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7 thoughts from Saturday's Premier League action

theScore examines the most important developments and biggest talking points from Saturday’s busy slate of action in England’s top flight.

Xhaka reborn as a leader – yes, for real

As the crowd roared and limbs flailed in wild celebration of Arsenal’s opening goal in Saturday’s north London derby, Granit Xhaka – yes, Granit Xhaka – gathered his teammates in a huddle and implored them to stay calm.

Considering his history at Arsenal – namely, that he was mercilessly booed by Gunners fans and subsequently stripped of the captaincy in 2019 – it was an extraordinary scene that highlighted the Swiss midfielder’s rebirth at the club.

Xhaka, so often maligned throughout his Premier League career, has been outstanding for table-topping Arsenal this season. He’s playing higher up the pitch, and his added attacking freedom is bearing fruit. Through eight matches, Xhaka – who scored the third goal in Arsenal’s 3-1 victory over hated rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday – has already been directly involved in more goals this season (five) than he was in each of the three previous campaigns.

Always considered a deep-lying passer who should operate at the base of midfield, Xhaka has seen his new No. 8 role accentuate his talents and, crucially, hide his defensive shortcomings; Mikel Arteta has put him in a position to succeed.

“Sometimes, you have to take players out of their comfort zone and open a different door to explore how the team will react to it and what the opposition will do,” the manager explained when he made the change last season.

But Xhaka’s growth as a leader has been more impressive. During a typically fierce derby that saw a red card handed out and a penalty awarded for a poor tackle, Xhaka was the coolest head on the field. The same fans who once jeered him were literally singing his praises after Saturday’s win. What a turnaround.

North London derby remains unrivaled

North London is red again thanks to a convincing Arsenal victory over 10-man Tottenham. It was a contest that lived up to the hype, as Thomas Partey opened the scoring with a sensational goal that Harry Kane later negated from the penalty spot. Gabriel Jesus restored Arsenal’s lead minutes into the second half before Emerson Royal’s straight red card preceded Xhaka’s game-sealing strike.

But north London could be set for another makeover after these sides meet again in January.

If recent history has taught us anything, this famous rivalry is unlikely to produce the same outcome on consecutive occasions. Since 2020, Arsenal have painted the town red with entertaining victories at the Emirates Stadium, while Spurs have shown off their white brushes after comfortable triumphs at their new stadium.

Goals obviously help fuel interest, and there’s been plenty of them lately in what’s become one of the most consistently entertaining fixtures in club football:

Date Host Visitor Result
Sept. 2019 Arsenal Tottenham 2-2
July 2020 Tottenham Arsenal 2-1
Dec. 2020 Tottenham Arsenal 2-0
March 2021 Arsenal Tottenham 2-1
Sept. 2021 Arsenal Tottenham 3-1
May 2022 Tottenham Arsenal 3-0
Oct. 2022 Arsenal Tottenham 3-1

Scoring aside, drama remains a crucial ingredient for endearing any derby to the masses. Along with 35 yellow cards shown over the last seven games – an average of five per match – three of the last four meetings have seen red cards shown to players on the losing side.

That combination of tension and entertainment has helped the north London derby confirm its status as one of the best rivalries around.

Liverpool must go back to basics

For years, Liverpool pressed teams with unyielding ferocity. Jurgen Klopp’s forwards defended from the front, and his midfielders ran marathons chasing every loose ball. None of Liverpool’s opponents seemed comfortable on the ball. There wasn’t enough time to make a good decision.

But somewhere along the line, Liverpool lost their way. They’re regressing in real time.

Brighton & Hove Albion showed just how brutally a side can now bully the Reds. The Seagulls owned the first 20 minutes of Saturday’s 3-3 draw at Anfield, creating chance after chance as Liverpool backpedaled into their area. The hosts conceded first for the fifth time in seven Premier League matches, and though they mounted a comeback, it was short-lived. Klopp’s side just couldn’t keep Brighton at bay.

“With all the good things we did during the week, (our) confidence is a little flower, and when someone stamps on it, it is really difficult,” the German manager told BBC Sport.

Some of his best players have let him down, and they’ve shown little improvement if any. Trent Alexander-Arnold remains skittish on the right flank, and even Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool’s de facto leader at the back, has wilted under pressure.

