A general view of Nike match balls during the Premier League match at Anfield, Liverpool. (Dave Howarth/PA Wire.)

5 things we learned from the Premier League this weekend

Not a good weekend for Chelsea and Arsenal!

Manchester City continued their seemingly inexorable march towards the Premier League title as Bernardo Silva struck to secure a routine victory over Chelsea.

At the other end of the table, Swansea and Brighton both gave their survival hopes a significant boost.

But what did we learn from the latest round of fixtures?

 

1. Ten months is a long time in football

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, December 23, 2017: Chelsea's manager Antonio Conte before the FA Premier League match between Everton and Chelsea at Goodison Park. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

On May 12 last year, Chelsea lifted the Premier League title with two games to spare and would eventually finish the season seven points clear of second-placed Tottenham with Manchester City a further eight adrift.

A little less than 10 months on, they sit 25 points adrift of current leaders City having been cast in the role of also-rans following a 1-0 defeat at the Etihad Stadium which was far more comprehensive than the scoreline suggests.

 

2. From Invincibles to invisibles

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Tuesday, December 13, 2016: Arsenal's manager Arsene Wenger before the FA Premier League match against Everton at Goodison Park. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

It is almost 14 years since Arsenal won the Premier League title without losing a single game as a defence comprising Lauren, Kolo Toure, Sol Campbell or Martin Keown and Ashley Cole largely kept all-comers at bay.

On Sunday at Brighton, they were undone twice with the minimum of fuss as Shane Duffy capitalised on Petr Cech’s miscalculation to set up Lewis Dunk and then Glenn Murray made the most of Shkodran Mustafi’s poor positioning to condemn the Gunners to a fourth successive defeat.

 

3. Jurgen Klopp’s men have nous as well as class

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, March 3, 2018: Liverpool's Sadio Mane celebrates scoring the second goal during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Newcastle United FC at Anfield. (Pic by Peter Powell/Propaganda)

Liverpool have spent much of the season blowing teams away with their free-flowing attacking football which has allow Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino to rip teams apart.

On Saturday, they had to remain patient against Rafael Benitez’s dogged Newcastle team, but were ultimately able to find the craft and guile to claim the points.

 

4. Swansea’s home comforts

Swansea City manager Carlos Carvalhal (David Davies/EMPICS Sport)

Carlos Carvalhal’s appointment as Swansea boss at the end of December was not greeted by universal approval with the club five points adrift of safety.

However, five wins in nine league games – four of them at the Liberty Stadium – since have eased the Swans three points clear of the drop zone and given them every chance of survival.

 

5. Nice one, Son

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, April 2, 2016: Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min in action against Liverpool during the Premier League match at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Harry Kane has rightly been lauded for his performances and goalscoring feats during another fine season, but Tottenham are far from a one-man team.

It was Son Heung-min who took centre-stage as Spurs eventually eased to a 2-0 victory over Huddersfield, opening the scoring with a composed finish and then doubling his tally with an astute header from Kane’s inviting cross.

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