We’re all watching the battle for the European places in the Premier League because that’s all there is to watch after this weekend, with Liverpool looking nailed on for the title and the relegation places appearing settled, too. Regardless, we’ll keep you updated about all of those as the season goes by. In the meantime:
PREMIER LEAGUE WINNERS
Liverpool’s midfield
On a day when their forwards couldn’t find the back of the net, Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister provided the winning goals against Newcastle by jumping into the attack as they are wont to do. The chasing pack just keep slipping up and Liverpool keep building on their lead in the standings. Arsenal’s scheduled visit to Anfield in May increasingly looks like it will be irrelevant.
Éderson
Like I said last week, streaks end, and the person responsible for finally getting Manchester City a win over Tottenham was their goalkeeper. Erling Haaland tapped home the lone goal for City, but it was the tattooed Brazilian in net who snuffed out a number of Spurs attacks that should have resulted in goals.
Christopher Nkunku
With Nicolas Jackson and Archie Madueke out injured, someone had to step up for Chelsea and take the offensive burden off Cole Palmer (even against Southampton). That someone was the French striker, who went some way toward justifying his transfer from Leipzig as he scored the opener and drew a free kick that led directly to another goal in Chelsea’s 4-0 win.
Danny Welbeck
On a night when Bournemouth’s offense weren’t their usual clinical selves, the well-traveled striker came off the bench for Brighton and immediately grabbed the game-winner with a fine finish off the far post. The Seagulls could be playing in Europe next year if things break right for them.
Ryan Sessegnon
The same is true for Fulham. The last time Sessegnon scored for the Cottagers, it was 2018 against Wolverhampton. Precisely 60 seconds after the two teams’ match began on Tuesday, he had the ball in the net. The English left-winger must wish he could play against Wolves every week. His opener led to a 2-1 win on the road for the Cottagers.
Bruno Fernandes
He’ll get credit for two assists against Ipswich, plus one free kick that resulted in an own goal by the Blues. With Harry Maguire scoring the winner despite his team being a man down, it resulted in one of those victories against the odds that used to be a staple of Manchester United’s seasons.
Jake O’Brien
The young Irish defender found the net four times for Lyon last season, but his equalizer against Brentford was his first goal in the Premier League, and it saved a draw for Everton in a game full of chances not taken by both teams.
Jaden Philogene
A brace against Manchester United isn’t what it used to be, but the English striker will still take it. See the losers section for more details.
Morgan Rogers
How about that 360 spin he did to head the ball down to his feet and equalize for Aston Villa?
PREMIER LEAGUE LOSERS
Patrick Dorgu
Technically, everyone at the Manchester United-Ipswich game got an early shower because of the rain pouring down at Old Trafford. Still, the United left-back went to the locker room before halftime because of a reckless challenge that likely left Ipswich’s Omari Hutchinson relieved that his tibia was still in one piece. Before that, Dorgu misplayed a long ball past his own goalkeeper that left Philogene an empty net to shoot at. After the red card, Philogene’s cross from Dorgu’s defensive area eluded everyone and found the inside of the far post. All this in his second game in a United jersey is not the early impression the Dane wanted to make.
Alejandro Garnacho
The United winger got subbed off for a defender after Dorgu’s sending-off and reacted by storming off the pitch and having a shouting match with coach Ruben Amorim. Manchester United may not be relevant, but they do provide the drama.
Arsenal
This is harsh, probably. A draw on the road against the team in third place isn’t a bad result per se, but the Mikel Merino-as-center forward experiment is looking less viable after those two goals that he scored against Leicester. Liverpool are now 13 points ahead of the Gunners, and that game in hand that Arsenal have in their schedule might only be good for hanging on to second place.
Nottingham Forest
Don’t look now, but Manchester City are only one point behind them, and Forest’s next Premier League match happens to be at home against City. Everybody in the top half of the table still has a somewhat realistic hope of catching them. The rest of their fixture list isn’t overly daunting, but the Trees need to mind their p’s and q’s during these last two months or so.
Aston Villa’s defense
They might as well have been made of candy floss, so often did Crystal Palace break through them during their 4-1 victory at home. Ismaila Sarr scored a brace on his birthday and Eddie Nketiah netted his first in a Palace uniform. To top it off, Emiliano Martínez got hurt and was subbed off during halftime. Club Brugge might well be fancying their chances of beating the Villans in the Champions League.