Granit Xhaka and Partey have formed a good partnership in midfield in recent weeks and their separation looked like it would cause problems. Ceballos, however, came up to the plate and, alongside Bukayo Saka and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, was one of Arsenal’s best players on Sunday. He’ll have to do it again when Arsenal take on Benfica and City this week, but at least now he awaits the task. Simon Collings
There were very few positives from Tottenham’s 3-0 loss at Man City on Saturday, his toughest setback to José Mourinho in La Liga, but Gareth Bale’s cameo offered hope that he could still play a productive role in the season and make a hit. – very frustrating homecoming.
Bale, a 72-minute substitute, set the years back by slaloming three City defenders and testing Ederson with fierce momentum. It was one of only two standout moments for Spurs, along with Harry Kane’s free kick, and it should be enough for Bale to have the start in Thursday’s Europa League game against the Austrian Wolfsberger.
Afterwards, José Mourinho was wary of Bale’s form but opened the door for the Welshman and Dele Alli to play a bigger role in the second half of the campaign. Dan Kilpatrick
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Decision time is near for Palace
Crystal Palace is safe but stagnant. The Eagles are 11 points above the bottom three, which seems like a pretty comfortable margin given the form of those below them, but they are floating under Roy Hodgson and looking lost without Wilfried Zaha. Any team would miss a player of Zaha’s quality, but his streak of 18 losses in 20 games without the striker is alarming.
With a coach and a slew of players without a contract at the end of the season, Palace faces a decision about what he wants to be. Hodgson ensures safety every season, an achievement that cannot be underestimated for a club like Palace, but little more than that. With so much excitement expected this summer, does Palace dare to roll the dice and aim for the stars by appointing a new coach at the end of this season? Jack Rosser
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Fulham finally finds a finishing touch
Scott Parker must have been wondering what else he could do in recent weeks. Fulham have had impressive performances this season, but they have all been largely undermined by a terrible finish in the final third. Aleksandar Mitrovic has been a shadow of the player who won the championship golden boot last season, while Ivan Cavaliero, who has played in the middle, is not a forward.
Parker had accepted that a new striker was unlikely in the January window before they made the surprise late signing of Josh Maja on the day of the deadline. The 22-year-old scored twice for Everton when Fulham won just a third game this season. The former Sunderland man could be Parker’s missing piece and prove to be the key to survival. Jack Rosser
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Brentford’s long undefeated streak ended
Brentford missed a chance to reach the top of the championship, losing for the first time since October to Barnsley. A 2-0 loss ended a 21-game lossless streak for the Bees as they struggled to get going and create opportunities.
Thomas Frank’s team has been in great shape this season and had scored 17 goals in four victories before this weekend. Frank knows that this season he will reach the limit and will not get carried away by a result with so much time in the race for promotion. Jack Rosser
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