Premier League: 10 talking points from this weekend’s action

1) Townsend forcing himself back into England reckoning

The focus so often fixes upon Wilfried Zaha at Crystal Palace but over their seven-game revival under Sam Allardyce, they have posed as much threat from the opposite flank. Andros Townsend had rather grumbled through his first seven months at Selhurst Park, unhappy to be operating from the left and only offering flashes of his quality. The past seven weeks have been more reflective of a winger with 13 England caps. “Against Arsenal, Andros shut down three Arsenal players on his own, one after the other,” Allardyce said. “He ran from the right side to the left, almost got a block, and the crowd cheered him for the effort. That’s how he’s changed his attitude, to believing in himself and performing to his very best. And that’s out of possession. In it, he’s running at defenders. He believes he can beat them inside, outside.” He, as much as anyone, has contributed to this team’s revival. England may not be finished with him just yet. Dominic Fifield

• Match report: Crystal Palace 2-2 Leicester City

2) Lukaku and Barkley have much to thank Koeman for

Whether it is the pursuit of Champions League football or more money that explains the reluctance of Romelu Lukaku and Ross Barkley to sign new contracts – both have told Ronald Koeman it is the former – there should be an acceptance on their part of the Everton manager’s influence on their development this season. Both have reaped the rewards of Koeman constructing a team around their respective strengths. Lukaku struck his 24th league goal of the season to secure Everton’s eighth successive home win, against Burnley. Barkley has also improved since being given licence to roam across the front line. “He will learn with each season,” Koeman said of the midfielder. “He’s a local boy and the local boy will have more critics than any other player in the team most of the time. That’s sometimes difficult for him. He’s even had criticism from his manager. That’s football.” Andy Hunter

• Match report: Everton 3-1 Burnley

3) Resurgent Young has rescued his Manchester United future

As Manchester United’s senior player, Ashley Young captained the side in Sunday’s impressive 2-0 win over Chelsea at Old Trafford. Young is 32 in July and had appeared to be heading for an exit from the club he joined six years ago. Yet since coming close to a January departure (or February, to China), Young is resurgent as either a full-back or attacking option and has become one of José Mourinho’s most trusted soldiers. The manager made Young the final player he took off against Antonio Conte’s would-be-champions and the former Watford man wandered off to a standing ovation from the crowd that was richly deserved. The player’s contract runs until the summer of 2018 with the option of a further 12 months, and he appears to have caused a rethink from Mourinho. It now seems likely Young will stay for two more years rather than move on any time soon.Jamie Jackson

• Match report: Manchester United 2-0 Chelsea

4) Touré sets sights on Arsenal after Southampton demolition

Manchester City ultimately blew Southampton away and, on this evidence, they are hitting form at just the right time. Next up is an FA Cup semi-final with Arsenal and despite Pep Guardiola’s oddly timed comments, again criticising his team’s mental strength, in Arsène Wenger’s side they face a team who by comparison are on the floor. Yaya Touré, for one, wants to exploit their opponents’ lack of belief, which even a positive result at Middlesbrough on Monday night would not fully repair. Touré said: “We want to go through in this competition. We know Arsenal have been in trouble before the international break, and after that they created us a lot of problems.” That day, at the start of this month, Arsenal rallied for a 2-2 draw. “This time there is not going to be a draw,” Touré said. “The one winner will go the final and we hope it’s going to be City.” Ben Fisher

• Match report: Southampton 0-3 Manchester City

5) Shaqiri holds the key to unlock Stoke’s potential

Marco Silva claimed that Stoke City’s superior finishing was the only difference between the sides, and Harry Maguire had a point too when he suggested Hull created more chances. Yet Stoke’s finishing was not as clinical as all that. Jon Walters hit the bar, Marko Arnautovic could have had a hat-trick by half-time, and the home side should have put the game to bed long before Xherdan Shaqiri’s exquisite clincher. Watching Shaqiri and Arnautovic at work in the first half it was impossible to believe Stoke had been sliding towards the relegation zone or that Peter Crouch and Walters would be required to come to the rescue after the interval. Stoke could do with more impact from the still goalless Saido Berahino, but most of all they could do with Shaqiri staying fit. The Swiss has played in fewer than half his side’s league games this season: without him Stoke lack a fulcrum. Paul Wilson

• Match report: Stoke City 3-1 Hull City

6) Will Robert Snodgrass still be a West Ham player next season?

