Following a hugely entertaining weekend of Premier League football, in which Liverpool won 5-4 at Norwich City, we select five talking points from the action.
The Reds’ unforgettable win was a definite contender for Match of the Season so far, with Adam Lallana‘s last-gasp winner a moment that will live long in the memory.
It was a much-needed three points for Jurgen Klopp‘s side, but the same old deficiencies in defence were there for all to see.
Carrow Road wasn’t the only stadium that saw great entertainment, however.
Manchester City‘s 2-2 draw at West Ham United was an end-to-end contest, Tottenham Hotspur increased their chances of winning the title away to Crystal Palace while Leicester City continued their incredible run with an easy win at home to Stoke City.
There were surprise home defeats for both Manchester United and Arsenal, while at the bottom of the table, Aston Villa, Sunderland and Newcastle United all failed to pick up three points.
Here are five talking points from the weekend action.
Arsenal Blow Their Big Chance
Chelsea have long been a pain in Arsenal‘s backside, but Sunday’s showdown at the Emirates really felt as though the Gunners would end their terrible recent record against their London rivals.
Victory would have been a huge mental hurdle cleared, and with City having dropped two points a day earlier, their title chances would have been improved greatly too.
Unfortunately for Arsene Wenger and his team, the same old lack of ruthlessness once again came back to haunt them against a Chelsea side enduring a woeful campaign.
Arsenal started poorly, allowing the visitors far too much time on the ball, and Per Mertesacker’s deserved red card proved to be disastrous.
Diego Costa scored the only goal of the game soon after, and although the 10-man Gunners rallied, they couldn’t find an equaliser. They may well rue this result come the end of the season.
United’s Anfield Joy Short-Lived
United’s win at Liverpool eight days ago was an extremely bitter pill to swallow, considering just how poor Louis van Gaal’s side were on the day.
Once again they had nicked a victory without deserving it, and there was even some talk of them still being in the title race after the game.
It was, quite frankly, a delight to see them come crashing back to down to earth on Saturday, as Southampton earned a late win at Old Trafford.
The Red Devils once again managed just one shot on target, as was the case at Anfield, and Charlie Austin’s late header heaped further pressure on Van Gaal.
United have been getting away with poor displays too often, and this loss to the Saints was further evidence of just how average they are.
Dele Alli Outlines his Brilliance
English fans love to go overboard about a young player, and Dele Alli is the latest starlet to be deemed the best thing since sliced bread.
The hype surrounding the teenager is justified, however, and he showed just what a sensational talent he is with a match-winning showing at Selhurst Park on Saturday.
With the scores level at 1-1 late in the day, Alli produced a moment of magic, flicking the ball over the head of a Palace defender and rifling a stunning volley into the corner of the net from outside the area.
It helped inspire Tottenham to three impressive points, and further enhanced Alli’s reputation as the best young English player of his generation.
He simply must start for England at Euro 2016 this summer.
Jamie Vardy Back on the Goal Trail in Title Chase
Having gone six Premier League matches without a goal, Jamie Vardy was starting to be questioned a little, ridiculous though it may sound.
The 29-year-old is yet to convince everyone that he is a top-class striker – some feel he will simply be a one-season wonder, then disappear – but he returned to goalscoring ways in Leicester‘s 3-0 win against Stoke.
The England international took his goal expertly to make it 2-0, rounding Jack Butland and finishing clinically, effectively put the game to bed in the process.
In truth, Vardy’s form has actually remained intact during his goal drought, and he will continue to be an enormously important player for Leicester between now and May.
Can he inspire the Foxes to the most unlikely title triumph in English football history?
Watford Return to Winning Ways at Crucial Stage
Prior to their home clash with Newcastle on Saturday, Watford‘s season appeared to in danger in petering out a little.
They had lost four league games on the bounce, and a little like Vardy, some supporters were starting to question whether they were simply a flash in the pan.
An improving Newcastle side provided Watford with a stern test at the weekend, but they overcame it with flying colours.
Another goal from Odion Ighalo opened the scoring, before Craig Cathcart added a second. Although the visitors did pull a goal back, Quique Sanchez Flores’ side held firm and picked up a vital win.
Watford have slipped to 10th in the league table, but that victory should help see them rise into the top seven or eight again before too long.
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