NO MERSEY
While assorted pundits and fans of both teams spent the aftermath of Sunday’s draw between Arsenal and Manchester City squabbling over which side had emerged as moral victors, the actual winners of the game were kicking back a couple of hundred miles away, basking in the warm glow of a Merseyside derby triumph that took them five points clear at the top after just five rounds of fixtures. Much has been made of the fact that Liverpool have yet to drop a point in their title defence “despite not playing well”, although anyone who actually watched the opening half-hour of their win over Everton on Saturday might beg to differ.
Against opponents who didn’t bother turning up for the first 30 minutes (but would later moan about only getting an additional 180 seconds in which to try to rescue a point), Arne Slot’s side were at their imperious best and scored two cracking goals despite their coach having left the two most expensive signings in the club’s history on the bench. As has become customary, albeit with no obvious detrimental effect beyond shredding scouse nerves, upon taking what should have been an unassailable lead, they promptly downed tools and allowed Everton back into the game. Knowing that Liverpool are never more vulnerable than when they are trying to protect a two-goal advantage, Everton overcame their early-game lethargy and pulled a goal back but were ultimately unable to make their second-half superiority count.
Everton’s star performer on and off the pitch was Jack Grealish, who did a passable impersonation of an irate fan on the blower to a rage-baiting radio football phone-in in a series of post-match interviews. Most of his ire was reserved for the match referee Darren England, whose decision to book Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall for taking a free-kick too quickly had left him baffled. “I’ve never seen a player in my whole life get booked for taking a quick free-kick,” he fumed. “I don’t know where that rule’s come from.” Grealish’s irritation was quickly seized upon by internet oddballs on various Social Media Disgraces, who incorrectly decided that England’s decision to book Everton’s midfield stately home was further proof of an as yet unexplained plot hatched by the Premier League’s refereeing fraternity to ensure that Liverpool win the title again.
Quite apart from the fact that Dewsbury-Hall’s booking had no discernible effect on the outcome of the game, what Grealish and most of these tinfoil titfer-wearing cranks don’t seem to have noticed is that young Kiernan had a few minutes previously been warned against taking quick free-kicks without either discreetly asking the referee’s permission or waiting for his whistle. He subsequently had his name taken for blatantly ignoring that warning, an offence that ticks the bookable box of “persistent offences”. So while anyone is well within their rights to question the match official’s jobsworth sensibilities, the widely held and totally misconceived notion that Dewsbury-Hall’s yellow card was unprecedented and came out of nowhere is demonstrably a complete load of cobblers. Still, if believing otherwise helps more paranoid Arsenal or Manchester City fans feel better about the carnival of cowardice at the Emirates, who are we to torpedo their conspiracy theory?
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Absolutely one of the best humans. Always available for a chat, one of the good guys. A champion in the women’s game and a top bloke … he was always smiling. Matt will leave a huge void in the women’s game. He was one of a kind, and his loss will be felt by all. My heart goes out to his family, but I want to take the time to acknowledge what a special man he really was” – Emma Hayes was one among many to pay tribute to Matt Beard, the former Liverpool head coach who won two WSL titles there, who has died aged 47.
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FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS
Surely the big question from this weekend is: could Pep drink a pint of wine?” – Tim Woods.
Ruben Amorim says that not even the Pope could change his ways. I’m sure even Pope Leo knows that 3-4-3 is an inflexible, exposing system. It won’t be long before white smoke comes out of the Stretford End” – Kev McCready.
If you have any, please send letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s winner of our letter o’ the day is … Tim Woods, who wins some Football Weekly merch. Terms and conditions for our competitions are here.
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