10 talking points from the weekend’s action

Composite: Guardian Picture Desk

Sometimes football has to take a backseat. When Tom Lockyer collapsed in the 65th minute of Luton’s game at Bournemouth, the match was rightly put on the back burner. The Hatters’ official social media post did indeed apologize to fans of both teams by announcing the abandonment of the game, but it was not necessary, such was the understanding shown by every side at Vitality Stadium. It must have been an incredibly distressing situation for everyone, and particularly strange for those associated with Bournemouth. Not that you would have known. Deserved praise is being given to Philip Billing, who was the first to run towards Lockyer, and his team-mate Dominic Solanke, who was seen urgently calling for medical assistance. The speed with which they understood the seriousness of the situation was commendable and they helped get Lockyer the help he needed. When the match was abandoned it was with the full support of Bournemouth players, staff and fans. They showed the best of the beautiful sport. sunday stand

Varane pleads for a place in United’s defense

We’re all wondering why Erik ten Hag didn’t play Raphaël Varane for almost two months. He returned in defense against Bayern Munich, a team that aspires to win the Champions League, and performed admirably considering his rustiness. The centre-back kept his place on the visit to Anfield to face a team full of attacking verve but, alongside Jonny Evans, kept Liverpool relatively calm. Varane offers a cool head in difficult environments and proved his worth against United. They were the eighth different center back pairing to start a game for Ten Hag this season, but they seemed more comfortable than any other pairing that has been together. There are rumors that Varane could be available for transfer in January, but his experience and leadership in difficult situations are valuable assets. If this is how he plays after a long spell without playing time, United’s defense will be in a better place if he can get a run into the side. won’t win

The story continues

Gabriel and Saliba add steel to Arsenal’s title hopes

Arsenal will top the league when the annual festive fuss begins. Big Deal. They were also first last Christmas and were on top for 28 of 38 match days. What has changed is the texture of this team. Arsenal is less interesting. This is good. Brighton’s 2-0 defeat was a process of constant attrition. The key difference is the defense. Gabriel and William Saliba, currently the league’s top pairing, were quietly confident. The entire team defends with mania. Only one team since 2000, Manchester United in 2012-13, has won the Premier League by conceding more than one goal per game. Last season Arsenal conceded 1.13 per game. So far this season there are 15 in 17 games, the fewest with Liverpool. What happens now is a world away from what happens in April when muscles start to tense up. But in a season of fragility elsewhere, and for all the doubts about David Raya, it is Arsenal’s defense that should give them hope. Barney Ronay

Guardiola hopes that the trip to Arabia will be good for City

Disappointed by Phil Foden’s last-minute penalty that cost Manchester City victory over Crystal Palace, Pep Guardiola was happier with the overall performance and urged his players to forget about the possible gap with the leaders. of the league the next time they play in the Premier League, at Everton on December 27. “Of course, we have to win games so we depend on ourselves,” he said. “It is not thinking about what they do [City’s competitors] and what would be possible. “The performance was really good against Crystal Palace.” City are now in Saudi Arabia for Tuesday’s Club World Cup semi-final against Urawa Red Diamonds in Jeddah. “We love going to play in the Club World Cup,” Guardiola insisted. To get there you have to win the Champions League. “I am very happy and excited to try to win it.” Jaime Jackson

Newcastle injuries raise questions for Howe

Another game, two more injuries for Newcastle. This time it was Fabian Schär (glutes) and Joelinton (hamstrings) who headed to a Tyneside treatment room that was already packed. With several casualties suffering from soft tissue problems, the time has surely come for a full-scale review, not only of Newcastle’s medical department but also of Eddie Howe’s training methods and playing style. Thanks to a combination of Raul Jimenez’s early sending-off for a ridiculous karate challenge against Sean Longstaff and standout Lewis Miley’s first goal, Newcastle halted a run of three consecutive defeats in all competitions. We can expect Marco Silva to receive a misconduct charge from the FA following a complaint about “inexperienced” referee Sam Barrott. The Fulham manager was upset that the referee overlooked an alleged elbow on Jiménez by Jamaal Lascelles and believed he should have stood by his original decision to caution the striker rather than receiving a red card after the video assistant referee intervened. Louise Taylor

