Premier League reactions: Roy Keane unconvinced by Man Utd win, Arne Slot frustrated by mistakes
It was yet another Premier League weekend defined by drama and comebacks as results shook up the table even further.
Liverpool collapsed late once again, Manchester United continued their great form under interim boss Michael Carrick, and the relegation and title races both delivered twists.
From Arne Slot’s blunt assessment of his side’s season to Roy Keane’s lack of confidence despite Carrick’s early successes, managers and pundits alike had plenty to say.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Jake Reed rounds up the best reactions from the weekend.
Carrick’s perfect start fails to convince Keane
Carrick’s interim reign at Man United couldn’t have begun more dramatically.
Since replacing Ruben Amorim, he has coached wins over Manchester City and league leaders Arsenal in his first two matches in charge.
Sunday’s 3-2 victory over Arsenal ended a remarkable run of 121 matches in which the Gunners had not conceded more than two goals.
It was another impressive performance from a United side that is playing with more confidence and passion.
Yet, Roy Keane remains unconvinced that Carrick should be trusted with the job long-term.
Keane said: “Even if they finish fourth, I still wouldn’t be convinced he is the man for the job.
“Absolutely not. They need a more competent manager, but he has an opportunity and he’s seizing it.”
Classic Roy – two wins against first and second place in the league and he’s still struggling to offer real praise.
Carrick’s immediate impact is undeniable, but the question remains as to whether this is the beginning of something sustainable or just another short-term fix.
For Arsenal, Sunday brought only frustration. Once again, they missed the chance to extend their lead at the top.
Mikel Arteta admitted: “It’s our reality. We haven’t won in three games in the Premier League. We need to pick up points now.”
And with City and Aston Villa both closing in, the title race is opening up quickly.
Slot admits Reds’ season defined by mistakes
Liverpool’s poor campaign suffered yet another blow with a dramatic 3-2 defeat at Bournemouth.
The Reds were two goals down inside 33 minutes after strikes by Evanilson and Álex Jiménez.
Dominik Szoboszlai equalised in the 80th minute, only for Amine Adil to hit the back of the net in stoppage time after Liverpool’s defence fell apart spectacularly.
Manager Slot wasn’t up for sugarcoating his side’s form so far this term.
The result, he admitted, was Liverpool’s season in a nutshell – not a pretty picture.
He told reporters: “Maybe this game sums up our season, conceding a goal down to 10 men and conceding another goal in extra time.
“This is probably the story of the season for us.”
When a manager starts talking about how a loss to a struggling Bournemouth side tells the story of the season, you know it’s not going well.
It’s quite impressive how Liverpool seem to find new ways to shoot themselves in the foot each week.
After a summer of heavy spending, Liverpool continue to perform well below expectations, with costly errors and missed chances defining the season.
For Slot, the defeat feels like another chapter in a very worrying run of form, one that is ramping up the pressure on his position.
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Relegation race once again refuses to settle
Momentum also shifted again at the bottom of the table as West Ham and Nottingham Forest traded blows across the weekend.
West Ham’s 3-1 win over Sunderland on Saturday lifted them to within two points of Forest after a dominant first-half display.
It was their third victory in a row in all competitions, once again Jarrod Bowen being the main man.
His latest contributions made him the club's all-time leading player for Premier League goal involvements.
Before kick-off, manager Nuno Espírito Santo pointed to belief as a key factor in their recent turn of form.
He said: “The energy and belief from the players is really important.”
But any ground gained was undone on Sunday when Forest grabbed an impressive three points in a 2-0 win away at Brentford, restoring their five-point gap.
Tricky Trees gaffer Sean Dyche was happy with the result, saying: “Seven points out of the last three league games and two clean sheets. I’m pleased.”
Neither side is out of trouble yet, but they are certainly swinging.
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Emery plays down title talk at Villa
Aston Villa stayed level on points with Man City after a strong 2-0 win over Newcastle kept them within four points of leaders Arsenal.
The result strengthened Villa’s position as unexpected contenders in the title race, but Unai Emery refused to be drawn into the growing hype around his side.
“It was fantastic!” he acknowledged after the final whistle before dismissing suggestions his side should be considered serious challengers.
“When we lost the first matches, nobody was asking me, ‘maybe you are going to get relegated’.”
It was a typical Emery response, comedically pragmatic. They might be just four points off, but the Villa boss is keeping his cool.
City, meanwhile, also kept the pressure on Arsenal with a simple 2-0 win over Wolves, ensuring the gap at the top stays small.
With Villa matching City and Arsenal's recent form, the title race is beginning to take shape, even if Villa remain big underdogs in the fight.
The final verdict
If the weekend could be summed up in one word it would be: truths.
Slot’s hunt for answers goes on, Keane’s not buying the United fairytale just yet, Emery’s refusing to get carried away, West Ham and Forest are finding fire in their bellies, the title scrap is getting tasty, and the drop zone is still anyone’s nightmare.
Every point is gold from here.
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