Liverpool emerged as the happiest side of them all at the end of the matchday 30 of the Premier League. The Reds won a tightly contested game against Brighton before their title rivals Manchester City and Arsenal played out a goalless draw to hand them a two-point lead at the top of the table. We have already analysed how hard each team’s run was in the Premier League. However, the results of his weekend have only indeed more permutations and combinations to an already complicated situation.
Further down the kerfuffle of the title race, there is also the intense race for the top four, or should we say the top five, as under the revamped Champions League format, even the fifth-placed team might get a chance to qualify for the Champions League final.
So, here are the top things we learned from Premier League gameweek 30.
Liverpool keep their nerves to go top of the league
Any team that aspires to be a champion has one thing in common: ugly wins. Liverpool had an Expected Goals (xG) of 2.98 against Brighton (0.51). On top of that, they had 30 shots, out of which eight were on target. However, for large parts of the game, Liverpool were unable to use this attacking superiority for most of the game.
In the end, they edged out their opponents 2-1. However, after conceding in the second minute, Liverpool kept things tight at the back, allowing their opponents only two more shots on target. In the end, their frontline got them the much-needed two goals to get them the three points.
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City Arsenal play out a goalless draw
The most anticipated clash of the weekend was the most underwhelming game between Arsenal and Manchester City. City had an xG rating of 0.85, while Arsenal was even worse at 0.73, which can explain the boring fest that occurred on the pitch for the 90 minutes. The two teams have scored a combined 123 goals so far in the league but only managed to get three shots on target.
The two teams are intertwined in an intense title race, and perhaps that was the reason why both teams were trying to ensure that they didn’t concede. City, however, would be the less happy side, considering they were playing at home. This result leaves them three points behind league leader Liverpool.
Manchester United need goals
0.10. This was Manchester United’s xG rating at the end of their match against Brentford. This was the worst by any team across the Premier League this week. However, such is the unpredictability of football, and despite such a lacklustre display, the Red Devils managed to escape with a draw.
The game means that United’s goal difference remains at zero, a stat that does not bode well for Eril Ten Hag. Such a display also comes just before two games against Chelsea (away) and Liverpool (home) and if United are to salvage something from the season, then the goals need to come in spades.
Aston Villa, Tottenham race for fourth spot
If anyone had to pick the most improved team in the Premier League this season, the choice would be either Unai Emery’s Aston Villa or Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham Hotspur. While the Premier League title race has been entertaining, the fight for the fourth place has also been just as enthralling.
And both teams didn;t disappoint their fans on the weekend gettin curtail wins to bolster their chances. The two teams have already played each other. Villa have a three-point lead over Tottenham, but with their next game against Manchester City at the Etihad, Tottenham have a good opportunity to bridge the gap.
Chelsea’s season going nowhere
Chelsea have won two and drawn two of their last five games. This run of games is the longest they have gone this season without losing a game, which is one of the four reasons why they are 11th in the league table. Their latest game was a 2-2 draw against Burnley at home. What made this result more concerning for Chelsea is that Burnley played for more than a game being a man down.
Chelsea are creating a load of chances, but it has been their finishing that has let them down again. xaAgainst Burnley, they created 33 chances, out of which 13 were on target, but only two ended in the back of the net. Unless the strikers rediscovered their scouring boots, things at Stamford Bridge won’t improve anytime soon.