Premier League talking points: Alli’s Tottenham resurgence, Liverpool’s resilience and Arsenal’s woe

It was an afternoon of real frustration for Manchester City at St James’s Park, struggling desperately to deconstruct Newcastle’s rather stodgy 5-4-1. The game appeared destined to finish at one apiece, but Kevin De Bruyne produced a moment of magnificence to seemingly tip the game City’s way, his effort from 25 yards keeping the title race alive.

For how ponderous and impotent Newcastle had looked going forward, an equaliser felt unlikely, and yet up popped Jonjo Shelvey to strike a potentially fatal blow to Manchester City’s title hopes, sweeping into the bottom corner. A former Liverpool player, of course. City’s two dropped points means the gap between the leaders and the defending champions is now 11 – and it is only widening. Overcoming a margin that large seems a step beyond even Pep Guardiola’s side.

Crystal Palace were in urgent need of a victory as they trudged north to meet Burnley at Turf Moor amid a tough run of fixtures. Fortunately they count significant quality in their ranks, not least Wilfried Zaha, finally firing again after a disappointing first third of the season.

For the second game in succession Palace’s star man found the net in a 2-0 victory, and if Roy Hodgson can keep Zaha’s level high, Palace will continue to stay clear of the relegation battle. The questions over his future have already begun, with January bids perhaps being prepared, but you suspect Zaha will remain at Selhurst Park until at least the summer, and he has the ability to keep Crystal Palace in the relative comfort of mid-table.

With the sacking of managers very much en vogue in the Premier League at the moment, one wonders if Manuel Pellegrini might have woken up without a job on Sunday morning had West Ham extended their winless run to eight at Stamford Bridge. David Sullivan sacked Slaven Bilic, a manager with significantly more credit in the bank than Pellegrini, after a similarly desperate run in 2017, and West Ham have looked so lacking in heart and hopelessly out-matched tactically recently.

Yet West Ham found a shock victory. It was a curiously flat performance from Chelsea at home, perhaps feeling the fatigue of a busy and tough week, but credit must also go to the visitors, and particularly the stabilising influence of David Martin on his first Premier League start. While the goalkeeper had little to do, he was secure when he needed to be and clear in organising a defence that does has a habit of lifting itself for games like this. To see him embrace his father, club legend Alvin, as tears streamed down his cheeks at full-time was a delight, and a reminder of the oft-forgotten human side of football.

It always felt like one of the more curiously doomed appointments, hastily bringing back a man burned only to scorch him again. After replacing Javi Gracia in September, Watford won just one game under the manager and their fixture against Southampton had always worn the promise of seeing the defeated side lose their manager. Within hours of the full-time whistle, after Southampton's rousing comeback at St Mary's the word was out. On Sunday morning, the decision was confirmed.

Now, with just eight points from 14 games - their worst start to a Premier League season in history - it seems as though Chris Hughton will be the man charged with rescuing a sinking ship.

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Dele Alli's back, ladies and gentlemen. The 23-year-old made it three goals in three games, scoring consecutively for the first time since December 2018 too, as Tottenham continued their winning start under new boss Jose Mourinho. The newly-humble one called Dele's performance "phenomenal" and you can see why as he continues to look more and more like the player of old under the Portuguese's guidance. Restoring him to his most natural position behind Harry Kane appears to be paying dividends already with Mourinho saying he's now "happy and comfortable". His managers with both club and country will be too if he keeps this up.

The pattern has, by now, become relentless. First comes the cruise, then the often self-inflicted strife and nailbiting finish. This week, after Virgil van Dijk scored twice in the first-half, it was cult-hero Adrian who was painted the villain when caught cold by Lewis Dunk’s quick free-kick.

In truth, it was Alisson’s needless handball which provoked the panic, saw him red-carded - and ruled out of the Merseyside derby - and left Liverpool scrambling for three points once again. But just like each time before this season, Jurgen Klopp’s side stayed brave to the challenge. Their resilience has been entirely unmatched this season and, every time it shows another crack, they still find a way to stand firm.

It was an unlikely face-off to determine who could close ground on the top four. Yet, with Sheffield now undefeated in their last seven league matches, including draws with Manchester United and Tottenham, as well as victory over Arsenal, and Wolves sealing their qualification to the Europa League knockout stages last week, it's very much a reality to get used to at Molineux.​

The powers that be at Arsenal would have been praying the ‘new manager bounce’ could immediately banish a number of their problems. Instead, the clearest takeaway from the club’s 2-2 draw at Norwich was that their issues won’t be easily resolved.

In defence, Shkodran Mustafi and David Luiz maintained their mantle of comedy and calamity duo, Calum Chambers was relentlessly exposed, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s double ensured he continues to shoulder the weight of the club’s success. It will take far more than being freed from Unai Emery’s shackles or a wave of good-feeling from a club legend to reboot the Gunners.

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The circumstances were fortunate, but the result was by no means lucky. Kelechi Iheanacho’s last-touch winner, inches from being ruled offside, sent the King Power Stadium into hysterics. Leicester’s players mobbed Brendan Rodgers on the touchline, while Marco Silva trudged slowly down the tunnel in a picture of contrast that told its own story. After a disappointing reign at Everton, his time was surely up.

For Rodgers, it was another performance that established his side, at present, as the best challengers to Liverpool in the Premier League.

With Scott McTominay unable to play any part due to injury, it was a defensive midfield two of Fred and Andreas Pereira for Manchester United. Keane/Scholes they are not. Contrast that makeshift duo with Douglas Luiz, Conor Hourihane and John McGinn and the difference was stark, as Villa’s trio overran the midfield with energy and purpose, and stuck to clearly defined roles in their structure.

Was their midfield superior to United’s? Perhaps, and that we are able to ask that question seems an indictment in and of itself.