Arteta takes on Carrick in the Premier League as English clubs dominate in Europe

Summary of Arteta takes on Carrick in the Premier League as English clubs dominate in Europe

by The Athletic

1h 3m•January 22, 2026
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Overview of Arteta takes on Carrick in the Premier League as English clubs dominate in Europe

This episode of The Athletic’s Totally Football Show reviews a strong midweek for English clubs in Europe, digs into the standout performances (Liverpool, Newcastle, Chelsea), surveys other major Champions League results, and previews Premier League Matchday 23 — headlined by Arsenal vs Manchester United. Hosts James Richardson, Natalie Gedrov (Sky Sports) and guests unpack tactics, injuries and form, and flag the big fixtures to watch next week.

Champions League roundup — main results and implications

  • Strong night for Premier League sides: Liverpool (3-0 at Marseille), Newcastle (3-0 v PSV), Chelsea (1-0 v Paphos). All three kept clean sheets.
  • Other notable results: Barcelona 4-2 Slavia Prague (recovery from a scare), Juventus 2-0 Benfica (Juve’s first win over Benfica in decades), Bayern 2-0 Union Saint‑Gilloise, Athletic Club 3-2 Atalanta, Qarabağ 3-2 Eintracht Frankfurt, Galatasaray 1-1 Atlético Madrid.
  • Group standings/impact:
    • Bayern and Arsenal have confirmed top‑spot qualification.
    • The group phase remains tightly packed elsewhere: only a few points separate the pack from automatic qualification to the playoff/eight‑place spots.
    • Next midweek’s simultaneous fixtures (all kickoffs together) set up decisive final group matches (PSG v Newcastle among the headline ties).

Key match highlights and analysis

Liverpool 3‑0 Marseille

  • Liverpool deployed a compact four‑midfield shape with split forwards and high fullbacks to provide width; the setup helped them control the game away at the Velodrome.
  • Dominic Szoboszlai’s free‑kick (played under the jumping wall) was a standout moment — a deliberate finish that recalled famous European free‑kick ingenuity.
  • Mohamed Salah returned to the starting XI: solid linking play but missed a clear chance; overall “good, not great.”
  • Result puts Liverpool in a strong position in their group; qualification scenarios will be decided next week.

Newcastle 3‑0 PSV

  • Comfortable night; early pressing errors from PSV led to the first two goals (pressing provoked defensive mistakes).
  • Anthony Gordon continued his good Champions League form; Harvey Barnes added a third in the second half.
  • Bruno Guimarães suffered an ankle problem (hobbling off) — a concern ahead of a big tie next week.
  • Newcastle have guaranteed progress to the knockout rounds for the first time in the club’s history and now face PSG in a major group decider.

Chelsea 1‑0 Paphos

  • Paphos sat in a disciplined low block; Chelsea dominated territory (Chelsea recorded an extraordinary 92% “field tilt” in the attacking third) but found chances limited.
  • The winner came from a corner (Caicedo header). Defensive rotation and a half‑time goalkeeper change were notable; Chelsea remain in the mix but have question marks heading into Napoli away.

Wider themes from midweek

  • English clubs generally performed much better in Europe than domestically — hosts referenced aggregate win‑percentage increases (many Premier League teams showing substantially better numbers in Europe).
  • Continental teams tend to play more openly at home and can be forced into more open contests against Premier League sides, producing higher‑quality matchups.
  • Notable individual moments: Kane’s goals for Bayern added to his impressive scoring total; Barcelona recovered well but still show set‑piece vulnerabilities.

Premier League Matchday 23 — fixtures & framing

  • Key fixtures:
    • Saturday: West Ham vs Sunderland (lunchtime); Fulham vs Brighton; Man City vs Wolves; Burnley vs Spurs; Bournemouth vs Liverpool (17:30).
    • Sunday: Crystal Palace vs Chelsea (14:00); Newcastle vs Aston Villa (14:00); Brentford vs Nottingham Forest (14:00); Arsenal vs Manchester United (16:30).
    • Monday: Everton vs Leeds.
  • Headline preview — Arsenal v Manchester United:
    • Tactical debate: Arteta must pick his front line (several forward options discussed) while Carrick’s United could adopt a pragmatic low‑block and counter approach. United have been buoyed by recent results under Carrick but Arsenal remain favourites.
    • The game has title‑race implications (Arsenal seven points clear of City at time of recording), and both teams could approach the match very differently tactically.

Managerial and tactical takeaways

  • Low blocks and defensive pragmatism remain a recurring theme (both in Europe and domestic matches). Several Premier League teams are using defensive structures to stifle stronger opponents.
  • Managerial change effects: studies and club examples noted that new managers can correlate with a short‑term rise in muscular injuries (training load, pitch changes, role shifts), an important factor as clubs rotate midseason.
  • Squad rotation and fixture congestion are impacting fitness and selection — managers weighing conditioning vs. cognitive load (video sessions) as risk tradeoffs.

Injuries & team news to watch

  • Newcastle: Bruno Guimarães — ankle issue after the PSV game.
  • Chelsea: goalkeeper Jørgensen replaced at half‑time — injury check.
  • Everton: Jack Grealish (suspected stress fracture) — out for an extended spell.
  • Aston Villa: John McGinn and Boubacar Kamara were noted absentees, affecting midfield balance.
  • Spurs: Lucas Bergvall out — deeper midfield concerns.

Notable stats & quotes

  • Chelsea recorded 92% field tilt (share of attacking‑third possession) vs Paphos — the highest single game in the Champions League that season and Chelsea’s highest since at least 2018‑19.
  • Hosts discussed that many Premier League teams’ win percentages and goalscoring rates are significantly better in the Champions League than in domestic matches — an indicator of differences in tactical approaches and match tempo.

What to watch next week (action list)

  • PSG v Newcastle — pivotal tie for group positions (Parc des Princes atmosphere, revenge/controversy narratives).
  • Napoli v Chelsea — tough away test for Chelsea at the Maradona.
  • Liverpool’s final group match (home) — qualification scenarios.
  • Arsenal v Manchester United — potential title‑decider momentum swing; tactical battle between Arteta’s front three options and Carrick’s pragmatism.
  • Injury updates for Bruno, Grealish, Kamara and Chelsea’s keeper before weekend team sheets.

Bottom line

This edition highlights an encouraging European week for English clubs but also underlines the fine margins — tactical choices, pressing, set pieces and injuries will shape both remaining Champions League positions and the Premier League title race. The upcoming midweek of simultaneous decisive fixtures and Arsenal vs United on Sunday are the must‑watch moments coming out of this show.