Premier League: all the talking points from the weekend

After another sensational weekend of action in the Premier League, which saw Liverpool maintaining their title charge, a student getting one over his teacher in Chelsea’s 2-1 over Tottenham Hotspur, and Manchester United keeping their Champions League spot hopes alive, the following three talking points have emerged:

Man United 3-0 Watford: Reds masterclass lifts them to fifth place

Lots of pitchside monitor talk

VAR (Video Assistant Referee) is becoming the Brexit of English football – becoming controversial every week. So, after yet another weekend of “VAR controversy”, Chelsea manager Frank Lampard was angry about the failure to send off Tottenham’s Giovani Lo Celso for his challenge or alleged stamp on Cesar Azpilicueta.

Elsewhere, Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe was upset over two handball decisions that cost his side dear in their 3-0 loss at Burnley. And Leicester wondered why the ball hitting Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne’s arm was not a penalty, but the ball striking Leicester defender Dennis Praet’s arm was.

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VAR in the Premier League continues to set tongues wagging (Image: Reuters).

Nonetheless, when football’s rule-makers, IFAB, meet in Belfast on Saturday, they will likely reiterate what they have all along; that in other competitions, referees make use of the pitchside monitor rather than relying on VAR officials in a studio. That has become the new article of faith among VAR supporters. But, as with the system itself, it won’t remove the controversies over final decisions that rely on a judgment call, with or without video replays.

Talk of crises at United may be premature

An impressive midfield performance from recent signing Bruno Fernandes, a wonderfully cheeky goal from Anthony Martial and a superb strike from teenager Mason Greenwood. These were the markers of a good day in the office for Manchester United as they beat Watford 3-0 at Old Trafford.

The result moved Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s men to fifth place on the Premier League standings at the conclusion of the weekend. All in all, United’s performance – Portuguese midfielder Bruno Fernandes in particular – would have left many wondering what would have been had Solskjær managed to secure the services of the other winter-window transfer target, Erling Braut Haaland.

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Bruno Fernandes has shone early for English giants Manchester United (Image: Sourced).

Europa League and the tale to tell

Will fifth place be enough for Champions League football? Will eighth place secure Europa League action for next season? It all depends on the outcome of Manchester City’s appeal against a two-year ban from European football imposed by Uefa.

There is intense competition for the qualification spots with even Burnley and Everton, in 10th and 11th place, in with a chance of Europa League football. But given that both clubs saw their domestic form suffer from previous involvement in that mostly unloved competition, it is debatable if that is a prize they really crave.