1) Red-letter day for Anfield attackers
Roberto Firmino scoring Liverpool’s seventh and final goal on Sunday was such an apt way to complete their perfect day. Two goals each for Mohamed Salah, Darwin Núñez and Cody Gakpo pointed to Jürgen Klopp having found his next all-star forward line, and then on came the outgoing legend to cap it all with a neat finish and that trademark smile. Neither of the new men – nor Diogo Jota – is a like-for-like replacement for what Firmino and Sadio Mané once brought to Liverpool but Gakpo’s speed and finishing, plus Núñez’s chaotic element, can still complement Salah. Gakpo arrived at Liverpool in January as a player unfamiliar with playing centrally but Sunday confirmed him as the heir apparent to Firmino. Salah, Liverpool’s new record Premier League goalscorer, was at his brilliant best, a pest to Manchester United even during his team’s difficult first half. He remains a cut above, is near-impossible to stop in full flow and drove Luke Shaw, in particular, to distraction. John Brewin
Match report: Liverpool 7-0 Manchester United
2) Nelson is latest hero in title saga
When the lesser-spotted Reiss Nelson is belting in a winner with his weaker foot in the final seconds of the game, the signs are this is your year. When Gabriel Jesus was laid low in December it was tempting to write off Arsenal’s title bid, but then Eddie Nketiah stepped up and others chipped in too. When Nketiah’s radar began to falter, the new arrival Leandro Trossard facilitated a recalibration of Mikel Arteta’s attack and helped Arsenal banish the memory of a brief blip. When Trossard departed injured early against Bournemouth, his undercooked deputy, Emile Smith Rowe, lasted only 47 minutes. Nelson was Arteta’s last resort but stepped up in style, immediately setting up Ben White’s equaliser before providing a moment for the ages. Arteta will not be blind to the fact his team cannot keep living on the edge like this with outwardly tougher assignments to come, but it says plenty for the health of his squad that a peripheral figure such as Nelson can come in and click so spectacularly. By hook or by crook, Arsenal are solving every problem. Nick Ames
Match report: Arsenal 3-2 Bournemouth
3) Win papers over cracks for Potter
When Chelsea beat Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge in January, their only goal came from a set piece during the second half. In the win against Leeds at home on Saturday, their only goal came from a set piece during the second half. Ultimately Graham Potter is still not out of the woods – although there were some positive signs against Leeds, it was hardly convincing. Chelsea faded after failing to take their chances during a bright opening spell and, even after their individual class told as they broke through against a poor side, they then made some defensive substitutions and almost shipped an equaliser. Perhaps they can push on now and maybe this is the start of a comeback for Potter. Yet he will know that Chelsea will have to be much better at both ends of the pitch when they host Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Tuesday. Nervy home wins against struggling teams do not really prove much. Jacob Steinberg
Match report: Chelsea 1-0 Leeds
4) Dyche’s false 9 delivers numbers
No one is suggesting Sean Dyche’s Everton are close to resembling peak Barcelona or Pep Guardiola’s pre-Haaland Manchester City but, in the absence of a proven and recognised centre-forward, perhaps playing with six midfield players is not such a bad shout. With Dominic Calvert-Lewin hamstrung and Neal Maupay short on confidence and goals, Everton played Demarai Gray furthest forward at the City Ground, with Abdoulaye Doucouré and Amadou Onana taking turns to support him. The result was Everton scoring twice in a first half for the first time this season and another 10 shots in total, making it 60 in Dyche’s first six games. They also had double Forest’s expected goals, with Dwight McNeil and Alex Iwobi looking dangerous from wide areas, but had the manpower in midfield to retain a degree of control despite Forest’s impassioned second-half fightback. Victory escaped them, but the evidence is there to suggest Everton are on an upwards trajectory. Peter Lansley
Match report: Nottingham Forest 2-2 Everton
5) Foden flying amid fitness concerns
Phil Foden is back in flying form, his goal against Newcastle a fourth in three games. But he took another knock to the foot on Saturday, an injury that previously forced him out for four weeks after January’s defeat at Manchester United. “Unfortunately I’ve hurt it again and now I need to rest up. We’ve got two days off now so hopefully I’ll have the chance to,” he said. “It’s one of those injuries where the physios can’t really help, you have to learn how to manage it. Whether it’s not training as much, trying to look after it, I’m trying to find that balance.” It caused Foden, who loves to play, to ask City for an extended rest in January. “I had to because of how sore it was. I’d have only made it worse, not performed to my level,” the 22-year-old said. The hope now is that Foden can manage the problem for the rest of the campaign. Jamie Jackson
Match report: Manchester City 2-0 Newcastle
6) Fernandes leads United meltdown
