Did Mikel Arteta get his strategy wrong at Everton? Premier League hits and misses

Did Arteta get it wrong at Everton?

Mikel Arteta’s priorities could be seen in his team selection against Everton. With Liverpool effectively out of sight at the top of the Premier League, the trip to Goodison Park was used as preparation for Tuesday’s all-important Champions League quarter-final first leg against Real Madrid, who lost 2-1 at home to Valencia on Saturday.

There were five changes from the 2-1 win over Fulham. Thomas Partey was given a breather as an unused substitute, while Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard were only used off the bench to conserve their energy. Bukayo Saka, meanwhile, continued to build towards a start, coming on at half-time after a 30-minute cameo on his comeback in midweek.

Arsenal, rocked by news of Gabriel Magalhaes’ season-ending hamstring injury in that game, could at least call on Ben White, who got through 60 minutes on only his second start since November having recovered from a niggle, and Jurrien Timber, who replaced him having shaken off a knock to his knee.

There was a start for Jakub Kiwior alongside William Saliba. The Poland international came on for Gabriel against Fulham and looks most likely to start as Arsenal’s left-sided centre-back against Real Madrid following an assured display at Goodison Park which featured some eye-catching passes.

But White and Timber’s availability means Kiwior is not Arteta’s only option. “We have alternatives there,” he said, adding that he will “assess the best option for the back line” in the coming days. Saturday’s draw, however frustrating, will help inform his choice.
Nick Wright

PSG beware, Villa are purring

Paris Saint-Germain are the champions of France again. They have one of the most in-form players in Europe right now in Ousmane Dembele.

But are they clear favourites against Aston Villa? Absolutely not.

Villa are on fire right now and it was no better summarised by how they came flying out the blocks despite making eight changes to their team for the 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest. Every player is ready to go to bring energy to this run-in and over 180 minutes of a Champions League quarter-final.

Against Forest, Morgan Rogers and Youri Tielemans ran the show early on, but Marcus Rashford and Jacob Ramsey maintained that energy by coming off the bench.

Matty Cash, Lucas Digne and Pau Torres were not even used on Saturday night – they will have big roles to play with fresh legs.

And it is not as if Villa are completely minnows in this tie. They have serial winner Unai Emery in their corner, with such a superb European knockout record.

The only team he did not show that in his career was during his spell in charge of PSG, which makes this quarter-final even more tantalising.
Sam Blitz

Forest feeling the burn

The wear and tear of a successful season told for Nottingham Forest at Aston Villa.

Nuno Espirito Santo had to shuffle his defence at Aston Villa with Ola Aina injured and Alex Moreno unavailable against his parent club. Forest went with a back five and did not look comfortable.

Defensive errors from Morato and Neco Williams for the goals were costly, but the whole back line was caught cold in the first half. It was uncharacteristic of the Forest side we’ve become accustomed to under Nuno.

There also seemed to be some tired legs after playing 120 minutes in the FA Cup last weekend and then another taxing game against Manchester United in midweek. This time, a positive result won’t aid recovery.

Jota Silva’s goal off the bench in the second half gave the team a lift, but they were lacking the firepower to hammer home their advantage as the momentum shifted.

Injuries to top scorer Chris Wood and Taiwo Awoniyi meant Nuno was unable to name a striker in his matchday squad at Villa. Perhaps less surprising, then, that just one of their 12 second-half shots hit the target.

Although their injury list may not be as deep as some, Forest never expected to be in this position and do not have the same depth as other clubs at the top of the table.

Third in the Premier League with seven matches to go and one game away from the FA Cup final, there is so much at stake in the last few months of the season. To do something special, Forest must keep up with the pace.
Zinny Boswell

Ndiaye’s return boosts Everton

Everton’s penalty against Arsenal was contentious, with Mikel Arteta insisting it was the incorrect decision to penalise Myles Lewis-Skelly, but Iliman Ndiaye certainly took it well.

