1) Fernandes must beware the wind-up merchants
It looked like a classic case of softening up, of the game’s darker arts. Leading with his arm in a 13th-minute aerial challenge, the Arsenal full-back Cédric Soares clouted Bruno Fernandes about the head and then reinforced the impression by going after his fellow Portuguese to hiss a few words in his ear. Soares was booked. Granit Xhaka could also be seen in conversation with Fernandes. The upshot? The Manchester United midfielder was incensed and, moments later, he left his boot in on a challenge with Xhaka, raking the achilles of his opponent. It was a mystery how Fernandes, who did not have his most effective game, avoided censure but it was a rush of blood that could have led to problems. It would also have been noted by other wind-up merchants. Fernandes is driven by passion but he can be provoked. Cedric’s move will not be the last of its kind. David Hytner
• Match report: Arsenal 0-0 Manchester United
2) Bale looks shadow of his former self
Gareth Bale was involved in one key moment at the Amex: clearing a header off the line. Obviously, it was important that his team did not go two goals behind but the Welshman’s main purpose is supposed to be in the opposition box. There was not a lack of willing from Bale, but he never gave any indication of creating a goalscoring opportunity for himself or a teammate. For a man who was once the world’s most expensive player when he left Spurs for Real Madrid, he has failed to instil confidence in fans since returning last year despite still, theoretically, being in his prime. There is no vibrancy in his play and he almost looked relieved to be dragged off just after the hour mark. Without the injured Harry Kane, Spurs need more from Bale and if he fails to provide it, his homecoming will continue to be remembered as a disaster. Will Unwin
• Match report: Brighton 1-0 Tottenham
3) Tuchel shows up Lampard’s tactical knowledge
At times it seemed that Frank Lampard did not know what to do with Timo Werner. Although Chelsea’s former manager knew Werner could play to the left, he slightly misread the German’s game. There is a difference between an inside forward and a traditional winger. Last season Werner found success as the former in RB Leipzig’s 3-4-3 system, roaming inside and playing off a tall target man. He established himself as one of Europe’s most dangerous attackers, scoring 34 goals. Then what? Although Lampard initially used the German as a No 9, he soon switched him to the left in a 4-3-3, a subtle but crucial change that proved misguided. The goals dried up and Werner lost confidence. But there are encouraging signs under Thomas Tuchel, who used the 24-year-old in his old Leipzig role in Chelsea’s win over Burnley. Werner lacked confidence but his general play was decent. Jacob Steinberg
• Match report: Chelsea 2-0 Burnley
4) Hodgson sees Eze as a future England star
Roy Hodgson believes Eberechi Eze has the ability to play for England and has urged the Crystal Palace playmaker to remain patient for his opportunity. Eze scored another brilliant goal – his third since joining from QPR in the summer – to see off Wolves; he is an England Under-21 international who also qualifies for Nigeria through his parents. “I would like to think that like Jack Grealish before him – who I found myself in a situation of needing to speak to, to try and persuade him he was good enough to play for England – I would certainly say the same to Eberechi Eze,” said the former national-team manager. “Is he ready at the moment? I wouldn’t think so. There’s so many players in his position of his type that it would be very bold of me to suggest he could go in front of them. But I’m more than happy with the progress he has made with my team.” Ed Aarons
• Match report: Crystal Palace 1-0 Wolves
5) Toon’s togetherness could lead them out of trouble
A first victory since 12 December sparked understandable elation in Newcastle’s portable dressing room outside Goodison Park. “You would think we had won the European Cup,” Steve Bruce revealed. “It means a lot to them. We’ve all had to endure the wrath of everyone, so it was good to see them enjoy the win. It will breathe a bit of confidence.” The performance also set a benchmark for what Newcastle need to lift the pressure on their manager and any prospect of being dragged into a relegation fight. Callum Wilson was outstanding and should have had a hat-trick as the visitors made a mockery of Everton’s Champions League aspirations, but it was the collective effort and confidence in a team without a win in 11 matches that enabled Newcastle to defy all pre-match expectations. “We’ve got to build on this,” said Wilson. Andy Hunter
