1) Dropping Aubameyang pays off in the end
Mikel Arteta’s benching of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for lateness was hardly draconian. Gone are the days when Sir Alex Ferguson made David Beckham sit in the Elland Road stands after missing training to attend to a sick Brooklyn or Roy Keane commanded the Sunderland team bus to leave three players behind because they were a minute late. But as Tottenham’s rope-a-dope tactics looked to be working in the first half, the tardy captain’s demotion appeared a case of principles overriding pragmatism. When Alexandre Lacazette chose to step over rather than to shoot in the moments following Érik Lamela’s goal, Aubameyang’s incisiveness appeared an avoidable loss. So too when Lacazette swung at fresh air when Nicolas Pépé had cued him up. All parties will be thankful for Davinson Sánchez’s clattering follow-through giving Lacazette chance to score from the spot. Discipline established, a derby win, all good for Arteta. John Brewin
Match report: Arsenal 2-1 Tottenham
2) Eagles are safe but face tough end to season
What now for Crystal Palace? Even if Roy Hodgson and his players are still preaching caution over whether they have already secured their Premier League status for next season after beating West Brom on Saturday, no team has been relegated with 37 points since Newcastle in 2015-16 and Palace still have nine games to play. A three-week break until they play Everton could give Hodgson a real crack at reaching 50 points, which would surpass Palace’s highest tally in the top flight since being promoted in 2013. Yet with all but two of their remaining matches against opposition who are above them in the table, Gary Cahill admitted it won’t necessarily be easy. “When we come back from the international break it’s about the desire to try and push on up the league now with a very difficult run-in,” he said. Ed Aarons
Match report: Crystal Palace 1-0 West Brom
3) McNeil using Clarets as stepping stone
Sean Dyche believes Dwight McNeil will ultimately play for what the Burnley manager likes to describe as one of the Premier League’s “superpower” clubs. His view was certainly supported by the winger’s sublime winner at Everton and overall contribution. Almost as striking, however, was the fact it was only McNeil’s second goal of the campaign and equaled his return for last season, too. Seven goals in 87 league appearances is an obvious area of improvement for the 21-year-old. “He spends a lot of time working for the team,” offered Dyche as a defense. “If you think there are six or seven ‘superpower clubs’ in this league who dominate the ball home and away, that’s 14 games a season where you’re likely to have less of the ball and you have to work diligently with it. Dwight does that. Learning to play on the counter or how to stretch teams comes with experience, and he’s getting loads of experience at a very young age.” Andy Hunter
Match report: Everton 1-2 Burnley
4) Agüero shows he can provide glorious farewell
Pep Guardiola’s starting XI against Fulham raised memories of the autumn of 2017: three at the back and Sergio Agüero alongside Gabriel Jesus upfront. Yet while that approach was enough to secure a 3-0 win over Scott Parker’s lowly side, it is unlikely that Guardiola will start two strikers in City’s biggest games. City often play without a recognized striker and, although Agüero scored his first league goal in 14 months against Fulham, the Argentinian is no longer the force of old. The 32-year-old has made 13 appearances this season and is unlikely to extend his contract before it runs out this summer. But while Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Braut Haaland is potentially one for the club’s future, Agüero can still help City make history this season. An elite finisher will help the quadruple bid. City will be involved in tight games during the run-in. If Agüero stays fit he could have a glorious farewell. Jacob Steinberg
Match report: Fulham 0-3 Manchester City
5) Tuchel hints at need for different striker
A dozen games into Thomas Tuchel’s reign and Chelsea have had three goals from strikers: two from Olivier Giroud and one from Tammy Abraham. Timo Werner’s lone strike for his compatriot came when operating on the left. Kai Havertz led the line at Leeds but is yet to find the net under the new manager. Tuchel downplayed his own importance by suggesting that center-forwards tended not to be the product of coaching, though it prompted the question if it means Chelsea need another natural-born scorer. “I truly believe that the best strikers were always strikers, it’s not so much about the coaches they had, it’s just in their blood,” Tuchel said. “They have a certain profile, they have a certain approach. Timo always scored a huge amount of goals, it’s very natural for him to score and to define himself as the guy who has the last touch. These are very unique characters and a very unique position.” Richard Jolly
Match report: Leeds 0-0 Chelsea
