Premier League: 10 talking points
Guardian writers: Newcastle set their sights high, Cork keeps Touré bottled up and West Ham in freefall
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1) Newcastle's ambitions rising?
After Alan Pardew oversaw Newcastle United's fine 1-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford, he was asked if Champions League qualification was realistic. "I'm not saying, 'No'. I just think it is the situation where if all the top teams are beating each other, it gives us an opportunity," he said. "That is encouraging. To have Everton, Southampton and ourselves West Brom and Swansea, all playing strong, as are Villa, the top teams can come unstuck and it can open the door. "All we've got to do is make sure we keep playing, get to April, and hopefully we are in the mix."Newcastle stand seventh on 26 points, four above United and three behind Manchester City, who occupy the fourth European Cup berth, as they continue to become the side no opposition relishes facing. Pardew was manager of the season two campaigns ago. He is again showing why. Jamie Jackson
• Read the report: Manchester United 0-1 Newcastle
• Moyes takes blame for Newcastle loss
• Moyes tells United faithful he is not about to panic
• Daniel Taylor: United must envy Arsenal midfield 'clones'
• Pictures: the best images from Newcastle's victory
2) Martínez speaks just as impressively as Everton play
It is probably a measure of Everton's improvement under Roberto Martínez that nobody blanched when he was asked whether the Champions League was now a realistic target. "To talk of league positions in December is foolish," Martínez replied. "But let's see where we are in April and where we can go after that. Everton, with it's history and tradition of nine titles in the past, should be looking to be in the Champions League."He spoke just as impressively as Everton had played and there is certainly good reason to be encouraged after a week that has seen them win at Manchester United and then hold the Premier League leaders to a draw. As Martínez said, Everton have overcome the "mental block" that has sometimes affected them when it has come to playing away against the top teams (the subtle implication about David Moyes was not lost on anyone). They have lost only once all season and, though he grabbed most of the attention, Ross Barkley was not the only player to excel against Arsenal. Seamus Coleman, Gareth Barry and James McCarthy were all identified for special acclaim by their manager and, in Barkley's case, Martínez did not recoil at all when he heard that Gary Lineker had likened him to Paul Gascoigne. The evidence was there for everyone to see.
So, can Everton actually do it? "It will take time and we will need to be very creative but, long-term, Everton should be in the Champions League," Martínez said. "Maybe this season will be too early but that has to be our ultimate aim." Daniel Taylor
• Read the report: Arsenal 1-1 Everton
• Pictures: the best images from Everton's draw
• Martínez hails Ross Barkley after Arsenal draw
• Michael Cox: Barkley shines as Everton's space invader
• David Hytner: five talking points from the Emirates
• Paul Wilson: England's pessimists can learn from Martínez
3) Saints Cork up Touré
There were many excellent performances from Southampton players on Saturday – Adam Lallana and Luke Shaw were again wonderful, Dejan Lovren was immense at the back and Dani Osvaldo scored a sumptuous goal – but Jack Cork deserves particular mention. It is by no means obvious that Southampton needed to buy Victor Wanyama in the summer but they did and that has led to Cork being kept on the sidelines until Saturday, when he was cast into his first league start of the season against Yaya Touré, no less. He took a few minutes to get back up to speed with Premier League proceedings but soon he began to run the Southampton show in the middle. Touré did begin to look a little jaded as the game wore on – and City should definitely spare him Tuesday's trip to Bayern Munich, where the likelihood of them getting the 3-0 win they need to top the group is miniscule, especially compared to the need to have a fresh Touré against Arsenal next weekend – but that should not detract from the performance of Cork, who helped prove that there is depth to this Southampton squad. Paul Doyle• Read the report: Southampton 1-1 Manchester City
• Osvaldo scorches Manchester City to warn England
• Barney Ronay: don't scoff at Touré's notebook
4) Sterling arches back into reckoning
Raheem Sterling turned 19 on Sunday after a week when his fortunes have been revived. The winger entered December with a solitary Premier League start this season, and even that was as a wing-back against Crystal Palace. Now he has begun three games in a row, scored against Norwich and leapfrogged Victor Moses in the queue for places. A month ago, Brendan Rodgers was considering loaning him out in January. Now it is apparent his short-term future lies at Anfield. Yet, excellent as he was against West Ham on Saturday, there is scope for improvement. Sterling could have had a hat-trick against the Hammers; instead, he still has only scored three goals in his league career. Richard Jolly• Read the report: Liverpool 4-1 West Ham United
• Rodgers salutes Sterling and Allen after victory
5) Ireland stands out for Stoke
While José Mourinho will want to forget Stoke's 3-2 victory against Chelsea in a hurry, Stephen Ireland is likely to treasure the match for some time. Having come on as an 18th-minute substitute for Charlie Adam, the midfielder played a crucial role in his side's triumph, scoring their second goal with a delightful curled finish before teeing up Oussama Assaidi for the stunning, late winner. "He is a good player, that is the top and bottom of it," said Stoke manager Mark Hughes of Ireland, who he signed on loan from Aston Villa in September having previously worked with the 27-year-old at Manchester City. "There's never been any doubt about Stephen's ability. In the past, for whatever reason, managers have seen different things in him – maybe they felt he was the wrong player for their club – but every time I have worked with Stephen he has been outstanding."There is no doubt that Ireland's career has been in drift for some time – having been named City's player of the season at the end of the 2008-09 campaign, he joined Villa the following summer as part of the deal that saw James Milner move in the opposite direction but failed to make an immediate impact there and was allowed to join Newcastle on loan in January 2011. Ireland didn't start a game at St James' Park before returning to Villa and now is on loan again. This time, however, things could be different, with Ireland getting opportunities to shine for a manager who clearly has faith in him. More displays like the one on Saturday and Ireland could finally re-establish the consistent level of performance that only a few years ago marked him out as one of the Premier League's best young talents. Sachin Nakrani
