Yaya sets the tone for City

The most important player in a Pep Guardiola team is the ‘organising midfielder’, which is why he moved so quickly to sign Ilkay Gundogan this summer. But with Gundogan out long term, City need a replacement, and who better than Yaya Toure?

He cannot play like he did in his 20s any more, but he proved at Hull City on Monday that he still has the brain and the skill for that role.

He completed more than 100 passes, giving City control of the game which they eventually broke open thanks to his penalty. He may only have six months left at City, but he clearly still has a lot to offer.

Giroud can still do it

Olivier Giroud is no longer first choice at Arsenal but he can still score goals that no-one else on his team can score. His headed winner with four minutes left against West Bromwich Albion was a classic Giroud goal, holding off Gareth McAuley and still getting enough power on the ball.

One month ago he did the same at Old Trafford, leaping in the last minute up at the far post to head in an equalising goal. Arsenal want to go in a new direction now, away from Giroud, and understandably so. But he still has unique skills and Arsenal are far more dangerous if he is their Plan B. Whether he is happy to be that is a different question.

Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Show all 22 1 /22 Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Petr Cech - 7 out of 10 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Jay Rodriguez of West Bromwich Albion shoots past Petr Cech of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Laurent Koscielny - 7 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Laurent Koscielny of Arsenal is faced by Hal Robson-Kanu and Kieran Gibbs of West Bromwich Albion during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Shkodran Mustafi - 7 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Hal Robson-Kanu of West Bromwich Albion and Shkodran Mustafi of Arsenal battle for the ball during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Nacho Monreal - 8 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Nacho Monreal of Arsenal clears the ball from the goal line during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Hector Bellerin - 7 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Tony Pulis, Manager of West Bromwich Albion shouts as Hector Bellerin of Arsenal take a throw in during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Mohamed Elneny - 6 West Bromwich Albion's English midfielder Gareth Barry (L) vies with Arsenal's Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Elneny during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at the Emirates Stadium in London on September 25, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Ian KINGTON / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read IAN KINGTON/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Granit Xhaka - 6 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 17: Granit Xhaka of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on September 17, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images) Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Sead Kolasinac - 7 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 14: Sead Kolasinac of Arsenal controls the ball during the UEFA Europa League group H match between Arsenal FC and 1. FC Koeln at Emirates Stadium on September 14, 2017 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Aaron Ramsey - 7 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Aaron Ramsey of Arsenal is challenged by goalkeeper Ben Foster of West Bromwich Albion during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Alexis Sanchez - 8 Arsenal's Chilean striker Alexis Sanchez reacts during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at the Emirates Stadium in London on September 25, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Ian KINGTON / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read IAN KINGTON/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Alexandre Lacazette - 9 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal heads past Ben Foster of West Bromwich Albion as he scores their first goal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Ben Foster - 6 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Aaron Ramsey of Arsenal is challenged by goalkeeper Ben Foster of West Bromwich Albion during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Craig Dawson - 5 BURTON-UPON-TRENT, ENGLAND - JULY 26: Craig Dawson of West Bromwich Albion looks on during the pre season friendly match between Burton Albion and West Bromwich Albion at Pirelli Stadium on July 26, 2017 in Burton-upon-Trent, England. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Ahmed El-Sayed Hegazi - 7 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Alexis Sanchez of Arsenal and Ahmed El-Sayed Hegazi of West Bromwich Albion chase the ball during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Jonny Evans - 6 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Nacho Monreal of Arsenal takes on Jonny Evans of West Bromwich Albion during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Allan Nyom - 5 BURTON-UPON-TRENT, ENGLAND - JULY 26: Allan Nyom of West Bromwich Albion looks on during the pre season friendly match between Burton Albion and West Bromwich Albion at Pirelli Stadium on July 26, 2017 in Burton-upon-Trent, England. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Jake Livermore - 6 West Bromwich Albion's English midfielder Jake Livermore (L) vies with Arsenal's Chilean striker Alexis Sanchez during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at the Emirates Stadium in London on September 25, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Ian KINGTON / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read IAN KINGTON/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Grzegorz Krychowiak - 7 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Grzegorz Krychowiak of West Bromwich Albion is chased by Laurent Koscielny of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Gareth Barry - 6 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Gareth Barry of West Bromwich Albion is faced by Mohamed Elneny of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. Gareth Barry is making a record 633rd Premier League appearance. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Kieran Gibbs - 7 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Kieran Gibbs of West Bromwich Albion beats Hector Bellerin of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Jay Rodriguez - 6 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Jay Rodriguez of West Bromwich Albion shoots past Petr Cech of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Hal Robson-Kanu - 6 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Hal Robson-Kanu of West Bromwich Albion and Shkodran Mustafi of Arsenal battle for the ball during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) Getty Images

What does Mkhitaryan mean for Rooney?

Four straight league wins makes this Manchester United’s best run since April 2015, back in Louis van Gaal’s first season at Old Trafford. Jose Mourinho has got the balance right, with a team that can dominate possession, getting the most out of his two stars, Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and a potential third in Henirkh Mkhitaryan.

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Absent from yesterday though was Wayne Rooney, the United captain struggling with a muscle problem. If Rooney and Mkhitaryan are to compete for one place on the team it is not much of a competition, now that the Armenian looks to have adjusted to the pace of the English game. The questions about Rooney’s future will continue.

Bilic's gamble pays off

After West Ham United lost 5-1 to Arsenal on 3 December, Slaven Bilic decided to hammer his players in the press conference. He said they had “lost their intensity” and that they were not too good to go down. It felt like the last roll of the dice from a man who was losing the dressing room. But it worked.

Slaven Bilic's dressing down has had the desired effect on his players (Getty)

West Ham have not lost since, drawing at Anfield before beating Burnley, Hull City and now Swansea City. Their injured players are returning and suddenly they look like a functioning team again, which is a genuine achievement after that Arsenal game.

Chelsea cope without Costa or Kante

What is so impressive about this Chelsea team is that they are not even over-dependent on individuals. Yesterday they batted away Bournemouth without Diego Costa or N’Golo Kante, two of the lynchpins down the middle of the team. Even Eden Hazard or David Luiz, their next best players, could be plausibly replaced within this system. This team is a triumph of coaching, tactics and management, a unit first and foremost, thanks to the remarkably quick fruits of Antonio Conte’s work.

It would take a catastrophic injury crisis, rather than just one or two missing, to stop them from winning the title from here.

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Burnley keep it going at home

Burnley have a simple plan to stay up, and it is going very well. They have only taken one point in away games this season, the worst record in the division. But they are more than half way to keeping themselves up through their home record alone.

Yesterday they did enough to beat Middlesbrough 1-0, Andre Gray forcing a mistake from Victor Valdes to win the game. That was their sixth home league win this year, one more than Manchester City have. Teams tend to need 10 league wins to avoid relegation. Four more will do it for Sean Dyche even if they lose every other away game this season.

Sean Dyche gestures to his side during Burnley's win over Middlesbrough (Getty)

Leicester’s hard new reality

Swansea City, Burnley, Crystal Palace, Manchester City: spot the odd one out. Those are the only four teams that reigning champions Leicester City have beaten in the Premier League this season. It is a list that speaks to the drastically new reality for Leicester, one in which they are in the Champions League knockout rounds, and also in a relegation fight.