Five things we learned from Premier League GW25

There were many surprises in the Premier League this game week.

Five things we learned from Premier League GW25
(Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
grantmcquillan
By Grant McQuillan

It has been another brilliant week of Premier League action at both ends of the table.

Chelsea got back to winning ways in style, after smashing Huddersfield 5-0, with Gonzalo Higuain getting his first and second goal for the club.

As a result of Chelsea's victory, the Terriers are now an almighty 13 points from safety, but 19th placed Fulham are not too far behind, with their defeat to Crystal Palace leaving them seven points adrift.

Also at the bottom, Burnley picked up a valuable point against fellow strugglers Southampton, but Cardiff City's impressive 2-0 victory over Bournemouth has put the pressure on Sean Dyche's men, with just two points separating the two.

Further up the table, Everton were comfortably beaten in a mid-table clash against Wolves, whilst Brighton's goalless draw with Watford proved just how tight it is in the centre of the table.

At the top end, Manchester United's 0-1 victory over Leicester City stretched Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's unbeaten run as Man United interim manager to 10 games.

Also at the top, Manchester City eased to a 3-1 victory over Arsenal, whilst Liverpool dropped points again, allowing Pep Guardiola's back within three points.

Marco Silva's job is hanging by a thread

Everton have always been that team that tests the top four, but usually just falls short.

Now, in 2019, it is hard to say Everton should be doing the same considering Manchester United and Arsenal can't even get in the top four.

However, the Toffees should be doing considerably better at threatening those above them, because it has so far been a dreadful season all across the board.

 

Everton was out of the Carabao Cup in the first round and recently fell to defeat in the FA Cup to Championship strugglers Millwall, and now, in the Premier League, it is the fourth defeat in their last six.

 

Right now, Marco Silva just needs to get results. It doesn't matter how, but when is key. The Portuguese simply can't lose any more. He must get to the end of the season and dive into the transfer market.

After all, the budget is not a problem for Everton anymore since the arrival of Farhad Moshiri.

It does seem to be 'rinse and repeat' from Everton in the last five years. They do well one season, make poor investments the next, fail to kick on, sack the manager and repeat.

But, this time, Marco Silva has barely got going and the ex-Hull man is probably already on borrowed time, as Everton sit in ninth, with no applaudable attempt to get further up the table.

FACT: Everton have won just one of their eight Premier League games this season against teams higher than them in the table. 

Big statement from Chelsea and Higuain

There was little surprise when Chelsea signed Gonzalo Higuain, nor was there when he bagged two on his first Premier League start.

Reasons being, Chelsea were desperate for a striker and Higuain has been one of Europe's best goalscorers over the last five years.

He has not been pulling up trees for AC Milan this season but upon his first start in the Premier League, he proved his worth in both showing his capabilities and also proving how important he could be for Chelsea.

The Argentine international has played under Maurizio Sarri at Napoli in 2015/16, where he was the driving force in helping the side finish second in the league.

So, if there is anyone in world football that is going to get the best out of Higuain, it is Sarri, and, if their 5-0 demolition over Huddersfield is anything to go by, Chelsea are surely the front-runners for the fourth spot still.

FACT: Higuain scored 36 league goals in 35 games under Sarri at Napoli, breaking the record of most goals in the history of a single Serie A season.

Arsenal are still far away from the top

Arsenal fell to another defeat at the hands of Manchester City, and in truth, the champions made easy work of it.

Arsenal at one stage got back into the game through a Laurent Koscielny and for around 20 minutes after the goal, the Gunners looked just as in the game as City did at 1-1.

However, a second Sergio Aguero goal just before half-time seemed to kill off Unai Emery's men, and it then became a matter of how many, however, thanks to Bernd Leno, it only ended 3-1.

Arsenal are clearly a club at the moment in a period of transition and Emery clearly needs time, whilst also be given the financial backing he needs.

But, as of right now, Arsenal's defeat in Manchester, plus their 5-1 defeat at Anfield, shows that they are still way off being from where they belong.

FACT: Arsenal have conceded 13 goals away from home against the top six, scoring just six.

Liverpool feeling the pressure

In each one of Liverpool's serious title challenges, they have that period of a slump, pushing them away from the top.

In 2014, a 0-2 loss to Chelsea and a 3-3 draw against Crystal Palace in the last three games of the season overshadowed their previous 16-game unbeaten run and handed Man City the title.

Now, in 2019, they seem to be feeling the pressure again, dropping points from winning positions. Last week it was Leicester, now it was against West Ham.

 

Against the Hammers, Liverpool failed to get a grip on the game, and West Ham would have left the London Stadium just as annoyed as the Reds for not getting all three points.

Jurgen Klopp's men were far from their best in east London and it is now seven points dropped in their last five games, and are clearly feeling the pressure, but, despite their lack of goals of late, they are still top.

What will favour Liverpool from now until the end is the fixture list. City certainly have a tougher draw and Liverpool only have to go to Old Trafford with regards to a big away day.

However, the pressure is mounting, and one more slip up and Guardiola's men will surpass Klopp's boys.

FACTS: West Ham's 13 attempts was the most Liverpool have faced this season, whilst the Reds' 73% possession in the game was the second highest in a game this season.

 

Spurs really struggle without Kane

Harry Kane has missed Spurs' last five games, which has seen them knocked out of both the League Cup and the FA Cup and scrap through victories over Fulham, Watford, and Newcastle United, all via goals within the last 10 minutes.

It has been argued that Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen have largely been responsible for Kane's goalscoring exploits, but this month has shown us that without Kane, Eriksen and Alli simply have nobody to assist.

The England captain has undoubtedly been one of the best in world football in the last four years and it seems that without his services his boyhood club will struggle for top four, never mind the title.

Yes, they have won all three of their Premier League games without him, however, games against Fulham, Watford, and Newcastle should be games Spurs win by three of four, rather than by a goal in the dying minutes.

Huge credit also has to be given to Heung-min Son, who has saved Spurs more than once since Kane's injury. But all in all, they need their number 10 back as soon as possible.

FACT: Kane and Son have been involved in 34 of Spurs 51 Premier League games this season (Kane: 14 goals, 4 assists. Son: 10 goals 6 assists)