1
The Etihad draw leaves the title at stake
In their last two league games, Manchester City faced their two title rivals and achieved the same result with wildly different styles. Unless Arsenal and City meet in the Champions League semi-finals (a considerably less attractive prospect now), the next time two of the current top three meet will be in Philadelphia on July 31, when Liverpool and Arsenal. play a friendly So the title will now be decided by results against the rest of the division and the good news for fans of fair fights is that the matches are remarkably balanced: taking the results of your opponents and adding up the points deducted. The current average position of the teams that City still have to face is precisely 10, Arsenal's also 10 and Liverpool's 10.33. Everyone has reason to feel that this is their year: Arsenal have the advantage of playing one more game at home and one less away; City have the advantage of playing their most difficult games at home, precisely where they would like them; and Liverpool get a two-point lead. Simon Burnton
2
Welbeck should go elsewhere
Danny Welbeck's contract with Brighton ends in the summer and the striker could be considering where he will start next season. The 33-year-old scored a fine first goal against Liverpool on Sunday and spent 90 minutes bothering defenders as Brighton played at half-time. His co-worker was impressive, often joining 10 teammates in the defensive third to slow Liverpool down as much as possible. It could be said that Welbeck only started because João Pedro was injured, while Evan Ferguson, who had not scored in his previous 22 games, was on the bench. Given the more youthful nature of the competition for places to lead the line, if Welbeck is to get more regular minutes, he may need to leave the Amex. If a new contract doesn't come through or Welbeck feels it is the right time to leave, there will be plenty of offers for an astute striker who continues to show he has plenty of football and goals in him. won't win
3
Onana stands out amid United's lethargy
There wasn't much to celebrate for Manchester United at Brentford on Saturday but, amid the general chaos, a major change for Erik ten Hag is starting to have a positive impact. When United lost 4-0 at Brentford last season, one of the reasons was David de Gea's difficulty playing from the back. André Onana was brought in to solve that and endured a nightmare start at Old Trafford, regularly appearing to dematerialize in one-on-ones. He may not yet be the beacon of calm authority that many would like goalkeepers to be and he may not be United's long-term goalkeeper, but it is no longer an obvious problem that demands immediate resolution. His double save against Yehor Yarmolyuk and Keane Lewis-Potter was extraordinary, his judgment on crosses was much improved compared to his first weeks in the first division and Ten Hag praised an overall “brilliant” performance. jonathan wilson
4
Phillips central to Hammers collapse
Things went wrong for David Moyes' West Ham at Newcastle after he replaced Michail Antonio with Kalvin Phillips. First, the midfielder conceded a penalty, taken quite skillfully by Anthony Gordon and converted by Alexander Isak. Newcastle substitute Harvey Barnes then left Phillips behind for Barnes' second goal, a 90th-minute winner. Further confirmation that it was not Phillips' day came when the Manchester City loanee tackled the bus that transported West Ham to Newcastle airport. Booing fans had gathered outside and when one called Phillips “useless,” he flipped a middle finger in retaliation. If such controversy does not overshadow the stellar performances of Isak, Barnes and, despite his 95th-minute sending off, Gordon, as well as West Ham's Antonio, Mohammed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen, Phillips must regret leaving Leeds. Louise Taylor
5
Blades finally does it halfway
In their previous four games at Bramall Lane, Sheffield United went into half-time trailing 2-0, 4-0, 2-0 and 5-0. Given that they have only once recovered from a half-time deficit to avoid defeat this season (at Brighton in November, when they trailed 1-0 at half-time to draw 1-1), this was clearly a trend that needed to be broken. On Saturday they produced the first goalless first half in a Sheffield United match since December. “Everyone's narrative was… to be out of the game after 25 minutes, so we had to make sure we did something about it,” Chris Wilder said. “We had to have a game plan to have a foothold in the game and allow our confidence to grow, which I think we did…” The logic is sound: they are not good in the first halves, so make sure let the games be decided. In a second. The bad news: they are even worse in those. Simon Burnton
