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English Premier League talking points

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Talking points from the latest round of Premier League games:

HAALAND CONTINUES TO MAKE PREMIER LEAGUE LOOK EASY

After going three Manchester City appearances without a goal prior to his side’s clash with Tottenham Hotspur last week, it seemed Erling Haaland was human after all.

However, after ending his brief goal drought against Spurs, the Norwegian fired in his fourth Premier League hat-trick of a sensational debut season in England to earn City a 3-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday.

The stats make for remarkable reading. Haaland broke former Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy’s record of being the fastest player to four Premier League hat-tricks. Haaland’s four came in 19 games, Van Nistelrooy’s in 65.

His 25-goal league haul from 19 matches would have been enough to win the Premier League golden boot in each of the previous four seasons. Dixie Dean’s record of 60 goals scored in a single league season, set in 1928, remains in sight.

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NKETIAH SEIZING HIS CHANCE AT ARSENAL

When Gabriel Jesus was sidelined by injury, doubts were raised about Arsenal’s depth and whether they could continue to set the pace at the top of the Premier League.

But in homegrown product Eddie Nketiah they have saved themselves millions in the transfer market.

Fellow youth team prodigy Bukayo Saka grabs most of the headlines and scored a beautiful goal against Manchester United on Sunday but Nketiah’s double sealed the 3-2 win.

It took Nketiah a while to establish himself at Arsenal having made his debut in 2017 and he was loaned out to Leeds United at one stage. But after Jesus’s injury, he has seized his chance with both hands and he now has seven goals from his last seven games in all competitions.

GOAL DROUGHT A WORRY FOR NEWCASTLE

Newcastle stretched their unbeaten Premier League run to a club record 15 and kept a sixth successive clean sheet but the 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace exposed their misfiring attack.

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Eddie Howe’s side are devilishly difficult to beat but they have now scored only once in four league games and their top-four ambitions could be damaged by a lack of goals.

The decision to loan out striker Chris Wood was surprising especially with no forward coming in and Howe will be pushing for offensive reinforcements before the transfer window shuts.

Joelinton was disappointing at Palace while Callum Wilson is without a goal since October and looks short of confidence.

MUDRYK OFFERS SOME CHEER FOR CHELSEA

There was not much to get excited about in Chelsea’s 0-0 draw at Liverpool but the second-half introduction of new signing Mykhaylo Mudryk did lift the tedium.

The Ukrainian winger, who looked destined for Arsenal before choosing Chelsea, showed some dazzling footwork during his brief cameo and looked the most likely player in Chelsea’s ranks to snatch a winner at Anfield.

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Manager Graham Potter was impressed by 22-year-old Mudryk’s impact while Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville raved: “Seeing Mudryk for 10 mins I wouldn’t like to play against him!”

WHERE IS EVERTON’S NEXT WIN COMING FROM?

Everton have had a number of must-win games since the resumption of the Premier League season following the World Cup and lost them all. Next up is Arsenal and Liverpool.

They had home games against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Southampton when both clubs were bottom of the league, and lost both 2-1. This weekend’s visit to fellow strugglers West Ham was at the very least a “must not lose” fixture, but they were comfortably beaten.

The Toffees’ 15 points from their first 20 games of the season is the worst return in the club’s history and it is hard to see where the next victory is coming from for Frank Lampard’s side.

He has tried to change systems, going to five at the back, but it has not yet made any difference to results. New arrivals this week could change the outlook for the team, but will they be enough to stave off relegation?

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-Reuters

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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Maguire handed suspended prison sentence for 2020 brawl 

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Premier League - Manchester United v Aston Villa - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - May 25, 2025 Manchester United's Harry Maguire reacts REUTERS/Chris Radburn/File Photo 

England and Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has been handed a 15-month suspended prison sentence ​by a Greek court over a 2020 ‌incident in Mykonos, Sky Sports reported on Wednesday.

In 2020, Maguire was found guilty of repeated bodily harm, attempted ​bribery and violence against public employees after ​his arrest in a brawl in which ⁠two police officers were assaulted.

Maguire, who was detained ​for two days following the incident and denied ​any wrongdoing, was handed a suspended prison sentence of 21 months and 10 days but was granted a full ​retrial after appealing against Greek court convictions on ​multiple charges.

In accordance with the Greek judicial process, the filing ‌nullified ⁠Maguire’s conviction before a full retrial in a more senior court. His retrial was postponed many times.