Peter Byrne – PA Images / PA Images / Getty

It’s no coincidence Brighton’s three goals came from Liverpool’s right side. Roberto De Zerbi, who officially replaced Graham Potter earlier this week, likely instructed his players to attack Alexander-Arnold, knowing he’d struggle to cope with the pace of their combination play. If that was the plan, it worked like a charm. Alexander-Arnold couldn’t clear his lines or keep up with runs down the flank.

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher castigated his old team after its embarrassing 4-1 defeat to Napoli in September, blaming its midfielders for allowing the Italians to run rampant. Carragher made a good point: Liverpool may look amateur at the back, but their biggest problem lies in the middle of the park. They can’t possibly play a high line without being compact. Their shape is too loose to carry out any pressing game.

No one can criticize the team’s attitude. Liverpool will always make a game out of it, no matter how badly they play. But they must make changes. They can’t play the way they’re used to playing – not until they get the basics right. There’s no point playing high-risk football without confidence.

De Zerbi builds on Potter’s foundation

De Zerbi’s Brighton debut represented a reinvention more than a total transformation. The Italian manager – who arrived as Potter’s successor amid much hype and excitement – clearly knows that his predecessor, now at Chelsea, crafted an impressive squad and style before departing.

Rather than rip that up and try to change everything, De Zerbi seems intent on building upon the foundation Potter implemented. At least after one match.

The former Shakhtar Donetsk and Sassuolo bench boss – a noted disciple of Pep Guardiola and Marcelo Bielsa – has largely used either a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 formation throughout his career. He employs a possession-based system that emphasizes intricate, quick passes, with wide players cutting inside and combining in narrow areas to create scoring opportunities.

Gareth Fuller – PA Images / PA Images / Getty

Potter, of course, preferred to use three central defenders for much of his spell with the Seagulls. De Zerbi stayed the course in Saturday’s manic 3-3 draw against Liverpool, opting for a 3-4-2-1 setup.

“Potter deserves some credit because he has left to me a great team,” De Zerbi said after the match. “I have tried to not make any damage and add my idea on top.”

It’s wise, at least early on, for De Zerbi to convey as much consistency as possible during a period of upheaval for the club. That approach will help his players adapt to their new coach gradually, putting everyone in the best position to succeed long term.

Gallagher’s time to shine under Potter

There was a hint of a smile, but Conor Gallagher ultimately did well to contain his excitement under difficult circumstances after scoring a dramatic winner against Crystal Palace. For Chelsea’s young midfielder, though, there was plenty to smile and be excited about after a memorable afternoon against his former club.

In scoring his first goal with the Blues – and first since February with Palace – Gallagher may have done more than seal an important 2-1 win at Selhurst Park; he may have also bolstered his case for more opportunities and an increased role with a magical moment in Chelsea’s maiden Premier League outing with Potter at the helm.

Paul Harding / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Coming on as a substitute with less than 20 minutes remaining in a tight contest at his old stomping ground, Gallagher unleashed a sensational, match-winning strike in the 90th minute to hand his former squad a heartbreaking loss.

It was a moment long in the making for the 22-year-old, who struggled for playing time under Chelsea’s previous coaching regime led by Thomas Tuchel. But Gallagher’s world-class talents were impossible to ignore after a wildly successful season on loan at Palace, a season that earned him a spot with the Blues for the 2022-23 campaign.

After showing his new boss what he’s capable of, Gallagher was deservedly beaming with optimism to close out his unforgettable Saturday.

“It’s massive, just to get that confidence back up a bit,” he said. “I want to kick on from here.”

Double whammy for Vieira, Palace

Watching former standout Gallagher score a last-gasp winner wasn’t the only pain point for Patrick Vieira and Crystal Palace on Saturday.

The Frenchman was left fuming after referee Chris Kavanagh decided not to send Thiago Silva off in the first half; the veteran defender, while stumbling to the ground, stretched out his arm and appeared to intentionally claw the ball away from Jordan Ayew to deny the Palace forward a possible scoring opportunity.

Kavanagh only showed Silva a yellow card, a decision that was upheld after a VAR review. Vieira, incensed, was booked for his protestations. To make matters worse, Silva assisted Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s goal only five minutes later, rising up to knock a header into the striker’s path before Aubameyang smacked the ball into the bottom corner.

