Pressure at the top and noise everywhere else in the Premier League

Arsenal feel the weight of expectation

According to Daily Mail Football Editor Ian Ladyman, Arsenal hold a seven point lead and sit three points ahead of where Liverpool were at the same stage last season. That statistical comparison matters because it reframes a season some have labelled underwhelming into one that is quietly decisive.

Ladyman argues that Mikel Arteta’s position is strengthened by returning defenders and a bench that recently included Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze, Leandro Trossard, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Mikel Merino and Myles Lewis Skelly away at Nottingham Forest. The suggestion is that Arsenal now possess both control and depth, two qualities that often decide title races.

According to the column, failing to convert this position into a first league title in two decades would raise uncomfortable questions about how far Arteta’s project can realistically go.

Old Trafford bristles at familiar voices

According to Ladyman, criticism from former Manchester United players continues to land heavily inside the current squad. He reports that one club source described the reaction bluntly, saying “It p****s them off”.

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Former players themselves appear unmoved. Ladyman writes that one ex United figure told him, “I wouldn't expect these players to be happy about being criticised. But what do they want us to do? Say they play well when they don't?”

The article contrasts Lisandro Martinez’s strong performance against Manchester City with his decision to publicly needle Paul Scholes. Ladyman describes that gesture as unnecessary, especially when set against Harry Maguire’s approach of absorbing criticism quietly and continuing to perform.

Van Dijk carries more than the armband

According to the Daily Mail piece, Virgil van Dijk has played every minute of Liverpool’s Premier League and European matches this season. At 34, the physical and mental load is significant, particularly with Arne Slot lacking defensive rotation after Liverpool failed to complete a late move for Marc Guehi.

Ladyman notes that Wayne Rooney has since walked back earlier comments suggesting Van Dijk had coasted after signing a new contract. Even so, the question remains whether Liverpool’s captain can sustain this responsibility if results continue to fluctuate.

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Media scrutiny and touchline habits

The column also turns to broadcasting and behaviour. According to Ladyman, Rooney’s analysis on Match of the Day remains thin on detail despite some improvement in delivery, a contrast to the comfort he shows on radio and podcast formats.

At Chelsea, new head coach Liam Rosenior began with a win but inherited a recurring issue. Ladyman highlights an incident involving Marc Cucurella, arguing that the defender’s tendency to exaggerate contact reflects a wider problem that has lingered from the previous regime.

Fault lines across the league

Elsewhere, Ladyman questions Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario’s reliability under aerial pressure, citing another decisive error. He also criticises FA Cup television scheduling that pushed Hull City and non league Macclesfield into unfavourable slots, a move he frames as prioritising audience numbers over sporting fairness.

According to the article, Sunderland deserve credit for steady results despite losing six players to the Africa Cup of Nations, while Crystal Palace’s internal strain resurfaced after Oliver Glasner accused the club of “abandoning” him amid uncertainty over Marc Guehi’s future.

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Patterns that refuse to disappear

Ladyman closes by pointing to Jack Grealish as the most fouled player in the Premier League, a detail that underlines how certain tactical roles invite repeated punishment. The top five named are Grealish with 58 fouls, Elliot Anderson with 53, Bruno Guimaraes with 46, Neco Williams with 42 and Patrick Dorgu with 41.

According to the column, these recurring themes, pressure on leaders, friction between players and pundits, and structural strain beneath the surface, are becoming just as influential as the football itself.

Sources: Daily Mail, Daily Mail Sport

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