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Wasted chances and a late goal provide dramatic end to Crystal Palace’s unbeaten run

Richard Jolly @richjolly.bsky.social · 3d

Invincibles no more, Crystal Palace's 19-game unbeaten run ends in a game when they should have made it 20 as Everton mounted a comeback. On Everton 2-1 Palace:
www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Everton 2-1 Crystal Palace: The Toffees ended the visitors’ historic streak through new hero Jack Grealish’s stoppage-time winner

The unlikely player proving key to Man Utd – and exposing yet more of its flaws

Richard Jolly @richjolly.bsky.social · 3d

Mason Mount is a player who Ruben Amorim loves and who actually suits 3-4-3. He was central to Man Utd's win over Sunderland. And yet he played in the place of a £62.5m summer signing...
www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Man United’s confused recruitment strategy has handed Ruben Amorim a selection headache in a pivotal area of his squad

Ruben Amorim weathers the latest storm to save his Man United skin – for now

Richard Jolly @richjolly.bsky.social · 4d

A day of respite rather than a day of reckoning for Ruben Amorim in a comfortable win with another goal for Sesko and a debut clean sheet for Lammens. On Man Utd 2-0 Sunderland:
www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Manchester United 2-0 Sunderland: Benjamin Sesko and Mason Mount scored as Amorim made it less likely that Sir Jim Ratcliffe will sack him during the upcoming international break

Why Liverpool are struggling — and the three solutions to Arne Slot’s headache

Richard Jolly @richjolly.bsky.social · 4d

Arne Slot thinks Liverpool aren't scoring enough goals in open play, but says that problem goes back to the second half of last season. It explains why he signed Florian Wirtz.

www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Liverpool’s problems go back to the second half of last season, requiring Slot to change a winning team while he waits for the best of new arrivals Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak

Savinho signs new deal with Manchester City as future squad takes shape

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Richard Jolly @richjolly.bsky.social · 4d

Ruben Amorim on why he doesn't fear the sack - while admitting he isn't "naive" and knows he needs results:

www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

The Brazilian was heavily linked with Tottenham in the summer but is set to stay in Manchester

Savinho signs new deal with Manchester City as future squad takes shape

Richard Jolly @richjolly.bsky.social · 4d

Savinho signs new contract with Manchester City:
www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

The Brazilian was heavily linked with Tottenham in the summer but is set to stay in Manchester

Man United ignoring the reality of their failings is simply madness

Richard Jolly @richjolly.bsky.social · 6d

A problem with Ruben Amorim's 3-4-3 (or one of the many): the formation needs wing-backs with an attacking threat. Manchester United's have too little:

www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Ruben Amorim’s undying commitment to 3-4-3 has been put before the reality that Manchester United still do not have a squad suitable for his system

Galatasaray defeat proves Liverpool’s troubles run deeper than we knew

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Richard Jolly @richjolly.bsky.social · 7d

A struggle to keep clean sheets, a question of where everyone plays, mixed form from new signings: defeat to Galatasaray underlined some of the issues Arne Slot and Liverpool face.
www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Liverpool’s lack of clean sheets and the late goals they have needed to win games this season look all the more problematic after Tuesday night’s 1-0 loss in the Champions League

The Arne Slot gambles that backfired in Liverpool’s disjointed defeat to Galatasaray

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Richard Jolly @richjolly.bsky.social · 7d

A trip to Istanbul Liverpool didn't enjoy. A second consecutive defeat, an error-strewn performance, injuries and Slot's selection decisions backfired. On Galatasaray 1-0 Liverpool:
www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Galatasaray 1-0 Liverpool: Arne Slot’s side suffered back-to-back defeats and two key injuries on a difficult night in Istanbul

The Champions League lesson Liverpool must learn to unlock new way of winning

Richard Jolly @richjolly.bsky.social · 8d

Liverpool's late defeat at Crystal Palace showed they needed a more calm, controlled way of winning. So now they are in the bastion of calm that is Istanbul. Previewing Galatasaray v Liverpool:
www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

The Reds came undone against Crystal Palace and must find order and control to mount a Champions League challenge

Hugo Ekitike reveals true thoughts on playing alongside Alexander Isak

Richard Jolly @richjolly.bsky.social · 8d

Hugo Ekitike welcomes the competition from Alexander Isak but believes they can play together. But where and how will Arne Slot use them? "Good question," he said:
www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Ekitike and Isak were both signed by Liverpool for big money in the summer and are competing for the same spot

The changing of the guard at Man City that could mould Pep Guardiola’s legacy

Richard Jolly @richjolly.bsky.social · 9d

Ruben Dias was the seventh oldest starter for Man City in May & the oldest on Saturday. City delayed change for too long and have suddenly accelerated it. On Guardiola's changing of the guard:
www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Guardiola, with two years left on his contract at the Etihad, is guiding Manchester City’s transition as they look to fast-track their future

