Premier League: 10 talking points from the weekend’s football

Calum McFarlane’s unexpected conflict pinch Pep Guardiola brought backmost memories of nan 2021 League Cup final, erstwhile Ryan Mason, Tottenham’s 29-year-old interim coach, faced nan important task of trying to outsmart 1 of nan top managers successful nan game’s history. For Mason location was nan added baggage of Spurs’ 13-year trophy drought; for McFarlane, making his elder guidance debut, it was Chelsea’s astonishingly bad caller grounds against Manchester City. Four and a half years person passed since Chelsea past hit Guardiola’s side, erstwhile Thomas Tuchel’s squad triumphed successful nan Champions League final, and a tie connected Sunday took that winless tally to 12 matches. But Enzo Fernández’s injury-time equaliser, combining pinch the midweek upheaval astatine Stamford Bridge, made it a triumphant point, thing Enzo Maresca didn’t execute against City during his tenure. Taha Hashim

Florian Wirtz was 1 of nan positives for Liverpool successful their 2-2 tie pinch Fulham but nan £116m summertime signing was not happy contempt scoring for nan 2nd clip successful 3 games. “I was happy that I scored but I’d alternatively return nan 3 points,” Wirtz said. “It’s not what we want, we want more. We person to get amended but it’s still a process.” To get more, though, Liverpool person to beryllium much commanding. They support letting games tally retired of power and Arne Slot seems short of solutions. Liverpool’s head was not impressed pinch nan defending that led to Harrison Reed’s equaliser. It was a stunning and improbable onslaught from nan Fulham substitute but Liverpool should not make nan correction of reasoning they were nan victims of misfortune. They almost fto 2-0 leads gaffe against Wolves and Tottenham past month. The play will stay a struggle until they tighten up erstwhile ahead. Jacob Steinberg

Florian Wirtz was near disappointment contempt scoring his 2nd extremity of nan season. Photograph: David Cliff/EPA

Viktor Gyökeres hasn’t recovered his goalscoring touch for Arsenal yet, but Declan Rice insists nan Sweden striker is still having a immense power for nan convention leaders. Rice scored doubly against Bournemouth arsenic Mikel Arteta’s broadside completed a stirring comeback connected nan southbound coast, but Gyökeres has now gone 10 matches without uncovering nan nett from unfastened play. His all-round capacity was somewhat improved against Andoni Iraola’s broadside and Gyökeres played an important domiciled successful Arsenal’s important second, moreover if he seldom looked for illustration adding to his 7 goals successful 23 appearances truthful far. “It’s reliable for him because defenders are truthful tight connected him, and there’s nary abstraction for him astatine all,” said Rice. “All nan boys are pinch him because of what he is doing for us, moreover though he hasn’t scored, really he is helping america arsenic a squad to press, clasp nan shot up. I deliberation bully things are going to come.” Ed Aarons

With Ruben Amorim starting 9 defensive-minded players astatine Elland Road connected Sunday afternoon, nan onus people fell connected nan remaining 2 to lead Manchester United’s attack. Matheus Cunha’s good shape continued pinch nan extremity that earned nan visitors a point, but Sesko’s travails continued. The Slovenian has scored conscionable 2 goals since his big-money move to Old Trafford, and nary since October. Granted, his work was constricted connected occasions and United’s attacking play was stunted by truthful galore protect players connected nan pitch, but Sesko struggled to make an effect erstwhile again, spurning a glorious chance to perchance declare each 3 points precocious on. As we participate nan caller year, location is justification for Amorim to inquire for much from a subordinate who is yet to afloat find his feet successful nan Premier League. Aaron Bower

Régis Le Bris made nan brave determination to partner Granit Xhaka pinch Enzo Le Fée successful midfield astatine Tottenham. The Frenchman was asked to play a deeper domiciled than he is utilized to and acquitted himself well. With Spurs successful nan lead, though, Le Bris pushed Le Fée further guardant successful nan 2nd half and his capacity was a delight. Picking up small pockets of space, nan erstwhile Roma guardant became a awesome facet successful Sunderland’s push for an equaliser. After directing a header connected to a station from Nordi Mukiele’s pass, Le Fée past created Brian Brobbey’s extremity earlier Spurs knew really to extremity it. A crisp first-time walk backmost into nan striker’s way gave him a chance he could not miss. Sunderland person had plentifulness of occurrence stories this play but, now he has adapted to nan gait of nan Premier League, Le Fée’s run keeps getting better. Billy Munday

Enzo Le Fée caused Tottenham each sorts of problems. Photograph: Dalton Bowden/Shutterstock

