1) Van Dijk on course to become best defender in the world

Jürgen Klopp is not keen on talking about individuals, at least not publicly, but the Liverpool manager was willing to make an exception in the wake of Friday night’s impressive victory at Wolves. In some ways he had no choice. The questions about Virgil van Dijk kept coming after another outstanding performance and eventually Klopp admitted: “I love the boy.” By that stage debate was burning on social media and beyond as to whether Van Dijk is now the best, as well as the most expensive, defender in the world. What is indisputable is that Liverpool are a different proposition with the 27-year-old at the heart of their defence. Physically imposing, deceptively quick – Adama Traoré tried and failed to beat him for pace – and a brilliant reader of the game, Van Dijk is every bit as influential in this Liverpool team as Mohamed Salah. Stuart James

• Match report: Wolves 0-2 Liverpool

2) Dunk absent for Arsenal game as Seagulls sink

After Lewis Dunk’s dismissal for a raking challenge on a rampant David Brooks, Brighton will have to make do without their captain against Arsenal. The Seagulls also go into the match having lost their past three league fixtures. Yet the signs were encouraging during the game for Chris Hughton despite starting without Glenn Murray and Shane Duffy, while their record signings, Alireza Jahanbakhsh and José Izquierdo, were also unavailable, but their absence was not unduly felt. With five efforts on target Brighton should have scored, with summer signing Yves Bissouma impressive. Bournemouth have gone about cementing their place by expanding their core of players. Brighton are now more than just a well-drilled XI too. As Hughton would point out, it is only the results that truly matter but there are still reasons to be cheerful. Paul MacInnes

• Match report: Bournemouth 2-0 Brighton

3) United’s new-found freedom asks questions of Mourinho

One wonders how José Mourinho reacted to Manchester United’s first game after his dismissal. Did he watch it in a darkened room, gloomily trying to conjure a reason why this set of players could win with flair and freedom now? Or will he instead muster some self-awareness and connect the dots between him leaving and United’s players looking as if they were enjoying life again? The answer might be the key to his future career: if he changes his ways, there might still be a top job and success left in him. If he doesn’t … who knows? A few United players have expressed their “respect” for their former manager but then again they would look bad saying anything else. Wayne Rooney’s contribution on BT Sport was probably more telling: “The big thing was the communication with the players. No one at the club was enjoying it.” Nick Miller

• Match report: Cardiff 1-5 Manchester United

4) Sarri may turn to psychology to find answers at Chelsea

Maurizio Sarri will consider drafting a psychologist on to his coaching staff after suggesting his Chelsea players are suffering from a mental block within matches. The head coach had seen his team take the foot off the gas late in the recent win at Brighton and succumb to Wolves in similar circumstances, with Antonio Rüdiger branding the side’s third defeat in six league games “a disaster” and down to “a lack of mentality”. “I had a sports psychologist 15 years ago in Italy but it was really very difficult because the clubs were not ready then,” said Sarri, who had initially been reluctant to follow the same path. “But we can talk about it, why not? Against Leicester we were very good for 55 minutes and then, two minutes after the goal, we were in trouble. So I think there is another reason – not the players’ physical condition.” Dominic Fifield

• Match report: Chelsea 0-1 Leicester

5) Dyche rages at rulemakers and Arsenal antics

Sean Dyche strode into the interview bunker at Emirates Stadium, came face to face with Unai Emery and carried on walking to the far side of it. Awkward. The Burnley manager had clashed with his Arsenal counterpart at full-time and one could feel the frostiness. Moments earlier Dyche had spent his post-match press conference castigating Arsenal’s players for diving and he still had plenty to get off his chest. He was asked whether opposing managers had to do their bit to stamp it out. “You could argue that,” Dyche replied. “I don’t think any other manager talks about it so that suggests, to me, it’s not a concern of theirs.” Dyche’s targets, however, were further up the food chain. “The people who make the rules are the ones that decide,” he said. “There are people who are not working within the rules at the moment. Therefore the rules have got to change.” David Hytner

• Match report: Arsenal 3-1 Burnley

6) Pickford needs pick-me-up after more mishaps

When a team concede six goals and show as much generosity to opposing attackers as Everton did, it may seem unfair to single out one errant individual. Yet wonderful as Jordan Pickford’s 2018 has been, December has brought it to an ignominious conclusion. Memories of his Merseyside derby mistake, giving Divock Origi his 96th-minute decider, are slow to fade in these parts and another chastening moment, allowing Son Heung-min to equalise, gave the England goalkeeper an unwanted distinction. No player has been at fault for as many goals in this season’s Premier League and Marco Silva is increasingly frustrated by Everton’s capacity to make needless blunders. “The first goal we conceded is impossible,” the manager said. “It happened with our team in the last game.” Yerry Mina was the culprit at Manchester City and their self-destructive streak continues to come at a cost. Richard Jolly

