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5 things we learned from the Premier League this weekend

5 things we learned from the Premier League this weekend
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Manchester City and Chelsea bounce back as Tottenham maintain their challenge.

Sergio Aguero and Gonzalo Higuain and were both among the goals as Manchester City and Chelsea responded to their midweek difficulties in stunning style.

Here, Press Association Sport takes a look at what we learned from the latest round of Premier League fixtures.

HATS OFF TO SERGIO

Sergio Aguero plundered a fine hat-trick to underline his enduring potency as Manchester City beat Arsenal 3-1 to erase the memories of their midweek defeat at Newcastle. The Argentina international was in the right place at the right time firstly to head Aymeric Laporte's first-minute cross past keeper Bernd Leno and then to strike from close range after Ilkay Gundogan and Raheem Sterling had combined superbly before completing his 10th Premier League treble by bundling home with a hint of handball.

HIGUAIN TO THE RESCUE

Maurizio Sarri
Maurizio Sarri bounced back from his midweek from hell (John Walton/PA)

Gonzalo Higuain delivered on his full debut to earn some respite for Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri after his midweek from hell. The Italian clearly has issues at Stamford Bridge – not least those arising from his sporadic, public critiques of his team – but the fact is they remain active in all four major competitions and could have, in Higuain, a player capable of ending their long-standing search for a talismanic number nine.

SUPER SON

Son Heung-min
Son Heung-min came to Tottenham's rescue (Steven Paston/PA)

Son Heung-min's goalscoring return for Tottenham illustrated just how much Mauricio Pochettino's men have missed him during his Asian Cup campaign. But it also underlined Son's status as surely the most under-rated player in the Premier League right now. Having scored 14 goals already this season in spite of his absences, Son could – and probably should – soon be forcing his way into player-of-the-year contention.

RASH HOUR

Marcus Rashford continues to revel in the responsibility handed to him by Manchester United's interim boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Minutes after squandering a gilt-edged opportunity to head United in front at Leicester, he collected Paul Pogba's inviting ball over the top with a sublime first touch and then dispatched it past Kasper Schmeichel with a gleeful second to secure three points with big money signing Romelu Lukaku looking on enviously from the bench.

NO SILVA LINING

Marco Silva
The future looks bleak for Marco Silva (Nigel French/PA)

Many of Everton's recent issues seem to stem from the gulf separating their ambitions and reality. A succession of managers have tried and failed to bridge that gap but by more modest measurements, Marco Silva is failing to hit the mark. Defeat to Wolves was Everton's sixth in nine games and illustrates the extent of the malaise at Goodison Park, as another season – and likely soon another manager – slips into the abyss.

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Marcus Rashford celebrates scoring Manchester United's second goal against Brighton & Hove Albion on January 19, 2019
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool16123137162139
2Chelsea17105237191835
3Arsenal1796234161833
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest179442319431
5Bournemouth178452721628
6Aston Villa178452626028
7Manchester CityMan City178362925427
8Newcastle UnitedNewcastle177552721626
9Fulham176742422225
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton176742726125
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1772839251423
12Brentford177283232023
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd176472122-122
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham175572230-820
15Everton163761421-716
16Crystal Palace173771826-816
17Leicester CityLeicester173592137-1614
18Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1733112740-1312
19Ipswich TownIpswich172691632-1612
20Southampton1713131136-256


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