Well, that was quite the weekend in the Premier League – again!
Certainly, the drama at top and bottom continues to be breathless and too close to call.
There were, however, some stand-out moments and some stand-out men.
Battling Burnley deserve respect
It is hard to believe it is just over a fortnight since Burnley sacked long-serving manager Sean Dyche.
To both this SBOTOP writer and so many pundits, that decision seemed as daft as it was harsh.
Well, stand-in boss Mike Jackson has turned things around to such an extent, the Clarets now believe.
Since being promoted from his role as the club’s under-23 coach, he has guided the first team to a draw at West Ham, followed by victories over Southampton, Wolves and now Watford – making a run of five losses from six league games a distant memory.
If they can produce some more Premier League 2022 highlights over the next three weeks – and crucially, survive – then the Premier League 2022 betting odds will have been turned on their head in dramatic fashion.
Leeds struggling at the wrong time
There is never a good time to struggle but there is certainly a bad time – a very bad time.
That is the current position facing Leeds United.
It is less than a month ago that I declared them all but safe following a convincing 3-0 success at Watford.
After six defeats in a row, which led to the sacking of Marcelo Bielsa, the club seemed to have turned over a new leaf in the last month and had breathing space between them and the bottom four.
Not anymore.
Suddenly, they could well find themselves in the bottom three if Everton win their game in hand.
That is because their goal difference is significantly worse than the Toffees and the Clarets.
This season Leeds have been beaten collectively 11-0 by Manchester City, 9-0 by Liverpool and 9-3 by Manchester United.
The decision to persevere with Bielsa for so long, when it was clear there was no “plan B”, could yet come back to haunt them.
Momentum does not seem with them either.
They lost defender Stuart Dallas during Saturday’s 4-0 defeat by City. The Northern Ireland international suffered a femoral fracture and is set for a lengthy period out of action, requiring surgery on a broken leg.
With fixtures coming up against Arsenal and Chelsea, it is not due to get any easier any time soon.
Pickford gives Everton a pick-me-up
In Everton’s potential crucial victory over Chelsea at Goodison Park, goalkeeper Jordan Pickford made a string of fine saves, including two very special ones as the hosts repelled everything thrown at them with a spirit of defiance that flowed through the entire club.
Evertonians literally did whatever they could to lift their team beforehand. First, Chelsea players were disturbed in the early hours of Sunday morning by a long and loud firework display outside their hotel in Liverpool city centre.
Then, when the Everton team bus turned on to Goodison Road 90 minutes before kick‑off, it was met by thousands of fans who had congregated with banners and flares to welcome the home players.
On the pitch Pickford was immense. Among his stops was one to deny Cesar Azpilicueta, a brave point-blank range save to keep out Antonio Rudiger – a stop with his face – before tipping over Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s 25-yard drive and denying substitute Mateo Kovacic during seven minutes of stoppage time.
Such a heroic cameo can be a season-defining moment.
For Everton manager Frank Lampard – a Chelsea legend, of course, and someone sacked by the west Londoners last year – it must have been particularly sweet.
Sunday best Son is special
That top four-chasing Spurs beat Leicester City, themselves in between Europa Conference semi-finals, is no surprise.
That England captain Harry Kane headed in the opener from Son Heung-Min’s corner was no surprise for Kane has netted 17 times against the Foxes since their promotion back to the top flight in 2014.
That Son added the second and third before Leicester’s Kelechi Iheanacho scored a consolation with a crisp strike was no surprise either.
Let us just savour, though, the second goal from the South Korean, who curled in a sensational strike for his 19th league goal of the season.
He now has 11 goals with his left foot this term in the Premier League; the only player to score more goals in a single season in the competition with their weaker foot is Robin van Persie (12 right-footed goals in 2011-12). Son – wow!
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