Premier League takeaways: Rashford 'on fire', Klopp crisis deepens, record-breaker Kane

We pick out the main talking points from the latest round of English top-flight fixtures

PREMIER LEAGUE RESULTS ROUND-UP: February 03, 2023 - Chelsea 0 Fulham 0: Even a debut for £107m record buy Enzo Fernandez could not inspire big-spending Chelsea to victory, while the draw moved Fulham two points above their West London rivals. "We feel we have a very strong group of players," said Chelsea manager Graham Potter. "We have to gel and become a really good team. That’s where the work is." Getty

Saturday, February 4 - Everton 1 (Tarkowski 60') Arsenal 0: A dream start for new Everton manager Sean Dyche as his struggling side defeated table-topping Arsenal in front of a raucus Goodison Park crowd, thanks to James Tarkowski's second-half header. "We needed more composure and to control emotionally the game better," said Gunners manager Mikel Arteta. "We gave away so many unnecessary free-kicks and that's what they want." Getty

Aston Villa 2 (Watkins 9', Souttar og 32') Leicester City 4 (Maddison 12', Iheanacho 41', Tete 45+2', Praet 79'): Leicester defeated a Villa side in good form under Unai Emery as new winger Tete scored one and enjoyed a sparkling debut. It was the Foxes' first league win since since November. "Tete is direct, can take people on and score," Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers said of Tete. "He's someone we've been looking for for a while. He was outstanding." Getty

Brentford 3 (Mee 41', Mbeumo 44', Jensen 80') Southampton 0: Brentford brushed aside struggling Southampton on the south coast as goals from Ben Mee, Bryan Mbeumo and Mathias Jenson helped the Bees' push for a European place. "There's a real good buzz around the dressing room and at the club," said defender Mee. "Fans can dream of Europe; we'll keep going and work hard for them." Reuters

Brighton 1 (Mitoma 87') Bournemouth 0: Following on from his last-gasp FA Cup winner against Liverpool, Kaoru Mitoma headed home a late goal here to earn the Seagulls three points against a Cherries side without a win since November 12. Brighton manager Roberto de Zerbi said: "Today he didn't play a fantastic game, but when you have Mitoma on the pitch you can never substitute him because you always expect one goal." PA

Manchester United 2 (Fernandes pen 7', Rashford 62') Crystal Palace 1 (Schlupp 76'): A win for United that took them back up to third in the table. The gloss taken off the victory, though, when Casemiro was sent-off for grabbing Will Hughes around his neck. The key midfielder is now suspended for three games. United manager Erik Ten Hag said of the red card: "I see two teams where several players crossed the line and one player is picked out and gets sent off. For me that's not right." AFP

Wolves 3 (Matip og 5', Dawson 12', Neves 71') Liverpool 0: Wolves dragged themselves two points clear of the relegation zone as an own goal from Joel Matip, followed by Craig Dawson and Ruben Neves strikes added to Liverpool's recent woes. "Against these kind of teams you have to be very close to perfection, if not you don't score and sometimes it's not enough," Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui said. AFP

Newcastle 1 (Wilson 3') West Ham 1 (Paqueta 32') Newcastle striker Callum Wilson scored his first goal since October 29 but also missed two glorious chances to win the game, as Lucas Paqueta's leveller earned the Hammers a point. "It was a tight game, very bright start," said Newcastle manager Eddie Howe. "We didn't carry that on for the first half, second half was good but we couldn't break them down." Getty

Sunday Febraury 5 - Nottingham Forest 1 (Johnson 14') Leeds 0: Brennan Johnson scored the only goal of the game to pile the pressure on Leeds manager Jesse Marsch who has seen his side go seven league games without a win. "I was disappointed with our football today," Forest manager Steve Cooper said. "We're building an identity, we're building a team, we've been doing that from the summer so ... step-by-step." Getty

Tottenham 1 (Kane 15') Manchester City 0: Harry Kane broke Jimmy Greaves' all-time Spurs goalscoring record with his 267th goal for the club to seal victory over second-placed City. Kane said: "When I started playing regularly it wasn't even in my imagination to score 200 Premier League goals and I have a few more years left so hopefully there are more to come." AFP

Delight for Dyche as Gunners misfire

Pre-match forecasts for a nightmare first match in charge of Everton for Sean Dyche proved misguided as league leaders Arsenal were defeated at Goodison Park.

