Tottenham. And although Klopp weeks ago declared the tie against Madrid for granted, perhaps in view of the performance of his team he should reconsider his words. Let the Bernabéu get ready.
With United practically ruled out after their win against Liverpool (it’s funny what football can change in just two weeks), the fight for the Premier is once again a matter of two. Arsenal and City gave us another nice episode of what has been an exciting battle. Arsenal’s victory forces us to fall into the cliché, because the truth is that it was a victory for the champion team. Bournemouth took the lead after eleven seconds (2nd fastest goal in the history of the Premier) in a rehearsed play from a center kick and scored the second goal in fifty-seven.
The goal seemed to awaken Arsenal from its lethargy, they began to play at their best level, and tied the game in just ten minutes. Key in the second goal was Reiss Nelson. The academy player, who has hardly played this season, gave Ben White the pass in the tie, but his great moment was going to come in the last moments. In ninety-seven, a rejection of a corner fell at his feet and the Englishman did not hesitate. He unleashed a dry kick that beat Neto and brought madness to the stands of the Emirates. The victory was essential to maintain the five-point lead over City, who had won their match hours earlier, against Newcastle 2-0.
Of the rest of the day, Chelsea’s victory against Leeds (1-0) stands out, which allows Graham Potter to breathe, at least one more week. Precisely the team that he left to be the blue coach, Brighton, continues like a shot under the orders of Roberto de Zerbi. He thrashed West Ham (4-0) and remains in the fight for Europe, having played two or three games less than his rivals. Conte’s Tottenham lost to Wolves (1-0) and they already have Liverpool just two points away. The Champions League place is in danger and doubts grow around Conte. The tie against Milan in the Champions League, in which they must come back from 1-0 in the first leg, could be decisive for the future of the Italian.
Sarri comes down from the cloud to Napoli
Maurizio Sarri is Neapolitan, but he had to make a living in many teams from other parts of Italy, before managing to coach the club of his life. That Sarri’s Naples remained in the collective memory of the fans, and he could have been champion if he had not met an intractable Juventus. Years later it seems that it will be Spalletti who will achieve what Sarri resisted, and take the Serie A title, but Maurizio wanted to remind the club of his life, the great coach that he is.
His Lazio was arguably the best opponent Napoli have faced this season. The pressure from his men deactivated the Neapolitan circulation and made the great stars of the Parthenopean team appreciate less than they used to. A goal from Vecino at the hour of the match unbalanced the clash and the laziales knew how to defend the booty. Sarri’s men become the only team that has managed to win in San Paolo this season.
Inter beat Lecce 2-0, closing the gap on the leaders, but fifteen points still seem like an insurmountable gap. What the neroazzurros are interested in now is maintaining second place, because their pursuers arrive with the knife between their teeth. The victory of Lazio was added to the victory of Roma against Juventus (1-0), in the game that closed the Sunday day in Italy. A Mancini goal in the second half gave the three points to Mou’s team, which is tied at forty-seven points with its neighbors and with Milan, which lost to Fiorentina 2-1.
Atalanta falls slightly after three games without knowing victory. This time it was against Udinese, in a goalless draw. The Bergamo team is relieved by the defeat of Juventus. A victory would have placed Allegri’s men only four points away and Gasperini’s men’s place in the Conference would have been in jeopardy.
Bundesliga
In Germany, the swords are held in style in the fight for the title. It is true that Unión seems to be falling (they drew 0-0 against Cologne) and that it will be Dortmund and Bayern who will fight for the league, but it is undeniable that this is the most competitive Bundesliga for years. The Borussers beat Leipizig, in one of the most difficult matches of those that remained to be played. Bayern played on Saturday and beat Stuttgart 2-1 at home. In this way, both teams remain tied at the top with 49 points, although the leadership remains with the Bavarians due to goal difference.
In the rest of the day, Schalke’s victory stands out, the second in a row, something they had not achieved all season. The mining team continues to decline, but tied on points with three other teams, so salvation is within reach after being bottom team for most of the championship. Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen also won, 4-1, against Hertha, and continues to climb towards the European positions, in another great game by Florian Wirtz, who, after his serious injury, once again reminds the world that his is a world-class talent.
Ligue 1
Marseille refuses to fall out of the fight for the title. They won at home against Rennes 0-1 with a goal from Kolasinac and they maintain the distance of eight points with respect to PSG, which still gives Igor Tudor’s boys some hope. PSG had won their game the day before, against Nantes, once again supported by the differential talent of their attackers. Mbappé and Messi each scored a goal, in a match that became complicated for Galtier’s men when the visitors managed to tie the game at two before the break. Danilo unbalanced the game in the second half and Mbappé sentenced him in discount.
The great beneficiary of the fight for Europe in France was Stade Reims. On an atypical day, six of the eight teams competing for European places tied their matches, some between them, such as Lens and Lille (1-1), and others in matches against teams below, such as Monaco at home against Troyes (2-2). The only one that won was precisely Stade Reims, which continues its incredible run. There are already 21 games (18 in the league) without knowing defeat under the orders of Will Still, the youngest coach in the five major leagues. At thirty, Still has managed to get a team that was aiming for relegation to compete to enter Europe. Only six points separate him from fifth place, which gives access to the Conference, after his narrow victory against Ajaccio (1-0).