As Anthony Elanga replaced Marcus Rashford in the 85th minute, there was the sight of the petulance that supposedly departed Manchester United with Cristiano Ronaldo. It appeared the captain, Bruno Fernandes, was asking to come off the pitch instead, following the pattern of much of his second-half behaviour. One attempt to get Ibrahima Konaté punished for a nonexistent foul was well below the standards of sportsmanship expected from someone wearing a captain’s armband. “Unprofessional,” was a word Erik ten Hag used repeatedly during his post-match duties, while on Sky a simmering Roy Keane said: “Fernandes’s body language was disgraceful.” It was only last month that United officials were proudly briefing the success of their “no dickheads” policy. Fernandes was hardly alone in losing his head with Luke Shaw, another senior player, seemingly intent on getting a red card. United offered a very public exposure that team spirit is not as effectively reformed as advertised. They melted down, and their captain led the way. JB
7) Porro offers promise in poor week
Amid the disappointment of a second 1-0 away defeat by, on paper, inferior opposition last week there was one bright note for Tottenham: the wing-back Pedro Porro, signed from Sporting Lisbon in January, is improving on the right. Saturday’s trip to Wolves was the Spaniard’s fourth appearance for the club, three of which have ended in defeat. Understandably, he has required time to settle in the Premier League because it is a big step up from the Portuguese league, but he is showing signs of adapting. Against Wolves he got forward well and stuck to his defensive tasks admirably, showing another of his attributes when he hit a free-kick from just outside the area on to the crossbar. “Pedro Porro played a good game like all the team,” Spurs’ assistant manager Cristian Stellini said. “We know Pedro Porro is this type of player. We need to help him to adapt himself to a new league but today he was important for us.” Will Unwin
Match report: Wolves 1-0 Tottenham
8) Pivotal spell looms for Moyes
David Moyes appeared sanguine after the embarrassing defeat at Brighton that left his side mired in a relegation battle, but the reaction of the away supporters told a different story. The West Ham board’s patience with the manager who guided them to sixth- and seventh-placed finishes in the past two seasons has yet to run out – David Sullivan insisted he remains behind Moyes “despite a very poor performance” on the south coast – but the next week could be crucial. West Ham travel to Cyprus to face Larnaca in the first leg of their Europa Conference League last-16 tie on Thursday, before hosting Aston Villa on Sunday. “We’ve got a great opportunity when we go into Europe in midweek and we’ve got a game at home next Sunday, so you’ve got to try and make sure we get the points to try and climb the table,” said Moyes. Ed Aarons
• Match report: Brighton 4-0 West Ham
9) Wise Walcott may be Saints saviour
Against Leicester, Theo Walcott plugged on gamely down Southampton’s right flank, leaving the field just past the hour to loud applause from the home fans. It was from Walcott’s cross that Timothy Castagne conceded the penalty James Ward-Prowse missed. After Carlos Alcaraz had scored the eventual winner in the first half, the much-travelled former academy star – whose teammates in his first spell at the club included Dennis Wise, now 56 – led the rearguard effort. Walcott’s contract expires this summer, and he was making a first league start since November but said, behind the scenes, he has been “trying to help out the young players” as the interim manager, Rubén Sellés, works to keep Saints up. “I’ve never really experienced so many manager changes and I’m nearly 34,” Walcott said. “It’s very disruptive.” Now, given a taste of action, he wants to play a fuller part. “People think I’ve been injured but I haven’t been, I’ve been here.” JB
• Match report: Southampton 1-0 Leicester
10) Palace must stop firing blanks
Just five touches inside Aston Villa’s penalty area and zero shots on target tells much of the story of Crystal Palace’s latest failure to win a match in 2023, or to score in the first half. An own goal from Joachim Andersen and a red card from Cheick Doucouré, for two bookings in the space of five minutes, left no margin for error. Small wonder those travelling from south London booed Patrick Vieira’s team at full time. “This is a problem we have had for a while,” said Vieira of his team’s malfunctioning forward line. “We have to improve it if we want to win games.” Last season, Vieira’s team were hailed for their attacking verve, but they were blunted easily by Unai Emery’s Villa, similarly lacking in artistry but stronger and more disciplined. Alarm bells are ringing. Without goals and wins, Palace will lurch ever downwards into the clutch of teams battling against relegation. JB
Match report: Aston Villa 1-0 Crystal Palace
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | 26 | 34 | 63 |
| 2 | Man City | 26 | 41 | 58 |
| 3 | Man Utd | 25 | 6 | 49 |
| 4 | Tottenham Hotspur | 26 | 10 | 45 |
| 5 | Liverpool | 25 | 19 | 42 |
| 6 | Newcastle | 24 | 18 | 41 |
| 7 | Fulham | 25 | 5 | 39 |
| 8 | Brighton | 23 | 14 | 38 |
| 9 | Brentford | 23 | 7 | 35 |
| 10 | Chelsea | 25 | -1 | 34 |
| 11 | Aston Villa | 25 | -7 | 34 |
| 12 | Crystal Palace | 25 | -11 | 27 |
| 13 | Wolverhampton | 26 | -16 | 27 |
| 14 | Nottm Forest | 25 | -24 | 26 |
| 15 | Leicester | 25 | -7 | 24 |
| 16 | West Ham | 25 | -10 | 23 |
| 17 | Leeds | 25 | -11 | 22 |
| 18 | Everton | 26 | -19 | 22 |
| 19 | Southampton | 25 | -21 | 21 |
| 20 | AFC Bournemouth | 25 | -27 | 21 |
