EPL

Arsenal can only get better amid Premier League title push, believes Morgan

By Sports Desk March 30, 2023

Arsenal can improve on their superlative Premier League form, believes Wes Morgan, who also lauded Erling Haaland's Premier League start.

The Gunners lead the title race this season, holding an eight-point lead over defending champions Manchester City.

Mikel Arteta's side have been the team to beat in the English top-flight this term, and could end a near-two-decade wait for the crown if they hold their nerve.

But Morgan, who famously captained Leicester City to the Premier League title in 2016, feels that they may still have a way to go before they hit their ceiling.

"Arsenal, they've been building over the last couple of seasons," he told Stats Perform. "That young squad firing at the top of the league, [it should not be a surprise].

"They will only get better and better from this experience this season. I don't see why they can't continue the good work they've been doing and get even better."

"There's still plenty of points up for grabs. It's down to them to see if they falter. Anything can happen in football, but it's down to Arsenal to lose it."

City have been kept on Arsenal's heels by Leeds-born Norway international Haaland, whose tally of 28 goals this term is edging him closer to the Premier League single-season record of 34.

Morgan feels he has the potential to write more history, adding: "He's incredible. I love watching him, [with] his power, his pace. I'm not sure how I would cope against him.

"He's taken the Premier League by storm. I hope he breaks all the records. He's given himself a high bar for next season, but he's a fantastic player. I'm glad he's in the Premier League for us to watch."

Both teams return to action on Saturday, with Arsenal due to meet relegation battlers Leeds United and City set to face former title rivals Liverpool.

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  • Michail Antonio felt officials were against West Ham after European exit Michail Antonio felt officials were against West Ham after European exit

    Michail Antonio felt West Ham were up against 14 players as they bowed out of the Europa League to Bayer Leverkusen.

    Antonio’s early header gave the Hammers hope of overturning a 2-0 first-leg deficit and inflicting a first defeat of the season on Xabi Alonso’s new Bundesliga champions.

    But the bustling striker claimed he did not get a decision all night from card-happy Spanish referee Jose Maria Sanchez and his two assistants.

    “It doesn’t feel like you’re playing against 11 men, it feels like you’re playing against 13 or 14 including the two linos,” Antonio told TNT Sports.

    “You just have to keep pushing and try and make the decisions go your way. And they just weren’t. We had to keep playing our way and keep being professional.”

    West Ham pushed gamely for a second goal to take the tie to extra-time, but as they inevitably flagged Leverkusen substitute Jeremie Frimpong scored with a deflected shot in the last minute to make it 1-1 on the night and 3-1 on aggregate.

    It was a valiant effort but ultimately a sad end to another European adventure for last season’s Conference League winners.

    “We’re very proud of ourselves, to achieve what we’ve achieved over the last few years is incredible,” added Antonio.

    “Three back-to-back years in European quarter-finals I would never have thought that. We were a yo-yo team, fighting relegation, then into Europe.”

    Sanchez booked 11 players and sent off West Ham coach Billy McKinlay, and Sebastian Parrilla from Leverkusen’s staff after a touchline altercation.

    Asked if that skirmish had anything to do with some bad-tempered exchanges between the benches in last week’s first leg, Alonso said with a grin: “I wouldn’t say no.”

    Hammers boss David Moyes was not keen to be drawn on the officiating, but he did say: “I watch a lot of Spanish football but if that’s the way it is you wouldn’t want to watch too many Spanish matches.”

    On his side’s performance, he added: “It was a brilliant team performance, I have to say over the two games.

    “We played a really good team and we had chances to be two or three up. I couldn’t fault the players at all. If I was going out of Europe I wanted to go out like that.”

    In the first half Leverkusen looked as though they may have celebrated their first Bundesliga crown on Sunday a little too much, and Alonso admitted they needed to improve after the break.

    “For sure it was a thrilling game,” he said. “Two different halves. First half we knew West Ham would come with high intensity and we were not comfortable with that.

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  • Jurgen Klopp accepts lack of threat cost Liverpool dear in European exit Jurgen Klopp accepts lack of threat cost Liverpool dear in European exit

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    Mohamed Salah’s seventh-minute penalty had raised hopes of a Barcelona 2019-style comeback but the Egypt international missed a relatively straightforward lob to make it 2-0 towards the end of the first half and they faded badly after the break as they exited the competition 3-1 on aggregate.

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    “We didn’t lose the tie tonight, we lost it at home,” Klopp said after a 3-0 first-leg defeat proved decisive.

    “It’s very easy to congratulate Atalanta because they deserved to go through. When you win a tie against us 3-1 in especially this way you deserve it absolutely.

    “But I loved our game, especially the start. I loved the commitment, desire and power we developed in this game but it was clear we had better score from time to time otherwise it could be tricky over 90 minutes.

    “The second goal could have helped a little bit. We have to create a little bit more than we did in the first half as it’s clear you need a result to help destabilise the opponent.

    “If you have a second goal it’s a tricky one as the next goal is extra time but we didn’t get to that point and we will never really know how that would have looked.

    “Disappointed we didn’t go through but not frustrated or angry. If you don’t deserve it, it’s all good.”

    Salah has looked well short of his clinical best since returning from almost two months out with a hamstring problem.

    Even though he has scored six in 11 game since he came back two of those have been penalties and he is squandering more chances he would normally be expected to take.

    “I’m not particularly concerned. That’s what strikers do. That’s how it it is. We have to go through it, he has to go through it,” added Klopp.

    “He is one of most experienced players in the squad. That’s pretty much all.

    “It’s not that Mo didn’t miss chances before in his life, that’s part of the game. The penalty was super convincing, a super penalty then the next chance that was unlucky, but it’s not the first time has has missed chances like that.

    “I won’t make a big story of it. I’m not particularly concerned.”

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