“Regarding the incident with Thiago, it’s something I don’t want to talk about. It’s difficult for me to understand it and accept it. It’s better sometimes to be quiet and not talk about it,” Vieira said after the loss.

“I don’t want to talk about it because I believe the referee got it wrong. If I say what I think, I will be in trouble, so it’s better for me not to talk about it.”

Jose Mourinho would be very proud.

Fulham’s no good, very bad day

One probably couldn’t have scripted a more disastrous outing for Fulham ahead of Saturday’s 4-1 defeat against Newcastle United.

At every possible turn, the Cottagers’ day went from bad to worse. Nathaniel Chalobah being sent off in the eighth minute turned out to be merely the tip of the iceberg, as Callum Wilson opened the scoring for the visitors three minutes later.

Mike Hewitt / Getty Images Sport / Getty

By the time the halftime whistle mercifully came around, Fulham were 3-0 down – a score that included a stunning Miguel Almiron volley – and, of the utmost concern, had watched leading scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic exit with an apparent ankle injury. Debutant Layvin Kurzawa picked up a first-half knock, too.

Almiron, rubbing salt in the wounds, added another goal in the second half.

Bobby De Cordova-Reid’s late tally was scant consolation for Fulham, who must hope Mitrovic’s ailment isn’t significant. One bad day at the office shouldn’t make Marco Silva too anxious, but a serious injury to his talisman would be cause for extreme concern.

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Premier League

Euro 2024 playoffs: Miraculous Ukraine comeback, big result for Wales

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Wales, Greece, and Poland registered statement wins Thursday, joining three other teams in next Tuesday’s playoff finals for the three remaining places at Euro 2024.

Ukraine staged an incredible late comeback against Bosnia and Herzegovina in its semifinal to keep its Euro dream alive.

The highest-placed team in FIFA’s rankings that’s no longer in contention to reach the tournament in Germany is 60th-placed Finland.

Here’s how the playoff semifinals across Path A, B, and C played out.

Path A

Mateusz Slodkowski / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Poland 5-1 Estonia

Estonia barely stood a chance. Down to 10 men as early as the 27th minute, the northern Europeans could only muster a consolation goal in a 5-1 loss to Poland. The Polish achieved the rout without Robert Lewandowski getting on the scoresheet and remain unbeaten in 21 Euro qualifiers at home, a magnificent run dating back to September 2006. Poland is trying to make up for a poor qualifying campaign in which it finished third in Group E, four points behind the Czech Republic and Albania. The country hasn’t missed the Euros since 2004.

Wales 4-1 Finland

The Red Wall might descend on Germany this summer. Wales’ raucous supporters have legitimate hopes of traveling to another major tournament after the Dragons scorched Finland without the retired Gareth Bale and with Aaron Ramsey, 33, on the bench after more injury problems. Teemu Pukki gave the visiting team some hope just before halftime following well-taken finishes from David Brooks and Neco Williams. But Wales needed just 73 seconds of the second period to restore its two-goal cushion via Brennan Johnson’s tap-in. Daniel James took advantage of a defensive error before rounding the goalkeeper in the 86th minute to give the host a resounding victory.

Playoff final: Wales vs. Poland, Tuesday 3:45 p.m. ET

Path B

David Balogh – UEFA / UEFA / Getty

Israel 1-4 Iceland

Iceland’s Albert Gudmundsson stole the show with an emphatic hat-trick against Israel on Thursday. His stunning free-kick into the top right corner canceled out Eran Zahavi’s opening goal for Israel, and he created a nice cushion for his country with a pair of markers in the final 10 minutes. Just before that, Zahavi blew an incredible opportunity to equalize the match at 2-2, missing a penalty awarded for handball against Iceland’s Gudmundur Thorarinsson. A red card to Israel’s Haim Revivo didn’t help the trailing side. Iceland is now a game away from making only its second-ever appearance at the Euros following its quarterfinal run in 2016.

Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-2 Ukraine

Ukraine scored twice with just minutes remaining in regulation to snatch what seemed to be a sure victory from Bosnia and Herzegovina on Thursday. Bosnia controlled play for most of the match and took the lead in the 56th minute when Mykola Matviyenko turned in Amar Dedic’s shot into his own net. But a colossal defensive lapse cost the Bosnians a chance to make it a record four countries from the former Yugoslavia at Euro 2024. Roman Yaremchuk came off the bench to equalize in the 85th minute and teed up Artem Dovbyk’s sensational winning header three minutes later to turn the playoff semifinal on its head. Ukraine now faces Iceland with a third consecutive Euro appearance at stake.

