Weekend football talking points: Ralph Hasenhuttl makes Southampton mark; Tottenham super-subs; Leroy Sane shines in Benjamin Mendy’s absence; Rangers make Celtic sweat
Southampton’s first home Premier League win since April, a harum-scarum 3-2 victory that ended Arsenal’s 22-game unbeaten run in all competitions, was a day to remember for new manager Ralph Hasenhuttl.
The impact of the Austrian, known as a task-master who favours a high-intensity approach, was evident on Sunday as the Saints gave the Gunners minimal time on the ball at every opportunity.
There was a game plan to go with the grunt-work, though: Southampton exploited uncertainty and rustiness in the visitors’ makeshift defence with dangerous crosses – and reaped three headed goals.
He might have been starting a league game for the first time since a serious Achilles injury, but for Arsenal captain Laurent Koscielny, who might have done better on Danny Ings’s first and Charlie Austin’s winner, this was a day best forgotten.
Spurs super-subs
The red half of north London has got the bulk of the praise for game-changing substitutions this season but Mauricio Pochettino showed again on Saturday that he knows how to use his bench to great effect.
Tottenham’s late, late winner at home to Burnley came from the boot of Christian Eriksen, who had been named among the substitutes and kept in reserve until the 65th minute.
The Dane’s previous goal for Spurs also came in a match-winning cameo when Inter Milan visited Wembley in the Champions League, while the team’s hero in the midweek draw at Barcelona, which ensured their passage to the last 16 of the Champions League, was Lucas Moura – a 71st-minute introduction.
In a pivotal spell for the club, Pochettino’s tweaks and Tottenham’s quality in depth have seen them through.
Sane shines without Mendy
Leroy Sane could be forgiven for feeling a little bemused by his change in fortunes until a few weeks ago.
Last season’s young player of the year, as voted for by his fellow professionals, was a surprise omission from Germany’s World Cup squad and then found himself marginalised at Manchester City by the return from injury of Benjamin Mendy.
The absence of Mendy since mid-November, however, has thrust Sane back into more regular action and the 22-year-old has flourished.
Seven of his his 10 goals this term have come since then, including two in midweek against Hoffenheim, and although he didn’t score himself he provided two assists for Gabriel Jesus in Saturday’s 3-1 win over Everton.
When Mendy is finally fit again next year, Sane will be very hard to leave out.
Gerrard's Gers turn up heat on Celtic
He famously never won the league with his beloved Liverpool but in his first season of management Steven Gerrard has taken Rangers to the top of the Scottish Premiership.
With Old Firm rivals Celtic losing 2-0 at Hibernian, a 1-0 over Hamilton was enough to reach the summit on Sunday – albeit the champions have a game in hand – and increase the chances of Gerrard leading the Gers to a first title since 2011 while dethroning his former Anfield boss Brendan Rodgers.
He couldn’t, could he? If nothing else, the title race north of the border has become far more interesting.