Pochettino looks for the right man for the number 10 position

This was the second time Mauricio Pochettino tried Cole Palmer as a number 10 this month. Once again, the ploy did not work. Palmer found it difficult to get on the ball during the first half against Sheffield United. He was displaced and his influence was minimal. He was better after Pochettino shifted him to the right at half-time. Palmer had more space and scored Chelsea’s first goal after combining with Raheem Sterling. Seven minutes later he appeared again to score Nicolas Jackson’s goal, and Pochettino would later accept the applause for the change. Chelsea have had problems against a low block and it is understandable that their coach has tried to give them a different dimension by going from a 4-3-3 to a 4-2-3-1, with Enzo Fernández on the bench, Conor Gallagher and Moisés Caicedo. in midfield and Palmer, Sterling and Mykhailo Mudryk behind Jackson. It’s still a work in progress. Jacob Steinberg

Martínez is saved from the red card in the middle of his red haze

There was a refreshing burst of adults in the room as Thomas Frank and Unai Emery reacted to a game that threatened to become known as the Battle of Gtech. However, both coaches were probably getting ahead of any charges, after a game with 10 cautions and two red cards, in which the coaches were also censured. “Today maybe not good,” Emery said of his Villa team’s behavior. “We lost a little bit of our control.” The visiting coach pointed to a provocation from the rival and admitted that his team fulfilled his part. “I didn’t like all the incidents, that’s not how the game should be played,” Frank said. “Yes, there is heat and yes, there is emotion and yes, we want to win, but I didn’t like it.” Emery ran to calm Emi Martínez as the final seconds of the game ticked away and the goalkeeper avoided a red card. Good thought. Without Martínez, Brentford would have had the game assured. The Argentine is necessary for the challenges that Villa has ahead of him. John Brewin

Paquetá benefits from greater freedom

Lucas Paquetá can make David Moyes want to tear his hair out at times, but the Brazilian showed his class with three brilliant assists against Wolves on Sunday. The 26-year-old dazzled alongside Mohammed Kudus in the 3-0 win and the West Ham boss admitted his star player has been given extra “headroom” to adapt to his talent. “He is a special player. “I haven’t had a lot of special players with that much talent,” Moyes said. “There’s a little bit of wiggle room we have to give him. As I got a little older, I realized that when they have that talent you have to let them flourish. But his work rate for the team has also been excellent.” Ed Aaron

Dyche adapts to maintain Everton’s streak

It is now four consecutive victories without conceding a goal for Everton, the first time they have enjoyed such a streak in 21 years. Sean Dyche may not offer the most exciting brand of football, but he certainly knows how to organize a team. Three of last weekend’s back four were absent through injury and suspension, forcing Dyche to adjust to a back five, including winger Dwight McNeil on the left. Despite the changes, Everton looked comfortable throughout, with Burnley only managing two shots on target. The Clarets had 61% possession, but it was rarely in the important areas, allowing them to aim from distance, a situation Jordan Pickford and his colleagues were very happy with. This Everton team is more adaptable than the Burnley team Dyche managed for nine-and-a-half years, but they are proving equally organized and resolute in defence, giving the Toffees the perfect foundation to build on. W.You

Bissouma’s absence is another blow for Spurs

Ange Postecoglou has had to reshuffle his Tottenham team on several occasions this season. James Maddison’s ankle injury forced him to modify his midfield and Micky van de Ven’s hamstring discomfort has forced him to move from inside back to centre-back. Yves Bissouma’s red card leaves another hole, this time at the base of Spurs’ midfield. Bissouma will serve a four-match ban because his sending off in the win at Nottingham Forest was his second of the season. The Mali international may not play again for Spurs until mid-February, depending on when he returns from African Cup of Nations duty. Postecoglou has options: Pierre-Emile Højbjerg and Oliver Skipp came on to ease the game at the City Ground, but Bissouma’s absence represents another blow. “The guys have to adapt to learn how to play our football without crossing a line, but I love their commitment,” Postecoglou said. “Unfortunately, we paid a price because obviously a big part of it is lost now.” ben fisherman