Playoff final: Ukraine vs. Iceland, Tuesday 3:45 p.m. ET

Path C

GIORGI ARJEVANIDZE / AFP / Getty

Georgia 2-0 Luxembourg

Two clever finishes from Budu Zivzivadze in Tbilisi assured Georgia of a place in Path C’s final – and all without the help of suspended talisman Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. But it wasn’t that simple for the host. Luxembourg thought it equalized during the second half, only for the goal to be eventually snatched away due to Maxime Chanot’s apparent foul 45 seconds earlier. Luxembourg’s Chanot was controversially sent off for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity, and Zivzivadze effectively ended the match six minutes later with his second strike. Kvaratskhelia is available for the final.

Greece 5-0 Kazakhstan

Anastasios Bakasetas lashed home a penalty, Dimitrios Pelkas headed into the net’s roof, Fotis Ioannidis tapped in from close range, and Dimitrios Kourbelis added another header. And that was all before halftime. Kazakhstan’s impressive 2022-23 Nations League campaign and notable Euro 2024 qualifying wins over Denmark, Northern Ireland (twice), and Finland suddenly seemed ages ago, as Greece recorded its biggest halftime lead since October 1978 (5-0 against Finland). Aleksandr Marochkin’s embarrassing own goal in the 85th minute made Kazakhstan’s day even worse.

Playoff final: Georgia vs. Greece, Tuesday 1:00 p.m. ET

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Look: Nike unveils beautiful kit selection for Euro 2024, Copa America

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Nike released a stunning batch of threads ahead of Euro 2024 and Copa America on Monday.

Days after Adidas launched its lineup for the summer’s top two tournaments, Nike followed suit with an array of colorful designs.

The U.S. manufacturer also announced redesigns for Canada and Poland, even though they’ve yet to qualify for their respective tournaments. The Canucks face Trinidad and Tobago in a one-off Copa America qualifier on Saturday, while Poland must navigate a four-team playoff to reach Euro 2024.

(All images courtesy of Nike)

Euro 2024

Croatia

Home

The square-shaped design that gives Croatia its unique look gets a slight upgrade. The home shirt features larger squares than ever before.

Away

Croatia’s away shirt plays on the national flag, with the traditional checkered pattern now on a slant.

England

Home

Influenced by England’s 1966 training gear, the home shirt has a classic feel with a rich blue collar and gorgeous trim along the cuffs.

Away

England embraces a deep purple hue for its away selection. The crest stands out with a contrasting off-white tint that makes the three lions pop.

France

Home

France’s home shirt may have the biggest crest of all of Nike’s offerings. The oversized rooster defines this shirt as much as the royal blue that’s made France’s kits a crowd-pleaser.

Away

The pinstripes mirror the colors of France’s national flag and span the width of the shirt in a simple, yet elegant design.

Netherlands

Home

Nike could’ve offered anything orange here, and it would’ve been perfect. But the Netherlands has something bolder and better to wear. The zig-zag pattern adds edge.

Away

The orange collar and cuffs pop alongside the three shades of blue Nike has chosen to create the abstract design on this work of art.

Poland

Home

Poland dedicates premium real estate on the country’s home shirt to its imposing crest.

Away

Poland’s away shirt is a daring choice. The graphic treatment adds texture, giving it a rugged feel while separating from the red tones of years past.

Portugal

Home

With possibly the best home shirt in Nike’s collection, Portugal leans heavily into its traditional red-and-green motif with a polo collar and thick cuffs. The logo sits prominently as well. A smash hit.

Away

Here’s another winner. Portugal’s away strip has a stunning textile imprint that gives off a cool summer vibe.

Turkey

Home

This is a menacing look. Turkey will look like a whirring red army with these imposing shirts.

Away

The classic red band returns to Turkey’s away uniform. Like the others, it features an oversized crest in the middle of the shirt.

Copa America

Brazil

Home

Nike goes big with Brazil’s crest and adds an intricate design to the same yellow hue the Selecao have used for decades.

