Source: TheGuardian
Sheffield United v Arsenal: Premier League – live!
All the Premier League action from Bramall LaneEmail Nick or get in touch via Twitter 7.46pm BST Admir Pajic writes: “The goalkeeping cameo wasn’t the last bit of Phil Jagielka’s heroics against Arsenal. Last season, he started for Everton only because Michael Keane, who had been named in the starting line-up, had to sit that one out due illness. Jagielka took the chance and scored the only goal in a 1-0 victory for Toffees.“As an Arsenal fan, I can’t help myself thinking that both we’ve been riding our luck this season and that we could’ve easily been closer to Liverpool than we are now. We have enough firepower to Ferguson our way through the teams between 11th and 20th without fuss and our defence should be more reliable against top half teams. Unfortunately, Unai Emery thinks Mesut Özil’s talent is not unique and that Granit Xhaka’s is. Lucas Torreira was at heart of our improved performances in big games last season only to get benched regularly this term. If you ask me, give Arsene Wenger these players to pick from and we’d have a three-horse title race. With Emery, 5th place is more likely.” 7.43pm BST Emery speaks! But he doesn’t really say anything worth transcribing, which isn’t really anything new. It’ll be a tough game like every match. And Arsenal must impose their gameplan. That’ll do. He did make the point that Sheffield United are very mobile, in all fairness. 7.42pm BST More on Sheffield United’s front line: Lys Mousset, who is just 23 but strikes me already as one of those players who hits 30 before you know it and is still a “prospect” makes his first top flight start for the Blades. 7.38pm BST “I don’t care about the money he is making. I just want him in the pitch giving Auba some service,” says Charles Little of Ozil, not unreasonably. 7.32pm BST “When will Emery reveal what his plans are regarding the Øzil enigma? Never has anybody made that much money from so little time on the pitch,” sniffs Henrik Nielsen. 7.31pm BST For the Blades, star striker Ollie McBurnie makes the bench. He’s been struggling with a knee injury. 7.27pm BST “Ozil being absent is just a smoke screen to keep us from asking the real question – where is Torreira?” muses Filip Gieldon. “I’m firmly moving into the Emery-out camp based on this decision by the manag ... sorry ... *head coach*.” 7.09pm BST Sheff Utd: Henderson, Basham, Egan, O’Connell, Baldock, Lundstram, Norwood, Fleck, Stevens, McGoldrick, Mousset. Subs: Luke Freeman, McBurnie, Sharp, Robinson, Jagielka, Moore, Besic.Arsenal: Leno, Chambers, Papastathopoulos, Luiz, Kolasinac, Guendouzi, Xhaka, Pepe, Willock, Saka, Aubameyang. Subs: Tierney, Ceballos, Lacazette, Torreira, Holding, Martinez, Martinelli. 6.27pm BST Monday night football! And a tussle that should be bracingly fun, even if I can’t promise you a goalkeeping cameo from Phil Jagielka this time around. Nobody quite knows what we’re going to get from either of these two sides but, at a snapping and snarling Bramall Lane under the lights, I’ve a feeling it is going to be good.But who for, overall? Arsenal are accidentally doing quite well and will return to third if they win, and still four points clear of Crisis Club Tottenham if they draw. Do they convince you? Of course they don’t, and they don’t convince me either, but they’ve picked up that winning knack largely because they have a matchwinner – Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – who is better than almost anyone else in the league. If Unai Emery could just refine the rest of it, who’s to say they can’t finish the season back in those hallowed Champions League spots? Continue reading......read full article
