1) Coutinho shows his worth to expose City’s weakness in the market
Brendan Rodgers made a telling point after Liverpool inflicted a damaging defeat on Manchester City courtesy of a Philippe Coutinho winner for the second season in succession. “£8.5m he cost us,” the Liverpool manager said. “It would be frightening to think what he is worth in the market now.” Probably a sum that only a few clubs in the world can afford, the reigning Premier League champions included, but Coutinho’s mesmerising display at Anfield invited as many questions about City’s dealings in the transfer market as Liverpool’s forensically examined “transfer committee”. Whereas Liverpool’s summer signings have started to vindicate the club’s faith during the late push for Champions League qualification, City look a weaker proposition for their acquisition of £40m defender Eliaquim Mangala, Fernando and Bacary Sagna. Wilfried Bony, the £28m January signing from Swansea City, is another departure from the elite level transfers that City were making when David Silva, Sergio Agüero and Yaya Touré signed up to their long-term vision. Andy Hunter
• Match report: Liverpool 2-1 Manchester City
• Jamie Jackson: Kompany’s form highlights City’s title struggle
2) Gabriel close to pushing for a regular Arsenal start
It turned out to be quite an eventful Premier League debut for the Brazilian defender Arsenal recruited from Villarreal in January. Things could have been different early on if a moment where he was surprised by Romelu Lukaku had ended up in an Everton goal. Likewise, there was a sharp intake of breath later on when a casual sidefoot gave the ball to Aaron Lennon and prompted a dangerous Everton break. “Once or twice he was surprised by the intensity of the challenges,” said Arsène Wenger. The speed of the game and his communication problems (he speaks hardly any English and not much Spanish, the squad’s second language) are the downsides. But the upsides are encouraging. Gabriel is fast, determined, and – as he showed on a couple of occasions – he possesses the capacity for a shrewdly-timed, clean challenge in emergency situations. He enjoyed some excellent moments. A rest for Per Mertesacker has been overdue. The big German, after being given the opening game of this post-World Cup campaign off, has played 90 minutes of every Premier League game since. Weariness shows. Gabriel has a lot of different characteristics, and there may well be a clanger or two on the way as he continues adjusting to a new league, but he is ready, and hungry, to push for a regular starting position. Amy Lawrence
• Match report: Arsenal 2-0 Everton
• Paul Wilson: European results expose the Premier League’s true level
• Wenger’s Arsenal a snapshot of self-destruction in Champions League
3) Calls for TV replays will only get louder after Brown mix-up
The apparent mix up over the dismissal of Wes Brown has inevitably led to calls for the introduction of instant replays to assist referees, particularly as Fifa turned down just such a proposal from the Dutch FA on the same day. Yet Gus Poyet had a point when he said he prefers football the way it is and referees just need to do their jobs better. Just because American football can now stop and review almost everything does not mean association football should go down the same path. The game at Old Trafford was actually stopped for two full minutes between the penalty award and Wayne Rooney taking the spot-kick, as Roger East first waved away John O’Shea’s protests of Brown’s innocence and then made contact with the fourth official without appearing to gain any practical assistance. That could only have been because Martin Atkinson had not yet seen a replay. Had the fourth official been able to avail himself of that facility – a simple enough matter when you have two minutes to spare – the issue could have been sorted out to everyone’s satisfaction. Paul Wilson
• Match report: Manchester United 2-0 Sunderland
• Poyet criticises referee East after Brown red card confusion
• Brown sending off not mistaken identity, says referees’ governing body
• Barney Ronay: it’s time to stop talking about referees
4) Pardew sees Puncheon’s creative potential
The quality of Jason Puncheon’s set pieces was too much for West Ham to handle, but that was not the only impressive aspect of his performance. Although Puncheon has spent most of his career as a winger, Alan Pardew spotted his potential to play as a No10 for Crystal Palace in the absence of Marouane Chamakh. Puncheon, now 28, has done well and it goes to show that it is never too late for a player to reinvent himself. “He has got quality and he has that experience now and quality to stay on the ball that second longer and manoeuvre it and create something else,” Pardew said. “I have been very impressed with Punch. He has improved significantly. It is very important in the Premier League to have an intelligent player with the final pass and I have evolved him into that. “That doesn’t mean he is going to play there for all 12 games but it is a nice weapon for us now. The competition for wide areas here is really fierce. We didn’t even get Dwight Gayle on the pitch today, so Dwight Gayle, Zaha, Punch, Bolasie … it’s a real lovely pool. It does give you the option to manoeuvre the team and we might even try Bolasie through the middle at some stage. You never know, you can be nicely surprised.” Jacob Steinberg
• Match report: West Ham 1-3 Crystal Palace
• Dylan Tombides’s heart-rending life story receives fitting tribute
• West Ham’s marriage of convenience threatened by struggle for power
5) Has Southampton’s bubble finally burst?
