Premier League Analysis: Tactical Struggles at Arsenal Expose Man City's Attacking Woes as Liverpool Stumble against Brighton

Do shot-shy Man City have cause for concern in attack?

The stat was startling. Man City's total of four shots against Arsenal was the fewest by a Pep Guardiola side in over 13 years.

City struggled to create opportunities throughout the game, with only one shot on target, Josko Gvardiol's attempt in the fifth minute, which Declan Rice successfully cleared off the line. Despite David Raya appearing shaky in the Arsenal goal, City posed minimal threat to him. Their performance was unusually lackluster, lacking cohesion and fluidity when attacking in the final third.

With Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, and Julian Alvarez on the field, City supporters expected more. However, the absence of Kevin De Bruyne, who plays a vital role in a fixture like this, was clearly significant. Additionally, with Jack Grealish still not fully recovered from his injury and on the bench, City struggled to generate momentum.

Moreover, the suspension of Rodri, who provides control in midfield and a foundation to build upon, along with occasional crucial goals, suggests that City's attacking prowess may improve rapidly in the upcoming weeks. Therefore, it is far from a crisis point for the team.

Newcastle's squad shows its limitations again

Following their momentous 4-1 victory against PSG on Wednesday, it was unsurprising that Newcastle faced difficulties finding their rhythm in their next game. However, throughout Sunday's 2-2 draw with West Ham, the Magpies appeared notably fatigued, lacking the necessary energy and pace they once possessed during the first half at London Stadium.

"We were not in our usual form," Eddie Howe confessed. He found some hope when Alexander Isak, who was outstanding throughout the game, took control and scored two quick goals to give the team the lead. Playing becomes simpler when you are winning.

However, this highlights the shortcomings of Howe's team, which has improved in size compared to last season but still falls short of the level of Chelsea in the 22/23 season. Without Anthony Gordon or Harvey Barnes available, Elliot Anderson faced difficulties on the left side of the front three.

Only one alteration was made from the PSG victory, which was Gordon's absence due to circumstances beyond his control. This clearly highlights the limited options for rotation that Howe has without compromising the excellence of his initial lineup. Considering that they were facing a West Ham squad experiencing their most impressive start to a Premier League season, it is understandable why he desired to retain his top players on the field.

Hwang taking centre stage for Wolves

Hee-Chan Hwang, who scored the winning goal against Manchester City last weekend, continued his impressive form for Wolves at Molineux. Aston Villa, the West Midlands rivals, became the latest team to suffer against Hwang, whom Pep Guardiola famously referred to as "the Korean guy" before City's unexpected loss.

If Hwang wasn't already well-known, he certainly is now. The 27-year-old is in incredible form for Wolves, scoring six goals in all competitions this season. In contrast, in his first two years with the team after joining from RB Leipzig in 2021, he only managed to score nine times.

Hwang, the South Korea international, has become the first Wolves player to be directly involved in a goal in five consecutive Premier League home games. He has become the standout player for Gary O'Neil's team and will undoubtedly have a major impact on Wolves' final position in May.

Title challenge only possible if Liverpool cut out errors

Liverpool have revelled in doing things the hard way this season, conceding the opening goal in seven of their 11 games in all competitions.

Klopp's team deserves credit for winning five out of the seven matches, but their ability to bounce back has its limitations. Despite being reduced to nine players and falling victim to a notorious VAR error, Liverpool displayed remarkable resilience by almost securing a draw at Tottenham last week. However, they ultimately left north London empty-handed.

Liverpool seemed poised for yet another comeback at Brighton, courtesy of Mohamed Salah. However, their inability to maintain their lead was evident once again as they conceded a subpar free-kick and further worsened the situation by inadequately defending it.

While Liverpool appears to be in a significantly stronger position for a title challenge compared to last season, Jurgen Klopp is well aware that surpassing Manchester City can only be achieved if his team successfully eliminates their self-inflicted mistakes.