Everything astir West Ham’s conclusion astatine Wolves was embarrassing, from commencement to finish. Nuno Espírito Santo near 3 disposable substitutions unmade, an denotation of nan assurance he has successful his bench. The head named his caller signing, Pablo Felipe, among nan substitutes but contempt nan chronic failings of his team, who grounded to person a azygous changeable connected target, Nuno decided it would beryllium unfair to nonstop nan caller enlistee connected for his debut, having only arrived from Gil Vicente connected Friday. Before this play nan 22-year-old’s profession was comparatively nondescript but, aft 10 goals successful 13 convention games successful Portugal, nan Hammers must harness his newfound assurance and dream he is not a Brazilian Michael Ricketts. West Ham are hopeless for goals and Pablo needs to accommodate quickly to nan Premier League. It would person been a free deed for him astatine Molineux, particularly pinch a important crippled astatine location to Forest connected Tuesday. Joining successful January is difficult but, if Nuno wants him to adapt, he will request to get nan striker connected nan transportation arsenic overmuch arsenic possible. Will Unwin

Lewis Miley dared Eddie Howe to driblet him acknowledgment to different outstanding capacity retired of position astatine right-back. Quite isolated from excelling defensively, ne'er misplacing a walk and creating Newcastle’s opening extremity for Bruno Guimarães successful Sunday’s 2-0 triumph against Crystal Palace, nan astonishingly mature 19-year-old midfielder raised nan reside successful an untidy game. With Tino Livramento and Kieran Trippier some fresh again and fresh to resume astatine right-back, nan mobility will beryllium whether Howe tin find a spot for Miley successful cardinal midfield against Leeds astatine St James’ Park connected Wednesday night. “Lewis has been incredible,” said Newcastle’s manager, who whitethorn beryllium tempted to remainder Sandro Tonali against Daniel Farke’s squad aft nan Italy midfielder was near bruised by immoderate reliable Palace challenges. “You wouldn’t cognize right-back isn’t Lewis’s earthy position. He’s excelled successful it. He’s doing a awesome occupation for nan team.” Future Newcastle sides will surely beryllium built astir Miley. Louise Taylor

Sean Dyche’s first effect astatine Nottingham Forest has been admirable, but do they person a Plan B? Forest are averaging a constituent a crippled since Dyche’s presence successful October (1.4 if Europa League games are included), but they person mislaid 4 successful a row. Only erstwhile this play person they travel from down to triumph – against Leeds successful November. Their counterattacking abilities remain, though are little effective than erstwhile Chris Wood (now injured) and Anthony Elanga (sold to Newcastle) were regulars past season. But they do still look well-organised erstwhile defending deep. Forest are mostly compact, alert, combative and aligned erstwhile nan scores are level, aliases they lead. But erstwhile nan different squad scores first, and they person to perpetrate much players up of nan ball, nan crippled becomes much stretched. In Saturday’s 3-1 conclusion astatine Villa Park, Forest were easy taken isolated aft giving nan shot away; they cannot spend a repetition successful Tuesday’s important travel to West Ham. Peter Lansley

Sean Dyche roars instructions from nan sidelines, to nary avail. Photograph: Manjit Narotra/ProSports/Shutterstock

It was difficult to reconcile Brentford’s capacity astatine Everton pinch a squad successful possession of 1 of nan worst distant records successful nan league, truthful controlled and ascendant were Keith Andrews’s visitors, but contempt 7 losses connected nan roadworthy this play their ambitions mightiness person to beryllium revised. Asked what Brentford’s target for nan 2nd half of nan run should be, Kevin Schade said: “The main extremity is not to spell down, obviously. Then I would opportunity it’s not a extremity but a dream we tin achieve, if everything goes right, to suffice for Europe. For me, personally, to spell to nan World Cup, and I request bully games for that and nan squad arsenic well.” With Igor Thiago successful specified prolific form, Schade and Brentford person that platform. Schade said of his teammate: “He’s very important because we ever had players for illustration this, for illustration Ivan Toney, Bryan [Mbuemo] and Yoane Wissa before, and now him. The link-up play for nan squad gets amended from game-to-game and this is what we need, not only him scoring.” Andy Hunter

There’s been a twisted consciousness of solidarity among nan relegated clubs successful nan past mates of seasons. They’ve travel up together from nan Championship – and instantly gone down together, too. But Burnley’s travel this play has go progressively lonely, pinch nan different caller boys, Sunderland and Leeds, appearing safer and safer. As Daniel Farke’s broadside extended their unbeaten tally to 7 games and Sunderland made it 5 without defeat, Scott Parker was forced to face a caller debased successful Burnley’s nonaccomplishment to Brighton pinch conscionable 2 points collected from their past 11 matches. Having praised his side’s exertion successful conclusion antecedently this season, this clip location was conscionable a bid of glum admissions from nan caput coach, who pointed to an absence of belief among his players and said they didn’t merit thing from nan match. Six points from information doesn’t sound excessively bad, but Parker’s study makes it consciousness beautiful dismal. TH