Premier League Review - Manchester United and Liverpool have little to show for their investment

Manchester United and Liverpool show how to waste £400 million

In the very early stages of football’s development, players would take the ball and run straight at the opposition until they were tackled. The opposing team would then take the ball and run straight at the opponent until they were tackled, and the same would happen again and again until a goal was scored. Then, a Scottish team demonstrated that it was quicker and more effective to use passing to bypass opponents and engineer better opportunities.

In that respect, and another, you could describe the performances from Manchester United and Liverpool on Sunday as notably seminal. The players appeared to run from anywhere on the pitch as soon as they got the ball, for as far as they could until they were tackled. Between the two of them, the sides had spent more than £400 million over the last few years, and this is what they gave their spectators in the ground, the worldwide audience of millions, and the sponsors who paid millions. It was terrible.

The reaction after the game, and at half time, was that Liverpool were somehow outperforming Manchester United. Looking at the scoreline, it was always 0-0 until United were ahead, which is an accurate way of saying that they were both performing as well as each other until United became the better side at 1-0. Football, after all, is based on scoring more goals than your opponent, and no other metric.

Therefore, it would be wrong for Liverpool, or their fans, to think there is any kind of moral victory in this defeat. All it showed was that in attack they don’t take nearly enough of their chances, and in defence they are not yet capable of focussing for 90 minutes. It was Adam Lallana who wasted their best chance, and Jordon Ibe who let Juan Mata cross, unmarked, from the left. The defeat was an entirely fair result.

For Liverpool, though, they have a manager who can point to a recent track record of producing exciting, inspiring football. They probably have that to come. For United, they have a manager unable to make much exciting at all, and probably have more lethargy and inertia to come. But that doesn’t matter right now. For both sides, this is a game to break moods and lift spirits radically.

Stoke and Arsenal demonstrate the value of proper goalkeepers

Jack Butland is one of the youngest first choice goalkeepers in the Premier League, and Petr Cech one of the oldest, but both demonstrated why having a reliable ‘keeper is at the heart of a team’s success.

Without Butland, or a player of similar quality, Stoke would likely have conceded in the face of pressure from Arsenal. Without Cech, Arsenal might have failed in the last few minutes as Stoke tried to snatch a late victory. As it was, the two teams played out a goalless victory.

In the past, Arsenal have been bullied by Stoke, regardless of whether they negotiated that task successfully or not. While the rancid Charlie Adam remains at the club and occasionally tries to injure fellow opponents, Stoke are a largely different proposition. Their attack is built almost entirely on skill, backed up with strength. In the past, it was the opposite.

Without Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez, Arsenal were a dented side, and with a point taking them top of the table on goal difference, they will be satisfied with keeping up with Leicester and Manchester City. City continue to negotiate the Premier League somewhat under the radar. Unlike Arsenal, Manchester United or Chelsea, there has been little drama, and their smaller fanbase demands less attention. Everyone is waiting for the end of the season - writers, fans and players. When Pep Guardiola arrives, the fun really starts. They remain, though, in contention along with Arsenal and Leicester. Their 4-0 win over Crystal Palace, and the draws of the other two in the top three, represent a drama-free weekend at the top.

Chelsea have the team spirit to improve

While Van Gaal at least had a tight defeat to cling to, Guus Hiddink merely had the mixed signals of a 3-3 draw. To come back from 2-0 down is impressive, to fall 2-0 down at home to Everton is less so. To come back from 3-2 down shows a healthy amount of team spirit, to not come back to 2-2 and win the match in the remaining time illustrates just how far from ruthless that Chelsea still are.

Branislav Ivanovic was awful against Everton, and it was down their left side that they’d struggled for most of the match. Unfortunately, they also conceded their third goal with a cross from the right, albeit an excellent, measured pass from Gerard Deulofeu.

Ahead of the defence, John Obi Mikel, Cesc Fabregas, Oscar and Nemanja Matic remain a foursome who can’t quite make it clear which three deserve a place. Not because they are all in excellent form, but because their lack of consistency compared to last season, and their evident weaknesses, require constant tinkering and adjustment by their manager. Fabregas, at least, was much improved in attack.

Diego Costa, too, looked like he’d played football before. He might have spent half the time being a gobby roustabout, and should have tried to score for more of the match instead of mucking about with his obsession over being an irritant, but his clever goal and determined, sensible running kept Everton on the defensive even when they were ahead.

John Terry scored an own goal, but his defensive performance was full of anticipation, making use of his brain where his body could not longer be relied upon. His goal, too, hinted that the squad is now willing to play for their manager, rather than willing defeat upon the previous one. Chelsea have their unbeaten record under Hiddink intact, but they are still in 14th. They appear to be on their way back, but progress is slow.

Newcastle edge towards survival

On Saturday, Spurs showed Sunderland the mess they had got into. Despite taking the lead, they were otherwise toothless. Jeremain Lens and Jermain Defoe were, for part of the match, used as target men, but neither of them had the strength or stature to be useful in the roles. Behind them, Jan Kirchhoff came on as a sub with just over half an hour remaining, and was key to his side’s self-combustion. He gave away a penalty with a ludicrous tackle on Danny Rose, but that was merely a nadir surrounded by other, below-sea-level failures.

For Spurs, they would have been glad to see Christian Eriksen’s return to form, scoring twice, but it was the whole side to swept aside Sunderland, who look to be doomed, along with Aston Villa.

Newcastle, though, have recently given a few hints that survival is not beyond them. While they are only unbeaten in two matches, and only two points above Swansea, they have hinted since their loss to Arsenal that they are within touching distance of competence. Add to that Georginio Wijnaldum, Ayoze Perez and Aleksandar Mitrovic improving, and Jonjo Shelvey’s arrival to add steel to the central midfield, and things aren’t quite as horrendous as they once were. Their next three matches are against Watford, Everton and West Brom. If they can win at least one of them, they should edge further ahead of the dross they have just left behind.