1. Arteta denies ‘blocking’ characterisation
Mikel Arteta has rejected suggestions that Arsenal have been blocking defenders as part of their corner routines and believes the “noise” around his side’s tactics is down to their efficiency from set-pieces.
Arsenal have scored a record-equalling 16 times from corners in the Premier League this season and have an opportunity to set a new mark when they host Everton on Saturday evening. However there has been criticism of their approach, with Brighton’s head coach, Fabian Hürzeler, complaining after last week’s 1-0 defeat by Arsenal that there are “no clear rules” regarding blocking.
Arsenal conceded from a corner against Bayer Leverkusen in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday when a player from the German side appeared to block Eberechi Eze from challenging Robert Andrich before Andrich scored. The Leverkusen manager, Kasper Hjulmand, questioned whether players should be allowed to make “offensive blocks and just bodycheck people without the ball in the area” but admitted that “everyone does it”.
Asked whether other teams had been learning from Arsenal, Arteta said: “No. We weren’t the first. And it’s not about blocking. I’m not going to describe what we do, but it’s not blocking. And what they did in the goal that we conceded and the foul that we get [given against us] at the end of the game, we can see that and tell me the difference. In general, that noise is the efficiency that we have at a certain moment. Others know what we try to do. And it’s not that.”
Although Arsenal have been proficient in attack from corners, defending them has been one of their weaknesses. Ten of the 33 goals they have conceded in all competitions have stemmed from corners and Arteta, who played under David Moyes, is wary of the threat Everton will pose. “They’ve always been really good at defending and attacking the box,” Arteta said. “That’s one of the biggest qualities of his teams and that will be very difficult.”
Victory over Everton in a 5.30pm kick-off would pile more pressure on second-placed Manchester City before their visit to West Ham in the late game and Arteta believes his players are benefiting from their growing experience of leading the race.
“We certainly try to learn from the past,” he said. “To replicate the same scenarios is very difficult because what matters is your state in that moment and the opponent that you are facing. That’s always different. We know what is at stake and the moment that we go another week, another week, another week, you’re going to be closer and closer. We’re dealing with that in a really organic way. We have been trying to deal with that for eight or nine months already and we are not going to change that.” Ed Aarons
2. Slot laments ‘massive impact’ of Isak absence
Alexander Isak’s absence during the past three months has significantly damaged Liverpool’s season, Arne Slot has admitted. The striker fractured his leg scoring against Tottenham in December and is not expected to return until the start of April at the earliest. Liverpool are sixth in the Premier League with the lowest shot conversion rate of the top six teams as they battle to secure Champions League qualification.
Isak, after a slow start at Anfield following his club-record £125m move from Newcastle, had claimed two goals in five league appearances having missing pre-season and taking time to get up to speed.
“Do you think it would have had an impact if we had one of the best goal scorers in this league in the last three, four or five years available throughout the whole season?” Slot asked before Liverpool’s return fixture with Spurs at Anfield on Sunday. “This would have had a massive impact on our performances, because you also saw this game [against Spurs in December] and almost every game you see how much impact a goal can have on a performance.”
Liverpool defeated Wolves in their first game after Isak was ruled out but went on to draw the next four league matches, scoring only three times in that spell. Slot added: “If you miss out on Alex, the biggest signing we made, that has had a massive impact on us. Look at how many goals we’ve scored this season – that’s ridiculously low for the team. Of course it has an impact that one of the forwards that we brought in for scoring goals was injured.”
A difficult, transitional season following a summer overhaul has left Liverpool 19 points behind the leaders Arsenal. “It was something we were aware of in the back of our mind that could happen with signing so many new players, but not something we or I was expecting,” Slot said. “You always know if you let go of so many players and you bring in so many new players, it could mean transition is needed, but the expectations were not that we were having a season as we are having now. But for all the reasons that I don’t want to bring up every single time we are here – it has become a season like that. And partly for a few percentages, that’s also because we’ve made so many changes.” Will Unwin
3. Maguire ‘back in the frame’ for Tuchel
Michael Carrick believes Harry Maguire has put himself “back in the frame” for England, with Manchester United’s interim manager hopeful the 33-year-old will be recalled when Thomas Tuchel names his squad next week.
Maguire won the last of his 64 caps in England’s 2-0 win over the Republic of Ireland in September 2024 under Lee Carsley and has consistently impressed for United under Carrick since returning from a thigh injury that ruled him out for 53 days.
“He has definitely put himself back in the frame, if he was ever out of it,” said Carrick. “Hopefully from my point of view he gets picked and he goes [to this summer’s World Cup].
“Harry has been playing well, that is pretty obvious to say. Considering you look back not too long ago and he was out for a considerable period of time injured. He came straight back in when we arrived [in January] so there has been a bit of managing him through the weeks and the games and getting him right up to speed physically. He has just shown his experience, composure in certain situations. He knows what it feels like, he knows what it takes and he has done ever so well.”
