6 Things We Learned from Premier League Week 33: Stevie G's Spot on Again
After what has been yet another incident-packed weekend of Premier League football full of captivating drama at both ends of the table, controversial decisions, one heart-breaking injury and the welcome return to form of an impish playmaker, we have chosen six talking points to discuss from the past two days of top-flight action.
As the World Cup Door Appears to Slam Shut for One Saint, It Opens for Another
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Football can be a cruel game sometimes, as we saw on Saturday lunchtime at Eastlands when Southampton striker Jay Rodriguez suffered what looked to be a serious knee injury in his side’s 4-1 loss to Manchester City.
The 24-year-old has been in sparkling form in front of goal all season long for the high-flying Saints, on the back of which Rodriguez even won his first England cap in a friendly against Chile at Wembley Stadium last November.
And with the forward having managed to register a hugely impressive 15 Premier League goals—only Liverpool’s Daniel Sturridge has recorded more strikes in the top flight among English front men this campaign—and three assists in his 33 matches so far, there was every chance of Rodriguez being part of Roy Hodgson’s Three Lions squad for this summer’s World Cup.
However, now the player is set for a long period of rehabilitation instead, and in a cruel irony, Rodriguez’s painful setback may now have opened the door for team-mate Rickie Lambert to go to Brazil 2014 in his place.
"Very much hope that the Jay Rodriguez injury is not as serious as it appears to be.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) April 5, 2014"
The Chosen Juan Offers United a Glimpse of a Bright Future Ahead
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Was it just purely a coincidence that Manchester United’s record signing Juan Mata produced his best game since signing for the champions from Chelsea for £37.1 million in January when both Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie were also absent from the lineup through injury at St James’ Park on Saturday afternoon?
Or was it more just down to the fact that David Moyes’ side were facing a Newcastle United team that appear to already be on the beach for their summer holidays?
Either way, the twinkle-toed playmaker was the star of the show on Tyneside as Mata grabbed a brace either side of half-time, while also enjoying 85 touches of the ball, to put the visitors well on the way to a win that just about still keeps alive their slim hopes of finishing in the top four of the Premier League this season. With it comes qualification for the UEFA Champions League.
Mata’s opener was one of those beautifully flighted free-kicks that we have now become accustomed to seeing from him, while his second showed just what a quick-thinking player the 25-year-old can be. The Spaniard appeared to thrive in the free role Moyes had handed him alongside Shinji Kagawa in the absence of United’s two main front men.
And with now three goals, all of which have come in the past two league contests, and four assists to his name in 11 games for the Red Devils, Mata is finally starting to look like the player United thought they were buying back in the January transfer window.
"ANALYSIS: @SmParker8 says that Juan Mata's role in the hole was key to Man United's win. http://t.co/oXl6re6sAg pic.twitter.com/Foy5QE9Ca8
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) April 6, 2014"
Mourinho Was Right, Pulis Should Be Premier League Manager of the Year
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Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho recently claimed that if Tony Pulis managed to keep Crystal Palace in the Premier League this season, then the Welshman deserved to be made manager of the year.
However, after the Eagles’ massive 3-0 win at fellow strugglers Cardiff City on Saturday, Pulis is probably just one victory away from pulling off the great escape with his side now seven points clear of the drop zone—and still with a game in hand on many of their relegation rivals.
And key to the southeast London outfit’s miraculous recovery under their new boss has been the form of Jason Puncheon. The winger has recorded five goals and three assists now since arriving at Selhurst Park from Southampton last summer after his double against the Bluebirds.
But it was Puncheon’s second strike late on in South Wales, the player’s first away from home for his new team, that will live long in the memory, especially as it was the first time that Palace have managed to score three times on the road in the Premier League since October 1997 at Sheffield Wednesday.
"Since Tony Pulis was named as manager, Palace have taken 30 points (1.43ppm), which makes them best PL team outside top-7 in that period.
— Simon Gleave (@SimonGleave) April 6, 2014"
There’s No Place Like Home for Mou’s Blues
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Wily Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho may still have been singing from the same hymn sheet after watching his side see off an in-form Stoke City 3-0 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening, however, a quick glance at the Blues’ recent home form shows that it would be foolish to believe the Special One.
“The situation is the same. The table is fake. The table is again with lots of matches in hand," was again the Portuguese’s post-match message to those who cared to listen, per BBC Sport.
However, while Mourinho is indeed correct in his mathematics, another revealing statistic also shows that the west Londoners have not conceded a goal at Stamford Bridge now since Manchester United’s Javier Hernandez netted a consolation strike for the champions back on Jan. 19, nine matches ago.
And so maybe it will be Chelsea’s imperious home league form that just carries them over the line come the end of the season?
"Jose Mourinho is still yet to lose a Premier League game at Stamford Bridge (W60, D16). *Yawn* Boring *Yawn* pic.twitter.com/2P9jQZaZm8
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) April 5, 2014"
Everton Take Control of the Race for Fourth
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Everton’s first victory over Arsenal in seven years on Sunday lunchtime has completely thrown open the race for fourth this season, and with it, entry into the money-spinning UEFA Champions League.
Roberto Martinez’s in-form side now trail the Gunners by just a point—and with a game in hand on the north Londoners—while incredibly, they also possess a superior goal difference after blowing away the visitors at Goodison Park to lead 3-0 just past the hour mark.
And while the Toffees do undoubtedly have the far harder run-in of the two, with home encounters against both Manchester United and Manchester City on the horizon, they do crucially have the momentum after six straight wins, and perhaps most importantly, destiny in their own hands, going into the closing stretch of the campaign.
"Roberto Martinez says #EFC's performance in the 3-0 win against Arsenal was as good as he could have asked for. http://t.co/Q4vsa8AEqM
— Everton (@Everton) April 6, 2014"
Spot-On Gerrard Spares Taylor’s Blushes
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Sometimes two wrongs can make a right, as was the case at Upton Park on Sunday afternoon as referee Anthony Taylor took centre stage in Liverpool’s 2-1 win at West Ham United that sent the Merseysiders back to the top of the table with a ninth straight Premier League win.
The official from Greater Manchester had already caused huge controversy after overruling his assistant referee and awarding the Hammers an equalising goal by Guy Demel on the stroke of half-time, after the linesman had correctly flagged for a clear foul by Andy Carroll on Reds goalkeeper Simon Mignolet just moments earlier.
"BREAKING: Live pictures of referee Anthony Taylor. pic.twitter.com/kWfg6tni5x
— BBC Sporf (@BBCSporf) April 6, 2014"
However, after a long conversation with visiting manager Brendan Rodgers as the two teams made their way off for the interval, Taylor then evened up his first-half indiscretion by awarding Liverpool a phantom penalty with 19 minutes remaining of the contest following an innocuous collision between Adrian and Jon Flanagan.
And skipper Steven Gerrard made no mistake from the spot to net his 173rd goal in all competitions for the club, his second penalty of the match, elevating him above Kenny Dalglish into sixth place in Liverpool’s all-time scoring list in the process.
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