Premier League: 10 talking points from the weekend’s action | Premier League

Ruben Amorim is repeatedly learning that his team are worryingly susceptible out wide. Brighton’s first two goals came from players being given space on the flanks in the huge gaps between wing-backs and centre-backs. Kaoru Mitoma gifted Yankuba Minteh a tap in and the favour was repaid in the second half. Leny Yoro had terrible troubles against Southampton and there were similar struggles once again as Brighton tested him on the outside. Noussair Mazraoui had a forgettable afternoon, looking poor in possession, which helped Brighton for the opener and he failed to intervene before Mitoma steered the second home at the back post. Mazraoui was moved to the left and soon the third goal arrived as Yasin Ayari was given the freedom to cross the ball. The wing-back positions need specialists and those available to Amorim are unable to provide the defensive robustness and attacking support required, although he will be sticking with 3-4-3 whether they like it or not. Amorim needs to find a solution. Will Unwin

Match report: Manchester United 1-3 Brighton

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West Ham’s recruitment has ruined their season. They lack energy in midfield, suitable cover for injured players in attack and now have a crisis in central defence. Tim Steidten, the club’s under-fire technical director, can hardly complain that rumours of him being shown the exit door are gathering steam. Graham Potter, the new head coach, has inherited a mess from Julen Lopetegui. Going into the season with three senior centre-backs has backfired. The injury-prone Jean-Clair Todibo has no return date from a calf problem and the clumsy Konstantinos Mavropanos is suspended after his red card during West Ham’s 2-0 defeat by Crystal Palace, leaving Maximilian Kilman as Potter’s only centre-back for Sunday’s trip to Aston Villa. “We’ve got some options internally,” said Potter, who will consider handing a first Premier League start to the 20-year-old defender Kaelan Casey. He did not sound optimistic about his chances of signing a new centre-back this month. Jacob Steinberg

Match report: West Ham 0-2 Crystal Palace

The search for attacking reinforcements must go on at Everton – it is one win and they will not play a team as passive as Tottenham every week – but the performance of the entire forward line increased David Moyes’ satisfaction after the first victory of his second Goodison Park reign. Dominic Calvert-Lewin missed several good opportunities, as he did in Moyes’ opening game against Aston Villa, but took his first goal since 14 September in some style and led the line superbly. Just to have chances to miss represents an uplift on the Sean Dyche-era for a 27-year-old who remains integral to Everton’s hopes of survival. Iliman Ndiaye’s first league goal at Goodison Park was expertly taken and left Moyes wanting more. Jesper Lindstrøm was a revelation at right wing-back, combining the creativity the team desperately needs with tireless defensive duties. “Suddenly the front players are having an impact on the team,” said the Everton manager. “The whole team looked a different outfit.” Andy Hunter

Match report: Everton 3-2 Tottenham

During a sabbatical between leaving Bournemouth and arriving at Newcastle Eddie Howe shadowed Andoni Iraola at Rayo Vallecano. He subsequently introduced several of the Basque’s ideas on high, hard, heavy metal pressing, speedy counterattacking, tactical fouling and a sense of controlled on-pitch chaos at St James’ Park to often impressive effect. On Saturday though, Bournemouth executed that blueprint infinitely better than a home side seeking a 10th straight win in all competitions. As Justin Kluivert completed a glorious hat-trick at a ground where, two decades ago, his father, Patrick, managed a solitary Premier League goal in Newcastle colours, the visitors broadly resembled Howe’s team at their very best. Despite numerous injuries, Iraola’s players are unbeaten in 10 league games and one point behind Newcastle. Given Newcastle are regarded as legitimate Champions League contenders the same surely applies to a Bournemouth side facing an intriguing home engagement with Nottingham Forest on Saturday. Louise Taylor

Match report: Newcastle 1-4 Bournemouth

Ipswich versus Manchester City was billed as the battle of the big strikers, but it was a little genius who dominated the fixture instead. City got a timely boost earlier in the week with the news of Erling Haaland’s near decade-long contract renewal, but an even bigger boost to Pep Guardiola of late has been Phil Foden’s dramatic return to form. The contrast in Foden’s numbers this season is staggering and puts into focus the player’s struggles with fitness earlier in the campaign, with the 24-year-old not picked to start a game until October. Foden failed to score in a frustrating run of 11 league appearances, but now insists he was “unlucky” in front of goal in that spell. His recent return of six goals in his past five, plus two assists, proves that it was just a blip for last season’s footballer of the year. Form is temporary. Dominic Booth