It is surprising to hear Hammers fans say they are a bit underwhelmed by Robert Snodgrass. Before swapping Hull for east London, and a significant wage hike, in a £10m January transfer the Scotland winger looked one of the best players in the Premier League. Snodgrass did all right in the draw at Sunderland, where his wonderfully whipped in left-foot corner created a goal for James Collins but at times certain team-mates seemed slightly reluctant to give him the ball. There are suggestions that Rafael Benítez might like to transplant the 29‑year‑old to Newcastle United – who would probably be already promoted had Benítez been allowed to sign him in January – this summer in a move which could suit all parties. If not, Snodgrass’s West Ham team-mates are going to have to start utilising, rather than wasting, his very real talent. Louise Taylor

• Match report: Sunderland 2-2 West Ham United

7) Wilshere’s Bournemouth loan has proved a damp squib

There was no mistaking the words Jack Wilshere bellowed at Eddie Howe and his assistant, Jason Tindall, on 53 minutes of Bournemouth’s 4-0 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday after a clattering challenge with Harry Kane. “I can’t move,” the midfielder said as Howe and Tindall demanded he remain on the pitch. Seconds later Wilshere was heading back to the changing room. Howe did not looked pleased by Wilshere’s decision to walk, later saying he and Tindall wanted the 25-year-old to remain on the pitch so Bournemouth were not reduced to 10 men against rampant opponents, and the question now is if Wilshere has a future at the club after his season-long loan. He has made 22 appearances since arriving from Arsenal in August, providing two assists and scoring no goals. It is a poor return and as Saturday showed, all again appears not to be right with a man who not long ago was English football’s next bright young thing. Sachin Nakrani

• Match report: Tottenham Hotspur 4-0 Bournemouth

8) Llorente’s goal drought has left Swansea struggling to survive

On 3 January Swansea City appointed Paul Clement as manager; on the 5 January Hull City appointed Marco Silva as manager. At the time, the clubs were two points apart with Hull bottom and Swansea second bottom. But both teams were quickly revitalised and, with Sunderland and Middlesbrough as good as gone, will now compete to avoid the final relegation spot. Hull are clear favourites, because Swansea are struggling. It had seemed that Clement was coaxing from Fernando Llorente the form that made him so brilliant at Athletic Bilbao – his two goals were central to securing a shock win at Anfield, another was not far off earning a point at Stamford Bridge, and two more were crucial in accounting for Burnley. But those came at the start of March and he has not scored since. Swansea must improve immediately. Safety will not be handed to them. Daniel Harris

• Match report: Watford 1-0 Swansea City

9) Mignolet finally proving a positive game-changer for Liverpool

Is Simon Mignolet starting to come good at Liverpool? The Belgian goalkeeper has made vital saves in the last two matches, denying Charlie Adam and Saido Berahino in the 2-1 win over Stoke City on 8 April, and preventing Matt Phillips from equalising for West Bromwich Albion during the 1-0 victory at The Hawthorns on Sunday. Those saves all came at critical times and could end up being hugely significant in Liverpool’s pursuit of a place in the top four. Mignolet’s critics – and he has a fair few – will point to the fact that stopping shots is what he is there for, and, in fairness, the 29-year-old has probably been guilty in the past of not making enough of those game-changing saves that win points. The last couple of weeks, though, are a step in the right direction. Whether Mignolet can sustain that form in the long term is the key question.Stuart James

• Match report: West Bromwich Albion 0-1 Liverpool

10) Borini’s pointed celebration was unjustified and self-defeating

Fabio Borini has now scored just twice in 19 appearances for Sunderland this season: one an admittedly excellent 90th-minute consolation goal in the 3-1 defeat to Manchester United on Boxing Day, the other a 90th-minute equaliser on Saturday against West Ham. But in a situation in which Sunderland badly needed a victory, and in a game which still had over 10 minutes of injury time to be played, why did Borini feel the need to celebrate wildly in front of the Sunderland bench, doing a knee-slide in full view of David Moyes, as if to illustrate a point? “I don’t care where they celebrate, I’m just delighted he scored!” remarked Moyes afterwards, apparently oblivious to the frustration among some fans that the Sunderland substitute’s first thought was to waste valuable time making a personal point, rather than help his team find a winning goal. Borini has been given plenty of opportunities and his relegation to the bench in recent weeks has been entirely justified. The Italian has not earned the right to celebrate like that, especially when it comes at the expense of the team at such a desperate stage of the season. Michael Butler

• Louise Taylor: Sunderland fans expose Moyes’ decline and could spark his fall