1) Agüero makes the difference

Sergio Agüero’s hat-trick, scored from a collective distance of 10 yards, was not achieved by accident but thanks to his instincts and endurance. At times City looked sloppy against Arsenal but Agüero made the difference, repeatedly finding himself in the crucial position to jab the ball home with any available limb. All of City’s attacking midfielders know where the Argentinian wants to be once they break into the area and Agüero’s improved fitness under Pep Guardiola helps him get there. Superior fitness was one of the things that made the difference as Arsenal wilted while Agüero and City thrived. The striker is definitely working harder under the Catalan than his predecessors and his increased stamina is bringing rewards. He will need every last ounce of energy for the rest of the season as he is still irreplaceable. Will Unwin

• Match report: Manchester City 3-1 Arsenal

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Sergio Agüero scores his and Manchester City’s second goal against Arsenal. Photograph: Andrew Yates/Reuters

2) Pogba-Rashford combination lifts United

Now and again players strike up an understanding that seems almost telepathic, and it seems that way with Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford at the moment. For the third time since Ole Gunnar Solskjær took over, the pair directly combined for a United goal, with Pogba’s delightful pitching-wedge pass against Leicester picking out Rashford’s run in behind Harry Maguire and Ben Chilwell. Rashford’s reaction after dispatching a low shot under Kasper Schmeichel – he instantly turned to acknowledge Pogba – said a lot about the relationship they have struck up on the pitch since Solskjær was appointed. The two of them look liberated under Solskjær and are arguably the most influential figures in United’s turnaround since José Mourinho departed. Both players have scored six times in 10 games and Pogba also has five assists. “Good players make each other better,” said Solskjær. Stuart James

• Match report: Leicester City 0-1 Manchester United

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3) Don’t write off Tottenham

If people would only stop speculating about Mauricio Pochettino’s future they could instead focus on his present: with Manchester City and Liverpool showing not only fallibility under pressure, Tottenham cannot yet be discounted from the title race. In their last three league games, they have beaten Fulham with a 93rd-minute goal, Watford with 80th and 87th-minute goals and Newcastle with an 83rd-minute goal, and the confidence inspired by such a run cannot be overstated – all the more so given the absence of Dele Alli and Harry Kane. If Spurs can maintain form until their fit and fresh return, they may yet spring a surprise – but only if Pochettino can devise a strategy for beating their direct competitors, both of whom have his team’s number in head-to-head meetings. Daniel Harris

• Match report: Tottenham 1-0 Newcastle

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-min scores against Newcastle. Photograph: Steven Paston/PA

4) Higuaín and Hazard lift Sarri’s spirits

It is dangerous to read too much into a saunter past Huddersfield, but Maurizio Sarri will have seen encouraging evidence in periods of Chelsea’s play. He cited Mateo Kovacic’s involvement as Jorginho’s replacement late on, a player “close to Jorginho in moving the ball very fast, one touch”. He reintegrated Ruben Loftus-Cheek into the Premier League side after his latest bout of back trouble. And, above all, there were indications of understanding between Eden Hazard and Gonzalo Higuaín. That pair provided four of the goals and combined 21 times. They appeared to be on the same wavelength. Games against Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur this month will test that relationship but Chelsea may now have an attacking partnership to inflict damage on the best. Dominic Fifield

• Match report: Chelsea 5-0 Huddersfield

Quick guide Live British football on UK TV this week Show Hide Monday 4 February

Premier League: West Ham v Liverpool 8pm (Sky Sports Premier League / Sky Sports Main Event) Tuesday 5 February FA Cup fourth round replay: Newport County v Middlesbrough 7.45pm (BT Sport 2) Wednesday 6 February WSL Continental Cup semi-final: Chelsea Women v Manchester City Women 7.30pm (FA WSL Facebook) Scottish Premiership: Aberdeen v Rangers 7.45pm (Sky Sports Football / Sky Sports Main Event) FA Cup fourth round replay: West Bromwich Albion v Brighton & Hove Albion 8.05pm (BBC One) Thursday 7 February FA WSL Continental Cup semi-final: Arsenal Women v Manchester City Women 7.30pm (BT Sport 1) Friday 8 February Championship: Aston Villa v Sheffield United 7.45pm (Sky Sports Football / Sky Sports Main Event) Saturday 9 February Premier League: Fulham v Manchester United 12.30pm (Sky Sports Premier League / Sky Sports Main Event) Scottish FA Cup fifth round: Kilmarnock v Rangers 5.15pm (Premier 1) Championship: Stoke City v West Bromwich Albion 5.30pm (Sky Sports Football) Premier League: Brighton & Hove Albion v Burnley 5.30pm (BT Sport 1) Sunday 10 February Championship: Norwich City v Ipswich Town 12pm (Sky Sports Football / Sky Sports Main Event) Premier League: Tottenham Hotspur v Leicester City 1.30pm (Sky Sports Premier League / Sky Sports Main Event) Scottish FA Cup fifth round: Celtic v St Johnstone 1.30pm (Premier 1) Women's Super League: Manchester City Women v Chelsea Women 2pm (BT Sport 1) Scottish FA Cup fifth round: Aberdeen v Queen of the South 3.30pm (BBC One Scotland) Premier League: Manchester City v Chelsea 4pm (Sky Sports Premier League / Sky Sports Main Event )









