LEAGUE CUP WIN A HAPPY OMEN?
The League Cup, a trophy that sometimes acts as a season-saving consolation for some clubs, works in a different way for Chelsea and Jose Mourinho. For the Blues it's a late winter delicacy that tunes them up for the run-in, and they'll hope that their third win under Mourinho sees them plunder another honour in the remaining three months of the campaign.
In 2004-05, the League Cup was a welcome hors-d'oeuvre for a first Premier League title, while two years later the trophy acted as a satisfying amuse bouche ahead of Mourinho’s only FA Cup win.
This season Chelsea remain in with a strong chance of landing the league title, while the Champions League is a possibility too. If they are as professional as they were at Wembley on Sunday, where the second of Tottenham’s two shots on target came as early as the 36th minute, they stand every chance.
COUTINHO & CO. BOUNCE TOWARDS EASTER
Sunday's other big encounter was red-hot Liverpool against decidedly lukewarm Manchester City. Last season Brendan Rodgers's men won this fixture to spark premature title celebrations but Philippe Coutinho's winner in 2014 was icing on a fortunate cake, whereas his winning goal on Sunday was fully deserved after a superb personal performance.
The League Cup, a trophy that sometimes acts as a season-saving consolation for some clubs, works in a different way for Chelsea and Jose Mourinho. For the Blues it's a late winter delicacy that tunes them up for the run-in, and they'll hope that their third win under Mourinho sees them plunder another honour in the remaining three months of the campaign.
In 2004-05, the League Cup was a welcome hors-d'oeuvre for a first Premier League title, while two years later the trophy acted as a satisfying amuse bouche ahead of Mourinho’s only FA Cup win.
This season Chelsea remain in with a strong chance of landing the league title, while the Champions League is a possibility too. If they are as professional as they were at Wembley on Sunday, where the second of Tottenham’s two shots on target came as early as the 36th minute, they stand every chance.
COUTINHO & CO. BOUNCE TOWARDS EASTER
Sunday's other big encounter was red-hot Liverpool against decidedly lukewarm Manchester City. Last season Brendan Rodgers's men won this fixture to spark premature title celebrations but Philippe Coutinho's winner in 2014 was icing on a fortunate cake, whereas his winning goal on Sunday was fully deserved after a superb personal performance.
| STANDOUT STATS | ||
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Crystal Palace have scored 17 goals from set-pieces this season, a Premier League high tally. | |
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Burnley have won just one of their last 11 Premier League matches (W1 D4 L6). | |
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Since the start of last season, Wes Brown has picked up at least two more red cards than any other Premier League player (4). | |
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Papiss Cisse has now scored more Premier League goals this season (11) than in 2012-13 and 2013-14 combined (10). | |
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Stoke's Charlie Adam provided his first Premier League assist since May 2014. | |
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Saido Berahino has scored nine home Premier League goals this season; only Diego Costa (10) has recorded more. | |
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All three of Jordan Henderson's PL goals this season have been assisted by Raheem Sterling. | |
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Mesut Ozil has assisted at least one goal in each of his last three Premier League appearances at the Emirates Stadium. | |
From Boxing Day onwards Liverpool have cut their gap to the
reigning champions by 10 points and, just as they did a year ago, look
to be on an inspired surge as winter turns to spring. Their attack
became the first to score long-range goals against City in the Premier
League this season, while the once-beleaguered Anfield defence
restricted the visitors to just one shot on target, the lowest total
City have recorded in a top-flight match for almost three years.
ROONEY REMINDS VAN GAAL OF LETHAL TOUCH
Wayne Rooney's first game back up front at Old Trafford this year saw the Manchester United and England captain respond with two goals. In doing so he became the first player in Premier League history to score 10+ goals in 11 successive seasons.
Ever since joining United in 2004, Rooney has responded with at least 10 goals in every campaign. Sometimes it was only just (11 goals in both 2004-05 and 2010-11), sometimes it was by a considerable margin (26 goals in 2009-10 and 27 in 2011-12) but to guarantee this output while other players succumb to injury and others are attracted by the bright lights of Spain is impressive all the same.
