Emery produces managerial masterclass

Losing your best player and January marquee signing to season-ending injuries? Facing a slick attacking outfit in Bournemouth? No problem for Unai Emery.

This was a classic Emery performance which rubber-stamped his status as one of the best managers you want in your corner at this end of the season. This was a tactical masterclass.

Villa’s forward line was weakened due to injuries to Marcus Rashford – and more recently Youri Tielemans. The Belgian has held the keys to unlocking defences so Emery shut up shop.

Victory at Bournemouth saw Villa record their lowest possession numbers for a game in two years. They also made it a stop-start game to deny the Cherries any sort of flow – this contest saw 21 cards over the two games, the most for a fixture in a single campaign in Premier League history.

No wonder Bournemouth could only produce 1.1 worth of expected goals over the course of the two games – by far and away the lowest they’ve managed against any team this term.

In the battle of the Basque managers, Emery has got one over Andoni Iraola once again. With two big ‘cup finals’ to come in Villa’s quest for Champions League football, expect Emery to keep delivering.
Sam Blitz

Wieffer’s Wolves redemption for Brighton

Mats Wieffer endured one of the most awkward moments of his Brighton career in the reverse fixture against Wolves in October, surrendering possession in a five-against-one situation late on only to see Matheus Cunha go up the other end and score an equaliser.

This was revenge of sorts. It was Wieffer’s pressing that dispossessed Cunha before drawing a foul from the striker, winning the penalty from which Danny Welbeck fired Brighton ahead. The Seagulls went on to win 2-0 – keeping that advantage this time.

Wieffer made nine tackles in the game, more than anyone else on the pitch and three times as many as any of his Brighton team-mates. The Dutchman is a natural midfielder but excelled at right-back. And now has better memories of playing against Wolves.
Adam Bate

Signs that life beyond Mbeumo could be just as fruitful for Bees

Christian Norgaard told Sky Sports this week that Bryan Mbeumo is likely to leave Brentford in the summer amid rampant rumours about the 25-year-old’s immediate future.

There’s no understating Mbeumo’s performance: 18 goals this campaign and eight assists – the latest of which set up Kevin Schade’s winner at Ipswich – tell the story of what Mbeumo is worth to the Bees.

However, in the same breath, Brentford are the only team to have three players in double digits for goals this campaign. Schade’s header was goal No 11 for the German, while Yoane Wissa has matched Mbeumo’s return with 18 in the league.

Their collective output has answered questions over whether they could replace departed striker Ivan Toney’s influence. Asked about his forward line, Brentford boss Thomas Frank said: “We always create goalscorers.”

Mbeumo’s departure would leave huge shoes to fill but, based on current evidence, Brentford have what it takes to fill them, whether from within their current squad or by relying on their fruitful recruitment.
William Bitibiri

Saints spoil Haaland return and blow CL race wide open

It wasn’t the return Erling Haaland had hoped for. The forward made his first start since March 30 at St Mary’s Stadium but was limited to just 17 touches all afternoon, five of which arrived in the first half.

City struggled to create anything against bottom-of-the-table Southampton but did have fresh impetus when Omar Marmoush stepped onto the field in the 84th minute.

Marmoush more than doubled Haaland’s expected goals value on the afternoon in a fraction of the time and with even more pressure now piled on the final games of the season against Bournemouth and Fulham, a serious question needs to be asked as to who leads the line for City.

City can’t afford another slip-up in the race for the top five.

Same old story costs Fulham

Start fast, score early and then implode – it was the same old story for Fulham against Everton.

Their European hopes are in tatters after failing to capitalise on yet another lead. Fulham have now dropped 28 points from winning positions this season, the joint-most in the Premier League with Southampton.

Marco Silva pointed out that his side have gained 18 points when trailing but it is their inability to finish teams off or win ugly that has cost them.

Fulham let Everton back into the match before half-time despite dominating the first 30 minutes. When their high-tempo starts to fade, they lack control and resilience. It was similar in the second half as they gifted Everton a three-minute double.

If Fulham are to harbour any serious ambitions of European football next season, then they must find a way to manage games more effectively. Flashes of brilliance and early dominance count for little without the grit to maintain control and see out results.

Silva has done superbly to re-establish Fulham back in the Premier League and this season will be seen as another overachievement, albeit defined by what might have been.
David Richardson

Bournemouth need to add guile to their power-packed play

Bournemouth are on course for a record-breaking season under Andoni Iraola in terms of points won and they are an exciting team to watch. When they are allowed to, they are bold and brave with the ball. However, there are clear signs in their performance metrics that they are flagging down the run-in, especially at home.

Bournemouth have won just one of their last seven Premier League home games and the underlying numbers have followed suit in terms of decline. Teams have found a blueprint to stop Iraola-ball, by restricting those high turnovers Bournemouth love to create and allowing them to have more of the ball. This is an area where Iraola needs to develop his team and that was on show against Aston Villa.

They need to be better at creating chances from open play against well-drilled defences. The squad is packed full of lots of powerful, speedy players but ones with not much guile and football intelligence in forward areas. That profile of player should be top of their summer shopping list.
Lewis Jones