Plus, Arsenal's much-anticipated return of Gabriel Magalhaes propels them over Norwich, and why Newcastle's 4-1 defeat at Manchester United was harsh on the Magpies.
There was a lot of excitement for Liverpool's return to Elland Road on Sunday, and it was a lightning-fast start to a high-octane fight worthy of regular renewals in the Premier League, but Leeds fell to a crushing defeat against one of the division's best clubs once again.
After Rodrigo's shot straight at Alisson in the first five minutes, they produced very little, and there is a nagging sensation they don't do themselves credit when it comes to the big event.
"They wanted to push forward far too soon," former Leeds attacker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink told Sky Sports.
They were looking for the deadly pass far too soon, and they gave up control far too quickly. When playing against the very large teams, Leeds must find a different approach.
They met Manchester United previously this season and allowed at least five goals for the second time in a row, and tonight it was 3-0 with 30 shots against them. That is a far too large number.
Nothing can be taken away from Marcelo Bielsa. They continued going even after Pascal Struijk was handed a straight red card for the consequence of the challenge on Harvey Elliott rather than the challenge itself.
Against strong and top teams like the four-times Champions League winner Liverpool, their season will not be defined – and Stuart Dallas dismissed early worries based on four results – but they must start collecting points on the board quickly if suspicions of the dreaded second-season malaise are not to escalate.
When analyzing Liverpool's Premier League title defense last season, there was a prevalent misunderstanding. Many observers blamed their collapse on the backline and the absence of Virgil van Dijk. But they should have been pointing towards Liverpool's front line.
When Liverpool is on a roll, their strikers play like men possessed in front of goal. That was not the case the previous season when they fell far behind in the title chase. For two seasons, from 2018 and 2020, Liverpool had the greatest average conversion rate in the Premier League, hovering around 15%. Last season, that decreased to 11.18 percent as Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, and Roberto Firmino became less clinical, resulting in a dismal season.
But everything is OK this season, right? Liverpool and Manchester City are equal on points at the top of the Premier League, and they are scoring goals like crazy. That is, according to their conversion rate, which is actually lower than last season from their first four games. After scoring three goals in 30 attempts, which amounted to an anticipated goals number of 4.1 at Leeds, the conversion rate has now dropped to 9%.
The shooting frenzy at Elland Road brought their season total to 100, at least 16 higher than any other Premier League team. However, finishing needs to improve if they are to maintain pace with their championship competitors, particularly in Mane's case.
This season, he leads the Premier League in anticipated goals, with opportunities coming his way equivalent to a total of 3.47 with an actual return of two goals. Another club at this level is unlikely to let him have ten shots on goal before scoring.
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