Away

Brazil’s secondary strip feels like the beach. A horizontal wavy pattern covering the entire shirt mimics the country’s picturesque coastline.

Canada

Home

The only blemish in Nike’s lineup. Why is there a circle around the swoosh? And why are the shoulders so much darker than the body? None of it makes sense.

Away

The 13 pinstripes are supposed to represent the 10 provinces and three territories that make up Canada. Unfortunately, the rest of the shirt looks incomplete.

United States

Home

The United States men’s national team gets a classic home shirt with patriotic detailing along the color and sleeves.

Away

The gradient works perfectly with the red shorts the U.S. will wear at the Copa America.

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Premier League

Thoughts and analysis from rip-roaring weekend of Premier League action

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theScore examines the most important developments and biggest talking points from another entertaining weekend of Premier League football.

Man City flustered at Anfield

Just when it seemed Manchester City would end their barren run at Anfield, Liverpool reminded them why they haven’t won a Premier League game there since 2003.

Liverpool swarmed City within seconds of the restart, injecting urgency into a game they were trailing 1-0 at halftime. The ensuing action was breathtaking to watch. Anfield’s raucous crowd supercharged the atmosphere and helped Liverpool sucker City into the kind of box-to-box showdown few teams can force Pep Guardiola’s usually suave side into playing.

The hosts outshot the defending champions 12-3 during that manic second stanza, pressed their opponents into turnovers, and flustered the majority of City’s starters. That included the impervious Rodri, who had to hack down one player just to stem the tide.

It’s not often City entertain track meets like this one. They crave control, and after setting the tone early on with a clever set-piece routine that caught Liverpool’s defenders napping, the visitors struggled to keep the ball for more than a few seconds at a time.

There was a clear method to the chaos Liverpool rained down on City: run down the field, stretch them, and force them to play with their head on a swivel. City had approached previous matches at Anfield with an abundance of caution just to avoid descending into this kind of trench warfare, using possession as a form of defense. However, Liverpool, by sheer force of will, made it impossible for them to play conservatively.

Alex Livesey – Danehouse / Getty Images Sport / Getty

“If you can play football like this against City, that’s a statement,” Jurgen Klopp told Sky Sports afterward. “And I love that.”

Guardiola had to withdraw Kevin De Bruyne – one of the most dangerous players on the pitch – just to find a way to keep the ball. De Bruyne can swing matches in an instant, and Guardiola is always willing to play him, whether the game calls for the Belgian’s open, creative passing or a more pragmatic approach. This time, Guardiola must’ve known a point was all City could get.

Mateo Kovacic offered more security, if not as much inspiration, and so he came on. Liverpool forced that change. They got City out of their comfort zone, which is only fitting because Klopp’s Liverpool have been the only team in England capable of breaking City’s dynasty under Guardiola.

Backup ‘keepers come to the rescue

Caoimhin Kelleher and Stefan Ortega would usually be spectators on a day like Sunday. But circumstance and injury pushed them into the fray. Not that they didn’t look the part. Each of them made exceptional saves with the game tied at 1-1 and ensured it ended that way.

At least Kelleher had the week to prepare. The 25-year-old has also had plenty of playing time in the absence of Alisson, who’s out long term with a thigh injury, and he seemed to gain confidence during Liverpool’s triumphant League Cup run. Ortega has played a similar role at City, appearing mostly in cup competitions, but he had mere minutes to warm up as Ederson’s mid-game replacement.

Imagine stepping into the cauldron that is Anfield with the title race on the line and a mistake the only likely difference between a positive and negative result. A few early errant passes confirmed Ortega was feeling the nerves and pace of the game. But he didn’t let it define his performance. He was proactive, coming off his line to block shots, and he kept it relatively simple with no-nonsense clearances. He looked more sure of himself than Ederson did, up to and including the moment the Brazilian conceded Liverpool’s game-tying penalty with a reckless swing at Darwin Nunez.

And therein lies the secret to sustaining success in the modern game. Both Liverpool and City have exceptional starting lineups, but their depth is second to none. They source talent from either their academy or teams a few rungs below them to ensure they can compete with or without their best players.

