The Good, The Bad
The tops and flops from the Premier League weekend.
Here, we look at the good, and the bad, from the latest Premier League action.
THE GOOD
Bruno Fernandes is the only Manchester United player befitting of a team that should be competing for top honours. Instead, he continues to be the only real bright spark, or at least the only one that is currently fit, for a team that is entrenched firmly in the bottom half of the table. His magnificent free-kick gave United the lead against Arsenal on Sunday. Via Opta, Fernandes has now been directly involved in 25+ goals in each of the last three seasons. He is one of only three Premier League players to have done so, joining Mohamed Salah and Erling Haaland. He is United’s one and only difference-maker, and continues to prove just how good he can be.
Ollie Watkins has a habit of haunting his former club. After scoring Aston Villa’s winner on Saturday, the England international now has netted six Premier League goals in seven such appearances against Brentford. His latest goal against them propelled Villa right back into the Champions League qualification picture. Villa reportedly rebuffed Arsenal’s advances for the 29-year-old in January, and Watkins has no doubt become one of the top flight’s most consistent performers in front of goal.
Nottingham Forest spent just £3.5m on Callum Hudson-Odoi, and for all their massive spend of their first couple of years back in the big time, that move has proven a stroke of genius. Nuno Espirito Santo, of course, deserves all the credit in the world for getting the best out of the former Chelsea winger, who provided the moment of magic for the Tricky Trees to beat Manchester City 1-0 on Saturday — another memorable win at the City Ground to add to their fairytale season. Forest are two points clear of fourth-place Chelsea, and only four points behind Arsenal in second. Whatever happens from here on in, it has been an incredible campaign for them.
THE BAD
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