1) Palhinha absence telling in Fulham loss
Fulham were meek against Arsenal: they looked timid and small from the opening moments, the surprise entirely minimal when their visitors put the outcome beyond doubt so quickly. Their tilt at Europe is fizzling out although that should not diminish the excellent work Marco Silva has done in ensuring they do not yo-yo down to the Championship yet again. They badly missed the suspended João Palhinha: he has missed four games in all competitions this season and Fulham have lost all four, conceding 12 goals. Fulham played a blinder in landing him from Sporting and their drop-off without him is a reminder it will take some time for them to amass the depth of quality that will mitigate such absences. On Sunday, they were unable to get any grip in midfield. At least their next four league games are against relegation contenders: if Palhinha returns with the influence he wielded previously, they can still lever themselves back into the top-six conversation. Nick Ames
Match report: Fulham 0-3 Arsenal
2) Rolls-Royce Rodri shows his worth
It says something about the quality of the Premier League that Crystal Palace are somehow 12th. To some degree the same goes for Manchester City, who look transitional compared with previous iterations, but still feel close to champions-in-waiting. There still was one note of A-grade quality. After the match, Pep Guardiola was asked to rank Rodri against the many top-notch holding midfielders he has coached. His response was instant: “The best.” This is high praise indeed (Alonso? Lahm? Mascherano?). But Rodri really is very good at this and he was excellent at Selhurst Park, using the ball cleverly, resisting Palace’s physicality and covering the counterattacks. He is arguably the most irreplaceable part in this City team and utterly key to the pursuit of the two biggest trophies. Barney Ronay
Match report: Crystal Palace 0-1 Manchester City
3) Sancho not the perfect 10
When Manchester United signed Jadon Sancho two summers ago he was hailed as a generational player who would light up Old Trafford and copious away venues for a decade or more. The reverse has happened and it was very much the case again against Southampton. The 22-year-old was deployed in the No 10 role, a compliment from Erik ten Hag that, despite Sancho’s huffing and puffing, was not repaid. Every time the ball came to the player there was a feeling it would bounce off a shin or a thigh or a pass would be mislaid. Sancho had physical and mental challenges before Christmas that led to the manager deciding he should train away from the squad; his challenge remains to turn Sancho’s form around. Jamie Jackson
• Match report: Man Utd 0-0 Southampton
4) Forest not out of the woods yet
While Steve Cooper was pleased with the way his team fought back against Tottenham after being blown away in the first half, the Nottingham Forest manager felt it was “a missed opportunity” to put some distance between themselves and the relegation zone. The sight of top scorer Brennan Johnson being forced off with a groin injury will be of major concern as Forest prepare for Newcastle’s trip to the City Ground on Friday, with the Wales forward due for a scan. Chris Wood had to be substituted soon after coming off the bench as Cooper’s injury concerns mounted. Dean Henderson, Taiwo Awoniyi and Scott McKenna are among those who could be back after the international break and Cooper will hope that they can help his side avoid being dragged back into serious trouble. Ed Aarons
Match report: Tottenham 3-1 Nottingham Forest
5) Cherries pick off Klopp’s ropey Reds
What did Bournemouth get right against Liverpool that Manchester United got so wrong the previous week? Setting aside the obvious – scoring first and then defending like demons – there was impressive organisation within Gary O’Neil’s team. “No fluke,” the manager said. Jefferson Lerma and Joe Rothwell’s screening of the back four was way superior to Fred and Casemiro at Anfield. Philip Billing, the goalscorer, was far more effective as a towering No 10 than Wout Weghorst; January signing Dango Ouattara far more productive down the right than Antony. Every game is different and Liverpool have habitually sagged without the comfort blanket of Anfield this season, but such a famous, well-plotted victory gives O’Neil a fighting chance of survival. “I had belief and I’m sure the boys did as well,” he said. “But it they didn’t then they can certainly believe me after today.” John Brewin
• Match report: Bournemouth 1-0 Liverpool
6) New manager, same old Leeds flaws
