Liverpool finally exploit value of set pieces and Granit Xhaka's impact key in Sunderland improvement - Premier League hits and misses

Step aside Arsenal, Liverpool can do set-plays too

At 3-0 up in the first half of a 5-2 victory over West Ham, Liverpool had scored seven straight goals from set pieces in the Premier League. It marks the longest run of any side in competition history. And yet, it feels like only yesterday that we were condemning that aspect of their game as obsolete. They used to have the worst record in Europe.

Arne Slot and his technical staff have worked some magic on the training ground because, almost overnight, Liverpool have become as dangerous as Arsenal from set plays. If only this formula were found earlier Aaron Briggs might still have a job.

• Liverpool 5-2 West Ham - report & highlights
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The three corner goals they scored against West Ham were helped in no small part by West Ham themselves. The Hammers failed to react to the second phase for Hugo Ekitike's opener, gave Virgil van Dijk a free jump at the second and allowed three contacts on the ball without intervention as Alexis Mac Allister netted a third.

Mateus Fernandes even told Sky Sports at full time that his side had worked all week on a plan to stop Van Dijk, now the second-highest scoring central defender in Premier League history behind John Terry. It failed to have any effect.

"In some games, when the game is stuck and you know you can score from a set-piece - which we lacked in other moments - it's very important," Cody Gakpo reflected. This is a new level unlocked in Liverpool's salvation mission, scoring five without either of their £100m plus rated forwards - both injured.

"There was a time when we were 23 goals behind Arsenal, including penalties, and we have closed the gap a bit," remarked Slot. "Set pieces can make a massive difference." On this occasion they were the difference.
Laura Hunter

Ait-Nouri adding edge to City's control

If ever you needed a moment to showcase just how Pep Guardiola is changing from a tactical standpoint, the winning goal at Leeds was just that. A Manchester City full-back in Rayan Ait Nouri charged forward into space. Not drifted infield. Not recycled possession. Ran forward and created the winning goal.

This is a different dimension to City. For years under Guardiola, the full-backs have been playmakers or defence-first thinking players rather than sprinters. Think of Joao Cancelo inverting or Josko Gvardiol shutting down the opposition in one vs ones.

• Leeds 0-1 Man City - report & highlights
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But Ait-Nouri is providing something Guardiola's side have quietly lacked. Direct, aggressive running down the left flank.

Old-school wing play delivered by a modern full-back with quality with his final ball.

The assist itself was precise and composed, but it was the journey that did the damage. Leeds were not expecting it. In a Guardiola structure built on control, Ait-Nouri injected chaos and it's these moments of unpredictability that could prove to be a huge weapon in this title race.
Lewis Jones

West Ham's old habits will make them die hard

Just when West Ham were clawing their way back towards a great escape, their old bad habits re-emerge.

Liverpool's set piece prowess will rightly be hailed but that has been the Hammers' Kryptonite all term. Conceding three more corner goals before half-time took them to 15 corner goals conceded all season.

To put into perspective about how bad that is, no other Premier League team is in double digits in that same discipline.

On top of that, no top-flight team has conceded more goals from set pieces (16) or crosses (12) this term.

Despite two different managers, so many striker signings, and consistent rotations in the goalkeeper and centre-back departments, if West Ham go down then their inability to defend their box will be the story of their season.
Sam Blitz

Leeds rue missed chances but City display enhances survival hopes

1.47. That was the expected goals total that Leeds finished in their defeat to Manchester City. At half-time, that stood at 1.24. That emphasises how much they flatlined after Antoine Semenyo’s goal, but also shows how much of a threat they were prior.

• Leeds 0-1 Man City - report & highlights
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On another day, Daniel Farke’s side may have had the lead. Calvert-Lewin’s early miss will be weighing on him heavily. But, with 10 games left to go, the what could’ve been should give Leeds confidence.

No team this term has peppered Gianluigi Donnarumma’s goal with more efforts in an opening 45 minutes than Leeds. If they can do that against a team fighting at the very top of the table, then they should have no problem in doing so up until May.

Given that seven of their remaining ten league games are against teams in the bottom half of the table, there’s no reason on paper that Farke’s men don’t find the success they need to stay up should they replicate their first-half showing.

The additional fact that three of those games are against the current bottom three, and Farke can take plenty of positives from the defeat into the coming weeks.
Callum Bishop

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Xhaka leads Sunderland back on track

Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris praised the "resilience" and "intensity" of his side after their 1-1 draw at Bournemouth busted a three-game losing streak in the Premier League. It was no coincidence Granit Xhaka was starting for the first time in six weeks.

The Black Cats have had a belated reality check of late after their incredible start to this season. But with captain Xhaka back on the pitch at Bournemouth they looked more like their old selves.

