Premier League talking points: Arsenal defence central to title race

London — Arsenal appear to have the blueprint to what is required to win the championship — a free-scoring attack and watertight defence.

These and other talking points from the weekend in the Premier League.

Arsenal defence key to title hopes: Much has been made of Arsenal’s free-flowing attack that has delivered 20 goals in their last five away league games, but it is a miserly defence that is the rock of their title bid.

Arsenal have not conceded on the road in those five games, have leaked only 24 in 31 games and two in their last eight.

“The boys at the back, what they are doing is outstanding and everyone is involved in that,” said Kai Havertz, who scored the second in a 3-0 win at Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.

One moment summed up Arsenal’s defensive resolve — the sight of Gabriel being high-fived for a goal-saving block in stoppage time with the points already in the bag.

Mainoo provides hope for United: Kobbie Mainoo has been a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing season for Manchester United and on Sunday added another moment to celebrate in his breakout campaign.

The 18-year-old academy graduate hit a brilliant shot from just inside the area in a 2-2 draw with Liverpool to become the youngest player to score a Premier League goal against the Reds.

United have unearthed a gem in the newly capped England international, who earned rave reviews on Sunday. “What a talent,” former England captain Gary Lineker wrote on X.

Villa pay the price for not killing off games: Champions League-seeking Aston Villa shot themselves in the foot again when they threw away a 2-0 lead for a second time this season — in a 3-3 draw with Brentford — leaving the door open for Tottenham Hotspur to take fourth place from them.

Villa lost 3-2 at Manchester United in December having been 2-0 up in the second half, while Brentford scored three goals in nine minutes to dent their top-four hopes, with Ollie Watkins saying his side need to learn how to kill games off.

“We’ve got a point but it should have been three. These are the games we need to be winning,” he said.

Burnley face reality check: Burnley’s Premier League return looks like being brief after a 1-0 defeat at relegation rivals Everton on Saturday when their trend of gifting opponents the advantage this season continued.

A horror error gave Everton their winner, and a seventh red card of the season, the most by a Premier League club this term, made it difficult to get back into the game as Burnley were once again the architects of their own downfall.

Boss Vincent Kompany wants to play a certain way, building from the back with attacking football but there is a naiveté to the approach in the cut and thrust of the Premier League and it is questionable if he has the players to pull off his plans.

Draws won’t do if Sheffield United want to stay up: Sheffield United’s come-from-behind 2-2 result at home to Chelsea on Sunday showed great character, but draws won’t be enough to keep them in the top flight with games running out.

The Blades have only taken points from 10 of their 31 games this season and there is little to suggest they can get the results they need from the remaining seven to keep them up.

Reuters