1) Ten Hag confuses with Casemiro derby decision
Erik ten Hag is nothing if not a Serious Football Man, but there was an element of comedy about Manchester United’s unravelling at the Etihad. It was there in the comment from Ten Hag that Cristiano Ronaldo did not appear “out of respect for his big career”. That may or may not be a brilliant caustic joke. More significantly it was there on Casemiro’s face as he came on with the game already dead, having worked his way through five Champions League medals only to discover that, in fact, he’s not as good as Scott McTominay. So, some useful information there for the Brazilian. Ten Hag is the latest United manager caught between ill-fitting celebrity signings and coherent team building. A 37-year-old celebrity black hole was never likely to be a Ten Hag kind of guy. But not starting Casemiro, a midfielder who has been the best in the world in his role, made very little sense. Barney Ronay
2) Leeds and Villa stink out Super Sunday
Leeds and Aston Villa don’t like each other. Their previous four competitive meetings included 23 yellow cards and red card. A pre-season “friendly” in Australia also boiled over. Sunday’s tally of seven yellows and the red shown for Luis Sinisterra’s second bookable offence, “not intelligent play” as his manager, Jesse Marsch, put it, was about par. Stuart Attwell, the referee, was at times lenient but was offered no choice about the second booking when Sinisterra put his foot out to block a free-kick. The Colombian was suckered into his reflex reaction by Douglas Luiz taking the kick quickly but could have few complaints. He was not alone in being distracted by the skulduggery and aggression that dragged the game downwards as a spectacle. Marsch accused Villa of trying to slow the game down to “snail’s pace” while Steven Gerrard admitted: “We came here to frustrate Leeds.” It made for a poor selection for the showpiece Sunday 4.30pm slot. John Brewin
3) Arsenal feel genuine sense of hope under Arteta
“You see a sense of something that is unique and real,” Mikel Arteta said after watching Arsenal take Tottenham apart. The league leaders are having fun: they are not the finished article but there is a self-belief and genuine joy in their play, as well as in their interactions with one another, that suggests nobody should put a ceiling on their potential. Aaron Ramsdale poked his head into the press conference room afterwards with a chirpy “hello” and, a little later, explained that the hurt of missing out on Champions League football is contributing to their energy. “We all have this fire burning inside because of what happened,” he said. “The day I returned to pre-season the standard of training had increased. People [are] demanding more off each other.” They are delivering it and, with a spluttering Liverpool visiting the Emirates next, Arsenal can justifiably feel a level of hope that had deserted them for years. Nick Ames
4) Is Conte’s counterattacking working for Tottenham?
Never has an Antonio Conte team played a league season with less than 50% possession. Right now, Tottenham’s cumulative total is 48%. So who’s responsible, is it a problem, and can it be changed? Tottenham’s inability to keep the ball is partly tactical and deliberate: a low defensive block, a reliance on the counterattack, a two-man midfield picked for physicality rather than control. This need not be a weakness in itself. Conte would argue that without a midfield playmaker such as Marcelo Brozovic, Andrea Pirlo or Cesc Fàbregas, and with four high-class forwards, he is simply playing to Tottenham’s strengths. But it does mean they will often be forced to soak up pressure against the more technical sides. Jonathan Liew
5) Anxiety grips Anfield amid defensive uncertainty
The apprehension inside Anfield was palpable…
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