• Match report: Everton 0-2 Newcastle
6) Foxes need key duo to return
Wilfred Ndidi and Jamie Vardy may be back next weekend. But in the meantime, Leicester will still be disappointed with how they played against Leeds without them, taking the lead before conceding three times. Their problem is that in order to extract the maximum from Vardy, they need to sit deep and leave space for him to run into – a tactic that also works less well when Ndidi isn’t in front of their defence. A midfield containing Youri Tielemans and James Maddison should be good enough to dictate most games, so perhaps Brendan Rodgers needs to inculcate a more possession-heavy based style of play. Daniel Harris
• Match report: Leicester 1-3 Leeds
7) Silva sets the scene for City’s happy new year
The measure of Manchester City’s current excellence is found in them winning all nine matches they played in January, the most by any team in any month since the Football League began in 1888. Pep Guardiola, understandably, is enthused. “After December we knew how tough it would be,” he said. “To achieve this is quite remarkable, I didn’t expect it. I said to the players in the meeting [before Sheffield United]: ‘We’ve finished the first leg [19 games of the Premier League], it’s remarkable what you’ve done and now keep going.’” A key player in City’s 12-game winning streak has been Bernardo Silva. “What a competitor, he had an incredible game [against the Blades]: he was brilliant. Another top player who always does best for the service of the team,” Guardiola said. Next is Burnley on Wednesday. Jamie Jackson
• Match report: Manchester City 1-0 Sheffield United
8) Ings farce lays bare the absurdity of VAR
As the replays of Danny Ings’ disallowed stoppage-time equaliser played out on a monitor behind the Southampton substitutes, a voice echoed what everyone was thinking. “They change the rules every week,” one said while awaiting the VAR decision. That the former referee Chris Foy later suggested the goal may well have stood had Ings not been wearing a black armband in tribute to the former Southampton club president John Mortimore just about sums up the madness of it all. And that is before you factor in the moment Matty Cash handled in the box only for the VAR, Mike Dean, to deem that his left arm remained in a natural position as the ball grazed his thigh. The Leeds defender Robin Koch was not so fortunate at Anfield in September. If fans were not already disillusioned with the technology, this game of marginal calls and microscopic lines may well have pushed some of those on the fence over the edge. Ben Fisher
• Match report: Southampton 0-1 Aston Villa
9) Allardyce still has much work to do
While it’s all very well salvaging a point from a game in which they looked dead and buried at half-time, West Brom’s performance against Fulham was full of ominous signs for Sam Allardyce’s side. Their first-half display was dire, the players painfully bereft of confidence and cohesion, and the match only alive as a contest at the interval because of the visitors’ wastefulness. A spirited fightback did show that West Brom’s survival bid is not yet a lost cause – but even that was tempered by the concession of an equaliser and, while fun for the neutrals, a seesawing four-goal draw is hardly evidence that the Allardyce vision is coming together. “The penny has to drop with the players soon,” said a miserable, sodden Allardyce after the game. The words of a manager throwing down the gauntlet to his players – or one distancing himself from their failings? Alex Hess
• Match report: West Brom 2-2 Fulham
10) Liverpool rediscover verve to get back in title race
Though injuries have been Liverpool’s principal problem this season, they’ve been playing steadily less well for some time now; ultimately, it needed the rabble-rousing genius of Jürgen Klopp to elevate a group of fine players into world-beating “mentality monsters”, so it’s unsurprising that it’s unsustainable. But history is replete with teams who have retained sufficient quality and knowhow to win titles when past their best, and Liverpool now sit four points off the lead and with Manchester City to visit Anfield on Sunday. Against Manchester United in the FA Cup defeat they showed signs of rediscovering their attacking verve, they built on that with an excellent midweek win at Spurs, and in disposing of an in-form West Ham they showed composure, authority and verve. When it comes down to it, their depleted defence may still cost them, but assuming they beat Brighton on Wednesday, a win next weekend puts them right in the mix. Daniel Harris
• Match report: West Ham 1-3 Liverpool
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