Five things we learned from the Premier League weekend

1. Alli and Pochettino confound their critics in Spurs’ landmark win

In one sense, history repeated itself. In another, it certainly did not. For the second successive season, Dele Alli struck twice as Tottenham beat Chelsea. The difference was that this double came at Stamford Bridge. Spurs won on enemy territory for the first time since 1990. In the process, they established an eight-point lead on their rivals, making it highly improbable Chelsea will finish in the top four.

AS IT HAPPENED: Chelsea v Tottenham

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It was a personal triumph for scorer and manager alike. Alli’s first goal was the result of a fine run and a wonderful touch, his second the product of predatory instinct. He has failed to reach the heights he touched in the past two seasons. He no longer seems a shoo-in to start for England. His diving has brought greater barracking from opposition fans. Mauricio Pochettino felt the midfielder was put under too much pressure. This, though, was a sign Alli is suited to the big occasion. His season’s return – 12 goals, 14 assists – is one many another would envy.

Pochettino had less flattering statistics, winning only one of his 19 away league games at top-six opponents. A second victory owed much to his half-time switch, when he put Erik Lamela up front and moved Heung-Min Son to the right wing. Like Alli, he was a catalyst.

2. Aubameyang’s goal return should encourage Arsenal

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s start to life at Arsenal has felt slightly underwhelming. Perhaps it is because it has been a stop-start affair, with the January signing ineligible to play in the Europa League. Perhaps it is because Arsenal lost the Carabao Cup final with a lame display and soon exited the race for a top-four spot. Perhaps it is because he missed a penalty in the 3-0 league defeat to Manchester City, whereas he had been signed to decide such games.

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Yet when he scored his second goal in Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Stoke, he had five in six league games for his new employers. Had he taken a second spot kick – Alexandre Lacazette converted it instead – and walked off with a hat-trick, he would have been going at a goal a game. Instead his ratio is comparable to that in his last 118 Bundesliga matches, which produced 100 goals.

And while Arsenal must expect goals in more meaningful matches and when the stakes are greater than an irrelevant plod into sixth place, the fact he is the only Gunner to score five goals in his first six Premier League appearances offers encouragement for next season.

3. Silva shows how many creators City have

David Silva arrived at Goodison Park having scored four goals in his previous four games. He departed having failed to add a fifth in five, but having created two and, in the process, set another minor milestone in Manchester City’s season of statistical superiority. The first of his assists, for Leroy Sane’s superb opener in a 3-1 win over Everton, was his 10th of the league season. It made City only the third team in Premier League history to have three men in double figures in the same campaign. Kevin de Bruyne and Sane had got there before Silva.

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It highlights the way that they are packed with inventive players and illustrated the problems of facing them. Stop one player? There are plenty more capable of creating. Quite a few are able to score as well. Both Sane and Gabriel Jesus delivered a ninth league goal of the season. Silva is on eight, De Bruyne seven. It is very possible City will end the campaign with at least four men, and maybe as many as six, with 10 league goals.

4. Klopp attacks by going on the defensive

Jurgen Klopp is developing a signature substitution. Particularly since the signing of Virgil van Dijk, the Liverpool manager has a habit of bringing on a third centre-back. Normally it is to protect a lead. At Selhurst Park on Saturday, however, Liverpool were drawing when necessity, in the form of an injury to Adam Lallana, brought an inventive response. Klopp sent for Dejan Lovren.

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It had dual benefits. It brought greater solidity at the back after Liverpool had been struggling against Christian Benteke’s aerial power and the pace of Wilfried Zaha. It also liberated their full-backs to go further forward and, ultimately, they defeated Palace by outflanking Roy Hodgson’s narrow side.

Midfielder James Milner had set up Sadio Mane’s leveller with a ball from the left flank. Mohamed Salah’s winner stemmed from a cross from Andrew Robertson’s centre from the same flank. And the Scottish left-back had fewer defensive duties to keep him in his own half because Liverpool had the security of that third centre-back.

5. Arnautovic is keeping West Ham up

Mark Hughes claimed he was unaware that Marko Arnautovic seemed to be gesturing to his former Stoke manager in a gloating celebration after he scored West Ham’s second goal in their 3-0 win against Southampton. If so, he did well not to notice. “Marko is that type,” said David Moyes. He was entitled to offer an insight into the Austrian’s combative character.

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Arnautovic has produced better form for Moyes than he ever did for Hughes and, while the Scot’s time at the London Stadium has been mixed, he merits credit for the way he has revitalised the Austrian, who was arguably West Ham’s greatest underachiever in the last few months of Slaven Bilic’s reign.

Theirs has been a mutually-beneficial relationship. West Ham have won six league games under Moyes. Arnautovic has scored six times in those matches. It may not prove enough to keep Moyes in a job, but it should prove sufficient to keep the Hammers in the Premier League. And while a lack of harmony between fans and board is an issue in east London, the unlikely alliance between Moyes and Arnautovic has been shown opposites can dovetail well.