Because of this global tournament, the English Premier League and other leagues worldwide went on a break. We were focused on the next couple of weeks to see who would win the first World Cup played in an Arab nation. The competition started with Qatar facing Ecuador, and Enner Valencia opened the scoring with a brace.
The group phase gave us an incredible experience like never before. Only a handful of World Cup tournaments can come close to what we experienced at the competition in Qatar. After the group stage, the battle didn’t diminish, and player ramped up their gameplay, causing the tournament to become one of the greatest ever.
In the end, Argentina, captained by Lionel Messi, won the World Cup and is now the champions of the World for the next four years. And with the competition done, we can now focus on the EPL after the World Cup. Teams have to return for another round of games and hope to be crowned champions when the season ends.
Arsenal leads in the EPL standings with a five-point gap. Therefore, they can win the trophy for the first time since 2005. If you look at Arsenal stats since the season started, they have been incredible. However, with Manchester City lurking in the background, it will be challenging for the team.
EPL teams always bring their A-game because something is at stake in every game. However, only a few teams have impressive EPL stats this season. As the season resumes, we want to explore the EPL after World Cup to see some of the winners and losers as players return to their respective clubs.
Disappointing Manchester City Players
Before the World Cup began, Manchester City players were highly rated because they played as a unit and dominated the game. We expected them to deliver on the biggest stage. However, most of the players were disappointed. Aside from Julian Alvarez, that turned up for Argentina, the rest wasn’t up to standard.
Kevin De Bruyne was the biggest letdown, given his high status in the club and what he can deliver. However, with Manchester City, De Bruyne couldn’t even help Belgium get past the group stage. Aside from KDB, Bernando Silva, Phil Foden, Joao Cancelo, Kalvin Philips, and others only had glimpses but never truly impacted the competition.
Returning to the club, we expect Pep Guardiola to have some sessions with the players to see why they couldn’t deliver on the biggest stage. This might not be a loss to Manchester City, but it shows that Guardiola and his tactics are the main reason these players are among the best in the league.
Chelsea Strugglers Lighting Up the World Cup
Since their UCL victory, some players in Chelsea have been struggling to find a spot in the team. They’ve been out of favor with the former coach, and the new one hasn’t found a way to use them in his plan.
However, the World Cup shed new light on these stars. Two players that seem out of luck, Hakim Ziyech and Christian Pulisic, light up the competition.
Both players were pivotal to their team getting to the knockout phase of the FIFA World Cup. They got impressive stats throughout the competition. Hakim Ziyech even captained his team to multiple victories, showing his leadership mentality and readiness to play at the highest level of football.
With how these players performed, we won’t be surprised to see them take up a more vital role in the team. And they might even get a better chance to help the team change the course of their season. Chelsea might be one of the winners after the World Cup this season.
Manchester United Double Finalists
Although trophies have been elusive to Manchester United for the past few years, their players were pivotal to their respective teams during the World Cup. Raphael Varane played a substantial role as one of the starting CB for the defending champions. Casemiro helped Brazil with a late-minute goal in one of their group-stage matches.
The list was impressive throughout the competition, and we saw the players in a new light. Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford were impressive players for their nations, and they even took them into the knockout phases. Finally, Manchester United had two players in the World Cup final.
Given how the match was to go, it was certain that one Manchester United player would lift the FIFA World Cup. In the end, Lisandro Martinez ended his World Cup campaign in Qatar with a FIFA World Cup trophy.
Aston Villa and Brighton World Cup Heroes
The FIFA World Cup has only seen players from the top clubs shine and get the headline, especially in recent competitions. However, Mac Allister of Brighton & Hove Albion and Emiliano Martinez of Aston Villa are the latest world champions. They were pivotal to their team winning the trophy.
Martinez saved multiple penalties, including an incredible late-minute save to give his nation a lifeline that eventually proved worthy. Undoubtedly, Martinez is an incredible goalkeeper and showed he could do it on the biggest stage. Mac Allister was also pivotal in the midfield, helping to control the game’s tempo, and he also got an assist in the final.
Aston Villa and Brighton are two teams with a lot to enjoy from the tournament and will return to the EPL after the World Cup as winners.
Injury Woes for Arsenal
Going into the break before the start of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the Arsenal squad was up to the task, and they were in excellent form. However, the world cup comes with bad news with one of their key players out for a long time. Gabriel Jesus picked up a knock in the second round and would be out for a couple of months.
Therefore, the Gunners will have to return without one of their hardest workers. Aside from that, most of their players didn’t get enough playing time. Gabriel Martinelli spent most of his time on the bench, Aaron Ramsdale couldn’t displace Jordan Pickford, William Saliba was fourth choice center back for France, and so on.
Tottenham’s Captain Continued Trophy Drought
Harry Kane is one of the best strikers in the World. He has an incredible eye for goals and is one of the top Premier League picks. However, he has been unlucky throughout his career in Tottenham Hotspur. He has scored many goals throughout his career, but none of them has brought him trophies. Going into his 30s, it would be disappointing if Kane never won a trophy throughout his career.
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