1) Conte’s Spurs are lacking in variety
Where was Harry Kane? Where was Son Heung-min? Where was Antonio Conte’s ability to make decisive in-game, narrative-changing tactical switches? Sure, Manchester United were shaky and required Cristiano Ronaldo to rescue all three points. Last month the Italian’s masterplan had Kane and Son turning Manchester City over via rapid counterattacking. This is how Tottenham play. This is the Conte masterplan. And if it doesn’t work he seems to have nothing else. Against United his two star forwards did not have enough impact on the contest and Conte needed to find a way for them or others to do so. It was instructive that Spurs’s best moments were the very rare occasions where they managed to flood United with numbers One of these led to the penalty that Kane scored. Perhaps that was a clue to how Conte might vary the side’s play. Jamie Jackson
Match report: Manchester United 3-2 Tottenham
2) Gunners are strolling to fourth place
With every game and new victory under their belts, Arsenal’s young, joyful squad seem to unlock another new level of confidence. Against Leicester, they were sublime, with Martin Ødegaard and Thomas Partey dominating the midfield and creatinga platform for their teammates to overwhelm Leicester with their fluid, quick and precise passing combinations. Arsenal have now won five games in a row, they returned to fourth place in the league and by the end of the game fans were punctuating every slick one-touch pass with cries of “olé!” After spending much of Mikel Arteta’s time as manager working to create a new identity, they are doing so while also being one of the most watchable teams in the league. Tumaini Carayol
Match report: Arsenal 2-0 Leicester
3) Chelsea cannot afford to lose Rüdiger
If these are to be Antonio Rüdiger’s final weeks in a Chelsea shirt, the club’s supporters had better cherish them because they will not find another centre-half like him. Against Newcastle, he was typically quick to push himself to the front of any argument while there was classic shithousery in stoppage-time when he refused to return the ball with the required speed and decency. Rüdiger was booked. Fans love a bit of aggro, players that never back down and Rüdiger is something of a throwback in this regard. He defends with the same attitude but he also injects energy, maybe with a charge back to win the ball or even a surge up the field. Chelsea face losing Rüdiger as a free agent in the summer as they cannot offer new contracts under the terms of their special licence. Little wonder they are arguing hard against the sanction. They want, at least, to have a shot at keeping a cult hero. David Hytner
Match report: Chelsea 1-0 Newcastle
4) Sánchez’s escape exposes another VAR flaw
If it looks like a red card, feels like a red card, it probably is a red card. Except that isn’t how VAR works. Jürgen Klopp, having seen Brighton goalkeeper Robert Sánchez escape further punishment for wiping out Luis Díaz as the Colombian gave Liverpool the lead, articulated the issue well. There is a sense that referees currently hesitate to give red cards knowing there are eyes in the sky. But those with the monitors cannot make a call unless there is a “clear and obvious” error. It is self-defeating. Ultimately, decisions need be right or wrong. There will always be a degree of subjectivity, but officiating must be collective. That includes VAR. “It happens constantly,” said Klopp. “Why do we have these discussions after games still if somebody is watching?” Sam Dalling
Match report: Brighton 0-2 Liverpool
5) Hammers snuff out Villa’s attack
Aston Villa had won their previous three games, scoring nine goals without conceding, but at West Ham they barely mustered a threat other than the corner that led to a Danny Ings effort pushed onto the post by Lukasz Fabianski and then Jacob Murphy’s late consolation. They struggled to make an impression. While that may in part be down to their own legginess, it also says a lot about how organised West Ham are and what a good holding midfield pair they have in Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek. Between them they made eight tackles and interceptions plus six clearances. West Ham are clearly a very hard side to play against. Jonathan Wilson
Match report: West Ham 2-1 Aston Villa
6) Bamford proves vital to Marsch’s maiden win
