FA Cup and Premier League: 10 speaking factors from the weekend

1) Barkley receives the Goodison pariah treatment. Ross Barkley would have acknowledged what sort of reception awaited him at Goodison Park: the sort rained down on previous Everton escapees, including Wayne Rooney and Joleon Lescott. Goodison won’t be a good deal longer for this world, with the modern-day proposal being a new stadium for 2023; however, for now, it keeps an antique‑common threat to the ones who have transgressed the Evertonian code. Barkley’s crime a few of the trustworthy is to have left Goodison on a cut-fee switch to Chelsea inside the January transfer window of final yr after running down his agreement. As he left the sector after being substituted within the 65th minute, he answered to the hail of jeers by applauding all aspects of the stadium. To Barkley’s credit score, he has made himself every day underneath Maurizio Sarri. Still, like so many other Chelsea players at Goodison – and this season – he’s wasted via the Neapolitan’s rigid wondering. John Brewin

2) Nuno’s Wolves cross from electricity to electricity Wolves enthusiasts had been singing “Nuno’s the Special One” for some time; however, their chant carried particular pertinence on Saturday, as their Portuguese supervisor helped their team to outclass Manchester United. The hosts had been sharper and shrewder at Molineux, a properly‑honed unit towards an extravagant mishmash. Ole Gunnar Solskjær did no longer appear to realize what to do. He waited too long to make changes even though several of his players regarded off the pace, mainly in midfield, in which, whilst the going were given tough, captain Paul Pogba went missing. Perform like this once more, and United will be ridiculed using Barcelona inside the Champions League and fail to climb back into the Premier League’s pinnacle four. “Man United, in April and May, we continually find our shape,” said Solskjær, who is in tune with the club’s wonderful beyond but desires to do extra inside the coming week to prove he merits to remain as manager next season. Paul Doyle

3) Brighton must do it the hard manner. Brighton could have cried foul if they had not reached the closing 4 of the FA Cup at Millwall’s fee. Chris Hughton felt they ought to have had a penalty inside the first 1/2, arguing that Alex Pearce’s opener for Millwall had been ruled out and was aggrieved whilst Jürgen Locadia had a purpose disallowed for an incorrect offside selection towards Martín Montoya within the final minute of greater time. VAR would, in all likelihood, have come to Brighton’s aid on all 3 activities, but the generation isn’t always getting used at grounds, not inside the Premier League. “It’s no longer honest,” Hughton said. “If I’m a group that benefited from it in one recreation, then I don’t assume it’s truthful at the groups that don’t benefit from it.” Brighton advanced after triumphing on penalties; however, the inconsistency labored towards Swansea’s defeat via Manchester City. Jacob Steinberg

4) Swansea’s James attracting admirers Pep Guardiola chuckled and raised his eyebrows as he described the speed with which the Swansea winger Daniel James soared away from Nicolás Otamendi. The 21‑12 months‑old’s 80-yard dance downfield towards Brentford sparked Swansea to victory within the fifth spherical. Towards Manchester City, the Wales global once more relished center stage, best this time, the defenders he decreased to all fours were Premier League champions. The Championship facet, in the end, wilted, but they’ve laid down a marker for the relaxation of the season. “When I first came right here, David Silva instructed me that at Swansea they continually play suitable and that this group continually want to play. And we saw that.” As for James, who becomes set to join Leeds in January for a rate growing to £10m handiest for Swansea to pull the plug at the 11th hour, attractive performances consisting of these could begin a bidding struggle. Ben Fisher

5) Maddison excels in unexpected function Brendan Rodgers has now not but been at Leicester for three weeks; however, suffice to mention he turned into now not surprised whilst James Maddison struck with an inch-best loose-kick. The supervisor recalled occasions at the education ground on Friday. “He had 4 free-kicks like that during succession in which he bent it into the top corner. Top-degree gamers can do this, locate the pinnacle corner. That’s his electricity, his approach, whether or not it’s a through-bypass to Jamie Vardy or a loose-kick. It’s not with the aid of twist of fate.” If Maddison’s efforts were extra admirable as contamination stored him up on Friday night, he also showed his adaptability. Gareth Southgate referred to the fact that England does not use a No 10 to explain Maddison’s omission from his squad; however, neither did Leicester in the rejig after Harry Maguire’s fourth-minute crimson card. Maddison excelled at finding space while cutting infield from a brand new function on the left. Richard Jolly

6) McDonald, we could rip at Ranieri The word “refreshingly honest interview” is generally a protracted manner from being correct with regards to the musings of a player within the matchday program. Fulham – and more, in particular, the midfielder Kevin McDonald – bucked the trend right here. McDonald turned into no fan of Claudio Ranieri, the club’s former supervisor, who iced over him out, but what approximately this? “His style of play didn’t match the players he had,” McDonald said. “We have been all a piece harassed about what he desired. The gamers were going out now and then, not definitely sure what they were supposed to be doing. We had been winging it.” McDonald stated Ranieri gave him “no reason” for the manner he treated him. “Maybe he didn’t like me as someone.” Fulham continued a 3rd defeat in 3 under Scott Parker towards Liverpool; however, the feeling is at least extra high-qualit for McDonald- and othersy. David Hytner

7) Hernández turns the game for West Ham. The joys of Javier Hernández were properly documented over the years; he can rating desires within the 18-backyard box and little else. Some managers have annoyed with his limitations, meaning he struggled to be every day at Manchester United and now West Ham. Considering set-portions are West Ham’s maximum consistent scoring method, it’s far pretty beneficial to have the person with the fastest reactions in the capital sniffing across the vicinity every time the ball is lobbed into it. Not only did he rating crucial goals in the usual fashion, taking his tally to fifty-two within the Premier League (all from in the field), however, his electricity in the final 0.33 changed the dynamic of the sport for the hosts who struggled to get going in opposition to Huddersfield. Now it is up to his manager and teammates to give him the opportunities to grow to be a focal point.