Now four goals behind Andy Cole and 77 behind Alan Shearer, catching the former is a formality while hunting down the latter's total of 260 is still within the realms of possibility, especially if his managers remember he is a centre-forward.
PALACE AND PARDEW PARTY CONTINUES
Saturday's early game saw Alan Pardew's renaissance of Crystal Palace reach new heights. An away win at West Ham meant it was the first time that the Eagles' new boss had ever recorded three victories on the road as a top-flight manager, while a hat-trick of assists from Jason Puncheon ensured he joined such names as Dennis Bergkamp, David Beckham and Neal Ardley in achieving such a feat.
Meanwhile, striker Glenn Murray became only the eighth player in Premier League history to score twice in a game and be sent off. Such is Palace's freewheeling commitment to vaudeville entertainment under their new boss. And it's working too; the Eagles, tipped for the drop under Neil Warnock's regime are now eight points clear of the drop zone and only nine shy of early season pacesetters West Ham.
CROUCH TOPPLES SHEARER
Another man hunting down Alan Shearer in recent weeks has been Peter Crouch, and this weekend he pounced on his prey. On March 4, 2006, Shearer scored his 46th and final headed goal in the Premier League and that record has stood ever since. Or it did until Saturday when Crouch nodded home the winning goal for Stoke against Hull, the 46th to come from that famous head.
Crouch has been on a bit of a headed charge in recent weeks with three coming in February alone. For a man who famously has a good touch for a big man, Crouch has finally done his towering frame justice. With Stoke in the top half and eyeing another top-10 finish under Mark Hughes, there should be plenty of opportunities in the closing weeks for Crouch to make this record his and his alone.
ROONEY REMINDS VAN GAAL OF LETHAL TOUCH
Wayne Rooney's first game back up front at Old Trafford this year saw the Manchester United and England captain respond with two goals. In doing so he became the first player in Premier League history to score 10+ goals in 11 successive seasons.
Ever since joining United in 2004, Rooney has responded with at least 10 goals in every campaign. Sometimes it was only just (11 goals in both 2004-05 and 2010-11), sometimes it was by a considerable margin (26 goals in 2009-10 and 27 in 2011-12) but to guarantee this output while other players succumb to injury and others are attracted by the bright lights of Spain is impressive all the same.
Now four goals behind Andy Cole and 77 behind Alan Shearer, catching the former is a formality while hunting down the latter's total of 260 is still within the realms of possibility, especially if his managers remember he is a centre-forward.
PALACE AND PARDEW PARTY CONTINUES
Saturday's early game saw Alan Pardew's renaissance of Crystal Palace reach new heights. An away win at West Ham meant it was the first time that the Eagles' new boss had ever recorded three victories on the road as a top-flight manager, while a hat-trick of assists from Jason Puncheon ensured he joined such names as Dennis Bergkamp, David Beckham and Neal Ardley in achieving such a feat.
Meanwhile, striker Glenn Murray became only the eighth player in Premier League history to score twice in a game and be sent off. Such is Palace's freewheeling commitment to vaudeville entertainment under their new boss. And it's working too; the Eagles, tipped for the drop under Neil Warnock's regime are now eight points clear of the drop zone and only nine shy of early season pacesetters West Ham.
CROUCH TOPPLES SHEARER
Another man hunting down Alan Shearer in recent weeks has been Peter Crouch, and this weekend he pounced on his prey. On March 4, 2006, Shearer scored his 46th and final headed goal in the Premier League and that record has stood ever since. Or it did until Saturday when Crouch nodded home the winning goal for Stoke against Hull, the 46th to come from that famous head.
Crouch has been on a bit of a headed charge in recent weeks with three coming in February alone. For a man who famously has a good touch for a big man, Crouch has finally done his towering frame justice. With Stoke in the top half and eyeing another top-10 finish under Mark Hughes, there should be plenty of opportunities in the closing weeks for Crouch to make this record his and his alone.
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