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Riyad, Mahrez, Diego Costa, Gabriel Agbonlahor and Gylfi Sigurdsson all had weekends to remember.
Riyad, Mahrez, Diego Costa, Gabriel Agbonlahor and Gylfi Sigurdsson all had weekends to remember. Photograph: Getty/Reuters/Rex
Riyad, Mahrez, Diego Costa, Gabriel Agbonlahor and Gylfi Sigurdsson all had weekends to remember. Photograph: Getty/Reuters/Rex

Premier League: 10 talking points from this weekend’s action

This article is more than 8 years old

Chelsea fret over Kurt Zouma, while Spurs show their ferocity. Is Gylfi Sigurdsson the best set-piece specialist in the Premier League? And what will Arsenal have in store for Leicester?

1) Absence of spirit in City’s ranks hard to miss

In the buildup to Manchester City’s first Pep-Prequel game there was a lot of speculation over how the promised arrival of the world’s most celebrated coach would affect the current 11. Opinion was divided. Slaven Bilic said the players would “do it for [Manuel] Pellegrini” for the rest of the season. Others suggested they would “do it for Guardiola”, producing a title-romping audition for a space in the new era. Such was the general positivity few considered the possibility the players might not actually do it at all. Or that such a huge change becoming public knowledge might have a more unpredictable effect on the old guard. At his post-match press conference Pellegrini was asked if the news had been a distraction. His response was characteristically sensible: “It would be easy for me to say yes to that. But I’m not going to.” But whatever the cause City were not just poor at the Etihad, but poor in the worst way. For half an hour they pushed Leicester back and might easily have equalised.

Either side of that they were outrun, outfought and out-teamed as Leicester produced a thrillingly committed display, every challenge ripped into with exhilarating unity of purpose. The full-backs looked flaky. Raheem Sterling ran around a lot. Kevin De Bruyne was missed. There is so much talent in the squad that City are still a good bet to haul in that six-point lead. But the absence of spirit and snap here felt significant. Contrary to the more excitable forecasts Guardiola doesn’t have a history of cash-splurging entrances. At Barcelona the promotion of Sergio Busquets and the spiriting in of Gerard Piqué and Dani Alves were his most significant early moves. At Bayern it was Thiago und nicht a lot else in his first summer. But many more afternoons like this and not only are City unlikely to catch the league leaders, but Guardiola really might be bringing his scythe this time. Barney Ronay

Match report: Manchester City 1-3 Leicester City
Barney Ronay: Mahrez the maestro in Leicester’s win
Ranieri: Leicester City’s spirit is the best I have ever known
Jamie Jackson: Pellegrini left floundering in Pep’s shadow

2) Liverpool can turn protests into a positive

Fenway Sports Group have a PR disaster on their hands with the furious response to their new ticket price structure at Liverpool. But the club’s Boston-based owners also have a PR triumph at their fingertips, should they grasp it. “You greedy bastards, enough is enough” reverberated around Anfield – and not only from the Kop – moments before an estimated 10,000 people walked out of Saturday’s 2-2 draw against Sunderland. The protest did not go unnoticed in the US, where FSG officials are understood to have been taken aback by the strength of feeling and accusations of avarice. There remains time for FSG to reconsider top-end prices of £77 for a category A match ticket and £1,029 for a season ticket in the redeveloped Main Stand, and to spread the price freeze across more tickets thanks to the extra revenue next season’s increased capacity will yield anyway. Imagine the repair it would do to FSG’s relationship with fans if they announced that, on second thoughts, the record broadcasting deal could be used to reduce more ticket prices at Liverpool when it flows into the accounts next season? After the events surrounding their takeover in 2010, Liverpool’s owners are well aware of the influence of the club’s support when mobilised behind a necessary cause. Andy Hunter

Why I walked: a Liverpool fan explains protest during draw
Liverpool owners discuss ticket prices as fans plan more protests
Klopp misses Sunderland match through illness
Match report: Liverpool 2-2 Sunderland