Match report: Ipswich 0-6 Manchester City

Arne Slot has impressed in many ways since succeeding Jürgen Klopp as Liverpool manager but it his canny use of substitutions that has perhaps stood out most of all. Whenever he looks to his bench for inspiration, the Dutch manager usually finds it. The point earned in the midweek draw at Nottingham Forest came courtesy of a first touch from Kostas Tsimikas meeting a first touch from Diogo Jota to create the equaliser. Then at Brentford, with his team needing a goal to keep title rivals at arm’s length, he called for Darwin Núñez. The chaotic Uruguayan answered his call by scoring twice in injury time to secure what could be a crucial win in the hunt for a 20th league title, but Federico Chiesa and Harvey Elliott were involved in the second goal, too. Creative players who other managers may have deemed too risky to involve in such a tight end to a match. But Slot is a risk-and-reward manager who loves to roll the dice. Gregg Bakowski

Match report: Brentford 0-2 Liverpool

When did Aston Villa start to get back into the game against Arsenal? In part the issue was self-inflicted as Arsenal wobbled having gone 2-0 up. In part it was the half-time arrival of Lucas Digne, his long passing and crossing gave Villa additional attacking edge. But perhaps the moment what looked like being an Arsenal walkover started to become a little tougher was when Amadou Onana was forced off for Lamare Bogarde on 37 minutes. Bogarde, son of Winston, played all across midfield on loan at Bristol Rovers, has played largely at centre-back for Villa’s reserves and has tended to operate at right-back in his occasional outings for the senior side. But at the back of midfield he was a tenacious presence who completed all six passes he attempted, providing the platform from which Youri Tielemans launched Villa’s counter-assault. Swansea are interested in a loan move for the 21-year-old, but Villa may not want to let him go. Jonathan Wilson

Match report: Arsenal 2-2 Aston Villa

If Liam Delap was hoping to prove a point against his former employers, then he was let down by some of his Ipswich teammates. Making a catalogue of avoidable defensive mistakes against Pep Guardiola’s side is always dangerous, but it will have been especially frustrating to watch for Kieran McKenna given City’s recent vulnerabilities on the road – they’d hitherto won just one away game since 20 October. Ipswich afforded City far too much respect, allowing Mateo Kovacic the freedom of East Anglia at times, while Jack Clarke’s error to present Erling Haaland with his customary goal might as well have come with flowers and giftwrapping. Ipswich’s fate will not be defined by their games against the Premier League’s elite, but McKenna will hope for a more respectable showing in their next outing, away at Liverpool. DB

Under Steve Cooper, Leicester kept their heads above water. They lost just five of their opening 12 games back in the big time and although the football wasn’t scintillating, they appeared a decent bet to stay up. Then they sacked him. Be careful what you wish for? The subsequent run of defeats under Ruud van Nistelrooy has perhaps revealed that the squad wasn’t ready for the more expansive style fans were craving. The Foxes now look porous at the back and, despite scoring five in Van Nistelrooy’s first two matches, have become blunt up front too, netting two in the seven straight defeats that have followed. Having spent his entire playing and coaching career competing for trophies, Van Nistelrooy finds himself in uncharted waters. He was on the receiving end of supporters’ wrath during the Fulham loss – yet the same fans wanted Cooper gone. Perhaps retaining Cooper’s pragmatism and experience of a relegation dogfight might have been more prudent. DB

Match report: Leicester 0-2 Fulham

A penny for the thoughts of James Ward-Prowse, the former Southampton captain who arrived at Nottingham Forest on loan from West Ham in August presumably hoping for a mid-table finish. An unused substitute at the City Ground on Sunday, Ward-Prowse had a front-row seat as Forest condemned the club – for whom he made more than 400 appearances across two decades after joining aged eight – to an 18th defeat in 22 matches. Both Forest and Arsenal trail leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand, by six points. Ward-Prowse has made five league starts, his last in November, and four appearances off the bench – enough to secure himself a medal if Forest do the unthinkable. Regardless, with a six-point cushion over fifth-placed Newcastle, the race to qualify for the Champions League is on. Ben Fisher

Match report: Nottingham Forest 3-2 Southampton