Winter Transfer Window: Liverpool Adds Defense; Gunners Clean House; Baggies Load Up

The winter transfer window closed for Premier League clubs on Monday. The window was dominated by loan deals as clubs wrestle with the current financial circumstances created by the COVID pandemic. 

Liverpool, which earlier announced center back Joel Matip would be out for this season, moved quickly to obtain reinforcements for its back line by signing young defenders Ben Davies and Ozan Kabak from Preston North End and Schalke, respectively, on the window’s final day. Kabak will be on loan with a purchase option should the former Bundesliga defender impress. Exiting Liverpool on deadline day was winger Takumi Minamino who leaves on loan to struggling Southampton. The former FC Salzburg player should see significantly increased minutes with the Saints. 

Arsenal made further moves on Monday to transfer out more squad members as part of a sizable housecleaning by manager Mikel Arteta. Mesut Ozil’s Arsenal saga had ended in January with the midfielder’s move to Turkish club Fenerbache. On Monday, Shkodran Mustafi became the latest Arsenal defender to be moved when he went to Schalke as the likely replacement for Liverpool bound Kabak. Mustafi joins Sokratis, Sead Kolasinac and William Saliba as defenders leaving Arsenal this window. Arsenal on Monday also loaned out two players who may yet come back to a future with the club. Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Joe Willock will now assist the Premier League survival battles of West Brom and Newcastle, respectively, on loan deals before returning as Arsenal property at the end of the season. 

From an incoming perspective, Arsenal’s procurement of the services of Martin Odegaard on loan from Real Madrid was one of the more noteworthy additions made in the Premier League this window. Arsenal also addressed a backup goalkeeper need in acquiring Matt Ryan on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion. Arsenal’s Maitland-Niles was one of five transfers brought in by West Brom Manager Sam Allardyce in an attempt to avoid his first ever relegation. 

Unsurprisingly several strikers were acquired by Premier League clubs looking to address scoring deficiencies.  Among West Brom’s many transfers was Mbaye Diagne, acquired on loan from Galatasaray in Turkey.  Wolves acquired Willian Jose on loan from Real Sociedad to help replace injured striker Raul Jimenez. Everton, suffering from a goal shortage during a current slump by Dominic Calvert-Lewin brought in Bournemouth’s Josh King. Whether backing up or playing alongside Calvert-Lewin, King will be significant upgrade on Cenk Tosun, dispatched on loan to Turkish club Besiktas. Crystal Palace acquired Jean-Philippe Mateta on loan with an option to buy from Mainz where the young striker had 7 goals in 15 appearances this season for the Bundesliga club.  West Ham parted ways with disappointing striker Sebastian Haller, who was sold to Ajax.  The Hammers will hope for a better goal return from attacking midfielder/wing Jesse Lingard who they acquired on loan from Manchester United. Fulham, which was in the running for Josh King, came away Monday with Josh Maja on loan from Bordeaux.  Maja was featured during his time as a player for Sunderland in the Netflix documentary “Sunderland Till I Die.”

Matchweek 22 Preview: London Derby; Basement Battle; Devils and Saints; Liverpool Looks to Start New Streak

The mid-week slate in the Premier League includes a London Derby between Chelsea and Spurs on Thursday. Chelsea would seem primed for a good run with a talented young roster under the direction of new manager Thomas Tuchel. Spurs are floundering at the moment under Jose Mourinho, having lost two on the trot and missing the inured Harry Kane.

Derby day at Spurs this Thursday! ⚪️🔵#TOTCHE pic.twitter.com/rEpGPLOk3w

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) February 2, 2021

  

Manchester United will try to stay on the heels of league leading Manchester City by capturing all three points when they host Saints. The Red Devils, though, have been vulnerable at home this season. Their four home losses to date represent the third highest season total in their Premier League history.  The Saints will be hoping hope to end a 3-match losing run when they visit Old Trafford.  

Manchester City looks to extend an 8-match winning run in league competition when they travel to Turf Moor to face a Burnley side currently starving for goals. A sixth consecutive clean sheet by the Citizens would establish a new club league record.  

Liverpool will play its first match at Anfield since the end of its 68-match home unbeaten run.  Following two away victories, the Reds will be attempting to win three consecutive league matches for the first time since the opening three matches of the season when they host Brighton. The Seagulls will be feeling increased confidence following their win over Spurs and three consecutive clean sheets.  A fourth consecutive clean sheet would be the first such streak for the Seagulls in topflight competition.  

Leicester tries to remain in the title hunt when it travels to London to face Fulham. The Foxes incurred their first loss of the new year when they fell to Leeds this past weekend, ending a nine-match unbeaten run for Leicester across all competitions.  The Cottagers have not won since November but have been playing an improved brand of football, earning a point in seven of their last ten matches.  

West Ham will try to rebound from their loss at Liverpool and continue with their successful season when the Hammers travel to Aston Villa. West Ham has already won as many matches as they did in the entirety of the 2019/20 season. Villa is looking to match a club record of four consecutive league home match clean sheets.  

Arsenal looks to continue a run of good form when it travels to struggling Wolves. The Gunners have won five times during their current seven match league unbeaten run and could have Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, missing due to personal reasons the last two matches, back for Tuesday’s match. Wolves are looking to end an eight-match winless run.  The club is hoping new striker Willian Jose can alleviate the scoring struggles Wolves have had since the loss of injured striker Raul Jimenez.  

