(Reuters) – Talking points from the Premier League weekend:
PANICKY ARSENAL NEED COOL HEADS
Everything looked so serene for Arsenal a couple of weeks ago but a sense of panic has broken out in north London with the long-time league leaders leaking goals at an alarming rate.
Consecutive 2-2 draws after having led 2-0 was bad enough but Friday’s 3-3 draw with bottom club Southampton, a game in which they trailed 3-1 in the 88th minute, gave the appearance of a side losing their heads in the heat of a title run-in.
That Arsenal salvaged a point spoke volumes for their spirit but just when a business-like win was required to settle the nerves ahead of Wednesday’s trip to second-placed Manchester City, they self-destructed against a side battling to stay up.
Manager Mikel Arteta will hope experienced midfielder Granit Xhaka will have recovered from illness to face City as they are in need of some defensive steel to keep their title bid alive.
NEWCASTLE PROVE VILLA LOSS WAS A BLIP
When Newcastle lost 3-0 at Aston Villa last week their fans could be forgiven for being a little twitchy ahead of Sunday’s crucial home clash against fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur.
They need not have fretted though as Eddie Howe’s side responded in the most emphatic fashion possible, scoring five goals in the opening 21 minutes in a 6-1 thrashing of the side supposed to be rivals for Champions League qualification.
Tottenham were abysmal, but Newcastle’s display suggests they are now within touching distance of a top-four finish and a return to the Champions League for the first time in 20 years.
Their attacking play was electric and in Alexander Isak, who scored twice, they have a striker who appears to be getting better and better since his arrival from Real Sociedad.
WEST HAM’S LOYALTY TO MOYES BEING REWARDED
The managerial revolving door has been spinning relentlessly in the Premier League this season with only two clubs in the bottom 10 having not changed their coach.
The pressure for West Ham’s owner to send David Moyes packing has been immense at times with the Hammers mired in a relegation battle. But they resisted and are being rewarded.
West Ham have enjoyed a superb week, drawing with Arsenal, beating Gent to reach the Europa Conference semi-finals and on Sunday thrashing Bournemouth 4-0 away to move another step towards safety.
Moyes has his detractors but the canny Scot is once again proving his critics wrong.
TOOTHLESS EVERTON DEEP IN THE MIRE
The return of striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin was a clear boost for Everton in their 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace as he gives them the attacking outlet they have so badly missed with his extended time on the sidelines in the last two seasons.
He nearly scored, was a constant nuisance for the Palace backline and a key part of Everton’s defending from set-pieces.
But they are a side woefully short on goals and that could ultimately see them relegated for the first time in almost 70 years. They have managed only 24 in 32 league games this season.
Their failure to bring in a proven forward in the January transfer window, or an attacking player of any sort, was a massive blow to Sean Dyche’s chances of keeping them in the top division and is starting to take its toll.
SMITH’S ATTACKING GAMBLE PAYS OFF
With Leicester City’s top two scorers — Harvey Barnes and James Maddison — sidelined, fans may have feared the worst against fellow strugglers Wolverhampton Wanderers.
However, new manager Dean Smith went for broke with three strikers and the gamble paid off handsomely.
He started Jamie Vardy, Kelechi Iheanacho and Patson Daka up front and the trio were a constant threat in the final third.
Leicester went behind early on but Vardy eventually won the penalty which Iheanacho put away while Daka tested Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa twice as the home fans found their voice to roar on a team that had not won in 10 games in all competitions.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who replaced Vardy at halftime, also came close to giving Leicester the lead before Timothy Castagne scored an unlikely winner that pulled them out of the relegation zone with six games to play.
Leicester now face a huge week with back-to-back matches against fellow strugglers Leeds United and Everton.
(Reporting by Nick Said, Rohith Nair, Martyn Herman; Editing by Ken Ferris)
