首相 League talking points
April 3 (Reuters) - Talking points from the 首相 League 週末:
THIAGO HITTING TOP GEAR AHEAD OF MAN CITY CLASH
Diogo Jota and Fabinho grabbed the headlines after 得点する／非難する／２０ing in Liverpool's 2-0 勝利，勝つ over Watford on Saturday that made it 10 league victories in a 列／漕ぐ／騒動, but 経営者／支配人 Juergen Klopp will be 特に pleased with the form of Thiago Alcantara.
The Spanish playmaker was at his best as he called the 発射s against Watford and wowed the Anfield （人が）群がる with a no-look pass that sliced open the defence, before going の近くに with a ボレー.
Watching with 利益／興味 will be Manchester City 経営者／支配人 Pep Guardiola - who 以前 managed Thiago at Bayern Munich - ahead of next 週末's big home 衝突／不一致 with Liverpool, which could decide which way the league 肩書を与える is 長，率いるd.
CHELSEA HOPE FOR A POST-BLIP REPEAT
Almost a year to the day before Chelsea's shock 4-1 home 敗北・負かす by Brentford on Saturday, the Blues lost to West Bromwich Albion 5-2 at Stamford 橋（渡しをする） in an 平等に inexplicable thrashing by one of the league's いっそう少なく glamorous teams.
Last year, that upset 証明するd to be just a blip - a few days later Chelsea （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域 Porto in the first 脚 of a 支持する／優勝者s League ４半期/4分の1-final as they went on to become European Cup 勝利者s.
Coach Thomas Tuchel saw no need to make a big 演劇 of the Brentford loss ahead of Real Madrid's visit on Wednesday in the first 脚 of this year's 支持する／優勝者s League last eight.
"We will find out, analyse and then we will digest it because there's no other way," he told reporters. "It's hard to take because it's very unusual for us what happened today..."
PHILLIPS RETURN A BOOST FOR LEEDS AND ENGLAND
The sight of Kalvin Phillips making his return off the （法廷の）裁判 for 物陰／風下d 部隊d in their 1-1 draw with Southampton on Saturday will be a welcome one for 経営者／支配人 足緒 Marsch and England boss Gareth Southgate.
Phillips has been 行方不明の with 傷害 since the beginning of Decem ber and in that time 物陰／風下d have 苦しむd without his 安定 in midfield. Had he stayed fit there is a good chance Marcelo Bielsa would still be 経営者／支配人 at Elland Road.
Marsch will hope Phillips gets 支援する up to 速度(を上げる） as quickly as he can, while Southgate will also be an 利益／興味d 観客 as thoughts begin to turn to the World Cup in Qatar.
UNITED STRUGGLE AGAIN WITHOUT RONALDO
Cristiano Ronaldo's absence through illness left Manchester 部隊d seeming neutered up 前線 as they drew 1-1 with Leicester City, looking a 影をつくる／尾行する of a 味方する they are with him in the team.
Paul Pogba and Fred had to deputise in 部隊d's 前線 line but the Reds struggled, with few serious chances and their only goal from a Fred tap-in off a 回復する.
Ralf Rangnick's 部隊d were electric when a Ronaldo hat-trick 解雇する／砲火／射撃d them to victory over Tottenham Hotspur before the international break but they are a different 味方する without him.
CONTE'S METHODS PUT SPURS BACK IN TOP-FOUR MIX
Tottenham Hotspur's 5-1 home 勝利，勝つ over Newcastle 部隊d moved them ahead of 兵器庫 into fourth place in the race for a 支持する／優勝者s League qualifying 位置／汚点／見つけ出す but it was the manner of their victory that most pleased 経営者／支配人 Antonio Conte.
刺激（する）s 最初 struggled to find their stride under their new coach but have now won six of their last eight with the Italian, who has got them playing with a flair and intensity that was a trademark of his Chelsea and の間の Milan 味方するs.
"You can see a team that has 明確な／細部 特徴 and you can recognise your football," he said. "For this 推論する／理由 I said we're in the race for the 支持する／優勝者s League ... every 選び出す／独身 player knows what will happen during the game, what they have to do." (収集するd by Shrivathsa Sridhar, Nick Said, Adam Millington, Rohith Nair, Hritika Sharma and Dhruv Munjal; Editing by Ken Ferris)