Craig Bellamy, Vincent Kompany's number 2 at Burnley, is confident the future is bright. Burnley have the youngest squad in the Premier League and are likely to go down, but they fought hard to go down to 10 men against Chelsea and deserved a 2-2 draw. “Coming into this league has been difficult,” Bellamy said. “We are the youngest team and Chelsea are the second youngest and over time they improve in this league.” Bellamy looked back on his career and joined Coventry City in 2001. He dropped and was discarded before shooting up after moving to Newcastle. “I was a 'waste of money',” said the Welshman. “The following year I was PFA Young Player of the Year and ended up in a Champions League place. That was just a belief. “This league can knock you down – you learn and you get better and I feel like the players are definitely doing that.” Jacob Steinberg
7
Dyche looks at psychology
Sean Dyche looked composed after Séamus Coleman's last-minute goal gave Bournemouth victory to extend Everton's winless run to a club-record 12 top-flight games. His behavior, he suggested, was not simply a front for the media: “There's no point in me getting angry (at the players) because it's a mistake. “It just feels worse because it’s a mistake at the end of the game and we’re in a tough stretch.” Dyche has extensive experience in relegation battles, winning some and losing others. He knows when to use the carrot or the stick, and at this moment he believes that his words – rather than his actions – are key. “Everyone thinks (management) is a 4-3-3 and all that,” he said. “Believe me, the game has changed radically. Part of your role now is that of gentle psychologist. I'm not a trained psychologist, but you are something of a psychologist from years of doing what you do. “I’ve been in football my whole life.” ben flower
8
Villa seeks depth in the squad
Aston Villa may have to sell big this summer, having posted a £119.6m loss on their 2022-23 accounts, but their succession planning looks much healthier than most of their rivals. of the Midlands. Wolves, whose five frontline injuries required the inclusion of seven academy players in their matchday squad, only managed to overcome the Premier League's allowable losses barrier by offloading £150m worth of talent last summer. Nottingham Forest have been docked four points; Leicester City also faces punishment. Clubs stand to lose up to £105m over a three-year period, but even if Villa's claim that their latest figures “are in line with the strategic business plan” seems dubious, the depth of their squad suggests they should not. Panic. If they sold Jacob Ramsey or Leon Bailey for £50m, they have the likes of Morgan Rogers, who cost an initial £8m from Middlesbrough in January, breaking out. Pete Lansley
9
Wharton, the last jewel of the palace
Crystal Palace's much-admired recruitment department have unearthed another gem in Adam Wharton, the 19-year-old bought for £18.5million from Blackburn in January. If Eberechi Eze was the standout player at the City Ground, his runs dovetailed with Wharton, whose vision and weight of left-footed passes were spot on on several occasions. Following Eze and Michael Olise, Wharton is the latest Palace diamond plucked from the EFL, where talent abounds if he looks in the right places. Daniel Muñoz, a Colombian defender also signed in January, also performed well for Forest. It is no surprise that Dougie Freedman, the former Palace striker and coach turned Eagles sporting director, is one of the most respected members of the growing class of football executives. That Palace is recognized as a talent factory is a tribute to the department Freedman leads. Wharton, capped by the England under-21 team last week, represents the latest test. John Brewin
After coming so close to earning a point, Luton's injured side must somehow pick themselves up for another strong effort against Arsenal on Wednesday. Rob Edwards estimated he only has 10 fit outfield players after injuries to Reece Burke, Alfie Doughty and goalscorer Tahith Chong added to his problems. While the Luton boss must find a way to resolve a defensive crisis, he desperately hopes tChong can play against Arsenal after another impressive performance from the Manchester United graduate who scored three goals in March, albeit within three defeats. “I'm very pleased with him,” Edwards said. “He has been gaining confidence and is having an increasing influence. When we signed him we knew of his potential and now he is starting to realize it. “He still has a lot more room to grow, which is exciting for him.” Ed Aaron