As, two minutes after stepping off the bench, Joe Gelhardt scored a 94th-minute winner for Leeds, Jesse Marsch leapt so high in the air it seemed he might fly over Elland Road. “That’s as high as I can jump,” said Marcelo Bielsa’s successor as he celebrated his first win in three attempts. “In America we call it a credit card celebration.” Marsch speaks with an impressive amalgam of intelligence, humour and humanity but he was fortunate that Patrick Bamford was around to start his first game since September. If 19-year-old Gelhardt clinched the vital points after Kenny McLean’s 91st-minute equaliser, Bamford’s first-half movement played a big part in both creating Rodrigo’s opener – when serving as a decoy – and placing Leeds in control. It was no coincidence Norwich got into the game after Bamford failed to reappear for the second half. Louise Taylor
Match report: Leeds 2-1 Norwich
7) Lampard’s defensive problems are deepening
It was an unfortunate treble for Michael Keane. In Everton’s last three league games, he has been culpable for Manchester City’s winner, scored for Tottenham and been dropped even as Frank Lampard changed system to include an extra centre-back. That Jonjoe Kenny, a right-back by trade, was preferred in the back three was an indictment of a defender in the England team just 16 months ago. Perhaps Lampard’s decision served as merciful release for Keane; a confidence player lacks confidence at the moment. Maybe Kenny’s unravelling, sent off for two bookings in swift succession, will put Keane back in against Newcastle. Yet Kenny’s rashness and Ben Godfrey being outjumped by Conor Coady for Wolves’ winner highlighted how Everton could do with a £30m England centre-back at the top of his game. Richard Jolly
Match report: Everton 0-1 Wolves
8) Watford’s long wait to follow up vital win
How Watford would love to build on a rare win. Victory at Southampton was their second in 18 matches but they face a 20-day break before their next game, a trip to Liverpool. After that, three of their next four matches are at home to what Roy Hodgson described as “catchable” opponents, in Brentford, Leeds and Burnley, who have two games in hand. Not that Hodgson will be able to get much work into his squad, the majority heading off on international duty. “Ray [Lewington] and I would have been turning cartwheels at the thought we could have three weeks with the team without a game to really work on what we’re trying to do,” he said. “But the trouble is they’re all going away to far-flung corners of the world. If we’re lucky, they’ll do one session with us and then they’ll be on a coach going
up to the hotel in Liverpool.” Ben Fisher
Match report: Southampton 1-2 Watford
9) Eriksen’s class can guide Bees to safety
Ivan Toney delivered victory for Brentford against Burnley, who were resilient for 86 minutes – yet the new box office Bee, Christian Eriksen, was the creator. The Brentford head coach, Thomas Frank, stated that his Danish compatriot could become the club’s best ever signing. Fresh back-to-back Premier League victories will ensure likely survival for Brentford. If others hesitated on Eriksen, Frank trusted his intuition. Four Burnley opponents were left rigid by a clip of an Eriksen boot for Toney to head home. And the Bees can look forward to similar manoeuvres in their nine remaining games. For Sean Dyche’s side, aiming to avoid the drop, it was harsh. For Brentford , with Eriksen’s trademark calm amid edgy moments, improvements appear guaranteed. Julian Taylor
Match report: Brentford 2-0 Burnley
10) United’s confusing reluctance to cross
Tottenham attempted 24 crosses of which only one found a white shirt and none led to a shot – but despite that they still managed to score from two of them. Meanwhile, despite the presence in their attack of one of the greatest headers of the ball in the history of the game, United attempted a relatively demure 10, two of which Cristiano Ronaldo converted. In United’s current set-up two full-backs and two wide forwards provide width, so it is probably no surprise that only Jadon Sancho (one), Marcus Rashford (three) and left-back Alex Telles (six) attempted a cross. That Diogo Dalot did not should come as no surprise: in seven of his 11 starts he has not crossed at all. With Ronaldo in the middle and Tottenham proving it’s worth just getting it in the mixer, perhaps they should have a go more often. Simon Burnton
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Man City | 28 | 50 | 69 |
| 2 | Liverpool | 28 | 53 | 66 |
| 3 | Chelsea | 28 | 38 | 59 |
| 4 | Arsenal | 26 | 14 | 51 |
| 5 | Man Utd | 29 | 8 | 50 |
| 6 | West Ham | 29 | 12 | 48 |
| 7 | Wolverhampton | 29 | 6 | 46 |
| 8 | Tottenham Hotspur | 27 | 7 | 45 |
| 9 | Aston Villa | 28 | 2 | 36 |
| 10 | Southampton | 29 | -9 | 35 |
| 11 | Crystal Palace | 28 | 1 | 33 |
| 12 | Leicester | 26 | -5 | 33 |
| 13 | Brighton | 28 | -8 | 33 |
| 14 | Newcastle | 28 | -16 | 31 |
| 15 | Brentford | 29 | -13 | 30 |
| 16 | Leeds | 29 | -34 | 26 |
| 17 | Everton | 26 | -19 | 22 |
| 18 | Watford | 29 | -26 | 22 |
| 19 | Burnley | 27 | -16 | 21 |
| 20 | Norwich | 29 | -45 | 17 |