• Match report: Everton 2-6 Tottenham

7) Huddersfield might be inspired by Hasenhüttl turnaround

Since taking over, Ralph Hasenhüttl has picked up two wins in three games, lifting Southampton out of the relegation zone. This upturn in fortunes might make David Wagner worried as Huddersfield need something to change for them and Hasenhüttl is the short-term proof of what a new manager can do for a struggling side. Southampton were dour under Mark Hughes but they have scored three goals in each of their last two games, showing that a change of direction can give a side renewed vigour. Huddersfield on the other hand have scored 11 times in 18 matches and have lost their last six outings, with their last victory, worryingly, coming against relegation rivals Fulham on Bonfire Night. Now they have been leapfrogged by the Saints, Huddersfield’s hierarchy might be consider searching for their own potential saviour. Will Unwin

• Match report: Huddersfield 1-3 Southampton

8) David Silva still vital to Manchester City despite their riches

Pep Guardiola was on the defensive after his side’s second defeat of the season, though his claim that his players created enough chances to win the game struck a slightly hollow note. Manchester City have been wasteful in front of goal on many occasions but this was not one of them. Very few clearcut opportunities were created for Gabriel Jesus in the first half or for Sergio Agüero when he came on after half-time. City predictably improved when Kevin De Bruyne came on, though his goal was probably a fluke and had his attempted cross not gone in a 3-1 margin of victory would not have flattered Crystal Palace. Not for the first time this season City seemed to miss the creative spark of David Silva, out with a hamstring injury. Perhaps when De Bruyne is ready to play a full 90 minutes City will see their mojo return. Paul Wilson

• Match report: Manchester City 2-3 Crystal Palace

9) Disenchanted Benítez rules out Newcastle top-half finish

Claudio Ranieri switched to a back five and was rewarded with Fulham’s first Premier League clean sheet of the campaign; a gloomy Rafael Benítez concocted a theoretically opponent-bewildering tactic of alternating between a back three and a back four but lacked the personnel to make it work effectively. “We have to realise we will be in the bottom half of the table the whole season; finishing higher will be a miracle,” said Newcastle’s manager before suggesting that even the addition of January signings would not alter that reality. Significantly a poor game of few chances, in which his side failed to muster a shot on target, left Benítez looking as disenchanted as he has been on Tyneside. “It’s not easy for anyone here,” he said. “But I have to give credit to these players because, with all the circumstances here, they’re doing well.” Louise Taylor

• Match report: Newcastle 0-0 Fulham

10) Old favourite Foster leading from the back at Watford

Watford have a knack for finding talented players in far-flung places but they did not have to look hard to spot Ben Foster, the goalkeeper who rejoined from West Brom last summer. During Saturday’s 2-0 win at West Ham he showed the ability that once made him Watford’s player of the season and a Manchester United player from 2005 to 2010, although he made only 23 appearances for them. But Watford still needed slovenly finishing from West Ham to keep a fourth Premier League clean sheet of the season. If they tighten up in central defence, Watford could win the Race for Seventh, a splendid achievement that could take them into European competition for only the second time (unless one includes their Anglo-Italian Cup campaigns of the 1990s, when they met Bristol City, Southend and Luton Town). Paul Doyle

• Match report: West Ham 0-2 Watford

Pos	Team	P	GD	Pts
1	Liverpool	18	32	48
2	Man City	18	37	44
3	Tottenham Hotspur	18	19	42
4	Chelsea	18	20	37
5	Arsenal	18	16	37
6	Man Utd	18	4	29
7	Watford	18	0	27
8	AFC Bournemouth	18	-1	26
9	Leicester	18	1	25
10	Wolverhampton	18	-2	25
11	Everton	18	-2	24
12	West Ham	18	-2	24
13	Brighton	18	-6	21
14	Crystal Palace	18	-8	18
15	Newcastle	18	-8	17
16	Southampton	18	-14	15
17	Cardiff	18	-20	14
18	Burnley	18	-20	12
19	Huddersfield	18	-20	10
20	Fulham	18	-26	10