Maguire faced allegations of non-serious assault, resisting arrest ​and attempted ​bribery. The ⁠32-year-old was convicted on all three counts but will face no prison time. ​His legal team will appeal against ​the ⁠guilty verdict, Sky Sports reported.

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Maguire’s brother Joe and friend Christopher Sharman were also found guilty of offences ⁠related ​to the incident and received ​suspended prison sentences in 2020. They also denied any wrongdoing.

-Reuters

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Timber header earns Arsenal crucial win over Chelsea

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 Arsenal's David Raya celebrates after Jurrien Timber scores their second goal Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers

Arsenal maintained control of the Premier League title race as they chiselled out a nervy 2-1 win over London rivals Chelsea to open up a five-point lead at the top of the table on Sunday.

Jurrien Timber’s 66th-minute header from a Declan Rice corner ensured Arsenal took three precious points, but it was a nervy afternoon in north London.

Mikel Arteta’s side moved to 64 points from 29 games, with Manchester City, who have played a game fewer, on 59.

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Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber celebrates scoring their second goal with Gabriel Magalhaes REUTERS/Jaimi Joy 

Defender William Saliba had given Arsenal the lead in the 21st minute from a trademark corner routine.

But it had looked as though an own goal by Piero Hincapie just before halftime would prove costly for the hosts until Timber came to their rescue.

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Chelsea, whose six-match unbeaten league sequence under new manager Liam Rosenior was halted, ended the match with 10 men after Pedro Neto was sent off for a second yellow card.

-Reuters

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Manchester United climb to third in Premier League table with come-from-behind win over Palace

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 Premier League - Manchester United v Crystal Palace - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - March 1, 2026 Manchester United's Matheus Cunha in action with Crystal Palace's Daniel Munoz REUTERS/Phil Noble

Manchester United produced a stirring second-half comeback to defeat Crystal Palace 2–1 at Old Trafford on Sunday, with captain Bruno Fernandes inspiring the turnaround that lifted the hosts into third place in the Premier League standings.

Trailing inside four minutes after a dominant start by Palace, United responded through a Fernandes penalty before his pinpoint free-kick was headed home by Benjamin Sesko to seal victory against the 10-man visitors.

The win extended interim manager Michael Carrick’s unbeaten run to seven matches since taking charge in mid-January. United now have 51 points from 28 games and are unbeaten since the January 5 dismissal of Ruben Amorim, climbing into third for the first time since May 2023. Palace remain 14th on 35 points.

“It feels like a big result, we were behind and had to show some character,” Fernandes told Sky Sports. “There are a lot of games to go still, and it is important that we don’t feel that we are in the position that we need to be. We need to make as many points as we can.”

Palace, under Oliver Glasner, were electric in the opening half hour, capitalising on sluggish United play. Defender Maxence Lacroix powered home a header from a corner after muscling past Leny Yoro, scoring the earliest goal United have conceded this season.

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The visitors nearly doubled their advantage when Daniel Munoz latched onto an Ismaila Sarr through ball, but goalkeeper Senne Lammens produced a crucial save.

United gradually found their rhythm before the break. Sesko forced Dean Henderson into action with a header from a Fernandes cross, and the Palace keeper also tipped a Fernandes free kick over the bar.

The turning point arrived in the 57th minute when Fernandes converted from the penalty spot after Matheus Cunha was dragged down by Lacroix. Following a lengthy VAR review, Lacroix was shown a red card, reducing Palace to 10 men.

Eight minutes later, Fernandes’ delivery again proved decisive as Sesko rose highest to nod home the winning goal.

United pushed for a third, with Casemiro’s volley drawing a diving save from Henderson and substitute Amad Diallo testing the keeper from distance in stoppage time. Joshua Zirkzee saw efforts blocked, while Kobbie Mainoo’s fierce strike drifted narrowly wide.

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Carrick praised his team’s resilience. “The biggest thing for us to take from the game is really the first time that we have been in that situation going in at halftime,” he said. “Being in that position and how we react and showing that personality and belief… to then come back as we did in the second half is the biggest thing for me today.”

Palace pressed late but could not find an equaliser. Glasner admitted his side had let the game slip. “It feels like there was more possible today. A great first 30 minutes, but the red card changed it completely. The second goal just happened too quickly.”

For United, the victory reinforces growing belief under Carrick that a top-four finish—and a return to Europe’s elite competition—is firmly within reach.

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