Why Mikel Arteta is lucky that he is not in a pocket race, the man United star who is silent his doubters and the big winners this weekend -Premier League things we have learned

The Race for Champions League waved back Chelseafavor after they have not been turned around Liverpool side while Newcastle dropped two points on the south coast Brighton.

Aston Villa kept their hope in life, but Nottingham Forestthe journey to Crystal Palace On Monday evening, monumental in front of Nuno Espirito Santo after the loss of last Thursday Brentford.

In the meantime it was a 16th Premier League defeat of the season for this unfortunate one Manchester United side but somehow, Tottenham Stay behind them in the table after their 1-1 draw at West Ham, which are even worse than the couple.

It was a weekend in which many eyes had the feeling that they were elsewhere, whether it was European football, the summer or the upcoming FA Cup final. The end of the season is close.

In the latest episode of this weekly column, Mail Sports Five of the most interesting points from the last matches of the Premier League.

City is the big winner of the weekend

Pep Guardiola and Manchester City took care of their company against Wolves on Friday evening and they were able to lean back while Arsenal and Newcastle dropped both points.

Wins for Chelsea and Aston Villa meant that it was not a perfect card with results for the city, but it is difficult to shake the feeling that they were not the biggest winner of the weekend.

Guardiola’s side has been flattered to mislead large pieces of this season, but are suddenly in the fight to finish second and the Fa -Cup.

Only a few weeks ago there were really doubts about whether they would protect a top-five finish, but they have since been relaxed.

Southampton, one of the worst teams in the top history, are the following, before games against Bournemouth and Fulham to complete the campaign.

Chelsea has to visit Newcastle and Nottingham Forest, while Villa continues to look on the outside in the seventh.

‘Going to the FA Cup final will not be confused [people into thinking that] The season has been good, “Guardiola said recently.

‘The club must make the decision, the right one, so next season will be better.

‘We are a thousand million points behind Liverpool. I often said that the season was not good, because we define whether the season is good or not with the Premier League.

‘It could not happen this season, at the same time we tried to avoid the damage. We must now be calm and recover. ‘

But when everything is said and done, with all the unrest and the injuries, second and a FA Cup victory, both of which are in their grip, would might be sweeter than Guardiola.

Garnacho -Criticism is exaggerated

One of the most criticized players at Manchester United is nowadays the 20-year-old attacker who has 21 goals and helps this season.

No one has played more games than Alejandro Garnaacho for United this term and there is a reason why people in the club are on their care for him who come back to bite them at the back when they sell him.

Get Golf takes Golf after wave of criticism from supporters for his missed opportunities – which are not in the top 10 for ‘Missed great opportunities’ – but his continuous availability plus output, only improved by Bruno Fernandes, suggests that the airbew weather is unexpected.

The Argentinian is not the completed article, but the discourse around every young player who is held on the standard of the Barcelona Lamine Yamal phenomenon is frankly ridiculous.

If Garnacho posted the same songs in Brentford or Brighton, he would undoubtedly be advertised for a large Money movement this summer.

There is also a reason that Ruben Amorim is so enthusiastic to lean on him after the game, despite the fact that he initially did not warm up as quickly as he did others.

Garnacho has bags with potential and the fact that he is not the complete package at the age of 20, should not excite anger, supporters.

His 11 goals this season are his highest count in one campaign and more often than not, he has to put this team on his back next to Fernandes with so many under -performing players around them.

In Europe’s top five competitions there are a handful of players under 21 with double digits in goals and assists: Lamine Yamal (Barcelona), Rayan Cherki (Lyon), Desire Done (PSG) and Garnacho.

The fact that United fans would do everything to have the other three players in the club perhaps underlines how excessive criticism is on Garnacho.

Kayode is the newest gem from Brentford

Speaking of players under the age of 21, the performance of Brentford immediately back Michael Kayode was one to let you sit upright and to resolve during the weekend.

The 20-year-old, on loan in West London from Fiorentina with an option to buy, dominant on Sunday Manchester United and was the most statistical categories.

Kayode had the most touches (70), won the most duels (10), won the ball more than anyone (seven), had the most successful recording (five), made most interceptions (two) and created the most opportunities (two).

Add to that that he has only given one of the 31 passes and assisted an assist to the 4-3 victory of the bees.

Pace and Power, the man-of-the-match display of the young person felt like a coming-of-age version for a man who is not known outside the fans of his own club.

The stock of Kayode has gone up and up in recent weeks – he was enormously in last Thursday’s victory in Nottingham Forest – and he will be a player who will kick many Premier League parties, they have not picked up before.

Physically, two feet and dominant on both ends of the field, Kayode is one of the most exciting prospects in the Premier League.

Luton is a warning story for degraded trio

A light departure here, but an important one for the three parties who are preparing to say goodbye to the Premier League in three weeks.

Southampton, Leicester and Ipswich will immediately fall back into the championship with a considerable financial benefit compared to their colleagues because of parachute payments that come on their side.

That is why Burnley, who promoted the first chance after he had fallen in 2023-24, and Sheffield United, in the play-offs after the end of the third place, were both hunting to return the entire season immediately.

So that makes what happened with Luton Town, who have suffered back-to-back degations, all the more surprising.

Parachute payments always felt like the ultimate safety net, but given how bad the degraded trio was this season, they would be wise to see how very wrong Luton got this season when they fall into League One.

Bookmakers will have Southampton, Leicester and Ipswich as the promotion favorites for 2025-26.

But, as Luton proved, terrible Premier League teams think it is increasingly difficult to turn the switch after he has been swallowed by a culture of losses.

Drawn trio: you have been warned.

Arteta should feel the heat

Nobody places Mikel Arteta in any form of pocket race with Arsenal Second in the Premier League (at least) and in the semi -final of the Champions League.

But how long can he continue without winning anything?

Arteta has been working for six years and unless there is a comeback against Paris Saint-Germain in the second stage of their Champions League-Halve Final on Wednesday, this will again be a trophy-free season for the Gunners.

Arteta will point out progress, but he has conveniently published – north of £ 600 million – and on his watch, both Manchester City and Liverpool have won the competition, with the title challenge of Arsenal that is Meeker and Meeker.

In his first season of the eighth, he took Arsenal within the moving distance of the final of the Champions League and has made a stable presence in the top four, but Arteta has to start winning things.

Despite all the criticism of his colleagues, many of them can end this season with a big trophy.

Arteta has only won one FA cup in six years and should not have an unlimited time to get over the bump.