Peerless Fernandes takes creative genius to new heights

Bruno Fernandes is the ultimate master of his craft. Even when not playing well, he’s better at creating than most. Perhaps even the best in his position in Europe right now.

His latest outing was an exhibition of efficiency. The captain’s goals contributions have been worth 26 points to Manchester United this season, and his pair of assists against Villa changed the course of the game in moments where a step-up was needed most.

Few players can deliver just as accurately from a dead-ball situation as they can from open play. Fernandes is one of them. His corner for Casemiro’s opener was pinpoint. It’s like he sets his sights on a particular team-mate and then choses how to get the ball to them. In the first half he did the same from a corner to pick out Harry Maguire, and Amad nearly scored from the knockdown.

Then there was the first-time pass to free Matheus Cunha, who had run off the back of Ezri Konsa. “Great pass,” said Gary Neville on co-comms, knowing the action was the precursor to another goal. Fernandes makes it all look so easy, just the fourth player to reach a century of assists for Manchester United, and take his tally to 16 for the season.

Chances are these will not be his last. And soon, if not already, an argument will be made for him winning this year’s player of the season award. Is there anyone more deserving?
Laura Hunter

Dual demands hurting Villa’s consistency

Aston Villa had managed the dual demands of a Premier League top-five chase and Europa League tilt brilliantly for much of this season. They won the subsequent Premier League game after their first seven games in Europe.

But since the start of February – when Villa’s bad run of form began – they have looked like a side running out of steam, and at Old Trafford they were unable to back up a good win at Lille on Thursday.

There are individual issues – the injury to Youri Tielemans, the form of Ollie Watkins – but there are also the deeper demands of this campaign. Understandable, perhaps, given this was their oldest starting XI for a Premier League game in 14 years.

And against a Man Utd side which has been shorn of its cup commitments, the difference in physicality told in the final third of the game.

Unai Emery struck a positive tone afterwards, urging his side to “keep fighting” – and with West Ham, Nottingham Forest, Sunderland, Fulham, Tottenham and Burnley next in the league Villa have the chance to go on a winning run. They will need to, with Liverpool and Man City to come in their final two fixtures.

But balancing those Premier League demands with a potentially deep run on the continent will demand they dig deep.
Peter Smith

Liverpool vulnerability ruining their season

Liverpool have already conceded a record number of match-winning goals in the 90th minute or later this Premier League season, but the number of equalisers conceded late on is not far behind. Tottenham have joined Fulham and Leeds in pegging them back.

As Jamie Carragher pointed out on co-commentary for Sky Sports, the goal was coming. Not because Spurs were much better than Liverpool in the closing stages, but because the home side had no control over the contest and had only a one-goal advantage.

Could they have pressed home their advantage, removed the risk of this happening by scoring the second goal? Whether it is players too young or too old, there is a lack of ruthlessness to this Liverpool. It has undermined them – and Arne Slot has not solved it.

When they need to move the ball quicker, the instinct is to slow things down. When the game became open, that clinical edge was lacking. Even after conceding the equaliser, Hugo Ekitike made the wrong decision on a counter-attack that could have won it again.

There is little time for reflection. Not with a Champions League tie to turn around against Galatasaray and an FA Cup run that now represents Liverpool’s best chance of silverware. But there is work to do to secure Champions League football next season.

And there is no comfort to be found in the fixture list now. Not when Liverpool have taken just one point from six against bottom club Wolves, and, in Tottenham, the only Premier League team not to win this year. They are vulnerable whoever the opposition.
Adam Bate

Spurs show fight and spirit that’s been sorely lacking

Tottenham left Anfield with hope, which had not been there before their 1-1 draw at Liverpool.

A performance full of spirit, fight and determination against the backdrop of 13 absent players has given huge encouragement that Spurs could well get out of this mess.

Richarlison was at the heart of this gutsy display as he scored a 90th-minute equaliser with his fifth shot – the most of any player in the game.

The Brazilian’s partnership up top with Dominic Solanke drew praise from Sky Sports pundits Roy Keane and Jamie Redknapp.

The latter said: “Spurs might have fallen on a system here, with two strikers: Richarlison and Solanke. They’re a handful.”

The 4-4-2 set up worked and should be a blueprint moving forward for Igor Tudor, who took his first point as Spurs boss and quietened the noise around his future.

“The team spirit was amazing, they were very honest to give everything they had in this particular moment,” the Croat told Sky Sports in a frosty interview.

This battling display will give him plenty to work with ahead of Spurs’ biggest game of the season – not Wednesday’s last 16 Champions League second leg against Atletico Madrid, but next Sunday’s Premier League home game against Nottingham Forest, live on Sky Sports.

