(Reuters) – Speaking points from the Premier League weekend:
LIVERPOOL BACK IN GROOVE
Liverpool bid farewell to January with a momentum build-up after two wins in a resurgent week hoping their title defense is far from a lost cause despite Manchester City’s form.
The way they played in Sunday’s United Ham1 3-1 win in the second half was a reminder of the unflinching football they played for most of last season.
It was accomplished without injured Sadio Mane but Mohamed Salah scored two sublime goals to reveal that the Egyptian is above his small league thirst.
GLOOM INCLUDES TOTTENHAM
Jose Mourinho said his players were “too difficult” to play well in the first half of their 1-0 loss at Brighton and Hove Albion, suggesting they took a bad view of going behind. and they may have missed the injured talisman Harry Kane.
Although Kane, who was injured when Liverpool lost Thursday, was the reason for a tea show, it cannot be used to explain a dramatic decline in shape.
Tottenham set the record in December but have since won only twice in nine league games and fans are questioning the style of football which, although it is getting results first, now both hard on the eye and not particularly effective.
With Chelsea next for Spurs, Mourinho needs to find some reason to delight north London club fans.
TUCHEL TAKES ONE AT BRIDGE STAMFORD
New Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel surprised many Blues fans with his lineup for Sunday’s game against Burnley.
Marcos Alonso, who was out of favor under Frank Lampard, made his first appearance since September, at the expense of Ben Chilwell of England. Cesar Azpilicueta preferred again over Reece James and Callum Hudson-Odoi started for the second time while Ajax star Hakim Ziyech did not make the bench.
After opening the scoring in a comfortable 2-0 win at Chelsea, Azpilicueta said the new coach was giving everyone a chance.
“We started from zero with the new manager and we have to keep the competition because it’s healthy,” he told BT Sport. “I think it gives everyone and everyone the opportunity to make the most of being on the team. ”
STRUGGLE SOUTHAMPTON AGAINST CONTINUED TO TARGET
It is hard to believe that it is only three months since Southampton set the table for the first time in Premier League time; since then the goals have dried up, and they struggled again in their 1-0 loss to Aston Villa on Saturday.
Admittedly, two major VAR decisions were made against them but all too often their images were blocked or strewn over a wide area, and once Villa went ahead they seemed to lose their way completely.
As a season that promised so much continues to unravel, Ralph Hasenhuettl embarks on uphill work so they can fire all cylinders again.
WOLVES THEIR OVERWHELMING THE WORLD
Wolverhampton Wanderers ’longest unbeaten run under Nuno Espirito Santo has seen the club slip from seventh to 14th after an eighth unbeaten game and now sit nine points above the relegation zone.
Wolves look a shadow of the intriguing team characterized by creativity and speed, with their sharp attacks now replaced by slow play.
Reporting by William Schomberg, Philip O’Connor, Rohith Nair; Edited by Lincoln Feast.