Meh United, the Premier League’s blockbuster is actually on Wednesday, and Pedri magic – The Warm-Up

ByMichael Hincks

Updated 04/04/2022 at 11:37 GMT

Another weekend of Premier League action, another weekend where Manchester United failed to impress. Elsewhere, Tottenham strengthened their top-four hopes, Everton continued to look awful, and over in Europe there were goals for Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, while a bit of Pedri magic helped Barcelona move up to second. Lovely.

MONDAY’S BIG STORIES

Fingers crossed, Louis!

First thing's first, before we crack on with the Warm-Up. Louis van Gaal, you've got the footballing world behind you. The Netherlands manager revealed he is receiving treatment for prostate cancer, sharing the news on Dutch television last night, in such a candid and courageous way perhaps only Van Gaal would.

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Here's to a speedy recovery, LvG.

Now to a look at the weekend that was...

Meh United lagging behind

It was somewhere between the home draw with Watford, the home draw with Southampton, the home defeat to Wolves, the home draw with Everton and the home defeat to Aston Villa that told us not to expect too much from Manchester United at home to Leicester on Saturday.

Their chance to make a top-four statement – just moments after third-placed Chelsea were humbled at home, a day before Tottenham and West Ham were in action, and a whole two days before Arsenal played – and it was all just, meh. In fact, it could have, perhaps should have, been worse.

Their supporters will hardly need reminding, but nothing has really improved since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was axed and Ralf Rangnick took the reins, though in writing off a whole season they are damaging future campaigns as well, and as the weeks draw closer to this supposed summer upheaval, the task for the next permanent manager only gets harder. That chalice brimming with poison.

All the while, with Diego Maradona clone Harry Kane pulling the strings, Tottenham are the ones looking most likely to trouble Arsenal in this race for Champions League football next term, and wouldn’t you just know it, there’s a north London derby still to come.

You can’t help but get the feeling the Premier League fixture-makers, up there in their ivory tower with their excel spreadsheets, are saving the rescheduling for that match so they can make it a top-four decider at some point in May – it’s still TBC on the website, but a mid-May slot would not be at all surprising, despite the fact Spurs have not been playing in Europe since December and Arsenal since last season.

Anyway, that is still to come, while tonight Arsenal will look to avoid slipping over the banana skin that is the away trip to Crystal Palace. Selhurst Park’s reputation almost flatters itself, what with just the four home wins from 15 for Palace there this season, but that 0-0 draw with Manchester City last month still proves it’s A Tough Place to Go And Get Three Points™.

‘Is not normal’ - Conte heaps praise on Kane following Tottenham’s win over Newcastle

It’s the biggest match of the week!

Holy smokes, a must-watch Burnley game (Sorry, Clarets).

One postponed game that has been rescheduled for this week is Burnley’s match at home with Everton, and yeehaw we have ourselves a six-pointer everyone.

Everton really, really, really are in deep trouble. They’re, like, really, really bad, but have somehow remained out of the relegation zone all season – despite winning just three league games since the start of October (yes, that’s more than six months).

They head to Burnley on Wednesday night on the back of another demoralising defeat, the 2-1 loss at West Ham leaving manager Frank Lampard a little worried. "We have to face Burnley without [Michael] Keane but also we have injuries. Donny [van de Beek] pulled up in the warm-up [before the game]. Allan is suspended. We are stretched,” Lampard said.

"I am less worried about personnel and more worried about the character of the group. What I saw today showed that. Burnley is a huge game no doubt, but there are nine more after that. We have games in hand on other teams but we must stick to the next game.”

Magic from Pedri

There’s a Spanish lad in the tennis proving the future is now, and the same could be said for the football as well.

Yes, Pedri is football’s Alcaraz, Alcaraz is tennis’ Pedri, and between them on Sunday they looked like the world-beaters people are predicting them to become.

There truly is something special about Pedri. That was already known. He played roughly 238 games in 2021 as Barcelona leant heavily on him, but he is truly coming into his own.

When you have a name that easily fits into the old 'Meee-ssi' chants at the Nou Camp, when you’re being compared to Andres Iniesta, and when you’re being coached by the Barcelona legend’s legendary partner, you’re evidently onto a winner.

His winner against Sevilla was sublime, and already it’s worth ramping up La Liga’s title race next season, because Barca are back.

IN OTHER NEWS

MNM finally combine

Hang on a minute, this trio might just work. Just imagine what they could do together in the Champions L- ah… Never mind.

It’s April and we finally have a game where Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe have all scored in the same match – a comfortable 5-1 win over Lorient to help PSG move 12 points clear at the top of Ligue 1.

There’ll be yet more change at PSG this summer and so this could be some what of a collector’s item. Perhaps the only game where this feat was achieved, and for it to happen in April perhaps tells you just how this experiment panned out.

For reference, Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez all scored for the first time in Barcelona’s treble-winning 2014-15 season in December. Against? Believe it or not, PSG…

IN THE CHANNELS

One you may have missed from the weekend. Paul Mullin with a finish Hollywood would be proud of, and with co-owner Ryan Reynolds watching on, this was the chip that sent Wrexham to Wembley for the FA Trophy final!

Mullin scored another four minutes later into added time, but let’s just call this one the winner, shall we…

RETRO CORNER

For absolutely no real reason whatsoever, this popped up on our timeline and, well, we can’t quite remember why either... Messi, u ok?

COMING UP

One more match to complete the weekend’s Premier League action tonight – Arsenal at Crystal Palace, as the Gunners look to maintain their hold on fourth.

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