It was a weekend which provided further evidence, at both the top and bottom end of the Premier League, to what we already thought.
That the title race could well go down to the wire, that the North London giants are in the box seat for the fourth and final Champions League spot, and that the relegation battle seems likely to go down to a straight fight for survival between two clubs with Norwich and Watford all but doomed.
Yet despite all that, there was one result which created one of the stories of the season and Premier League highlights which a certain part of west London will savour forever.
Eriksen and Bees is story to savour
Few will forget where they were when they found out what had occurred in Parken last June.
For those who were watching it unfold, of course, it was even more stark.
I remember being simply stopped in my tracks, as I prepared to cover a Euro 2020 encounter a few hours later, on a day when the football world was reminded of the fragility of life and what is truly important.
Of course, the harrowing scenes thankfully had a happy ending, but what has actually followed since has defied all expectations.
The sheer relief at knowing that Christian Eriksen, a player both incredibly talented and universally respected, could survive was all that mattered.
Yet now the Danish star has returned to competitive football and, incredibly, is soaring again.
That he last week captained Denmark to a 3-0 win over Serbia at the very same stadium in Copenhagen where he suffered a cardiac arrest last summer was special in itself.
To then be the mastermind behind a victory for Brentford at the home of the European champions, a 4-1 thrashing of Chelsea which turned the SBOTOP Premier League betting odds, is remarkable.
And when Eriksen found himself alone in the Chelsea area and lifted the ball over Edouard Mendy to give the Bees the lead nine minutes into the second half, it was probably the moment of the season.
Bravo Brentford, Bravo Christian Eriksen.
Situation sticky for Toffees
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – Everton will not be relegated.
In fact, I expect the Merseysiders to finish clear of the drop zone with something to spare.
What I do believe, however, is they have gone backwards since a change of manager, not forwards as intended.
That may seem harsh on Frank Lampard but the decision to replace an experienced boss in Rafa Benitez with, effectively, a novice at the top level – someone whose biggest achievement was actually guiding Derby County to the Championship play-offs in 2019 – surprised me and, after the initial feel-good factor, Everton have gone backwards.
Their total of six points from 14 away games this season is the lowest from any of the 92 sides in the Premier League or the English Football League.
Big summer ahead for Leeds
After claiming a ninth place finish in their first season back in the top flight for 16 years, big things were expected of Leeds United this season.
For a number of reasons, it simply hasn’t worked out for the Yorkshire club.
In my view, that is down to a combination of bad luck on the injury front and a fans’ favourite in the now departed Marco Bielsa.
For Leeds to miss arguably their best two players from 2020/21 for the majority of this campaign has been a big blow and regular scorer Patrick Bamford and England midfielder Kalvin Phillips’ absences have been keenly felt.
That, coupled with the Chilean manager’s seeming refusal to change his system or shape even when up against it, contributed even more to their rapid decline.
They have conceded more goals (68) than any other side in the Premier League and some of that was self-inflicted – especially the week in which they shipped a combined 14 goals in three games to Manchester United, Liverpool and Spurs in late February which forced the club to act.
There has been a marked improvement in recent weeks and that was highlighted again in their 1-1 draw with Southampton on Saturday.
They may not have quite banished lingering relegation fears but they are all but safe and there is certainly renewed cohesion and confidence since American Jesse Marsch succeeded Bielsa.
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