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Controversy of the week
If a player scores three goals, he walks away with the match ball. What do they get if they give away three penalties? The referee's whistle?
Ashley Young almost figured it out. In Everton's crucial 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest, the Everton full-back just might should - to have conceded three penalties, the first for pinning Gio Reyna's heel in the box; the second, for a handball, was firmly in the 'seen 'em given' bracket; and the third for another ill-timed tackle in the box.
The second was the cleanest decision: an obvious handball that saw Young's arm thrown from his body and Forest's Chris Wood waiting behind his hand for a tap. But the third was the most special: Anthony Taylor, the field official, indicated that Young caught the ball before colliding with the attacking player. Video evidence showed otherwise. What is VAR for, if not a failsafe, for when a referee thinks he has seen something in real time, but closer inspection proves him wrong?
Forest responded with their typical mix of bluster and conspiracy. "Three extremely poor decisions - three penalties not given - that we simply cannot accept," Forest said on their official X account. "We warned the PGMOL before the match that the VAR is a Luton fan, but they didn't change it. Our patience has been tested several times. NFFC will now consider its options."
Take it easy, Mark Clattenburg. Frustration is understandable. Forest, like Wolves and Liverpool, have been on the receiving end of tough decisions this season. But what is the end goal? Ask to review the VAR process is one thing, something that the clubs themselves can dictate. However, directing your anger at an individual only limits the sport's ability to recruit new officials.
Improving the standards of performance in any competition takes time. It requires a pipeline. You cannot create a new crop of civil servants overnight. The continued bashing of clubs, accusations of bias and collusion, will only delay PGMOL's ability to recruit the talent that will ultimately improve standards. The FA has already opened an investigation into the Forest statement as it has called into question the integrity of the game. Clattenburg at least earns his salary this week.
The story continues
Goal of the week
Sometimes the goal of the week is a smooth passing move. Other times it's a 40-yard screamer. And sometimes it's a well-executed shaft from the edge of the box.
See: Leandro Trossard's try against Wolves:
"I just hit him with my toe," Trossard said after the game, which is a way of saying he somehow picked the ball up with the outside of his foot and placed it in the top corner.
The title race is in the hands of Manchester City. All Arsenal can do is keep stringing together victories. Between now and the end of the season, they can't afford to drop any points. Their performance in a 2-0 win over Molineux was understandably difficult after their efforts in Munich last week. However, at this stage points are more important than achievements. And Trossard's strike was enough to keep Arsenal in the race.
Quote of the week
"When we were down, there were a few players who wanted to leave. That cannot be the case. I won't name names, but I think there were a few players who wanted to get out of there pretty quickly after the fourth went in, which you can't have, you just can't have that. - Chris Wilder on Sheffield United's performance in the second half of their 4-1 defeat to Burnley.
Wilder's quote sums up the most dismal performance from any side this week. Let's hope no one indulges in snacking full-time.
Return of the week
Welcome back, Trent Alexander-Arnold. On his first start since February 10, Alexander-Arnold scored a stunning free-kick to put Liverpool ahead in their 3-1 win over Fulham on Sunday.
It was Alexander-Arnold's sixth goal for Liverpool from a direct free-kick, moving him one behind Steven Gerrard and two behind Jamie Redknapp at the top of the club's all-time rankings.
Alexander-Arnold was Liverpool's best player in another shock performance at Craven Cottage. Throughout the first half it was much the same as it had been for Jurgen Klopp's side for a month: unable to create much in open play and relying on last-ditch defending to keep Fulham at bay. Goals from Ryan Gravenberch and Diogo Joto helped seal the victory in the second half, moving Liverpool level on points with Arsenal at the top of the table. But there are still issues for the Klopp team to sort out.
When Liverpool are humming, they work more in five seconds than any team in the league. But in the past month they have become stiff and rely on individual moments of brilliance. Alexander-Arnold got his moment on Sunday, but unless they kick into gear straight away, Liverpool won't be able to keep pace with Arsenal and City.
Player of the week
Bryan Mbeumo has developed into a great all-round player and he was central to Brentford's 5-1 win over Luton on Saturday.
Brentford were electric on the counter-attack. They could have been six or seven ahead an hour into the game had it not been for sloppy finishing or Thomas Kaminski in the Luton goal. "They were too fast and too good for us," Luton manager Rob Edwards said after the match. "That can't happen in the Premier League."
Luton have conceded by far the most chances in the league this season and were consistently punished at half-time against Brentford thanks to neat combination play between Mbeumo, Yoane Wissa and Keane Lewis-Potter. Wissa finished with two goals and an assist and Lewis-Potter scored Brentford's fourth to put the match well out of reach. But it was Mbeumo who jumped off the screen for those watching at home. His movement, intellect, vision and motor skills cause anxiety. Fear is a distraction - and leads to defensive failures.
Mbeumo never stops moving. Against Luton, he finished with two assists, created three important chances, registered three successful dribbles and led the team's press from the front, recording eight ball recoveries - seven of them in the Luton half, the highest figure by a Brentford player this season.
Mbeumo has been one of the league's most consistent creators this year when healthy, even as Brenford's offensive performance took a hit when Ivan Toney was removed from the lineup. Throughout the season he has created as many high-value chances as the likes of Mohamed Salah, Bukayo Saka and Bruno Fernandes. Best to believe that the data dorks working in transfer committees across the league will rush to drop off a folder of Mbuemo's best work for their bosses.
Relegation subplot of the week
The best Luton and Burnley could have hoped for at the turn of the year was that they would go into the final handful of games with a chance of staying alive. Job done. With four games to go, Luton are one point behind Nottingham Forest, despite their 5-1 win against Brentford. Burnley beat Sheffield United 4-1 to move them within three places of Forest in 17th - ahead of Forest's appeal for their points deduction.
But keep an eye on the goal difference column. The points deduction at Everton and Forest has distorted the relegation race. Without these deductions, Luton and Burnley would already be adrift. But while the points have been taken off the board, the goals Everton and Forest have scored (and conceded) have not.
Luton (-28) ran Forest (-18) close until last week. They have sent ten goals to Man City and Brentford in seven days, putting them ten behind Forest in the goal difference charts; Burnley (-32) is fourteen behind. That is a major disadvantage of falling over. Everton (-14) is already five points ahead, but has a significant goal difference ahead of Luton and Burnley.
Burnley have lost just one of their last seven. But their form may have come too late in the season. However, if Forest's deduction remains in place, it raises the tantalizing prospect of Vincent Kompany and Co having to host Forest on the final day of the season, win to regain points and stage a goal-fest to close the deficit. to get. - difference in rankings.
