Premier League: 10 talking points from the weekend’s action | Soccer

1) Brighton are an inspiration

Sean Dyche was asked about the difference between preparing for Manchester City, Everton’s opponents on Sunday, and Brighton, who they’d clattered 5-1 in midweek. He observed that City play in various ways whereas Brighton have a particular method – and how well it’s serving them. Roberto De Zerbi has done an incredible job since replacing Graham Potter, all the more so as he’s refined their style mid-season. Next year, though, he’ll be facing opponents who know what to expect having seen various tactics deployed against it – and in all likelihood, will have European competition to contend with having lost a big player or two to richer rivals. So there’s a lot of work for the club to do: identifying replacements, signing reinforcements, and developing different ways of playing. But in the meantime, their destruction of an admittedly tired Arsenal is just the latest evidence of an almost perfectly run football club; one that should inspire others at every level. Daniel Harris

2) Could Gündogan follow Arteta’s path?

Ilkay Gündogan has been heavily linked with a move to Barcelona this summer, and with a Sergio Busquets shaped hole in the newly crowned La Liga champions’ midfield next season, his versatility, talent and work rate would be a perfect complement to the young guns of Pedri and Gavi. Should City win the Champions League this season, Gündogan will have nothing left to win in Manchester, but one thing that could entice him to stay is the opportunity to continue his coaching – he has already taken training sessions at City’s academy, and Mikel Arteta’s graduation from Pep Guardiola’s assistant to Premier League manager shows what can be achieved. At 32, Gündogan is in the autumn of his career, but his future still likely depends on a long-term strategy. Michael Butler

• Match report: Everton 0-3 Manchester City

3) Garnacho continues to sparkle

It feels like Alejandro Garnacho can be the next star in a Manchester United constellation that already features Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, Casemiro, Rafaël Varane, Lisandro Martínez and Luke Shaw. After coming on against a doughty Wolves side, the forward punched a hole in the visiting rearguard, took aim and, with a sniper’s eye, fired the ball where Dan Bentley had no chance: on to the Wolves goalkeeper’s left post and in. Garnacho has delivered similarly telling contributions this season via winners at Real Sociedad and Fulham and the assist for Marcus Rashford’s decisive strike against Manchester City at Old Trafford. Garnacho’s return, after injury, at the business end of United’s chase for a top-four finish could be crucial: that points to how menacing the 18-year-old, who was lining up against Barrow in the Football League Trophy in October, has become. Jamie Jackson