Arsenal's mental fragility is starting to show in their performances, as they struggle to cope with pressure and frustration after a promising opening half against Manchester United ended in despair.
A goal from Lisandro Martinez turned Martin Odegaard's cross into his own net in the first half but Arsenal allowed chaos to take over when Bryan Mbeumo equalised. The visitors had been given a chance, and Bruno Fernandes spurned an excellent opportunity moments earlier too, leaving Arsenal wondering how they got back on terms.
The composure that once characterized them has vanished, with their edginess mirroring the mood among their fans. Patrick Vieira questioned the side's mental strength afterwards, but the most damning assessment came from a former Manchester United captain. "They have to get back to basics and embrace this challenge instead of being frightened of it," said Roy Keane.
This was the first time since December that Arsenal had conceded three goals in a game, but the manner in which they shot themselves in the foot felt familiar. They have developed a habit of making things more difficult than they need to be.
The team's previous title challenges have ended in disaster, and it's starting to seep into their performances. Goalless draws with Liverpool and Nottingham Forest were not disastrous, but alarm bells are ringing now. Arsenal are still four points ahead of Manchester United, but this is a team struggling to shake off the baggage of previous seasons.
Manchester United, on the other hand, are flying high under new manager Michael Carrick. He has breathed new life into the club, unleashing their forwards from Ruben Amorim's stale 3-4-3 formation and restoring the club's 'DNA' - fast wingers and attacking football against the two best sides in the Premier League.
Carrick boldly threw on Benjamin Sesko as the injured Patrick Dorgu's replacement late on at the Emirates with the score at 2-1, when it would have been easy to opt for the industrious Mason Mount. Sesko went down the middle and the attack-minded Matheus Cunha was shifted to the left, with his winning goal coming from when he was able to drift into space before curling in.
The team's next five fixtures are inviting: Fulham, Tottenham, West Ham, Everton and Crystal Palace. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer didn't lose in his first 11 games as interim manager in 2019, winning 10. It was a run that earned him a three-year contract. With 15 matches remaining, another former Man United player can stake their claim for extending their time in charge.
Crystal Palace are struggling with their own problems, including speculation about Jean-Philippe Mateta's future and the departure of Marc Guehi to Manchester City. The team have now failed to win any of their last 11 matches across all competitions, which is both the longest current winless run of any Premier League side and the Eagles' longest winless run since a run of 13 between January and March 2023.
Newcastle's summer recruitment in forward areas was meant to soften the blow of life without Alexander Isak. Instead, it's starting to underline just how hard he is to replace. The team's attack looks flatter and easier to contain when Isak isn't on the pitch.
Meanwhile, Chelsea are excited about the prospect of Estevao. The 18-year-old Brazilian became the youngest Chelsea player to score and assist in the same Premier League match since Neil Shipperley in 1993. His goal in their 3-1 win at Crystal Palace was superb, showing not just pace but skill and strength to hold off a quality defender.
Estevao's potential far outstrips that of his peers in Chelsea blue - not just for the future but the here and now. No player has scored more goals for the club at the same age during the Premier League era. His impact at Selhurst Park feels like just the start.
A goal from Lisandro Martinez turned Martin Odegaard's cross into his own net in the first half but Arsenal allowed chaos to take over when Bryan Mbeumo equalised. The visitors had been given a chance, and Bruno Fernandes spurned an excellent opportunity moments earlier too, leaving Arsenal wondering how they got back on terms.
The composure that once characterized them has vanished, with their edginess mirroring the mood among their fans. Patrick Vieira questioned the side's mental strength afterwards, but the most damning assessment came from a former Manchester United captain. "They have to get back to basics and embrace this challenge instead of being frightened of it," said Roy Keane.
This was the first time since December that Arsenal had conceded three goals in a game, but the manner in which they shot themselves in the foot felt familiar. They have developed a habit of making things more difficult than they need to be.
The team's previous title challenges have ended in disaster, and it's starting to seep into their performances. Goalless draws with Liverpool and Nottingham Forest were not disastrous, but alarm bells are ringing now. Arsenal are still four points ahead of Manchester United, but this is a team struggling to shake off the baggage of previous seasons.
Manchester United, on the other hand, are flying high under new manager Michael Carrick. He has breathed new life into the club, unleashing their forwards from Ruben Amorim's stale 3-4-3 formation and restoring the club's 'DNA' - fast wingers and attacking football against the two best sides in the Premier League.
Carrick boldly threw on Benjamin Sesko as the injured Patrick Dorgu's replacement late on at the Emirates with the score at 2-1, when it would have been easy to opt for the industrious Mason Mount. Sesko went down the middle and the attack-minded Matheus Cunha was shifted to the left, with his winning goal coming from when he was able to drift into space before curling in.