Everton looked unrecognisable from the team that has struggled badly all season as they secured a first win in 11 games just five days after Dyche was appointed as Frank Lampard's replacement.

They were backed by a ferocious Goodison Park crowd that put aside its animosity towards the club's owners, for 90 minutes at least – there had been more protests before kick-off.

And the tackles on the pitch were as aggressive as the support from the stands as Arsenal – beaten for only the second time this season – were not allowed to gain any rhythm or foothold in the game.

“It gives us a platform to move forward,” said Dyche. “We have crammed a lot in this week. To get a win against top of the league … we managed to calm the game down.”

Rashford continues United hot-streak

The transformation of Marcus Rashford from last season to this continues to gather pace.

Rashford managed just four goals in 25 league appearances the previous campaign that also saw his relationship with sections of the United fan base hit rock bottom.

But the turnaround this season is hugely impressive. His goal in United's 2-1 win over Palace on Saturday was his 11th since returning from the Qatar World Cup with England and he now has 10 in the league and 19 in all competitions.

It would take an equally dramatic loss of form if the 25-year-old – who has just been named Premier League Player of the Month for January – fails to beat his record goals tally of 22 in 2019/20.

“He's on that hot streak,” said United and England teammate Luke Shaw on Saturday. “He's learnt now how to be in the right positions to score goals and he's doing that, he's a man on fire at the moment.”

Jones sounds like beaten man at Saints

When Southampton manager Nathan Jones spoke after his team's latest defeat – a comprehensive 3-0 bashing at Brentford – he sounded like a man who knows the writing is on the wall.

“I have let the players down because I came into this club to do a job, I was recruited to do certain things and I don't see my team in there,” said Jones.

“I have pandered a little bit, I have gone away and tried to accommodate what we have. I haven't really put my own stamp on it and I should've by now, I really should have.”

Southampton are bottom of the table, three points from safety and have lost eight of their 13 matches since Jones took over from the sacked Ralph Hasenhuttl. in November.

The League Cup quarter-final win over Manchester City must feel a long way off for the sorry Saints and although they have also made it through to the FA Cup fifth round, it remains to be seen whether Jones will still be manager by that game in early March.

Klopp crisis hits new low … again

Just when Jurgen Klopp thinks things could not get any worse for his beleaguered side, they fall to another disastrous result.

This week, it was a chastening 3-0 defeat against a Wolves team that has been in or around the relegation zone all season.

Liverpool were two down after 12 minutes – one of them an Joel Matip own goal – and the Merseysiders were forced to endure Wolves fans chanting “olé” after every pass late in the game.

The result, coming just a few weeks after a 3-0 thrashing at Brighton and an FA Cup exit against the same team last week, leaves Liverpool 10th in the table, 21 points behind leaders Arsenal.

“We caused our own misery in that first 12 minutes,” admitted the German coach. “That cannot happen. It did. But it cannot. It is really tough to swallow. You can criticise, you can judge and you are probably right … How can I not be concerned?”

Kane makes City pay for bizarre De Bruyne call

With Arsenal falling to a shock defeat on Saturday, all eyes turned to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium 24 hours later to see whether Manchester City could close the gap at the top.

And eyebrows were raised before a ball had even been kicked when Kevin de Bruyne was left out of City's starting XI.

Manager Pep Guardiola was very clear before the match that the decision was a “tactical” one, which seems a bizarre call against one of the world's finest midfield creators.

In the end, it was Harry Kane's night as the Spurs striker grabbed the winning goal, broke Jimmy Greaves' Tottenham scoring record and became only the third player to reach 200 Premier League goals.