Hits and misses: Gabriel Jesus, Harvey Elliott and Sandro Tonali all impress in Carabao Cup quarter-finals

Does this mean Arsenal don’t need a new striker?

Your No 9 turning up with a hat-trick just in time for Christmas in Arsenal’s 3-2 win over Crystal Palace is the perfect antidote when your attack is being questioned.

Arsenal’s recent open-play slackness and their reliance on set-pieces brought up the now-annual debate about whether a new striker is needed in January. So what now with Gabriel Jesus looking in the groove, for one half of football at least?

Arsenal and Jesus proved in that second half that their issue is not a ‘striker’ one. Many claimed the Gunners needed a forward last January and they ended up on 91 Premier League goals – the most in their history in the competition.

What Arsenal have proved – which needs addressing – is a reliance on Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard. It is a creativity problem more than a striker one.

Mikel Arteta’s side barely looked like scoring until those two came on in separate substitutions and provided incisive assists for Jesus within minutes of arriving on the pitch.

So whether it is improving the left-winger position or getting better understudies for Saka and Odegaard – Leandro Trossard and Raheem Sterling failed to impress but Ethan Nwaneri looked promising – that is where Arsenal’s focus needs to be, if they are to move in January.
Sam Blitz

Palace will fancy Saturday’s rematch

Saturday 21st December 5:00pm


Kick off 5:30pm

Crystal Palace were up for the cup, certainly for 54 minutes anyway. Up until Jesus equalised, Oliver Glasner would have been beaming with how aggressive and diligently organised his team were.

That was on show for their opening goal after just four minutes as Jean-Phillipe Mateta chewed up and spat out Jakub Kiwior as they battled for a 50-50 ball from Dean Henderson before the striker kept his cool in front of goal. We should not be surprised now by Mateta’s deadly finishing.

It is now 25 goals in his last 35 starts for club and country – any striker, bar Erling Haaland, at the top level would snap your hand off for such a return. Palace could not quite sustain their bravery out of possession as Arsenal eventually picked their way through. However, back at Selhurst Park on Saturday, faced with the same opponents, live on Sky Sports, this Palace team certainly possesses the game plan and aggression to make life difficult for the Gunners again. They will need to do it for 90 minutes this time, though.
Lewis Jones

Elliott shines in Liverpool win

On his first start since May, Harvey Elliott shone in Liverpool’s 2-1 Carabao Cup quarter-final win at Southampton.

The midfielder scored what proved to be the winning goal with a clinical low first-half finish.

Even at the age of 21, Elliott was one of the more experienced players in a youthful team and he led by example in midfield.

The Englishman made the most passes in the final third (21) in the game as he put in a player-of-the-match performance.

“He’s been outstanding,” said Sky Sports’ Don Goodman. “Not just the goal, his all-round work ethic with and without the ball. An excellent game.”

Now Elliott will be hoping his performance can earn him a starting spot in the Premier League to become more of a regular under Arne Slot.
Declan Olley

Defence-first – a sign of things to come for struggling Saints?

The plan was clear for all to see from the start as Liverpool came to St Mary’s for the second time inside a month: stay compact, with rigid banks of five and four, frustrate Liverpool, hit them on the counter when the openings arose and hope for the best.

Under Russell Martin, Southampton liked to dominate the ball. But with little success – and, ultimately, his sacking just a few days ago – his interim replacement Simon Rusk knew that would not wash, particularly against, arguably, one of the best teams in the world right now.

For a good 20 minutes, Liverpool attacked and attacked, but were kept at bay. When clearances were pumped long, the fans reacted with cheers. Later, there were brave blocks that kept the eventual result respectable.

The Saints fans had seen their team leak goals like nobody’s business recently – 11 in the last three Premier League games, in fact – and to see the defensive fragility disappear, even somewhat, was very well-received.

Is it a sign of things to come? It is hard to say for sure until Martin’s permanent replacement is appointed. Should they play in a similar way in the Premier League, they might just have the very early beginnings of a survival bid.
Dan Long

Terrific Tonali turns it up for Toon

If Sandro Tonali is unhappy at Newcastle, he certainly does not look it.

The Italian midfielder seems to be finally living up to the expectation and the price tag at St James’s Park, with his brilliance proving the difference in the Magpies’ 3-1 win over Brentford.

The first goal was exceptional, the cleanest of hits that showed the technique he has at his disposal. His reaction and celebration showing the bond he has forged with the Toon support – who supported him emphatically through his ban last season.

The second, the product of a well-worked routine from a corner, showed his intelligence and spatial awareness. Away from the goals, he and Bruno Guimaraes dominated in the middle of the park. It feels as though a special partnership is forming between the two.

If not his finest display all-around in a Newcastle shirt, this was certainly his most impactful. His quality steered the game in their direction. If he could become the man who steers the club to that long-awaited trophy, he will never be forgotten in the city.
Simeon Gholam

Schedule catches up with Brentford

“It is about getting the balance right in a tight week where we want to perform at our best in all three games.” That was Thomas Frank’s explanation beforehand for making so many changes to the team that played Chelsea on Sunday. Did he get it right?

Brentford are back in action against Nottingham Forest on Saturday so frustration is understandable. “I have been quite vocal about the fact that I don’t think we had the optimal schedule but it is what it is. I have full belief this team can compete,” he said.

Tellingly, Frank added: “And, by the way, a game is over 90 minutes not 60.” The problem was that by the time the Brentford boss turned to substitutes Bryan Mbeumo and Mikkel Damsgaard, Tonali had already put Newcastle two goals in front.

Damsgaard was a real bright spark in the final half an hour of the game, releasing Mbeumo to set up Yoane Wissa for Brentford’s consolation goal. Mbeumo’s beautiful pass had cut the defence wide open in creating a chance for Wissa moments earlier.

Would it have made a difference had Frank felt able to start the trio? The Bees boss would point to the example of Ethan Pinnock, asked to start again only to pull up with a hamstring problem early on. Something had to give. It was Brentford’s cup hopes.
Adam Bate