Javi Gracia’s plan to keep Leeds in the Premier League was on full display on Saturday, but the old habits that plagued the side before his arrival still linger. A point against Europe-chasing Brighton is a good result in isolation but on a day when Bournemouth and Everton won, Leeds fell to 19th after lapses in defence cost them all three points. Gracia has made Leeds more threatening in attack; the Spaniard has clearly identified his new team need to score more goals to have a chance at survival and this was a step forward in that aspect. But he also needs to tighten up at the back to avoid more missed opportunities. Aaron Bower
Match report: Leeds United 2-2 Brighton
7) Onana leading charge for survival
Brentford had more than two-thirds of the possession on Saturday, but were unable to break down the Everton defence. Under Sean Dyche, Everton have become far more disciplined and resilient. A major component of this newfound fortification is midfielder Amadou Onana. His most notable intervention was to send a rebound over from close range, but his overall play elped Everton to three vital points and he roused the crowd with his tackling and fist-pumping. It is likely his form for the club will see him targeted by Premier League rivals whether they stay up or not. He has formed an impressive partnership with Abdoulaye Doucouré to help create a strong spine with James Tarkowski and Michael Keane, something that could keep Everton out of the bottom three come the end of the season. Will Unwin
• Match report: Everton 1-0 Brentford
8) Returning Evans must hit the ground running
Could Jonny Evans’s return from a four-month injury lay-off provide Leicester with the increased defensive authority to ease their relegation worries? Brendan Rodgers believes the veteran centre-back can add leadership, especially with Wout Faes suspended for the red card he was shown in Saturday’s defeat by Chelsea. Evans’s experience and nous could be crucial as Leicester, after five successive defeats in all competitions, face five of their relegation rivals in the next eight games. The Northern Ireland defender played his first minutes on Saturday, after Faes’s 87th-minute dismissal, since being an ever-present when Leicester gained four points from their opening nine games of the season. “[Jonny] has worked hard to get back and the opportunity may well be there for him to come back in,” said Rodgers. “It was great to have him around the squad and that experience will be important for us.” Peter Lansley
• Match report: Leicester 1-3 Chelsea
9) West Ham do not know how to use Scamacca
David Moyes did not hold back when he was asked why his £35.5m striker, Gianluca Scamacca, did not make it off the bench during West Ham’s draw with Aston Villa. “His link-up play is very good,” he said. “His physical data has got to be much better than it is. Today, Maxi Cornet, the thought was he could get in behind them. We saw Maxi doing that more than Gianluca. Gianluca has got to get himself back.” Fair enough, but did West Ham know what they were getting when they bought Scamacca last summer? Were they aware the Italian might struggle to run beyond Premier League defenders? The pace is slower in Italy. And in any case, was there not an argument to see if Scamacca could get on the end of any crosses during the dying stages against Villa? West Ham need goals if they are going to stay up. Jacob Steinberg
Match report: West Ham 1-1 Aston Villa
10) Shy Wolves could face survival battle
A team with the worst goalscoring record of all 92 English league clubs met the team that had let in fewest in all four divisions. And the expected outcome arrived. Wolves managed a goal, but Hwang Hee-chan’s equaliser was scruffy in the extreme. Alexander Isak, one of Europe’s most talented young strikers, meanwhile, played the best game yet of his Newcastle career, scoring their first. Characteristic caution cost Wolves. They were already playing for time when Miguel Almíron scored in the 79th minute. Julen Lopetegui’s tweak to a back five invited on an opponent of previously flagging confidence. The Spaniard had excelled in hauling Wolves into the mid-table glut, but danger lingers. Wolves can celebrate five years of Premier League football this summer, but their current status is enigmatic, barren, almost anti-matter. Nothing a decent striker or confident attacking play couldn’t cure, but far easier said than done. John Brewin
Match report: Newcastle 2-1 Wolves
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | 27 | 37 | 66 |
| 2 | Man City | 27 | 42 | 61 |
| 3 | Man Utd | 26 | 6 | 50 |
| 4 | Tottenham Hotspur | 27 | 12 | 48 |
| 5 | Newcastle | 25 | 19 | 44 |
| 6 | Liverpool | 26 | 18 | 42 |
| 7 | Brighton | 24 | 14 | 39 |
| 8 | Fulham | 27 | 1 | 39 |
| 9 | Brentford | 25 | 7 | 38 |
| 10 | Chelsea | 26 | 1 | 37 |
| 11 | Aston Villa | 26 | -7 | 35 |
| 12 | Crystal Palace | 26 | -12 | 27 |
| 13 | Wolverhampton | 27 | -17 | 27 |
| 14 | Nottm Forest | 26 | -26 | 26 |
| 15 | Everton | 27 | -18 | 25 |
| 16 | Leicester | 26 | -9 | 24 |
| 17 | West Ham | 26 | -10 | 24 |
| 18 | AFC Bournemouth | 26 | -26 | 24 |
| 19 | Leeds | 26 | -11 | 23 |
| 20 | Southampton | 26 | -21 | 22 |