Photograph: Tom Jenkins

5) Almirón sees size of creative challenge

Newcastle played well in their 1-0 defeat at Tottenham. They kept their 5-4-1 shape, compressed the space, made it hard for the home side and threatened three times on the counterattack. It was a typical Rafael Benítez performance in which he tried to optimise the attributes of the players at his disposal. But as the manager himself noted, his team had to be better on the ball. The dearth of creativity in central midfield was plain. This is where Miguel Almirón comes in. The £21m club-record signing from Atlanta United missed the game because his visa had not come through and, when he makes his debut at Wolves next week, there will be pressure on him to lift the aesthetic. But the attacking midfielder has not played since 8 December while the difference between the MLS and Premier League is seismic. Almirón cannot be expected to transform things overnight. David Hytner

• Match report: Tottenham 1-0 Newcastle

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6) Task of saving Fulham looks beyond Ranieri

While winning the league with Leicester City meant Claudio Ranieri arrived at Craven Cottage with a reputation as a miracle worker, Fulham have seen little evidence of the Italian’s supposed magical powers since appointing him in November. The side with the worst defensive record in the Premier League are just as naive at the back, brittle in midfield and wayward in attack as they were under Slavisa Jokanovic, who can be forgiven for feeling smug as he watches Ranieri struggle to perform wonders with a weird mess of a squad. Jokanovic’s successor has picked up 12 points from his first 13 games and Fulham, the only team in the division without an away win, looked like they were waiting to be relegated during their defeat by Crystal Palace. With confidence ebbing away, consecutive home games against Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool are unlikely to lift the mood. Jacob Steinberg

• Match report: Crystal Palace 2-0 Fulham

7) Wolves give Everton a footballing lesson

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Wolves gave Everton a beating and Evertonians many reasons for envy on Saturday. Nuno Espírito Santo’s players were organised, committed, spirited and dangerous: everything Marco Silva’s side were not as they slipped to a sixth defeat in nine Premier League games. In Conor Coady they possessed a defensive strength and discipline that was in stark contrast to the performance of Michael Keane. In João Moutinho they had the purpose and invention the home midfield failed to deliver but it was in attack where Everton, 19 months after the sale of Romelu Lukaku, were totally eclipsed by the quality of Raúl Jiménez. The Mexico striker led the line superbly and claimed his fourth goal in three games. His work-rate and contribution put the efforts of all of Everton’s offensive players – Theo Walcott, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Richarlison and Cenk Tosun – to shame. Andy Hunter

• Match report: Everton 1-3 Wolves

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Conor Coady (c) was outstanding for Wolves as they beat Everton 3-1 at Goodison Park. Photograph: Sam Bagnall - AMA/Getty Images

8) Hughton needs to stop the slide

Chris Hughton may not be looking over his shoulder just yet but a fifth consecutive game without a win has seen his Brighton side drop perilously close to the relegation dogfight. Cardiff’s victory means the Seagulls are only five points clear of trouble and having picked up only six points from their last 10 league games, the manager will be eager to stop the slide. They will have an immediate opportunity to do that on Saturday against Burnley after Wednesday’s FA Cup replay with West Brom, although Hughton will be wary of Sean Dyche’s side given their recent revival that has seen them clamber away from danger. Brighton have three more points than at this stage last season, when they ended up 15th, and should be confident of beating that position given they have home games against Huddersfield, Cardiff, Southampton, Bournemouth and Newcastle still to come. Ed Aarons

• Match report: Brighton 0-0 Watford

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9) Dyche looks forward to VAR

“Next season we’ll have VAR, and that should be a help,” Sean Dyche said after his side were finally awarded a penalty on a day they should have had two. After waiting since April 2017 the Burnley manager was relieved to be able to claim a point in stoppage time but understandably exasperated by the penalty Ashley Barnes was refused in the first half. What left him even more aghast was the fact Barnes was booked for simulation when he had clearly been knocked over by the goalkeeper. So clearly, in fact, that Anthony Taylor was probably the only person at Turf Moor who thought Barnes was trying to cheat. “A terrible decision,” Alan Shearer said on MOTD. Will VAR be of assistance? If referees are going to need replays to help with such judgment calls the games next season could be both long and unedifying. Paul Wilson

• Match report: Burnley 1-1 Southampton

10) Howe searches for consistency

That Dominic Solanke had only one touch in the opposition box on his Bournemouth debut underlined a miserable weekend for Eddie Howe’s side. Solanke, a £19m signing from Liverpool last month, failed to impress in a team performance bereft of any zip, with Bournemouth badly missing the injured Callum Wilson and David Brooks, who is set to miss a month. They were off-colour in Cardiff, nowhere near meeting the benchmark they set after humbling Chelsea. “We’ve had some really good runs and performances where we have looked like the real deal and then a performance when we fell away from that,” said Howe, whose side have lost five of their past eight games. “Is it because the players are not good enough? No. So it can only be a mentality issue and that is something we have got to solve very quickly.” Ben Fisher

• Match report: Cardiff 2-0 Bournemouth