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EPL TALK: Man United find their stride thanks to Bruno Fernandes

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MARCH 08: Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United has a shot on goal during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford on March 08, 2020 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by John Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images)
Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes during their English Premier League match against Manchester City. (PHOTO: John Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images)

SINGAPORE — How have your favourite English Premier League (EPL) teams performed over the past week? And how will they fare in their next matches? Yahoo News Singapore looks at the key talking points surrounding the league in this weekly series:

Patience pays off for Man United

WHAT HAPPENED: At last, at long last, Manchester United fans have something tangible to cheer about this EPL season. A 10-match unbeaten run, a new midfield star and a home-and-away double win over cross-town rivals Manchester City – it has been a morale-boosting return to form for the Red Devils.

A lot of the credit for Man United’s spike in form has been attributed to their January transfer window signing, Bruno Fernandes. Indeed, the Portuguese midfielder has been a refreshing spark of inspiration for his new club, which had often seemed ponderous and short of ideas in the final third of the field in recent seasons.

Check out the first goal in United’s deserved 2-0 win over Man City on Sunday (8 March). What could have been a routine free kick was kickstarted by Fernandes’ inventive flick over the wall for Anthony Martial to provide finishing touch. A wondrous touch of class from what has undoubtedly the best buy of manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s tenure.

Credit to Solskjaer too, for ignoring critics and being dogged in reshaping United during the course of the season. He knew that his team are unlikely to challenge for the title, and he would be pilloried whenever they encountered setbacks.

Yet, he persisted with his players, refusing to criticise them when they produced abject performances such as a 0-2 home defeat by Burnley. And his patience has been rewarded by the marked improvement in recent performances.

It has certainly been a traumatic ride for United fans who are used to the dominance of Alex Ferguson’s team in the 1990s and 2000s. But the recent uptick in performances and results have certainly given them more optimism for next season, where a title challenge would not be out of the question.

WHAT’S NEXT: After an Europa League clash with Austria’s LASK Linz, Man United will face former manager Jose Mourinho as they travel to injury-ravaged Tottenham Hotspur, who have lost four of their last five matches. With their fine form, they should inflict more frustration on Mourinho. Prediction: Man United to win 2-1.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Liverpool v AFC Bournemouth - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - March 7, 2020  Liverpool's Sadio Mane celebrates scoring their second goal    Action Images via Reuters/Carl Recine  EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications.  Please contact your account representative for further details.
Liverpool's Sadio Mane celebrates scoring their second goal against Bournemouth. (PHOTO: Action Images via Reuters/Carl Recine)

Reds need only six more points to seal title

WHAT HAPPENED: Ironically, the biggest by-product of Man United’s 2-0 derby win over Man City benefitted their fierce arch-rivals Liverpool.

City’s loss means that they stayed a massive 25 points behind Liverpool at the top of the EPL table, meaning that the Reds need only six more points to guarantee their first top-flight league title in 30 years.

In fact, as their next EPL match is on next Monday (16 March) against Everton, Liverpool could even win the league without kicking the ball again, should Man City lose both their next two matches – against Arsenal on Wednesday and then Burnley on Saturday.

But this is all conjecture at the moment for the Reds. What mattered more over the weekend was getting a mini-slump of their system, after two straight defeats to Watford in the league and Chelsea in the FA Cup.

Against Bournemouth on Saturday, Liverpool overcame the setback of an early goal to emerge 2-1 winners at Anfield, their 22nd straight win at their fabled home ground, equalling the club record.

It was not a fluent performance, but it was nonetheless a morale-boosting end to their losing streak ahead of their crunch Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid. The Reds also showed flashes of their early-season grit and determination, exemplified by stand-in captain James Milner’s lung-bursting goal-line clearance in the second half that maintained their lead.

WHAT’S NEXT: Liverpool will attempt to overcome a 0-1 first-leg deficit when they host Atletico on Wednesday. Since it is at Anfield, they are favoured to do so even if they have not seemed fully over their mini-slump yet. After that, they will make the short trip to Goodison Park, where they will need no extra motivation to beat city rivals Everton. Prediction: A hard-fought 1-0 win at Goodison Park.

LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 08: Chelsea's Billy Gilmour during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Everton FC at Stamford Bridge on March 8, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Stephanie Meek - CameraSport via Getty Images)
Chelsea's Billy Gilmour during the Premier League match against Everton. (PHOTO: Stephanie Meek - CameraSport via Getty Images)

Chelsea unearth latest talent in Billy Gilmour

WHAT HAPPENED: One of the best things Frank Lampard has done as Chelsea manager is to introduce young talents into their first team, and last week saw another bright new youngster entering the fold in Billy Gilmour.

The 18-year-old Scottish midfielder made his first EPL start on Sunday against Everton, and looked as if he had played in the league for years. Assured on the ball, intelligent in his passing and industrious in his presence, Gilmour played a part in each of Chelsea’s first two goals in a 4-0 rout with his neat and positive passes from midfield.

He joins a host of young Chelsea players whom Lampard has given first-team opportunities to this season: Callum Hudson-Odoi (19 years old), Reece James (20), Mason Mount (21) and Tammy Abraham (22).

While these players have had their ups and downs during the long season, it is nonetheless a refreshing change from the days when the Blues simply bought the top talents to the EPL title with owner Roman Abramovich’s riches.

With these youngsters, they are still doing well in fourth place. Who knows, in a couple of years’ time, they could be strong title challengers again if they hold on to these talents.

WHAT’S NEXT: A trip to second-from-bottom Aston Villa sounds like an easy task ahead of their Champions League clash with Bayern Munich, but it is not – teams desperate to avoid relegation would be giving their all in their remaining matches. Chelsea will need to be at their best to get a win. Prediction: A 1-0 Chelsea win.

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