Delight for Dyche as Gunners misfire
Pre-match forecasts for a nightmare first match in charge of Everton for Sean Dyche proved misguided as league leaders Arsenal were defeated at Goodison Park.
Everton looked unrecognisable from the team that has struggled badly all season as they secured a first win in 11 games just five days after Dyche was appointed as Frank Lampard's replacement.
They were backed by a ferocious Goodison Park crowd that put aside its animosity towards the club's owners, for 90 minutes at least – there had been more protests before kick-off.
And the tackles on the pitch were as aggressive as the support from the stands as Arsenal – beaten for only the second time this season – were not allowed to gain any rhythm or foothold in the game.
“It gives us a platform to move forward,” said Dyche. “We have crammed a lot in this week. To get a win against top of the league … we managed to calm the game down.”
Rashford continues United hot-streak
The transformation of Marcus Rashford from last season to this continues to gather pace.
Rashford managed just four goals in 25 league appearances the previous campaign that also saw his relationship with sections of the United fan base hit rock bottom.
But the turnaround this season is hugely impressive. His goal in United's 2-1 win over Palace on Saturday was his 11th since returning from the Qatar World Cup with England and he now has 10 in the league and 19 in all competitions.
It would take an equally dramatic loss of form if the 25-year-old – who has just been named Premier League Player of the Month for January – fails to beat his record goals tally of 22 in 2019/20.
“He's on that hot streak,” said United and England teammate Luke Shaw on Saturday. “He's learnt now how to be in the right positions to score goals and he's doing that, he's a man on fire at the moment.”
Jones sounds like beaten man at Saints
When Southampton manager Nathan Jones spoke after his team's latest defeat – a comprehensive 3-0 bashing at Brentford – he sounded like a man who knows the writing is on the wall.
“I have let the players down because I came into this club to do a job, I was recruited to do certain things and I don't see my team in there,” said Jones.
“I have pandered a little bit, I have gone away and tried to accommodate what we have. I haven't really put my own stamp on it and I should've by now, I really should have.”
Southampton are bottom of the table, three points from safety and have lost eight of their 13 matches since Jones took over from the sacked Ralph Hasenhuttl. in November.
The League Cup quarter-final win over Manchester City must feel a long way off for the sorry Saints and although they have also made it through to the FA Cup fifth round, it remains to be seen whether Jones will still be manager by that game in early March.
Klopp crisis hits new low … again
Just when Jurgen Klopp thinks things could not get any worse for his beleaguered side, they fall to another disastrous result.
This week, it was a chastening 3-0 defeat against a Wolves team that has been in or around the relegation zone all season.
Liverpool were two down after 12 minutes – one of them an Joel Matip own goal – and the Merseysiders were forced to endure Wolves fans chanting “olé” after every pass late in the game.
The result, coming just a few weeks after a 3-0 thrashing at Brighton and an FA Cup exit against the same team last week, leaves Liverpool 10th in the table, 21 points behind leaders Arsenal.
“We caused our own misery in that first 12 minutes,” admitted the German coach. “That cannot happen. It did. But it cannot. It is really tough to swallow. You can criticise, you can judge and you are probably right … How can I not be concerned?”
Kane makes City pay for bizarre De Bruyne call
With Arsenal falling to a shock defeat on Saturday, all eyes turned to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium 24 hours later to see whether Manchester City could close the gap at the top.
And eyebrows were raised before a ball had even been kicked when Kevin de Bruyne was left out of City's starting XI.
Manager Pep Guardiola was very clear before the match that the decision was a “tactical” one, which seems a bizarre call against one of the world's finest midfield creators.
In the end, it was Harry Kane's night as the Spurs striker grabbed the winning goal, broke Jimmy Greaves' Tottenham scoring record and became only the third player to reach 200 Premier League goals.