6) Iheanacho finds his feet at the right time for Foxes
Kelechi Iheanacho and Ayoze Pérez have generally been disappointing signings for Leicester. The Nigerian was brought in to reduce the dependency on Jamie Vardy for goals, while the Spaniard was hired to add creativity so that the team does not depend too much on James Maddison and Harvey Barnes. Neither player has quite risen to those challenges. But maybe now they are taking flight. Iheanacho has performed very well in recent weeks, never more so than in Sunday’s victory against Sheffield United when he capped an excellent all-round display with his first hat-trick for the club. His five goals in his last three matches are his best run for Leicester, and well timed given Vardy has found the net only once in his last 12 league games. Rather than replace Vardy, however, Iheanacho has formed a productive partnership with the 34-year-old, who set up two of Iheanacho’s goals before provoking Ethan Ampadu into scoring an own goal. Paul Doyle
Match report: Leicester 5-0 Sheffield United
7) Manchester United are not to be feared
Teams seem to travel to Old Trafford thinking the Class of ’92 are still providing the Manchester United backbone. West Ham were the latest to sit back and defend, lacking the confidence that could see them break down a team with questionable stability at the back. There is residual fear that they can rip through teams but under Ole Gunnar Solskjær they have rarely showed they have the capabilities to stun teams going forward. Sometimes the best form of defense is attack, as putting them under pressure is a better idea than setting up with a low block to stop a side lacking any sort of fluidity. United do not have enough players to open defenses within tight spaces, only Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba can claim to be dynamic playmakers. Other teams should take note a visit to Old Trafford is not to be feared – they are a different side now, one that can be got at. Will Unwin
Match report: Manchester United 1-0 West Ham
8) It could be time to give Carroll a rare start
Newcastle travel to Brighton for a quintessential relegation six-pointer on Saturday with a fragile truce apparently holding in their fractured dressing room. Some players may remain disenchanted with Steve Bruce but others are staying loyal to Rafael Benítez’s successor. Significantly, the latter group includes Jonjo Shelvey, a midfielder recently rehabilitated as a seemingly automatic starter by Bruce. Shelvey’s game divides opinion and his performances tend to be a bit hit and miss but he can become deeply discontented when sidelined and the Newcastle manager’s decision to keep him very much inside the tent can arguably be construed to be as much political as tactical. Meanwhile Andy Carroll is frustrated after dropping down Bruce’s pecking order but, as a late substitute, he petrified Aston Villa’s defense, with his decoy work helping create the space for Jamaal Lascelles to head a vital stoppage-time equalizer. Maybe Carroll should start at Brighton? Louise Taylor
Match report: Newcastle 1-1 Aston Villa
9) Seagulls defenders showing international class
A victory that Graham Potter insisted will give Brighton renewed belief in their fight for survival was built upon solid foundations. Adam Lallana and Danny Welbeck showed touches of class to secure a vital win at Southampton but Brighton displayed a mean streak that bodes well for the run-in. Ben White and Lewis Dunk were excellent in the heart of defense and, while Lallana and Welbeck have over 75 England caps between them, White or Dunk pressed their case for a senior call-up in front of the watching Under-21s manager, Aidy Boothroyd. The 23-year-old White is uncapped, while Dunk’s sole cap came almost three years ago. “Thankfully, it’s not my problem,” Potter said. “It’s over to Gareth [Southgate] to decide. I thought he [Dunk] was fantastic and he scored a great goal. He’s an unbelievable player for us, so important and a massive part of what we’re doing. But all Lewis can do is keep playing well.” Ben Fisher
Match report: Southampton 1-2 Brighton
10) The value of a competent second choice
Everton’s João Virgínia became the latest reserve goalkeeper to be thrust into the Premier League limelight this season. Many clubs have needed to chop and change their first choice due to injury, form or paternity leave, as in David de Gea’s case. The art of the second choice is to be a steady head who can cope with the pressure, while being happy to watch on for 90% of the season. Virgínia is third choice at Everton but realizes the need to be fully prepared, as you never know when your time will come. There is an art to being a backup, accepting that you cannot kick up a fuss when not selected nor can you ever be relaxed about your role in the squad. Carlo Ancelotti has to hope his third choice can follow in the footsteps of Robert Sánchez, Dean Henderson and Fraser Forster and show that he merits top billing. Will Unwin