Michael Regan / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The role of the backup ‘keeper is perhaps the most underrated. It’s difficult to find shot-stoppers who are happy to play second fiddle and still be capable of tending goal themselves once every few months, sometimes fewer. Many clubs don’t want to spend big on second-choice ‘keepers, either. But where would Liverpool be without Kelleher? Two League Cups may not have been theirs. It’s even harder to retain such talent, but Kelleher’s ties to Liverpool, having been brought up as a diehard supporter, help.

Likewise, City would’ve lost Sunday’s game with a 40-year-old retiree shoring up Guardiola’s bench. But they did well to pluck Ortega from Arminia Bielefeld in July 2022, giving a solid ‘keeper a chance he otherwise wouldn’t have on one of the greatest teams of the Premier League era.

Mature Arsenal changing narrative

A mistake like the one Aaron Ramsdale committed against Brentford would’ve been disastrous for Arsenal last season. Heads would’ve been down and shoulders would’ve been slumped, with players unable or unwilling to move on from such a calamitous moment. But it’s a different story this season for Arsenal and a squad featuring several players who know a thing or two about overcoming adversity.

With the game tied 1-1 and its chances of winning fading fast, the north London club persevered late with the help of two other players who’ve dealt with their own difficult periods at Arsenal: Kai Havertz and Ben White. They further endeared themselves to fans Saturday, combining to score the winning goal in the 86th minute to spare Ramsdale’s blushes.

Before Havertz’s header, Ramsdale was feeling the heat at the Emirates Stadium after gifting Brentford an equalizer right before halftime. As Arsenal tried to close out a dominant first half, Ramsdale’s struggles with the ball at his feet proved costly again after his sloppy clearance attempt ricocheted off Yoane Wissa and into his net. It was the type of lapse in judgment that cost Ramsdale his job after David Raya was signed to be Arsenal’s first-choice goalkeeper.

Conceding right before halftime was obviously crushing, but it offered Ramsdale a chance to escape to the locker room and compose himself away from jeering fans. He returned after the break with two huge saves to prevent Brentford from inflicting more damage before Havertz’s winning goal.

Resilience has been a hallmark of Arsenal’s impressive season, which has helped them remain in the title race with 10 games to go. It’s a quality that’ll be important in next week’s Champions League clash with FC Porto – when they’ll try to overturn a 1-0 deficit – and when Mikel Arteta’s men face their biggest challenge of the season against Manchester City after the international break.

Quick free-kicks

Klopp-Guardiola era ends with a bang

Few thought the rivalry between Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger would ever be topped, let alone matched in terms of intensity and quality. But then Klopp and Guardiola came along. Liverpool and Manchester City games have been appointment viewing since the two exuberant tacticians brought their coaching talents to England almost a decade ago. Sunday’s encounter was no different, as the two – at the center of another title race – duked it out at Anfield in the last league meeting before Klopp leaves Liverpool this summer. Like so many games in the years since Klopp’s Liverpool and Guardiola’s City first met on New Year’s Eve in 2016, it was a contest of the highest quality that featured plenty of scoring chances and drama. That Sunday’s bout finished in a draw is perhaps a fitting way to close the chapter on a rivalry that’ll be remembered by Premier League fans for generations to come. Hopefully, these two brilliant footballing minds lock horns again somewhere down the line.

Spurs rise to the challenge

Tottenham’s failure to deliver in key moments is one of the Premier League’s longstanding memes. Sunday’s 4-0 hammering of fellow top-four contenders Aston Villa didn’t have quite the same stakes as some of their matches from recent seasons, but, keeping in line with the club’s upward trajectory under Ange Postecoglou, it was refreshing to see Spurs deliver in a big spot. A loss Sunday wouldn’t have been fatal in their chase to secure Champions League football, but it would’ve given Villa a healthy eight-point advantage going into the stretch run. With a game in hand on Villa, fifth-placed Tottenham, now only two points adrift of fourth, appear to be in the more favorable position after winning a game with “plenty of significance.” Both clubs still have to play all three of Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester City between now and the end of the season, so there will be (at least) three more high-leverage games for Villa and Spurs in what’s an intriguing battle for fourth. Can Tottenham rise to the challenge a few more times to secure a coveted top-four spot, or will their “Spursy” tendencies of past seasons make an appearance?

Stat of the weekend

Liverpool accomplished an exceedingly rare feat this weekend.

Tweet of the weekend

Yes, this is technically cheating, but we’re dipping into the Championship for this one …

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