rewrite this title Man City second-half sloppiness is punished at Spurs – Premier League hits and misses

Man City finally punished for sloppy second halves

It was easy street for Man City in the first half. They didn’t need to get out of first gear at Spurs. The problem was they stayed there for the rest of the game.

There’s been a common theme regarding Pep Guardiola’s teams and that is slow second halves after being 2-0 up.

Against Wolves, Joao Gomes and Jorgen Strand Larsen should have pulled a goal back for the league’s bottom side but missed chances. Victor Osimhen should have scored once or twice for Galatasaray in midweek. This dip at Spurs was one too many – and it felt similar to the two second-half goals conceded in the Manchester derby

Guardiola said his City team suffered emotionally after the injustice of Dominic Solanke’s first goal standing due to the Marc Guehi collision. Duels were missed, particularly out wide with the full-backs, he said – and it was seen in the equaliser as Nico O’Reilly and Nico Gonzalez got mixed up.

And then the excuses from Guardiola start to come. Blaming the Guehi-Solanke incident follows similar complaints about not getting a penalty against Wolves and Diogo Dalot staying on the pitch in the Manchester derby. The reality is City have been struggling in the most important parts of matches.

Is it a physical issue, with injuries catching up on them? Is it too many new players over the last 12 months? It all acts as a reminder that this is not a Manchester City of years gone by. How many times in the past would a Guardiola team kill a game off early and sit on a lead, maybe push for more?

They need a fix to this second-half issue quickly, as it’s Liverpool up next in the Premier League. The gap to Arsenal cannot afford to get bigger.Sam Blitz

Casemiro going out in style at Man Utd

Casemiro is just one goal from matching his return from his best goalscoring season in a league campaign.

He’s very much on his farewell tour, after announcing he will depart at the end of the season and he’s rolled back the years under Michael Carrick.

His opening goal set the tone and his no-look assist to set up Matheus Cunha was reflective of the confidence he’s playing with. Carrick noted the “presence” he has been since he took over as interim coach and how his experience has been significant.

A five-time Champions League winner, his reputation has taken a hit since arriving on these shores; however, the Brazil international has maintained the favour of his coaches.

As he approaches his 34th birthday, any suggestion that he should have been a part of Man Utd’s plans beyond this season are misguided. But on the flip side, alongside Kobbie Mainoo, he remains an important cog in Carrick’s machine.

Casemiro is often profiled as the anchor in midfield and that owes to his time at Real Madrid, where he was the proverbial water carrier for Toni Kroos and Luka Modric.

However, for Manchester United, he’s proving to be much more of a complete package, showing a willingness to break lines with forward passes, hence his seven into the final third against Fulham.

Beyond the goal contributions, suddenly, Casemiro appears to be a player United can once again rely on. It’s a call back to the player signed from Real in a deal worth £70m in 2022.

There’s been a lot of talk about United’s reported midfield overhaul this summer but the hole Casemiro is going to leave and the boots that will need to be filled grow every passing day.William Bitibiri

Simons beginning to show his quality in Premier League

In his pre-match press conference ahead of the game against Manchester City, Thomas Frank said Xavi Simons needed to translate his Champions League performances domestically. He certainly did that.

The Dutchman was the biggest beneficiary of the 3-4-3 system that was forced to turn to due to the injuries that have plagued the squad. With the wide wing-backs pushing up, it gave Simons ample space inside to operate in areas he is dangerous in.

More often than not, he was the go-to for Spurs as they transitioned from defence into attack. His neat footwork was at times a joy and his weight of pass was more often than not, exemplary.

Having said that, the most impressive thing was his tenacity. He never gave up a fight for possession. He showed the grit needed in tough and physical Premier League games, and lived to tell the tale.

This was somewhat of a coming our performance for Simons, whose quality was never questioned, but was a case of if it was suited to English football.

In perhaps one of the most difficult games Spurs will have this season with regards to the pressure they are under and the opposition they found themselves against, an unsung hero stepped up and epitomised what Spurs’ comeback was all about.Callum Bishop

Anderson is the complete midfielder

Morgan Gibbs-White was named man of the match as 10-man Nottingham Forest held Crystal Palace to a draw but Elliot Anderson was an equally deserving candidate.

The 23-year-old showed all sides of his game in a complete performance which underlined, again, his status as one of the Premier League’s top central midfielders.

His best work came in possession in the first half as he demonstrated his technical ability and passing range, sending Forest forward on the attack repeatedly.

He continued to show his on-ball value even after Neco Williams’ sending-off. No Forest player had more touches or made more passes over the course of the 90 minutes. Anderson even completed all five of his attempted dribbles.

But he was just as influential defensively after the break. Anderson snapped into challenges and played a crucial role in frustrating Palace, working tirelessly, cajoling and instructing team-mates.

In total, he won possession 10 times, the highest total by any player on either side. He was also successful in 12 of his 14 duels. An outstanding all-round performance from a player getting better all the time.Nick Wright

Palace’s woes in front of goal laid bare

The draw against Nottingham Forest extended Crystal Palace’s winless run to nine in the Premier League and 12 in all competitions. Shelbourne were the last team they beat, all the way back on December 11.

But while that is miserable, arguably more concerning is their struggles in front of goal.

Across those last 12, they have scored nine, with three scored from the penalty spot. That equates to a goal from open play every other game.

Even with the absence of Jean-Philippe Mateta – who was left out of the squad owing to the speculation around his future – Palace should probably have put more than an Ismaila Sarr penalty past Matz Sels – and half-time replacement Angus Gunn. Their hosts were reduced to 10 after a mindless handball from Neco Williams.

But despite having 74 per cent of the possession after the break, they just couldn’t. In fact, in the second half, they recorded only 0.22 xG and did not even muster a single shot on target.

Speaking to Sky Sports afterwards, Eagles manager Oliver Glasner said “we could see how thin our nerves are” in the second half. It was a fair assessment. This team are desperate for a win.

Right now, Mateta’s future remains up in the air ahead of Deadline Day, but Palace have had a bid for Jorgen Strand Larsen totalling £48m accepted by Wolves. Providing that deal goes through without a hitch, they will need him to be firing from the off.Dan Long

Brentford loss highlights Villa’s lack of depth

Aston Villa welcomed Douglas Luiz and Tammy Abraham back to the club this week and the duo went straight into the starting line-up against Brentford.

This wasn’t a nod to their talents, although both looked bright in flashes. It was evidence of the strain Unai Emery’s squad is currently under.

Captain John McGinn and top goalscorer Ollie Watkins both watched on from the stands due to injury, with Boubacar Kamara and Youri Tielemans joining them on the sidelines.

Club-record singing Amadou Onana also wasn’t fit enough to feature, despite being named on the bench.

The injury crisis continues to sweep the club and faltering against the 10 men of Brentford highlighted that lack of depth.

Arsenal know more than anyone how injuries can impact a team pushing at the top of the table.

A seven-point gap to Liverpool in sixth remains after this defeat but moving forward, Villa might need to pay closer attention to those behind them rather than Arsenal at the top.Patrick Rowe