England play Uruguay on 27 March and Japan four days later in World Cup warm-up friendlies. Meanwhile, Mason Mount has returned to training following injury and faces a late fitness test before Sunday’s visit of Aston Villa. Jamie Jackson
4. Rosenior challenges keepers: earn the shirt
Liam Rosenior has denied he has created uncertainty around his goalkeepers by refusing to clarify whether Filip Jörgensen has dislodged Robert Sánchez as Chelsea’s No 1.
The goalkeeping pecking order has dominated the agenda at Stamford Bridge this week, with Jörgensen given a vote of confidence when he replaced Sánchez for the first leg of the last-16 Champions League tie against Paris Saint-Germain. It was the biggest call of Rosenior’s time at Chelsea and backfired when a mistake from Jörgensen helped PSG to win 5-2.
There were suggestions before the game that the Dane was told by Rosenior he was the new No 1. But the head coach has since insisted that was not the case and is confident there is no issue with rotating Sánchez and Jörgensen, who will hope to start again when Chelsea host Newcastle on Saturday evening.
“Not for me,” he said. “If you’ve got two outstanding left-backs like [Marc] Cucurella or Jorrel Hato, is it uncertainty for them? I want competition in every area of the pitch. The only difference with a goalkeeper, you’re one mistake away from this situation, whether Rob makes a mistake against Arsenal that ends up in the net or not, or Filip makes a mistake against PSG, it ends up in a goal or not.
“Because of the nature of the goalkeeper position it’s spoken about more. I’ve been here for two and a half months. I’m going to give every player in the squad an opportunity to show me what they can do to win now but also to win things consistently in the long term. And both goalkeepers in different ways are showing me really, really good things.”
It was put to Rosenior there are not many examples of champion sides not having a clear first-choice goalkeeper. He responded by challenging Sánchez and Jörgensen to emulate two of the greatest goalkeepers in Chelsea’s history, Petr Cech and Thibaut Courtois.
“If you go through history and most great clubs, whether it’s a goalkeeper position, a No 9 position, those shirts are earned on form, those shirts are earned on performance. When Petr Cech came here he was a very young goalkeeper. Same with Courtois. They earned their time with the performances and earned their reputation with their performances.”
Rosenior insisted he had no problem with Enzo Fernández berating Jörgensen on the pitch after an error by the 23-year-old in Paris. “Roy Keane as a player probably did that 20 times a game,” he said.
Pedro Neto, who is being investigated by Uefa for pushing a ballboy against PSG, has received a one-match suspension – to be served on Saturday – and a £70,000 fine from the Football Association for failing to leave the pitch promptly after his red card against Arsenal this month.
A difficult week for Chelsea was lifted by Reece James signing a new six-year deal. The captain’s previous contract expired in 2028 but the 26-year-old right-back has extended until 2032 and agreed terms in line with the club’s incentivised pay structure. Jacob Steinberg
5. Howe backs Gordon after Shearer criticism
Eddie Howe has hit back at Alan Shearer’s criticism of Anthony Gordon after he failed to start Tuesday night’s Champions League draw with Barcelona because of illness.
Newcastle’s record goalscorer questioned why Gordon was well enough to take a seat on the bench, but not to start – in his role as a pundit – before the game, telling Amazon Prime: “I know he doesn’t feel well, but this is Barcelona at Newcastle for a place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. It would take something extraordinary to keep myself out of this game tonight.”
Wayne Rooney was also critical, while Shearer was backed by former Manchester United captain Roy Keane, who told the Overlap: “How can you be ill, but come on for half an hour?”
However, Howe, who confirmed the frontman had not trained on Tuesday morning, said: “I do have to clear something up with Anthony Gordon. He was absolutely willing to play in the game against Barcelona. I know there’s a lot of comments. It was my decision not to start him based on the fact that he’d been ill that morning and hadn’t attended the training session. He was prepared to play, but in consultation with the medical team, he didn’t think he was fit to play.”
Gordon was introduced as a 67th-minute replacement for Anthony Elanga at St James’ Park as the Magpies took a late lead through Harvey Barnes’ goal, only for Lamine Yamal to snatch a 1-1 draw for the visitors with a stoppage-tie penalty.
The Newcastle manager now faces a decision over whether to restore the 25-year-old England international – who has scored 10 goals in Europe to date this season – to his team at Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday or save him for Wednesday night’s crucial trip to the Nou Camp.
Asked about his character and importance to the team, Howe, who revealed skipper Bruno Guimaraes had asked to travel to Barcelona with the team after his planned return from rehabilitation in Brazil on Monday, said: “Ant, I’d probably categorise him as a winner. He wants to win everything, he’s a real competitor. He’s got that streak to him that I think all top players need where he’s very single-minded, very focused on his development and his game. I can only speak really glowingly of him this year. It hasn’t been a straightforward season for him. He’s had a lot of challenges, as every player does.” PA Media