• Read the report: Stoke City 3-2 Chelsea
• Mourinho baffled why Chelsea strikers failed to quell Stoke
6) Spurs roll with lone ranger
One striker, or two? That is the question on every Tottenham supporter's lips and André Villas-Boas already believes he knows the answer. Villas-Boas has been steadfast in his belief that his team should only have a lone man in attack, and in the last two games that has been Jermain Defoe. He could be right. The victory at Sunderland was not straightforward and despite their dominance in terms of possession and chances created, only an own goal from John O'Shea settled the outcome in Spurs' favour. Tottenham created a staggering number of opportunities on goal (22) during the 90 minutes to suggest the system does not necessarily need to change. It was always going to take time for the new-look squad to adapt after reinvesting the money from the sale of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid. Tottenham have scored two goals in each of their last three games, so they could be about to click. Gabriel Kerr• Read the report: Sunderland 1-2 Tottenham Hotspur
• Poyet attempts to draw a line after Tottenham defeat
7) The new manager effect could yet have repercussions elsewhere
Fulham's was a timely and impressive victory over Aston Villa, inspired as it was by Dimitar Berbatov's return to form and influence, to yield René Meulensteen's first success as a Premier League manager. The Dutchman has had an immediate effect since replacing his compatriot, Martin Jol. There had been improvement in defeat against Tottenham Hotspur in midweek, and there was urgency and conviction to their approach here. The same might be said of Tony Pulis at Crystal Palace, a team who have conceded once in a five-game run that has gleaned 10 points. Pulis' side have not been the crude, long-ball team many had envisaged they would become overnight, but have harried and hassled opponents to prompt their own mini revival. Both clubs hover just below the cut-off on goal difference and, while they can tackle the festive period with renewed optimism, the same might not be true of those just above them. If jittery chairmen witness the instant effects provoked by changes in the dug-out, surely the likes of Sam Allardyce at West Ham, or even Malky Mackay at an unpredictable Cardiff City, might be fretting. The period up to the mid-winter transfer window is treacherous for managers, as Jol has already discovered, and others will surely depart their clubs in the weeks ahead. Fulham, with Berbatov content and confident, boast enough experience to haul themselves clear of trouble. Meulensteen just needs to tap into their potential to succeed. Dominic Fifield• Read the report: Fulham 2-0 Aston Villa
8) Hammers in freefall
Despite going down 4-1 at Liverpool, West Ham's goal difference is still keeping them out of the relegation zone. Given how impressive Fulham and Crystal Palace – two of the three sides below them – were in winning this weekend though, it's questionable how much longer their points total will be sufficient though. The Hammers' lack of goals in Andy Carroll's absence is a well-documented problem, but perhaps more concerning here for Sam Allardyce was their deference to Liverpool and Luis Suárez. To concede two own goals is bad, but West Ham's pride in their excellence at set pieces will have produced mountains of hubris during the fiasco that was Liverpool's second goal. James Collins' hash of an attempted clearance from Mamadou Sakho's weak volley was a stark signal to Hammers fans that their side are no longer any better than their relegation rivals, and that the team is in freefall. Dan Lucas• Read the report: Liverpool 4-1 West Ham United
• Premier League table: latest standings and stats
9) Cardiff's need for Bellamy
Craig Bellamy was not even on the bench as Cardiff City faced Crystal Palace on Saturday. Yet Bellamy had, apparently, overcome the hamstring injury which had kept him out since the loss at Aston Villa in early November. So why did Malky Mackay take the Welshman to London and exclude him from his squad? Talk in the press room after the match was that Bellamy had refused to get off the coach with his team-mates prior to the game. But Mackay, generally a straightforward manager who offers honest replies to the press pack, said there was no such drama. It's odd, though, because Cardiff have been in desperate need of proven striker lately and Bellamy was specifically rested in the 0-0 midweek draw with Stoke to spare him for the match at Selhurst Park. Cardiff's display against Palace was a prime example of their shortcomings up front and Andreas Cornelius, who came on as a sub, may prove to be £7.7m wasted. The Dane is considered a talented young striker, the proverbial 'one for the future', but that is not what Cardiff need this season. Survival in the Premier League can rest on having experienced goal-scorers in the matchday squad. Bellamy can't come back into the fold soon enough. Jonny Weeks• Read the report: Crystal Palace 2-0 Cardiff City
• Mackay suffers pressure rise after Cardiff lose to Palace
10) An alternative to Hart?
With Joe Hart still warming the Manchester City bench, most of the talk has been of Celtic's Fraser Forster as the best alternative should England require someone actually playing first-team football in Brazil. Norwich's John Ruddy is likely to be the third goalkeeper in the squad though, and will have done his prospects of actually getting a game or two for his country no harm with an inspired performance in the 2-0 win at West Brom. With the score at 1-0 he made an important save with his legs to deny Stéphane Sessègnon from close range, and later showed off his reflexes with a brilliant stop from Shane Long's glancing header. With Norwich in poor form, this was the ideal opportunity for Ruddy to remind Roy Hodgson of his not-inconsiderable qualities. The real question though is just how much he really fancies the prospect of facing Luis Suárez yet again. DL• Read the report: West Brom 0-2 Norwich CityCOPY http://www.theguardian.com/
• Clarke calls for hard work after Norwich defeat
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