• Bournemouth 1-1 Sunderland - Match report and highlights
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The Swiss brought his combination of fight, calm and quality to the middle of the park, topping the passing accuracy among Sunderland starters and recording the most final-third passes, yet also winning possession more times than any other team-mate bar Dan Ballard, and earning the joint-most fouls.

His withdrawal just after the hour was part of his managed return to action following his long ankle layoff. And this was evidence of why Sunderland need him fit and firing in the final stages of the season to finish their impressive campaign strongly.
Peter Smith

Now Burnley's resilience will really be tested

How do you mentally recover from clawing back a three-goal deficit only to blow it in added time - and then see another equaliser chalked off by VAR?

That is the question Burnley head coach Scott Parker must answer before his Burnley side travel to Everton on Tuesday.

The wind has been firmly ripped from the Clarets' sails, with the gut punch manner of Saturday's 4-3 defeat to Brentford a tough pill to swallow.

• Burnley 3-4 Brentford - Match report and highlights
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Burnley had finally looked to be building some momentum with four points from two games against Chelsea and Crystal Palace.

Even clinching a draw to make it five from three would have represented their best form of the season but instead all that hard work, endeavour and character to recover from 3-0 down inside 35 minutes will feel in vain. Scott Parker said his overriding emotion was one of feeling "sad for the players" after the match and that is a sentiment they probably share.

The mental fatigue will not be easy to remove within three days, especially after the jubilation of another late equaliser in the 98th minute - quickly turned to bitter disappointment by a VAR review.

It will take a lot for Burnley to bridge the eight-point gap to safety regardless, but this will have not made it feel any more achievable.
Ron Walker

Moyes still dreaming of Europe with top six now in striking distance

David Moyes said in the buildup to Everton's tricky-looking trip to Newcastle United that his players were not ready just yet to give up on their ambition of European football next season and those hopes are still very much alive after their scintillating 3-2 win at St James' Park.

• Newcastle 2-3 Everton - Match report & highlights
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A fortnight ago, the Toffees could have moved into sixth place in the table, only for back-to-back defeats against Bournemouth and Manchester United to see them slip down to ninth. But Saturday's victory moves them up to eighth, just three points off seventh-placed Brentford and with the top six now within striking distance.

The manner of the visitors' display in the northeast, in which they not only defended resolutely throughout, but also twice responded to being pegged back by the Magpies, only to immediately go back in front, bodes well for their final ten games of the campaign.

And when you take into account that only league leaders Arsenal have won more top-flight away points [29] than Everton [24] this season, then the Toffees must now have every chance of qualifying for Europe for a fifth time under Moyes.
Rich Morgan

Midweek changes don’t pay off for Howe and Newcastle

The dominant win in Azerbaijan in the first leg of their Champions League play-off round gave Eddie Howe a rare opportunity. An opportunity to rotate his side and rest players in the second leg.

Given that his side had won just once in six previous Premier League games, having his stars fit and firing for the visit of Everton would in theory give him the best chance of stopping the rut.

And yet, the Magpies looked as depleted as ever.

The performance was slow, jaded and lacked any imagination. St James’ Park is usually a fortress of noise, but was often left silent as fans had very little to get behind. And anytime there was some hope, it would be snatched away by a clinical Everton.

Barcelona are awaiting in the round of 16 of the Champions League. But surely now, Howe and his men have to prepare for that tie knowing that it could surely be the final time they hear the famous anthem this year.

The defeat leaves Newcastle 12 points adrift of the fifth spot that is expected to be enough to qualify for Europe’s elite competition. They’ve even got work to do if they want to make the Europa League or Conference League.

Pressure is growing at St James’. Pressure is growing on the players. Pressure is most definitely growing on Eddie Howe.
Callum Bishop

Panic for Villa amid Molineux misery

Unai Emery cut an unusually animated figure in the press conference after Aston Villa's 2-0 defeat to Wolves. After spending much of the season telling the world that Villa were not contenders, he admitted he had been dreaming of a title win just a month ago.

Five points from a possible 15, culminating in this dismal defeat to the bottom club have ended those hopes. Now, Villa face a battle to hold on for a place in the top five and so Emery used his platform to rally supporters, preaching unity amid the panic.

• Wolves 2-0 Aston Villa - Match report and highlights
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And there will be panic after this. Former Aston Villa and England midfielder Lee Hendrie talked on Sky Sports of Villa's season "hanging in the balance" and argued that he could "see Villa falling apart" - and many supporters are sharing such sentiments.

Those Villa fans cursing Emery's team selections and the latest insipid performance in which their side lost duel after duel do have a point. Why was the out-of-form Ollie Watkins preferred to Tammy Abraham? Why was Lucas Digne recalled at left-back?

But while Emery is not above criticism, he is surely right to preach perspective with Villa still in the Champions League spots and chasing European silverware. He called for togetherness ahead of the visit of Chelsea on Wednesday. It now feels massive for Villa.
Adam Bate

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