The Premier League is the gift that keeps on giving as far as entertainment is concerned.
This weekend was no different at both ends of the table as the SBOTOP Premier League betting odds twisted one way and then the other and created plenty of talking points.
Conte masterclass shows why Spurs need to keep Italian
Saturday night and there was plenty up for grabs at Anfield.
As so often in meetings between these teams, we were treated to Premier League highlights and a result which could have a major impact on the races for the title and the top four.
A supremely well-organised and resolute Tottenham side led through a fine Son Heung-min goal before Liverpool salvaged a point against Antonio Conte’s visitors courtesy of a deflected strike from Luis Díaz.
However, after 12 successive home league wins for Liverpool it was a bad time to falter in the 13th.
The statistics show why Spurs need to keep and back the Italian this summer if they are to progress – irrespective of whether they qualify for the Champions League.
Spurs have lost just one of their last eight Premier League games (won five, drawn two), and Conte has lost just one of his six Premier League encounters with Liverpool and remains unbeaten at Anfield in the competition.
Yes, Conte is unquestionably high maintenance – as his previous clubs would testify – but he is proven at the highest level and Spurs might realise he only wants what they and their supporters desire, namely success.
You’re not fit to wear the shirt
“You’re not fit to wear the shirt,” chanted the Manchester United fans on the south coast on Saturday evening – and, with a few exceptions such as David De Gea and Cristiano Ronaldo, they were right.
A number of Red Devils have been going through the motions for about six weeks now. ‘On the beach’ is the polite way of saying there has been little care or urgency for quite some time.
Perhaps if teams could introduce an incentive where you are paid by effort it would improve matters.
In fact, it speaks volumes for the quality of the league (outside the top three) that the team is still on course to claim a European berth next term, despite turning in consistently below average performances, often with little endeavour.
Even by recent standards though, the display at Brighton was unacceptable.
And so United are guaranteed to finish with their lowest ever points tally and most goals conceded in the Premier League era.
Who is to blame?
Certainly not their interim boss Ralf Rangnick who cannot be held responsible for such a sloppy attitude.
In fact, this was as far removed from a fitting farewell as you could wish.
These highly paid players know that, in his current role, the German coach has limited influence to impact their futures at the club. However, they still owe it to the fans – and themselves – to prove they are fit enough to wear the shirt.
The two most damning indictments, without taking anything away from the spirited hosts, was that Brighton did not need to be anything special at all to record this 4-0 romp and the look on Ronaldo’s face on the half-way line after the fourth goal went in.
It basically translated as: ‘what am I doing playing with this bunch of idiots’.
A shake-up cannot come soon enough.
Chelsea need to rediscover winning feeling
There is no question that Chelsea’s campaign has been affected by the future of the club and its sale which now appears to have been finally resolved.
A consortium led by entrepreneur Todd Boehly has signed a contract to buy the club and effectively end the Roman Abramovich era, subject to Premier League and UK government approval.
The uncertainty has certainly spread to the pitch in recent months and the west Londoners faltered again on Saturday as they conceded a dramatic 97th-minute equaliser at home to Wolves.
In normal circumstances, they would have held on after Romelu Lukaku looked to have secured victory for the Blues with two goals in three second-half minutes.
So now they need to return to winning ways.
They remain third with three games to play and have the FA Cup Final to look forward to next weekend.
Win yet more silverware and the world will seem happy again in the Chelsea camp.
Their next fixture is at Leeds United on Wednesday night, talking of which…
Bielsa folly could cost club
It was in February that I wrote that, for all the praise lavished upon Marcelo Bielsa and Leeds United’s style of play last season, there appeared no Plan B this term – certainly no alternative format of how to regroup when under the cosh.
Yes, the Yorkshire club have been hit hard by injuries this season, but the refusal to shut up shop when necessary has gone against them in a big way this term and ‘Bielsa-ball’ had clearly run its course.
A few days later it did after the club’s third defeat in a week in which they shipped 14 goals.
It was ill-discipline which cost them on Sunday at Arsenal as Eddie Nketiah netted a double inside the opening 10 minutes before captain Luke Ayling was sent off for a needless lunge on Gabriel Martinelli.
It was a capitulation entirely of their own making and Leeds now find themselves in the Premier League relegation zone on goal difference. How costly could that refusal to act earlier prove?
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