Mikel Arteta’s finishers rewrite story in inspired comeback win over Newcastle

Richard Jolly @richjolly.bsky.social · 9d

Another tale of Arsenal's bench strength. Arteta's finishers finish off Newcastle as St James' Park, scene of past pain for him, witnesses a terrific comeback. Harsh for Woltemade after Newcastle long led. On Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal:

www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal: Gunners closed the gap to leaders Liverpool to just two points as they rallied late at St James’ Park

Haaland’s assertive ability to score overshadows the frailties of Man City’s squad

Richard Jolly @richjolly.bsky.social · 11d

Erling Haaland scores a late double to take his tally to 14 in seven for club and country & distort another scoreline. But as Maxime Esteve got a different kind of brace, this revolved around Matheus Nunes - for better and worse. On Man City 5-1 Burnley:
www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Man City 5-1 Burnley: A seemingly dominant victory over the Clarets revealed that Pep Guardiola’s side are still rediscovering their best form

Arne Slot reveals Liverpool’s transfer approach following Giovanni Leoni injury

Richard Jolly @richjolly.bsky.social · 11d

Arne Slot admits it is a risk Liverpool now only have three fit specialist centre-backs but said he doesn't want a squad of 25 players - and having fewer has helped them afford big deals:
www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Liverpool were in for Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi on deadline day before a deal fell through

Ruben Amorim calls on Man United to build momentum to avoid ‘big problem’

Richard Jolly @richjolly.bsky.social · 11d

Manchester United have not won back-to-back league games under Ruben Amorim. He says it would be massive if they can and a big problem if they don't realise they finally have a chance to get some winning momentum:
www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Amorim has yet to win two consecutive league games in his Old Trafford reign

The shocking numbers behind the major problem facing Man United

Richard Jolly @richjolly.bsky.social · 12d

Ruben Amorim has faced the Premier League's middle 12 - the other clubs who finished between 5th and 17th last season - in 18 PL games, won three and got just 12 points. On Amorim's problems against the mid-table teams:

www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

After a tough start to the season on paper, United’s next 11 games may be Ruben Amorim’s real test

There is only one thing to blame for Aston Villa’s dramatic decline

Richard Jolly @richjolly.bsky.social · 14d

On Aston Villa. Last year they were Champions League quarter-finalists. Now they are yet to win, have scored only two goals and had a frustrating summer. All of a sudden, it isn't going very well:
www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Aston Villa may point to the Premier League and PSR constraints, but Unai Emery is paying the price for the club’s mistakes in the transfer market

Stupidity collides with sleekness in Liverpool’s tale of two strikers

Richard Jolly @richjolly.bsky.social · 14d

Arne Slot described Hugo Ekitike's red card as needless and stupid. On a night when Alexander Isak got his first Liverpool goal, Ekitike his first Liverpool red card and Federico Chiesa got two assists. Liverpool 2-1 Southampton:
www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Liverpool 2-1 Southampton: Record signing Alexander Isak scored his first Reds goal in a slick performance while Hugo Ekitike grabbed the winner before getting himself stupidly sent off on a dramatic ...

Liverpool fear young defender Giovanni Leoni suffered serious injury on debut

Richard Jolly @richjolly.bsky.social · 14d

Giovanni Leoni will undergo scans on his knee after fears he suffered a cruciate ligament injury on his Liverpool debut:
www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Leoni was carted off during the Carabao Cup win over Southampton and the initial prognosis looks bleak

Stupidity collides with sleekness in Liverpool’s tale of two strikers

Richard Jolly @richjolly.bsky.social · 14d

A tale of two strikers at Anfield. A first Liverpool goal for Isak, but he was overshadowed by Ekitike, with Liverpool's newest late goal and the silliest of sendings-off. On Liverpool 2-1 Southampton:
www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Liverpool 2-1 Southampton: Record signing Alexander Isak scored his first Reds goal in a slick performance while Hugo Ekitike grabbed the winner before getting himself stupidly sent off on a dramatic ...

Graham Potter limps on but West Ham struggles have already revealed glaring issue

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Richard Jolly @richjolly.bsky.social · 15d

On Graham Potter. West Ham underlines some of the problems with his managerial record, plus some new ones, as well as their endemic issues:
www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Potter needed to be a success at West Ham but his poor record has reinforced the sense that he is not suited to the bigger clubs

How City parked the bus and set a new record in Pep Guardiola’s tactical U-turn

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Richard Jolly @richjolly.bsky.social · 16d

Pep Guardiola sees his side have less possession than ever before as he borrows from Arteta and Mourinho to go on the defensive in a fine rearward action:

www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Manchester City recorded their lowest ever possession under Pep Guardiola’s management as they dug in for a draw against Premier League rivals Arsenal at the Emirates

The Florian Wirtz dilemma showcased in the Merseyside derby for Arne Slot

Richard Jolly @richjolly.bsky.social · 17d

Florian Wirtz was benched for the Merseyside derby as Arne Slot picked last season's midfield of Gravenberch, Mac Allister & Szoboszlai. It all adds to the question of how and where to use the £100m man:

www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Wirtz was half of a Slot’s £225m double act that was left in reserve for the derby