Even the greatest sides have an achilles heel.
It’s what makes their success so compelling. Which sides and systems can expose it?
On Sunday, Europe’s best team faltered against a side making their worst start to a top-flight campaign in thirty years.
We had suggested the balls might have been aligning for a shock result between Manchester United and Liverpool, but it was still a surprise when it happened.
Ok a draw isn’t a loss, but when a side is on a 17-match winning run in the league, it feels like one.
And it showed Liverpool’s enduring weakness – a lack of midfield creativity. Jurgen Klopp has looked to solve this to date through directing the play through the full backs and dropping Roberto Firmino deeper, but when teams suss this out, the issue rears its head again.
For Fantasy League managers with Liverpool midfielders, it would seem that James Milner (and his penalties) should be the only man near your lineups. Particularly when you consider the stats of the two starting ‘eights’ on Saturday.
In the last two seasons (and the start of this), in which he has made 67 appearances, Jordan Henderson has just two goals and four assists to his name.
For Gini Wijnaldum, those figures over the same period are 77 appearances with five goals and two assists.
It took the entry of Adam Lallana to finally unlock the hitherto solid United rearguard, whose blueprint other sides may now look to copy.
The constant feel of impending crisis at Arsenal was felt again at Bramall Lane on Monday night.
Those managers hanging their hat on Nicolas Pepe must’ve felt a surge of redemption when two yards out with just Dean Henderson to beat, but when he couldn’t finish, it looked like it might be one of those Northern nights for the Gunners – and so it proved.
Chris Wilder’s side preyed on their persistent fallibility from set plays, and surely Unai Emery has to address his centre-back pairing in January.
Offloading the again absent Mesut Ozil would be the right move to free up some funds. Although when you’re on £350k a week, you’re going to take some shifting…
And finally, relief all round for Marco Silva and Everton. A clean sheet, two fine goals and some easier fixtures coming up means it may be worth looking at the likes of Gylfi Sigurdsson and Richarlison for your XIs in the weeks to come.