The team's next five fixtures are inviting: Fulham, Tottenham, West Ham, Everton and Crystal Palace. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer didn't lose in his first 11 games as interim manager in 2019, winning 10. It was a run that earned him a three-year contract. With 15 matches remaining, another former Man United player can stake their claim for extending their time in charge.
Crystal Palace are struggling with their own problems, including speculation about Jean-Philippe Mateta's future and the departure of Marc Guehi to Manchester City. The team have now failed to win any of their last 11 matches across all competitions, which is both the longest current winless run of any Premier League side and the Eagles' longest winless run since a run of 13 between January and March 2023.
Newcastle's summer recruitment in forward areas was meant to soften the blow of life without Alexander Isak. Instead, it's starting to underline just how hard he is to replace. The team's attack looks flatter and easier to contain when Isak isn't on the pitch.
Meanwhile, Chelsea are excited about the prospect of Estevao. The 18-year-old Brazilian became the youngest Chelsea player to score and assist in the same Premier League match since Neil Shipperley in 1993. His goal in their 3-1 win at Crystal Palace was superb, showing not just pace but skill and strength to hold off a quality defender.
Estevao's potential far outstrips that of his peers in Chelsea blue - not just for the future but the here and now. No player has scored more goals for the club at the same age during the Premier League era. His impact at Selhurst Park feels like just the start.
meanwhile man utd are on fire under michael carrick they've restored their fast winger attacking style that was missing under ruben amorim 
estevao's potential is insane btw he's the real deal 
it's like they're frozen in time and can't seem to move on from last season's failures i think patrick vieira said it best about them needing to get back to basics but it's not that simple when your team has been through so much already 
I've seen this before with teams that were doing well, feeling like they're above the rest, but then the pressure starts to get to them. They start making silly mistakes and it's like the composure just fades away 
. It's a sign of mental fragility, if you ask me. Teams need to develop a growth mindset, learn from their mistakes, and not get too high or too low 
. Manchester United is doing it right under Michael Carrick, they're adapting and playing to their strengths 
. Meanwhile, Arsenal needs to take a step back, regroup, and remind themselves why they started playing football in the first place 
And then there's Estevao, that young Brazilian is pure magic 
️ Reminds me of when I was playin' footy and just had one of those games where everythin' came together. You can tell he's got somethin' special 
Not sure what the future holds for Arsenal though, seems like they're strugglin' to cope with the pressure 
Maybe they need a breather or somethin'? 
patrick viera needs to sort this out ASAP!
estevao on the other hand is a total gem 
has anyone seen him play before? does he have any prospects of joining the arsenal squad in the future 
? Roy Keane always says it right, gotta get back to basics & stop being scared of challenges 
.
. It's not like they're even good at being frustrating anymore, just that they're bad at winning 
️. The fact that Roy Keane is saying they have to "get back to basics" tells me they've lost sight of what makes them tick 
. And Manchester United is killing it under Michael Carrick, I mean, who would've thought? 
! Chelsea can't seem to find anyone else like him, so let's see if they can make the most of his youth and talent 
The worrying trend for Arsenal is how they're falling apart under pressure 
. The fact that they shot themselves in the foot with unnecessary mistakes makes you wonder if they're making things more difficult than needed 
. Manchester United, on the other hand, are flying high under new manager Michael Carrick 
.
. They need to get back to basics and learn to handle pressure, not be scared of it 
.
. Chelsea, however, are excited about Estevao's potential 
. Let's see how he develops in the future 
! They're having a bad patch, yeah, but they've been here before and bounced back 
. The way Estevao is looking 
is super promising, I'm loving that Chelsea young gun 
patrick vieira said it all so true, they need to stop being frightened of the challenge and actually enjoy the game 
They've lost that composure they once had, and it's making them look all over the place on the pitch. I'm not sure what Patrick Vieira said after that one but it sounds like Roy Keane might be onto something about getting back to basics. 
And Estevao at Chelsea is a total talent, not just because he's young but also the goals and assists he's scoring are top class 
They've been going through some tough times and their winless run is getting a bit desperate. Maybe they need to sort out those off-field issues first before coming back strong?
their mental fragility is so obvious, it's like they can't even handle a little pressure anymore 
and yeah, michael carrick is doing his thing at man utd 
! Patrick Vieira needs to sit down with Mikel Arteta and have a chat about this ASAP 
. They need to get back to basics and focus on playing the game, not worrying about what others think 
Carrick is doing an amazing job, and that Benjamin Sesko kid is a GAME CHANGER 