We have been here before with Southampton and not very long ago. When Southampton lost five successive games between the end of November and start of December it was easy to applaud them for making such a superb start to the season and write them off in the same breath. On that occasion Southampton responded superbly, taking 16 points from the next possible 18 to prove that there was real substance to their top-four challenge. But now questions are being asked of them again after another wobble. The 1-0 defeat against West Bromwich Albion left Saints with only one goal and four points from their last five matches. Ronald Koeman’s three-man central defence never worked – credit to him for accepting that was the case and discarding the system after 25 minutes – there was a lack of creativity and penetration to their play, and the absence of a goal threat up front – tied in with the form of Graziano Pellè – has become a genuine concern. The Italian has failed to score in his last 10 league games and the two chances that went begging at The Hawthorns – in particular the moment when Ryan Bertrand’s cross slipped under his foot – smacked of a player woefully short of confidence, even if Koeman did his best afterwards to attribute Southampton’s problems to the team and not an individual. Either way, Saints badly need a win against an in-form Crystal Palace side on Tuesday night to regain some momentum and prevent what has been an exceptional season so far from fading away. Stuart James
• Match report: West Brom 1-0 Southampton
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6) Spurs’ mental strength will be tested after soul-destroying week
What a diabolical week for Tottenham Hotspur. Knocked out of the Europa League at Fiorentina on Thursday, beaten in the final of the Capital One Cup on Sunday, the weekend also saw their chances of a Champions League return weaken considerably. They sat in seventh before the weekend’s league action and remain there with a game in hand, but instead of residing three points off fourth, they are now six. Wins for Arsenal, Manchester United and, most impressively, Liverpool added salt to their gaping wound. Without a win in five in all competitions, a tired-looking team needs to rediscover a winning touch at home to Swansea on Wednesday to arrest a decline which could quickly become worrying. Alan Smith
• Capital One Cup final match report: Chelsea 2-0 Spurs
• Mourinho: it’s the first cup for new Chelsea team, a new generation
• David Hytner: Spurs academy talent tantalises for the future
• Barney Ronay: Mourinho the Happy One as he ends trophy drought
7) Shelvey is a rare talent
It can be easy to overlook decent performances in largely uneventful games at Turf Moor. Excelling against Manchester United is a different matter altogether. In the space of successive Saturdays, Jonjo Shelvey has done both. As Swansea won at Burnley, he revealed a passing range few central midfielders, other than his former Liverpool team-mate Steven Gerrard, possess. Outshining United’s expensive talents had proved how much ability Shelvey has. “He is a great talent,” said his manager Garry Monk. “He can deliver great quality. He can go as far as he wants to go. It is as simple as that.” The key, given Shelvey’s chequered past, lies in consistency, in eliminating needless errors and silly suspensions. But he has flourished since he returned from a ban for elbowing Liverpool’s Emre Can. Monk said Shelvey’s attitude has been impressive. He also pointed out that he only turned 23 on Friday. He still has plenty of time to realise his huge potential. Richard Jolly
• Match report: Burnley 0-1 Swansea City
• Nick Miller: Mourinho v Dyche: only one winner in Barnes debate
• Swansea to deal with director over Van Gaal ‘arrogant bastard’ jibe
8) Stylish Janmaat may have grander ambitions
Daryl Janmaat is Newcastle United’s best creator as well as their best defender. Which is slightly worrying. The Holland right-back has created more goals than any other Newcastle player this season, largely because he is by far the best crosser of the ball at the club. While John Carver’s reversion to 4-4-2 in the 1-0 win against Aston Villa proved broadly welcome, the system was undermined by consistently poor crossing from the two wingers, Gabriel Obertan and Sammy Ameobi. Happily Janmaat was on hand to provide the cross for Papiss Cissé’s winner while also defending in the sort of impressive manner which explains why Mathieu Debuchy has not been missed at St James’ Park this season. Recruited from Feyenoord last summer, the arrival of Janmaat as replacement for the Arsenal-bound full-back could not have proved more seamless. The only fear now is whether the 25-year-old will start to think he can do better than settle for mid-table mediocrity on Tyneside. Louise Taylor
• Match report: Newcastle 1-0 Aston Villa
• Newcastle’s Gutiérrez returns to squad after testicular cancer
• Carver insists he is in it for the long term at Newcastle
• Sherwood open to help to strengthen Villa’s fragile minds
• Sherwood holds one-on-one talks with out-of-form Benteke
9) Hughes right to be furious over gruesome Ireland injury
Stephen Ireland would have woken up this morning still suffering from almighty pain. The picture which emerged of his lacerated calf on Sunday morning, blood dripping down his leg, would have made even the most hardened witness of injuries wince. “The tackle on Stevie Ireland could have finished his career,” his manager Mark Hughes said. That may be a slight overreaction but the manager was right to be furious. Former players and pundits were almost unanimous in their verdict that Maynor Figueroa had left his boot in. Whether he did or not, it once more lends credence to calls for retrospective action, or at least an investigation, can take place regardless of the referee’s report. AS
• Match report: Stoke City 1-0 Hull City
• Gruesome image emerges of Stephen Ireland’s leg after tackle
10) City may need to watch their backs
Whatever about fighting for the title – Manchester City may now be right to look the other way. Being dragged into the so-called battle for fourth is not outside the realms of possibility. They are only four points ahead of third-placed Arsenal and seven points off Liverpool in fifth. They do have a favourable couple of league games to come – Leicester at home and Burnley away – before hosting an increasingly resilient West Brom and taking a trip to Crystal Palace prior to a Manchester derby on 12 April that could go some way to deciding the destiny of both sides’ seasons. Anything less than 10 points from the next four will see the title challenge end and could throw them into a very different fight. AS
• Pellegrini won’t give up on title despite Liverpool defeat
• The Dozen: the weekend’s best Premier League photos
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