GUARDIOLA SHOWS RUTHLESS TOUCH AS DE BRUYNE HOOKED

When Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne was substituted after 69 minutes of a rip-roaring contest at Anfield with the game locked at 1-1 and top spot up for grabs there was widespread surprise, not least from the Belgian playmaker.

De Bruyne, a key component of five Premier League title triumphs, was not impressed and made his feelings known to manager Pep Guardiola who sent on the more defensively-minded Mateo Kovacic.

City hung on for the draw in the face of a Liverpool onslaught, vindicating Guardiola’s decision — as if anyone would ever doubt the wisdom of the Spanish serial winner.

It showed the high standards Guardiola sets and that no player, not even De Bruyne, is bigger than the collective.

“He will have a chance in the next game to prove how wrong I was, so next time he’ll have it. It’s fine,” Guardiola said.

QUANSAH SHOWS FUTURE IS BRIGHT AT LIVERPOOL

Juergen Klopp may be entering the final months of his Liverpool reign but the German will leave behind a squad equipped to battle for silverware for many years.

A lengthy injury might have derailed Liverpool but Klopp’s faith in youth has been richly rewarded and Jarell Quansah typified that on Sunday during the 1-1 draw with Man City.

The 21-year-old centre back, making his sixth league start of the season after injury ruled out Ibrahima Konate, was superb alongside Virgil van Dijk in nullifying the threat of City’s goal-machine Erling Haaland.

With Conor Bradley (20) and Harvey Elliott (20) also starting, it was the first time Liverpool had named three players aged 21 or under in a league clash against City since 2015. All three proved up to the biggest test in English football and could have huge roles to play in the weeks ahead.

VILLA’S TACTICS UNRAVEL IN SPURS THRASHING

Five points ahead of Tottenham Hotspur ahead of Sunday’s clash, Aston Villa’s pursuit of Champions League football for the first time suffered a serious blow as their defensive tactics back-fired, resulting in a 4-0 drubbing for Unai Emery’s side.

The 1982 European Cup winners have never played in Europe’s premier club competition in its modern form, and Sunday’s comprehensive defeat at the hands of Spurs means they might have to wait another year for the chance to do so.

From the off, Villa struggled to play out from the back but for some reason they persisted, ultimately coughing up possession that led directly to goals and an overall defensive collapse in the second half.

Conceding four times handed the goal difference advantage back to Spurs, and a red card for John McGinn for a violent tackle and a likely three-match ban to follow will make their task all the harder as the season reaches its climax.

RICE LEADING THE WAY FOR ARSENAL IN TITLE RACE

It was about this time last year that Arsenal began to wilt in a two-horse title race with Manchester City.

Twelve months on, however, they look far more durable and one of the main reasons for that is Declan Rice.

There were some raised eyebrows when Arsenal forked out around 100 million pounds ($128.58 million) to sign Rice from West Ham United, but there is no price on what he brought to the team.

The midfielder’s calm authority was evident again on Saturday as he scored Arsenal’s opener against Brentford and then cajoled his team mates after a mistake by goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale had allowed the visitors to level.

UNCONVINCING UNITED MAKE EVERTON PAY THE PENALTY

On the face of it, Saturday’s 2-0 win over struggling Everton is a run-of-the-mill Premier League victory for Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United, but winning thanks to two penalties suggests that all is not yet right at Old Trafford.

Languishing in 16th spot, 10 places and 22 points behind United after Saturday’s clash, Everton’s statistics told a different story to the scoreboard, suggesting United were lucky to get away with all three points.

The Toffees registered 23 efforts on goal, splitting possession almost evenly with their illustrious opponents and winning the corner count by a margin of eight to five.

Where they fell down was spot kicks conceded, with two rash tackles resulting in penalty goals for Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford, both coming in the first half.

Though Ten Hag will likely chalk it down as one league game of 38, his data analysts may have some strong feedback for him on Monday morning after another underwhelming display.

NICE IN A RUT

Nice’s promising start to the season feels like a distant memory as they extended their winless streak to six league matches with a 2-1 loss to Montpellier on Friday.

Manager Francesco Farioli admitted it was a difficult time for the club, which seemed unstoppable just four months ago.

“The efforts the players put in to keep the team at the top of the table for six months required a lot of physical and mental energy,” he said.

With Nice in sixth place and 16 points behind runaway leaders Paris St Germain, the dreams of a Ligue 1 title are all but lost.

“Everything we had managed to do at the beginning of the season, has been lost in recent weeks,” Farioli added.

Their next match is a clash against PSG in the French Cup quarter-final.

BAYERN TURNAROUND?

Bayern Munich look to have turned a corner this week after qualifying for the Champions League last eight and Saturday’s 8-1 demolition of Mainz 05 in the Bundesliga, with coach Thomas Tuchel earning praise.

Tuchel, who will leave at the end of the season a year before the end of his contract following an earlier bad run by Bayern, now looks to be making all the right moves with the Bavarians and is still in with a shot of silverware.

With Harry Kane scoring seemingly at will and the defence that had been leaking goals all season showing signs of stability, the team looks to be finding form after February’s announcement of Tuchel’s departure.

While the league title looks to have slipped away with the team 10 points behind leaders Bayer Leverkusen with nine games left, they still have the Champions League to look forward to.

REAL MADRID CEMENT TOP SPOT

Real Madrid maintained their seven-point lead over second-placed Girona by crushing Celta Vigo 4-0 on Sunday and Carlo Ancelotti’s squad are beginning to look like the title is theirs to lose.

Despite the absence of midfielder Jude Bellingham due to a two-match suspension, Real were dominant against Celta with 19-year-old Arda Guler scoring his first goal for the Spanish side, and Vinicius Jr netting his 10th of the season.

“We have done well, this an important moment of the season, every match can be a trap because you can slip but we are motivated and focused,” Ancelotti said.

However, Girona still have hope of challenging for the title after rekindling their campaign with a 2-0 win over Osasuna to put them one point ahead of third-placed Barcelona.

LECCE CONDEMN MANAGER D’AVERSA FOR HEADBUTTING VERONA PLAYER

Serie A club Lecce condemned manager Roberto D’Aversa after he headbutted Hellas Verona striker Thomas Henry following his side’s 1-0 loss at home on Sunday.

D’Aversa walked over to the French striker after the match before aiming a headbutt that knocked Henry briefly to the ground.

“U.S. Lecce firmly condemn the gesture of its coach, as it is against the principles and values of this sport,” the club said in a statement.

Both D’Aversa and Henry received red cards, with Henry reportedly being held back by team mates and staff when attempting to go after the 48-year-old coach.

D’Aversa apologised and said that Verona tried to provoke his players during the relegation clash.

“There was already provocation in the final minutes of the match and I didn’t want my players to get suspended,” he said to Sky Sport Italy.

“I apologise for the gesture, but my intention was to separate the players, as the last seven or eight minutes was just continual provocation.”

Lecce are 15th with 25 points, a point ahead of Frosinone in 18th, the last relegation spot. Verona are 13th with 26 points.