Everton go to Leeds where the Toffees could have trouble matching goals with the frenetic Whites attack.  Everton’s performance has been patchy of late, winning just two of their past five matches.  Only Chelsea, outside of the league’s current top four clubs, has scored more goals than Leeds this season.  

Crystal Palace goes to Newcastle with both teams coming off confidence building wins in their last outings. A lot of focus will be on whether Newcastle continues in the more aggressive style flashed in their win over Everton. It is unlikely conservative Palace manager Roy Hodgson will start his newly acquired striker, Jean-Philippe Mateta.  

West Brom visits Sheffield United in a battle between the league’s bottom two teams.  West Brom has allowed the most goals in the league.  Sheffield has scored the fewest. Sheffield would seem resigned to its relegation fate after bringing in no new transfers.  West Brom would seem to still retain hope of preserving manager Sam Allardyce’s run of never having been relegated. The Baggies added five new players in the just concluded window.

Matchweek 21 Results: Newcastle Rises from the Dead; City Rolls On; Liverpool Finding Form; Mixed Result at Emirates; Seagulls Take Wing

The unpredictability which lends to the Premier League’s attraction for fans was demonstrated once again as Newcastle rose up to defeat Everton for a second time this season. The 2-0 victory was the first win in ten matches for the Magpies who had lost their four previous matches. Callum Wilson’s brace for Newcastle included his 50th career Premier League goal. Wilson’s performance was certainly helped by manager Steve Bruce’s change to a 4-4-2 diamond formation as his side showed more ambition.  

Everton showed little in the disappointing home performance and appears lacking in scoring options without production from leading scorer Dominic Calvert-Lewin. The Toffee striker has not scored since December 5th when he was leading the league with 11 goals.  

Sheffield United was unable to pull a second consecutive upset of a league leading Manchester club. Manchester City rode a Gabriel Jesus goal to a 1-0 victory over the Blades as the Citizens posted a fifth consecutive clean sheet. Sheffield United goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale helped control the damage after the early Jesus goal, but his Blades teammates were able to manage only one shot on target against Pep Guardiola’s home side. Manchester City has now won twelve consecutive matches across all competitions. 

Manchester United extended its away unbeaten run to eighteen matches with a goalless draw at Arsenal. Despite the accomplishment, the Red Devils have dropped five of six points in their last two matches as they have ceded top position in the table to Manchester City. Arsenal have not lost in their last seven league matches and a sixth straight match against United without a loss marks the longest such stretch in almost 38 years for the Gunners in their long rivalry with the Manchester club.  

Liverpool moved to third in the table with a 3-1 victory over West Ham, a second consecutive game with three goals for the Reds. Mohamed Salah had a brace for Liverpool, increasing his league leading goal total to 15. Versatile Liverpool midfielder and captain Jordan Henderson admirably filled in at center back to cover for a spate of injuries on the back line. West Ham lost for the first time in four matches.

Back to back away wins. Need to keep it going 💪🏻 pic.twitter.com/RFwou6caeb

— Jordan Henderson (@JHenderson) January 31, 2021

Liverpool leapfrogged Leicester into third position with the win.  The Foxes fell 3-1 at home to Leeds, marking the first loss in eight matches for Leicester. Following an opening goal by forward Harvey Barnes, Leicester proceeded to drop points from a winning position for the first time this season. Newly promoted Leeds now have 9 victories in their 20 league matches this season. Leeds Striker Patrick Bamford had his 11th goal of the season in the win over Leicester. 

Spurs sorely missed injured striker Harry Kane as they were able to generate little in the way of attack in a 1-0 defeat at Brighton. It was an important win for Brighton who pulled themselves seven points clear of relegation with the win.  

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel celebrated his first Premier League win in the Blues 2-0 win over Burnley at Stamford Bridge, courtesy of goals defenders Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso.  The clean sheet was Chelsea third in its past four matches. Burnley, playing without Striker Chris Wood, failed to record a single shot on target.  

Aston Villa won for a second time in three matches by defeating the Saints 1-0 at St. Mary’s. Ross Barkley’s header, nicely assisted by Villa Captain Jack Grealish, decided the contest for Manager Dean Smith’s men. The Saints were gutted by a VAR disallowance of what would have been a tying goal by Danny Ings. Southampton has failed to score in 5 of the club’s last 8 matches, scoring just one goal in each of the other three matches during that stretch.  

Crystal Palace was much improved on recent form in a 1-0 home victory over Wolves.  The defensive solidity which had been lacking in recent matches was restored for the Eagles and Roy Hodgson’s men seemed more comfortable in attack. Young Eagles midfielder Eberechi Eze scored his third goal of the season for the win. Wolves failed to win for an eighth consecutive match, the longest such streak in Nuno Espirito Santo’s tenure as Wolves manager.  

Fulham and West Brom decided nothing in their relegation battle as the two sides finished in a 2-2 draw.  It was the 7th draw in the last 9 matches for the Cottagers who seem lacking the necessary next gear to escape the bottom three.  The shared result leaves West Brom trailing Fulham by two points in the table.