The 25-year-old was making his first start for Everton since February following a knee injury and his coolly-converted spot-kick ensured it was a decisive return to action.

Ndiaye brings flair to a functional forward line and David Moyes was delighted to see him back. “We missed him,” he said afterwards. His goal took him to seven in the Premier League this season, making him their outright top scorer and underlining his importance.
Nick Wright

Plucky Palace good enough for Europe?

Crystal Palace completing a league double over Brighton for the first time since 1932-33 – and for the first time ever in the top flight – will please Oliver Glasner no end. But what will thrill the manager most is how strongly his side are finishing a campaign that started so bitterly.

Palace have now won three home games on the bounce for the first time since May 2024, despite going down to nine players in a carnival atmosphere at Selhurst Park. They showed grit and stubbornness to protect their lead, while Dean Henderson pulled off two outstanding saves – one in each half.

This is the bones of a very good team. One that has a really solid spine with the necessary sprinkling of stardust. Adam Wharton pulls the strings in midfield, Eberechi Eze torments defenders with every dribble and Jean-Philippe Mateta scores for fun. Mateta and Eze have assisted each other to score 12 goals in the Premier League.

And with an FA Cup semi-final against Aston Villa to come later this month, this could yet be a very special, very memorable season indeed for the resurgent Londoners. Who knows, maybe a run at Europe is on the cards after all?
Laura Hunter

International break stalls Brighton momentum

The international break came at the wrong time for Brighton. Ahead of it, Fabian Hurzeler’s side were on a run of seven without defeat and had lifted themselves back into the conversation for the European spots after navigating through a difficult winter.

Since, Brighton have crashed out of the FA Cup and suffered back-to-back league defeats to stall their European ambitions.

That’s been the season-long tale for Fabian Hurzeler, a first season tinged by inconsistency, glimpses of promise followed by underwhelming runs. Injuries to key personnel haven’t helped his cause but Hurzeler has endured a baptism of fire in the 32-year-old’s first season in the top-flight.
William Bitibiri

Home discomforts for Ipswich

Newly promoted clubs need to make their home ground a fortress to survive. That has been one of the big failings of Ipswich’s return to the Premier League. They’ve made Portman Road a welcoming place for visiting teams. Taking just seven points from their 16 games in front of their own fans has been the bedrock of their abysmal season.

Just one win – against Chelsea – has left the Portman Road faithful short of cheer. It’s been a tough slog watching Kieran McKenna’s team this season. They do a lot of things right but game management and being able to grind out results has proved a huge problem. Ipswich have managed to take the lead in 15 matches, including against Wolves, this season but have won just four of those games. The Championship beckons.
Lewis Jones

Pereira has been perfect for Wolves

The Wolves hierarchy have taken a huge amount of stick this season – and rightly so for some of their decision making. However, when the chips were down and they needed to make a season-defining call they got the Vitor Pereira appointment spot on.

Across the last 15 games in the Premier League, if just analysing points won, Wolves would be ninth in the table having taken 23 points in that period. The 10 points taken across their last four games have been achieved without Mathues Cunha, too. That’s a sign of a very accomplished manager to find solutions to problems. Wolves are in good hands.
Lewis Jones

In-form Evanilson key to Cherries ending season on a high

If Bournemouth are to have any chance of making a late charge for Europe, then the fit-again Evanilson’s goals will be key to those hopes, as the Brazilian showed at the London Stadium.

Without injured strike partner Justin Kluivert in the capital, the onus was very much on Evanilson to be the visitors’ attacking spearhead and the striker responded with a well-taken double to earn Andoni Iraola’s side a point that keeps them in with a slim chance of European football next season.

Those two goals mean Evanilson has now scored four times in his last four Premier League appearances, having netted just one in his previous 10, with his manager hoping the forward can stay sharp in front of goal in the closing weeks to get the Cherries back to winning ways and moving up the table.

“Evanilson is in great form, the time he was out with a foot injury means he can finish the season strong, good for us to have him in a good moment,” said Iraola after the match.
Rich Morgan