Premier League talking points: Next season already shaping up as belonging to one team only

Manchester City’s win over Chelsea on Sunday again illustrated how far they are ahead of the rest of the English Premier League pack. Manager Pep Guardiola kept most of this first-team regulars on the bench, and a second-string City had little trouble beating Chelsea. 

These and other talking points from the Premier League weekend.

City look untouchable: Even what was effectively Manchester City’s second team was too good for Chelsea on Sunday as they celebrated a fifth title in six seasons with a 1-0 victory in a party atmosphere. Guardiola made nine changes to his side yet the team he fielded still oozed quality and played with the same blueprint that seems to now be part of the club’s DNA.

With several of the clubs expected to challenge City, such as Liverpool and Chelsea, rebuilding, it is hard to see how they will be challenged next season unless Arsenal add depth or Manchester United’s potential new owners land marquee signings.

Why would Kane stay at Tottenham? Harry Kane’s 28th Premier League goal of the season could not disguise the gloom at Tottenham Hotspur as their final home game ended in a 3-1 defeat by Brentford. Kane was one of the few Spurs players who could hold his head high in the postmatch lap of “honour” and the fans rose to thank their talisman. But who could blame him if he leaves?

The 29-year-old broke Jimmy Greaves' scoring record for the club this season, has netted in a record 25 league games this term and now has 278 goals in 434 appearances. What he does not have are any winners’ medals and that is the conundrum he faces. Kane has Tottenham in his heart but the club looks miles off challenging for silverware and he may feel compelled to look elsewhere.

He requires 50 goals to eclipse Alan Shearer’s Premier League scoring record of 260 and is desperate to do so, making a move abroad potentially less likely. Manchester City do not need Kane as well as Erling Haaland, going to arch-rivals Arsenal is an unthinkable move, Chelsea are in worse shape than Spurs and Liverpool are unlikely to be in the Champions League, leaving Manchester United as the best fit.

Old Trafford would be tempting but Kane has a young family settled in London and so he could decide to keep banging in the goals for Spurs and hope the club finally gets its act together.

Cooper repays Forest’s faith: Nottingham Forest’s survival in their first season back in the top flight illustrates the value of club owners keeping their heads when all around them are losing theirs. At various stages in the season manager Steve Cooper’s position looked in peril as poor form, injuries and the tricky matter of incorporating 30 signings into a functioning unit inevitably left Forest in the relegation fight.

But as the likes of Leeds United, Leicester City, Southampton (twice) and Everton axed their managers, Forest retained faith in the man who worked wonders to earn promotion. A terrible run of six defeats and a draw in seven matches in March and April looked terminal but Cooper never panicked and finally harnessed the talents of his eclectic squad.

He has put the pride back in the former European Champions and the future looks bright.

Patched-up Everton keep fighting: What Everton have lacked in quality in recent weeks they have made up for with old-fashioned fight and guts, rescuing what could be a precious point at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday as they seek to avoid a first relegation since 1951.

Battling away points earned at Crystal Palace, Leicester City and now Wolves, coupled with an incredible 5-1 win at Brighton & Hove Albion, have given them a chance of ensuring they stay up at home to Bournemouth in their final game on Sunday. That never-say-die attitude was on show again as they equalised in the 99th minute at Wolves, having ended the game with centre-back Michael Keane as their central striker after yet another injury to Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

This is a patched-up team that could go into the final game with no fit senior left or right backs in their squad and real problems up front but their mentality and desire to save themselves cannot be questioned.

Mitrovic back among the goals: Aleksandar Mitrovic scored twice in Fulham’s 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace on Saturday, taking the striker’s tally to three goals in his two appearances since serving an eight-match ban for pushing a referee.

The fiery Serbian had failed to score in six league appearances before his ban, but his return to form will be a welcome boost for Fulham as they aim to secure a first top-half finish since 2012. “[The ban] was an incident that he learned from. In the moment I said that he is going to come again stronger and I’m sure about it,” Fulham manager Marco Silva told the BBC.

Reuters