Premier League: 10 talking points from the weekend’s football action

No other Palace player came close to his pass completion rate of 88% and, while they rode their luck to an extent in the second half, they’d have had to ride a lot more had it not been for his distribution, which helped prevent Liverpool building up a head of steam.

A year ago, almost to the day, Arsenal gave up a 2-0 lead at Anfield, and though it didn’t settle the title, the feeling at full-time was that they’d missed their chance, just as it was following Villa’s ultimately comprehensive win at the Emirates.

We’ve read and heard numerous paeans to a three-way title race only for Liverpool and Arsenal to hand control to Manchester City, jeopardising a season’s work and legendary denouement in a single afternoon.

This is because the Palaces and Villas of this world – along with nearly every team in the division – have various players able to hurt the best, in theory a good thing but in practice possible mainly because those clubs can outbid more storied European rivals for talent, while the champions-elect, champions in six of the last seven seasons, have links to a nation state with human rights issues.

On the day that Rodri was rested as wished, Mateo Kovacic did precisely what was required as understudy to Manchester City’s alpha midfielder: anchor the play and score a memorable first league goal for the champions.

Aside from a lively start, West Ham quickly ran out of ideas, with Lucas Paquetá lacking his usual creative influence, and there is no doubt they badly missed the injured Jarrod Bowen.