The absence of Darragh-like conditions meant we were treated to a full slate of Premier League action over the weekend.
However, storm clouds were cast over Molineux and St. Mary’s in the wake of Wolves’ defeat to Ipswich Town and Southampton’s Sunday evening humiliation. Both Gary O’Neil and Russell Martin are now out of their respective jobs, with Wolves turning to Jorge Mendes in their hope of finding a suitable successor for O’Neil.
Much of the discourse surrounding the weekend’s action focused on Sunday’s Manchester Derby between two vulnerable units. A tepid affair was brought to life in the closing stages thanks to an under-hit Matheus Nunes back pass, and it was the man who capitalised on Nunes’ error who highlights 90min’s seven leading lights of Premier League Gameweek 16.
Liverpool typically don’t ‘escape’ with points at Anfield, but Andy Robertson’s early dismissal meant Arne Slot’s league leaders were forced to work incredibly hard for a point against Fulham.
The Reds fell 1-0 and 2-1 behind on Saturday, but the returning Jota ensured the spoils were shared six-and-a-half minutes after entering the fray. With Darwin Nunez struggling for goals, the Portuguese international’s comeback from injury is a huge boost for Liverpool.
Jota’s equaliser was masterfully worked, with the canny forward outwitting Jorge Cuenca in one fluid motion before wrong-footing Bernd Leno with a calm finish.
It only took him 881 days, but Spence’s first Tottenham start was well worth the wait.
Ange Postecoglou has left the versatile full-back on the periphery so far this season, but the underperformance of Pedro Porro in recent weeks meant “club signing” Spence was handed a rare opportunity at St. Mary’s.
And boy, did he make the most of it.
The right-back recorded an assist within 40 seconds after cleverly rolling Flynn Downes and finding James Maddison in behind. He showed poise in possession throughout and comfort when tasked with drifting infield. Expect to see much more of the 24-year-old moving forward.
Murphy has long been derided as someone not of the requisite level for a club of Newcastle’s ambition, but the winger is a trusted lieutenant of Eddie Howe’s and he played a major role in the Magpies’ 4-0 thrashing of Leicester.
Murphy struggled in the opening 30 minutes of Saturday’s triumph and missed a good chance before he coolly dispatched the opener from the edge of the area. The winger’s efforts were tireless down the right flank, with his straight-line running troubling the Leicester defence. He rounded off Newcastle’s victory with an emphatic finish on the hour.
Oliver Glasner had struggled to deal with the exit of Michael Olise at the start of his first full season in charge of Crystal Palace, but the Eagles have a new attacking star in Ismaila Sarr.
The former Watford winger has burst into life in recent weeks, and he was at the double on Sunday as Palace claimed bragging rights in the M23 Derby.
A lightning-quick outlet who can run all day, Sarr terrorised Brighton’s Lewis Dunk at the Amex and pinched the defender’s pocket on his way to scoring a second goal. Before that, Sarr benefitted from a superb Tyrick Mitchell delivery to head home Palace’s second after Trevoh Chalobah had opened the scoring.
It may well have been the best performance of the forward’s Premier League career.
Only Bukayo Saka and Mohamed Salah have recorded more Premier League assists than the Fulham left-back this season. Coincidentally, it was those two players who most recently took a trip to the Robinson Penitentiary.
In back-to-back weeks, Robinson has tamed two of the league’s very best. At Anfield, the USMNT international kept Salah in check throughout – although the Egyptian king did record an assist for Cody Gakpo – while wreaking havoc down the left flank.
Robinson set up Andreas Pereira’s opener with a pinpoint back post cross and made a remarkable underlapping run to get in behind Jarell Quansah before crossing for Rodrigo Muniz to score.
It was a relentless performance in all phases.
Maddison, much like the Lilywhites, has blown hot and cold this season, with Dejan Kulusevski emerging as Ange Postecoglou’s chief creator.
However, there’s no denying that Tottenham are a superior side when Maddison’s purring. Their 5-0 rout of Southampton had the playmaker’s fingerprints all over it.
A strike inside 40 seconds set the tone and Maddison rounded off a dazzling first-half performance with an excellently-taken second goal. He made the most of Southampton’s inability to track runners from deep, but the Saints couldn’t get close to him even when he was in full view.
Spurs were brilliant on Sunday, and Maddison was the key facilitator.
87 minutes into a drab Manchester Derby and Amad wasn’t close to emerging as a contender in this ranking. City seemed set on seeing out a rare victory before the Ivorian latched onto Matheus Nunes’ tame pass back to Ederson.
The chance looked to have gone when Ederson stalled Amad’s momentum, but Nunes, while aiming to atone for his first mistake, doubled down by fouling the United man, who used his body smartly and drew the contact, in the box.
Bruno Fernandes equalised, but there was time for Amad to make Sunday’s derby all about him. In the absence of omitted duo Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho, it was the humble Ivorian making the darting run in behind City’s defence, latching onto Lisandro Martinez’s pass, rounding Ederson, and finishing brilliantly.
The 22-year-old has shown flashes this calendar year and proven to be an excellent wing-back option already under Ruben Amorim. His late heroics at the Etihad could prove to be the start of something quite special for Amad in Manchester.
