ALEX CROOK: Tales of the Unexpected

Our football ambassador ALEX CROOK is back with his latest Tales Of The Unexpected, highlighting five takeaways from the Premier League weekend!

Anything that caught you by surprise over the weekend? Email content@starsportsbet.co.uk and we’ll include the best submissions in next week’s TOTU!

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1️⃣ ARSENAL ON EZE STREET

Given his recent form it was a leap of faith from Mikel Arteta to start Eberechi Eze in the north London derby, but the Arsenal midfielder came back to haunt Tottenham again to repay his manager.

Since snubbing a move to Spurs to join Arsenal from Crystal Palace in the summer Eze has scored six Premier League goals – FIVE of them against the same team.

As if his hat-trick in the reverse fixture at the Emirates was not painful enough for Spurs fans Eze’s delightful double in Sunday’s 4-1 rout added more insult to injury.
History tells us Eze comes into his own at the business end of the season so is likely to be a key man for Arteta’s quadruple-chasing Gunners.

Meanwhile sorry Spurs, now winless in nine, are facing a bleak battle to avoid what would be the most humiliating relegation since the Premier League came into being in 1992.

Arsenal to win the Premier League title – currently at ? with starsports.bet

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2️⃣ PALACE SAFE BUT GLASNER’S DAYS ARE NUMBERED

Crystal Palace may have earned their first home Premier League victory since November 1 to ease any lingering relegation fears, but Sunday’s 1-0 victory over ten-man Wolves should not be enough to keep Oliver Glasner in job.

After rounding on fans, the hierarchy and even his own players Glasner was subjected to banners calling for his removal and full-time boos from the Palace ultras.

The toxic atmosphere at Selhurst Park will surely not have gone unnoticed by Palace chairman Steve Parish sitting uncomfortably in his seat in the directors’ box.

Glasner is rightly regarded as the best manager in Palace’s history having led them to their first ever major trophy last season and Palace’s FA Cup final triumph over Manchester

City was celebrated by neutral fans of small clubs up and down the country.

It is a sad state of affairs his tenure his ending in such acrimony but the loose-lipped Austrian only has himself to blame.

Crystal Palace to be relegated – currently at ? with starsports.bet

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3️⃣ VILLA CONTINUE TO STACH IT

Unai Emery has been at pains to tell anyone who would listen that his Aston Villa team are outsiders for a place in the top five, let alone title contenders. It looks like the Spaniard is spot on.

Villa were booed off at half-time against Leeds on Saturday when trailing to Anton Stach’s long-range free-kick before super-sub Tammy Abraham rescued a draw with his first goal since a January switch to Villa Park.

Despite at least avoiding defeat Emery’s men have now taken just five points from their last four games.

If they are to secure Champions League football via their league position then it feels like they are stuttering over the line.

Friday’s Midlands derby at home to basement boys Wolves feels massive, especially with back-to-back games against top five rivals Chelsea and Manchester United after that.

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4️⃣ BRIGHTON’S DAD’S ARMY MAKE NATHAN COLLINS LOOK A STUPID BOY

Fabian Hurzeler wore the look of a relieved man after Brighton picked up a surprise 2-0 victory at Brentford with the help of a mistake from Nathan Collins, turning the form table on its head.

Since December the Seagulls had picked up fewer points than any other Premier League team while the Bees had only been beaten twice at home all season.

But Hurzeler’s decision to turn to old heads paid dividends.

On the day 40-year-old James Milner broke the Premier League appearance record, Danny Welbeck, 35, Lewis Dunk, 34, and Pascal Gross, 34, were among his fellow starters.

Brighton’s business model is built around investing in up-and-coming youngsters, but sometimes there is no substitute for experience.

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5️⃣ PREMIER LEAGUE LEGEND’S TOP-FLIGHT DAYS ARE NUMBERED

They say time waits for no man and that certainly seems to be the case for former Manchester City and England star Kyle Walker.

Walker joining Burnley last summer was seen as a coup for the newly-promoted Clarets and the veteran right-back even had designs on earning back his England place for this summer’s World Cup.

But Walker looked a far cry from the player who won six Premier League titles and nearly 100 caps for his country during Burnley’s 1-1 draw at ten-man Chelsea.

Walker was at fault for Chelsea’s early goal, allowing Pedro Neto to race in behind him to set up Joao Pedro’s fourth minute opener and the 35-year-old just about managed to stop himself making a red card challenge on Cole Palmer after once again being beaten for pace.

With Burnley’s relegation all but confirmed, it is hard to see Walker plying his trade in the top-flight next season.

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Views of authors do not necessarily represent views of Star Sports Bookmakers.

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