3) Loss of Zouma in defence could be painful for Chelsea

It was John Terry who drew the local focus on the occasion, though, in terms of what lingers from this stalemate, the real issue surrounds his defensive partner. Kurt Zouma has quietly been building himself a reputation at Stamford Bridge this term, forcing the England vice-captain Gary Cahill out of the side and providing the energy and pace alongside Terry’s older head at the heart of the Chelsea defence. So, when he landed awkwardly 10 minutes after the interval with his right leg buckling grotesquely, this team were weakened. Zouma screamed out in agony, former Chelsea player Juan Mata the first to arrive at his side and signal frantically for the stretcher. The 21-year-old was distraught as he was carried down the tunnel and will attend for scans back at Cobham on Monday “if the swelling has receded”, braced for the worst. Normally Chelsea would get by, particularly with a player of Cahill’s calibre waiting in reserve. Yet, while that combination at centre-half will attack the remainder of the campaign with relish, it will hardly fill Paris Saint-Germain with trepidation before the teams’ Champions League collision next week. PSG’s quicker players will fancy their chances at unnerving the elder statesmen. Zouma, quicker at redeeming his errors than most, might have been a far more awkward adversary. Dominic Fifield

• Match report: Chelsea 1-1 Manchester United
• Van Gaal frustrated by Manchester United’s late lapse
• Amy Lawrence: Abramovich unlikely to be swayed by Terry support
• Michael Cox: United’s width gives impetus in improved display

4) Tottenham’s ‘animals’ lose their flaky tag

The transformation of Tottenham Hotspur under Mauricio Pochettino was captured well by the Watford manager, Quique Sánchez Flores. For when was the last time a vanquished opponent described Spurs approvingly as “animals”? Once a byword for flakiness, Spurs are now hailed for their ferocity. They still need to hone their predatory skills – they should have scored far more than one goal against Watford and for a while there was a fear that this would be another of those games in which Spurs dropped points despite dominating. Yet Kevin Wimmer’s seamless replacement of Jan Vertonghen has ensured their defence remains mean and they have the best goal difference in the league. They are proper title contenders, but they would have to be mighty beasts indeed to win it while also going far in the Europa League and FA Cup. Paul Doyle

Tottenham’ produced another strong team performance against Watford, capped by Kieran Trippier, right, scoring the winner. Photograph: Tim Ireland/AP

Match report: Tottenham 1-0 Watford

5) How will Arsenal set up against Leicester?

A title decider between Leicester City and Arsenal? Such has been this remarkable Premier League season that Sunday’s game at the Emirates now has that big billing, a situation few would have predicted. Perhaps title decider is pushing it, but with Leicester five points clear of Arsenal, Arsène Wenger is aware of the fixture’s significance. “When you play at the top, that’s a long period, confidence drops a little bit,” said Wenger. “Leicester running away and us playing them next week, to make the game interesting, it was very important for us to win [against Bournemouth]. In one week, Leicester has beaten Liverpool and Man City. So that means suddenly they become the favourite in the league. That makes our game on Sunday a very big one.”

Arsenal produced an efficient display on the south coast and it was important they did so, having gone almost 350 league minutes without a goal. How they approach the challenge of in-form Leicester, though, will be of great interest. Arsenal thrashed the league leaders 5-2 in September, when Alexis Sánchez scored a hat-trick. But that was before Leicester established themselves at the top of the division. Having now become the best counterattacking side in the country, what will Arsenal’s approach be against them at the weekend? James Riach

Match report: Bournemouth 0-2 Arsenal
Howe says Flamini should have seen red

6) Forgotten men shining at Everton

Deemed surplus to requirements at Manchester United and Tottenham respectively, Tom Cleverley and Aaron Lennon both had a lot to prove when they joined Everton. Yet they have established themselves in Roberto Martínez’s side in recent weeks. The exciting Gerard Deulofeu has lost his place on the right flank to Lennon, whose workrate against Stoke was rewarded with his third goal in as many games, while Cleverley has impressed since returning from injury. The former United midfielder was excellent in Everton’s 3-0 win, earning the penalty for the first goal and creating the second. Cleverley has often been the target of fierce criticism, but Martínez is a big fan. Jacob Steinberg

Match report: Stoke 0-3 Everton
Martínez praises influence of Lennon and Cleverley

