Liverpool came out on the right side of a seven-goal thriller against Crystal Palace, which kept their four-point lead at the top intact when Manchester City beat Huddersfield 3-0 on Sunday.
Manchester United edged Brighton 2-1 to keep up their perfect start under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, while Chelsea were not only taught a lesson on the pitch by Arsenal, they were told a few home truths by manager Maurizio Sarri following their 2-0 defeat at the Emirates.
How did those at the top, bottom and in between get on? Continue Reading for the reviews from all of this weekend’s games…
Arsenal – A+
Arsenal put their poor performance against West Ham firmly behind them with a dynamic, clinical display against Chelsea to renew their bid for Champions League qualification.
The result also proved that Unai Emery has helped the Gunners to breakthrough against fellow sides in the ‘big six’. Arsenal have now won more points in seven games against big six sides this season (eight) than they did in the whole of the 2017-18 campaign (six).
The progress is there for all to see, but consistency is now what the Arsenal fans, and Emery, will want to see from their side going forward.
Liverpool – A-
Liverpool were not flawless in their 4-3 win over Crystal Palace, but they dug deep to ensure they avoided the same fate as Manchester City last month. Palace won at the Etihad to hand Liverpool an advantage at the top of the table, and Jurgen Klopp’s side showed their resolve to ensure they did not give City an opening in the title race.
Full-backs James Milner and Andy Robertson were crucial in breaking down Palace’s compact defence and Jordan Henderson impressed in midfield. It was nervier than many of their wins this season, but this was another test passed for Liverpool.
Manchester City – B
This was a case of job done for City, who closed the gap on Liverpool again without having to exert themselves for large periods of the game against Huddersfield.
For the majority of the clash, they were in first gear but when they put their foot down, they were irresistible. Leroy Sane epitomised their ability to switch through the gears, grabbing an assist and a goal to continue his hot streak of late.
Tottenham – B
It was a battling performance from Tottenham at Fulham and even manager Mauricio Pochettino admitted after the game that it may not have been their best, but it was a solid display nonetheless. They showed real character to come from behind – of their own volition, admittedly – and snatch a point at the death, especially without Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son.
However, the games keep coming thick and fast for Spurs – next facing Chelsea in the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg on Thursday, live on Sky Sports – and they will potentially be without Dele Alli. This will arguably be the biggest test they face to date and the most important if they want to win a trophy this season. (Charlotte Marsh)
Manchester United – B
A seventh straight win has left nobody in any doubt that United have drastically improved under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but the final 15 minutes of this one showed the first signs of fragility.
A clean sheet at Watford is another tick for Burnley’s upturn in form following three straight wins and if not for an erroneous offside flag in injury time, Woods’ late strike would have made it a perfect day in Hertfordshire for the Clarets.
Chelsea – D
The problems continue to rack up for Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri, who launched an extraordinary attack on his Chelsea players after the limp loss at Arsenal.
Should the Blues stick with Eden Hazard as a false nine? Who can give them a cutting edge in front of goal? How can they get the best out of N’Golo Kante and Jorginho?
These are questions the former Napoli boss will have to answer, but straight after the defeat at the Emirates, he did absolve himself of tactical blame, despite Jorginho’s continued struggles as a central playmaker and the blunt attacking display with Eden Hazard as a ‘false nine’.
Instead, an “angry” Sarri blamed the mentality of his players once again, accusing them of being difficult to motivate.
