Reds stay in touch and Magpies boost bid – 5 things we learned in Premier League

Liverpool stayed in touch with leaders Manchester City as the Premier League’s top two both won, while Newcastle gave their survival hopes another big boost this weekend with a third straight victory.

Tottenham’s Champions League hopes were dealt a blow as Antonio Conte’s side slipped to another defeat, while Frank Lampard registered his first league win as Everton manager.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at some of the big talking points from the latest round of fixtures.

Reds staying the pace

Jurgen Klopp has written off Liverpool’s title chances, publicly at least, but his players are thinking otherwise as a fourth successive win – 1-0 at Burnley on Sunday – kept them in touch with City. The Reds remained eight points adrift of Pep Guardiola’s side with a game in hand and 14 still to play, with the two sides scheduled to meet at the Etihad Stadium on April 9. Liverpool have now won six on the spin in all competitions and are keeping City on their toes.

Magpies flying

Newcastle remained entrenched in the bottom three when denied a desperately needed home win by a late equaliser against Watford in mid-January, but fast forward a month and the gloom is lifting at St James’ Park. Eddie Howe’s side have conjured three wins on the bounce, with Sunday’s 1-0 success against Aston Villa – courtesy of Kieran Trippier’s second goal in as many matches – lifting them four points clear of the relegation zone.

Spurs in downward spiral

Tottenham’s hopes of a top-four finish have massively waned after a 2-0 home defeat to Wolves condemned them to a third straight league loss. Defensive lapses are costing the Londoners dear and Conte has it all to do to turn it around and secure Champions League football next season. Spurs have slipped to eighth place, six points behind fourth-placed West Ham, and must bid to halt their slide and ease the growing pressure on their manager at Guardiola’s City next Saturday.

Toffees stick at it for Lampard

Everton boss Lampard kick-started his tenure at Goodison Park with his first league win as Leeds were swept aside 3-0 on Saturday. The Toffees’ previous defeat at Newcastle in midweek had left them three points above the drop zone, but against Leeds they showed they were ready to roll up their sleeves and fight for their new boss. Lampard described his side’s display as “special” as they snapped a six-game winless run and left Leeds looking over their shoulder.

Zouma hogs headlines

Kurt Zouma’s inclusion in West Ham’s starting line-up again and his subsequent withdrawal through illness overshadowed his side’s 2-2 draw at Leicester. Craig Dawson’s stoppage-time header earned the Hammers a crucial point in their bid for a Champions League place, but the spotlight remained fixed on Zouma. A video showing him abuse his pet cat, which went viral earlier in the week, left Hammers boss David Moyes once again pleading for forgiveness on behalf of the French defender after the match.