7) Agbonlahor papers over Villa cracks

You wouldn’t be able to tell from his muted celebration, but it is fair to say that Gabby Agbonlahor enjoyed his goal against Norwich City, his first in Aston Villa colours in nearly a year. “The papers like to chat a load of shit,” said the 29-year-old afterwards, before posting a picture of the goal on Instagram with the caption “That was for all the haters hope I have ruined ur Saturday.” Agbonlahor’s awakening was a timely boost for Rémi Garde but papers over the fact that he remains Villa’s only fit striker of any experience at present – Keinan Davis, a 17-year-old released by Stevenage last summer, was the only other striker in Saturday’s matchday squad. With Libor Kozak and Adama Traoré injured, Rudi Gestede struggling to make it back for Liverpool next week and Jordan Ayew suspended, Villa are bereft of attacking options. This was a good weekend for Villa, but they cannot rely on Agbonlahor and such tepid opponents every week. Aston Villa’s physio, Alan Smith, will surely have to work wonders if Villa have any chance of staying up. Michael Butler

Match report: Aston Villa 2-0 Norwich
Neil furious at unmotivated players

8) Noble the underrated gem in West Ham’s midfield

It might have crept under the radar in defeat, but Mark Noble was making his 350th appearance for West Ham on Saturday. Next month he will have a testimonial at the Boleyn Ground – with appearances from Paolo di Canio and Ravel Morrison among others – and Noble reckons he is in the best form of his life. Jamie Redknapp believes Noble is the best player not to have played for England. “If it happens, it happens,” Noble said at St Mary’s. “It’s nice to hear things like that, especially from Jamie. I’ve had so much talk about it the last month or so. Even in previous seasons. I’m playing the best football of my career at the minute. I think everyone can see that. I felt really good out there tonight. The last few months I have done, to be fair the whole of this season. You can only play as well as you can for your club.” Yet, perhaps cruelly, the emergence of young central midfielders, particularly, at Tottenham means he appears further out of the picture than ever. He is eligible for the Republic of Ireland, too, but is not keen on the idea of turning out in green. Alan Smith

Match report: Southampton 1-0 West Ham
Bilic says Wanyama tackle was unacceptable

Mark Noble made his 350th appearance for West Ham against Southampton. Photograph: Hannah McKay/Reuters

9) Newcastle must lean on St James’ Park advantage

It really is home sweet home for Newcastle United and Steve McClaren needs to keep it that way if he is to preserve both his job and his team’s Premier League status. Saturday’s 1-0 win against West Brom not only ensured McClaren survived the most dangerous moment of his Tyneside tenure so far but emphasised the importance of the club’s St James’ Park stronghold. Cheered on by crowds in excess of 50,000, Newcastle have recorded four of their six Premier League wins this season and five of their six draws at home. The poverty of away form which has seen them score only six times on theroad this campaign dictates that forthcoming matches at St James’ against Bournemouth, Sunderland, Swansea and Crystal Palace are very likely to determine their fate. Win that quartet and Newcastle would have 12 of the 14 points needed to carry them to the 38-point mark which will probably be sufficient to keep teams out of the Championship this spring. Louise Taylor

Match report: Newcastle 1-0 West Brom
McClaren wants Tioté to stay at Newcastle

10) Is there a better dead-ball specialist in the Premier League than Sigurdsson?

It is hard to think of many reassuring sights at the Liberty Stadium during a troubled season but Gylfi Sigurdsson preparing to take a set-piece is one of them. Sigurdsson took his tally to five in six games with a trademark free-kick against Crystal Palace – it has got to the stage where you almost expect him to score when he stands over the ball 25 yards from goal – and the Icelander came desperately close to adding another from a not dissimilar range in the second half, when Wayne Hennessey made a fine save. The midfielder’s corner kicks are generally right on the money too – Swansea spurned several chances to profit from them in Saturday’s 1-1 draw – and the penalty that Sigurdsson dispatched into the top corner at Everton a couple of weeks ago was as good as it gets from the spot. In a team that struggles to score goals, Sigurdsson’s contribution is priceless. Stuart James

Match report: Swansea 1-1 Crystal Palace
Pardew: Adebayor can be mentor to Wickham

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