Boy did we miss the Premier League! After a week of the FA Cup and European competitions, the 27th round of league fixtures was finally back.
Chelsea, Manchester City, Everton and Brighton did not have a league fixture, but there was still plenty of drama and excitement.
Liverpool had the chance to go three points clear of Manchester City at the top of the table, but a 0-0 draw at Old Trafford sees Jurgen Klopp’s side hold a slender one-point advantage.
Tottenham’s title challenge stumbled again as they were defeated 2-1 by a spirited Burnley side at Turf Moor.
Arsenal’s victory over Southampton at the Emirates Stadium sees them leap back into fourth place at the expense of Manchester United.
Watford’s crushing 5-1 away win over Cardiff takes them into seventh placed, ahead of Wolves on goal difference, with both teams reaching the magic 40 points mark.
Crystal Palace’s clinical away win over Leicester sees the Eagles move two points behind the Foxes, who now find themselves manager-less after Claude Puel was sacked on Sunday morning.
Newcastle secured a comfortable home win over Huddersfield, taking the Magpies four points away from the relegation zone. Another defeat for Fulham means they are still eight points from safety.
Who stood out and who couldn’t handle the pressure? Here are our winners and losers.
WINNERS
Gerard Deulofeu – Watford
The Spaniard was in clinical form in Wales as he single-handedly tore Cardiff apart on Friday night.
Two assured finishes boosted his confidence before he completed his hat-trick with a sensational chipped finish, sending the away fans wild.
He also registered an assist, as he unselfishly squared the ball across the box for Troy Deeney to tap in. If Deulofeu can produce this level of performance on a regular basis, then Watford could finish the season rather well.
Wilfried Zaha – Crystal Palace
Zaha only had two shots against Leicester at the King Power Stadium, but he scored with both of them as Palace picked up a brilliant 4-1 win.
It’s obvious that when Zaha is playing well, then Palace win matches and this was the case again.
His pace was a nuisance for the Foxes and the brace has taken his total tally of league goals this season to seven.
James Tarkowski – Burnley
The centre-back was in inspired form as the Clarets picked up a famous win over Spurs.
The return of Harry Kane made Tarkowski’s job even more difficult, but he stepped up to the challenge and made more tackles (four) and clearances (14) than any of his team-mates on Saturday.
Are you watching, Gareth Southgate?
Losers
Claude Puel – Leicester City
The big loser from this weekend of action was Claude Puel. The manager saw his side dominate possession and chances against Palace, but still lose 4-1.
The chorus of boos at the full-time whistle weren’t a great sign and by Sunday morning, Puel was jobless.
After failing with Southampton and now with Leicester, Puel must be considering whether management in the Premier League is for him.
Tommy Smith – Huddersfield Town
The last thing you need when your side is facing relegation is further embarrassment, but that’s exactly what Smith got.
His high lunging tackle on Newcastle’s Miguel Almiron saw him pick up a straight red card after just 20 minutes.
Smith had the audacity to complain about the decision to the referee. He’ll now miss the next three matches for the Terriers.
Fulham
After opening the scoring early, it looked like Fulham were ready to fight hard for survival. That wasn’t the case.
Comical defending from set-pieces cost them twice and West Ham completed their comeback before half-time.
Manager Claudio Ranieri looks like he’s lost hope, and so do the players.
