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Three talking points from the Premier League weekend | The Express Tribune
Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa celebrates scoring their second goal. Photo: AFP
LONDON:
Ollie Watkins kept Aston Villa in the hunt for the Premier League title with an impressive win at Chelsea to leave the top three separated by just three points heading into the final Premier League games of 2025.
Arsenal maintained a two-point lead over Manchester City after they both battled to 2-1 wins against Brighton and Nottingham Forest respectively on Saturday.
On the back of an 11-game winning streak, Villa visit Arsenal next on Tuesday in a huge game in the title race.
At the other end of the table, West Ham are looking increasingly likely to join fellow strugglers Burnley and Wolves in the Championship next season.
AFP Sports looks at three talking points from the Premier League weekend:
Watkins adds X factor to Villa charge
Villa are enjoying their best run since 1914 to force themselves into an unexpected challenge for a first league title in 45 years.
Unai Emery’s men had put themselves in that position without much of a contribution from their top scorer for the past five seasons.
Watkins had netted just three times this campaign before coming off the bench to turn the game at Stamford Bridge.
Emery revealed earlier this month that the England international has been battling knee discomfort for more than a year, but he looked back to his best inside the box to put Chelsea to the sword.
“His mentality was amazing, his commitment was amazing,” said Emery.
Watkins is hoping for more to celebrate on his 30th birthday when Villa visit the Emirates, aiming to move level on points with title favourites Arsenal.
If this does prove to be a turning point in his season then Villa truly can dream about ending a 30-year wait to win any trophy.
“I haven’t been where I wanted to be. But look I can use this as a marker now and and push on from here,” said Watkins.
Pressure mounts on Maresca
Just a month ago, Chelsea were Arsenal’s closest challengers before the two sides met at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues have won just once in six league games since to tumble out of the title race and down to fifth.
Enzo Maresca took the chance after his only victory in that run — 2-0 over Everton earlier this month — to complain about a lack of support inside the club for him and his players.
But the Italian is beginning to exhaust the patience of many Chelsea fans.
Maresca has credit in the bank after winning the Conference League and Club World Cup in his debut season.
But playing long into the summer in sapping conditions to become world champions is beginning to take its toll.
Maresca could only watch from the stands, serving a touchline ban, as his side failed to capitalise on a dominant first half before crumbling once Villa clicked into gear in the second half.
Emery’s ability to change the game also did little favours for the former Leicester boss.
Watkins labelled his manager a “tactical genius” for a triple substitution and change of shape that turned the tide Villa’s way.
Maresca attempted to respond but his own triple change had no positive impact and his next decision to withdraw Cole Palmer drew an angry response from the England international.
West Ham woe
The Hammers are in desperate trouble after a 1-0 home defeat to Fulham left them five points adrift of safety.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s arrival in east London inspired a run of eight points from his first seven games, but West Ham have taken just two from the last 18 available.
Meanwhile, Leeds and Forest have found far better form to pull away from the bottom three.
“We can spend hours and hours talking about all the aspects, but basically when you don’t score, the situation that we are in, everything bad happens to us,” said Nuno.
Wilson shined in Washington’s win over the New York Rangers, which came not long after Canada’s Olympic roster announcement.
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Gian Piero Gasperini is preparing for a big return to Atalanta on Saturday. Photo: AFP
MILAN:
Gian Piero Gasperini is preparing for a big return to Atalanta on Saturday as his Roma team travel to Bergamo trying to stay in touch with Serie A’s title chasers.
In charge of Roma since the summer, Gasperini is an Atalanta icon for his role in the traditionally tiny club’s rise from also-rans to flamboyant top-four challengers and, in 2024, Europa League winners.
Gasperini was hand-picked to lead Roma at 67 by his predecessor Claudio Ranieri, who is still at the club as an advisor to the American owners.
After the phenomenal job he did in nine years at Atalanta, Gasperini will undoubtedly be hailed as a returning hero by Atalanta’s fervent home support at the Gewiss Stadium, until kick-off.