It is a six-pointer against a fellow relegation rival that will shape Spurs’ Premier League future – and they must show the same fighting spirit on display in the draw at Liverpool if they are to earn a first league win of 2026 against Forest.
Declan Olley

Boos and groans! Are Palace fans right to be displeased?

For the second straight home match, boos could be heard ringing out from Selhurst Park after a tepid display, and no shots on target, against a 10-man Leeds. Crystal Palace is not a happy place to be.

The sun was shining at Selhurst Park at the start of the season, but as the months have passed, reality has chewed them up and spat them out.

Palace entered this season with so much anticipation. They were FA Cup winners, gearing up for a season in Europe, but that good feeling has fizzled out.

What remains, though, is an expectation that things should be better in south London. Given that Palace have scored the second fewest home goals this campaign, is a bit of entertainment too much to ask?

Glasner batted down criticism after the game. He called it “unfair” questioning of a team that has etched itself into Palace folklore. While the criticism could be seen as unfair, what Palace fans are watching on the pitch continues to underwhelm.

Granted, members of the core that played a huge part into their successes last campaign have left for pastures new, leaving Palace threadbare in parts. But the apathy radiating from Glasner will frustrate any fan who had hopes the dreaming could continue into this season.

For Palace, admitting that playing against deep blocks is not their biggest strength doesn’t seem sufficient.

Palace could still record their best ever league finish, but what Glasner has failed to understand is the manner in which they are doing it isn’t satisfying. Weeks ago, Glasner called for fans to stay humble and be content with what they have achieved. But when the Austrian came in three years ago, the optimism brought about by the vision he sold was tangible.

As he prepares for his Selhurst farewell, it’s as though Glasner seems intent on taking with him the happy feeling he helped create.
William Bitibiri

Leeds’ defensive steel shining through

Leeds’ goalless draw at Selhurst Park won’t live long in the memory for the neutral, but for Daniel Farke it will reinforce the belief that his side have developed a defensive backbone capable of carrying them through the toughest tests the Premier League can throw at them.

Playing more than 45 minutes with 10 men away from home is normally a recipe for chaos. Yet Leeds approached the second half with a calmness and organisation that drained the life out of the contest and left Crystal Palace frustrated, blunt and ultimately unable to test Karl Darlow.

Crosses were attacked with conviction, loose balls were hacked clear without hesitation and Palace simply couldn’t establish the sustained pressure they needed to break Leeds down. Joe Rodon, Pascal Struijk and Jaka Bijol made 30 clearances between them in the match as they restricted Palace to zero shots on target and an expected goals figure of just 0.6.

Since Farke’s tactical pivot at half-time against Manchester City earlier in the season, Leeds have gradually morphed into a far more imposing defensive unit. The structure is clearer, the roles more defined and the collective discipline has noticeably sharpened.

It’s the basis of what looks likely to be a successful survival bid.
Lewis Jones

Luck not on Forest’s side as same problems persist

It feels like a broken record simply saying that Nottingham Forest continued to struggle in front of goal.

This wasn’t as bad as their 35 and 22 efforts without reward against Wolves and FC Midtjylland respectively, but there were another 11 fruitless shots. It could’ve been so different, however.

The game was about the fine margins. The tightness of the offside that denied Dan Ndoye a precious goal was hard to spot with the naked eye.

“This is where we don’t give advantage to the strikers. You see it, where has he got an advantage?” Jamie Redknapp’s words afterwards. But, it wasn’t just the goal.

On another day, Ola Aina would’ve been celebrating the goal of his life. Instead, he had to watch his incredible strike cannon off the crossbar. If Ndoye had started his very first run of the game half a second later, he’d have won his side a penalty.

Of course, there are still question marks on how clinical Vitor Pereira’s side are. And rightly so. But when luck isn’t on your side, it makes it even harder to find momentum. Especially when you’re in a dogfight at the bottom of the table.
Callum Bishop

Fulham giving King they keys to the Kingdom

It wasn’t a classic display from Fulham at the City Ground. They played like a side suffering from their FA Cup exit and with very little to play for in the Premier League. But one young man stood out.

Josh King’s introduction to the first team this season has been a sign of promising things to come at Craven Cottage. Harry Wilson’s incredible performances have let the teenager go under the radar, which may prove to be the best thing for his development.

It is clear though that Marco Silva has faith in the 19-year-old. While he could’ve given Wilson or Oscar Bobb – two players with more Premier League experience – licence to roam free, he instead chose King.

Forest struggled to keep up with the youngster as he popped up in different areas across the attacking line and drifted around the pitch with no set position.

He led the way for the visitors in take-ons and his pass completion in the final third was bettered only by Sander Berge.

It remains to be seen what the future holds for Silva at Craven Cottage. But Silva apparently has no doubts over what is in store for King. The future is bright.
Callum Bishop