“It will definitely be emotional, but I’m happy to be be going back there with a Roma team in a good position in the table and in a positive place,” said Gasperini after Monday’s 3-1 win over Genoa.
“Going back to that stadium, those fans and the players who allowed me to have a great career will be a really great feeling.”
Roma sit fourth, three points behind league leaders Inter Milan, who host Bologna on Sunday night in the first round of fixtures in a packed January.
However, Roma have played a game more than Inter, AC Milan and Napoli, who are all ahead of Gasperini’s team at the top of the division. That trio missed league fixtures while contesting the Italian Super Cup in Saudi Arabia.
Saturday’s clash will be tricky even though Atalanta are 11 points behind Roma in 10th, as Raffaele Palladino has looked like the true heir to Gasperini ever since replacing Ivan Juric last month.
Last weekend’s narrow defeat to Inter was only Atalanta’s second at home this season and Roma have a poor record in matches against direct rivals — which Atalanta are regardless of their league position.
Roma have lost six times in Serie A this season, with four of those defeats coming against Inter, Milan, Napoli and fifth-placed Juventus who host lowly Lecce on Saturday.
One of Roma’s key problems has been goalscoring with just 20 netted in 17 league fixtures. Gasperini will be hoping Ireland striker Evan Ferguson repeats his form against Genoa, when his goal and assist were key to that win.
Player to watch: Rasmus Hojlund
Author of a brace at Cremonese last weekend, Hojlund is looking increasingly settled in Naples and will be crucial to Napoli maintaining their title defence with no sign of Romelu Lukaku’s return from injury.
Denmark striker Hojlund was brought in after Lukaku suffered a pre-season thigh injury that will likely keep him out longer than originally thought, with Italian media reporting that he may not be ready to play until February.
That leaves Hojlund as Conte’s man ahead of Sunday’s trip to face Lazio, with fellow summer signing Lorenzo Lucca on borrowed time at Napoli.
The 22-year-old Dane has scored nine times in all competitions for Napoli, who trail Inter by two points, since signing from Manchester United in August.
Key stats
4 – The number of points separating the top fives teams in Serie A.
9 – Hojlund’s goal tally for Napoli.
Fixtures (all times GMT)
Friday
Cagliari v AC Milan (1945)
Saturday
Como v Udinese (1130), Genoa v Pisa, Sassuolo v Parma (1400), Juventus v Lecce (1700), Atalanta v Roma (1945)
Sunday
Lazio v Napoli (1230), Fiorentina v Cremonese (1400), Verona v Torino (1700), Inter Milan v Bologna (1945)
PHILADELPHIA — Tanner McKee is expected to start at quarterback as the Eagles are planning to rest some starters for Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Washington Commanders, a source confirmed Wednesday.
McKee, the 2023 sixth-round pick out of Stanford, is expected to get the nod over starter Jalen Hurts as the Eagles are prioritizing rest and avoiding injury while still hoping to win the game.
The Eagles currently hold the No. 3 seed in the NFC and can move up to No. 2 with a win over Washington and a Chicago Bears loss to the Detroit Lions. The Eagles will play either the San Francisco 49ers or Los Angeles Rams if they remain the No. 3 seed, or they will face the Green Bay Packers if they get the second seed.
Coach Nick Sirianni did not disclose his plans Wednesday, saying he wanted to address the players in their team meeting first, but he did say they were “nearing” a decision.
The Eagles had a week of rest prior to their two Super Bowl runs under him during the 2022 and 2024 seasons. The one year they did try to improve their seeding, star receiver A.J. Brown injured his knee in the 2023 regular-season finale against the New York Giants and was unavailable for their wild-card playoff loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
McKee is 33-of-48 for 356 yards with four touchdowns and zero interceptions in spot duty in Philadelphia.
“When you see Tanner, he’s really good about knowing where to go with the football, seeing the defense and being able to deliver things accurately,” Sirianni said. “It’s a great room where those guys feed off each other and learn from each other.”
The Philadelphia Inquirer was first to report the Eagles’ plan to rest starters.
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