Look: Chelsea win again while Liverpool slump in English Premier League

LIVERPOOL GO FROM HEROES TO ZEROES As mystifying results go Liverpool's 1-0 defeat at Bournemouth on Saturday was hard to beat. Six days after destroying Manchester United 7-0 and appearing to be firmly back in the groove, Juergen Klopp's side produced a dismal display to dent their top-four hopes. Liverpool enjoyed almost 70% possession in the game but apart from a goal-line clearance form a Virgil van Dijk header, Cherries goalkeeper Neto had little to do. To compound their misery, Mohamed Salah blasted a second-half penalty wide.

Unless Liverpool overturn a 5-2 deficit in their Champions League last-16 second leg at Real Madrid next week, their only route back to Europe's elite competition will be through the Premier League but such is their inconsistency that might well prove beyond them.

CHELSEA FINALLY TAKING SHAPE Chelsea spent around 300 million pounds ($361.44 million) in the January transfer window but it helped little in the midst of their recent poor run of form in which they won one of 11 fixtures in all competitions. However, after the London club's 3-1 win at Leicester City gave coach Graham Potter his third win in as many games, the mood at Stamford Bridge has changed from despair to cautious optimism in just seven days.

While their expensively-assembled squad has still to gel completely, there are signs that Chelsea are finally showing a glimpse of a promising future with January signings Enzo Fernandez and Mykhailo Mudryk beginning to tick. Argentine Fernandez was a calming presence in midfield, contributing in defence with key tackles and playing a part in attack with a delightful assist for Kai Havertz, while Mudryk also registered an assist.

KANE OFFERS TOTTENHAM SALVATION A pall of gloom hung heavy over Tottenham Hotspur's stadium before Saturday's game against Nottingham Forest after FA Cup and Champions League exits plus a loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the league had left the club's season in tatters.

But where there is Harry Kane there is hope and the striker's double against Forest, taking his league tally for the season to 20, set up a morale-boosting 3-1 victory. It consolidated Tottenham's hold on fourth place and, while doubts remain about the club's direction with coach Antonio Conte's future still under a cloud, they could yet salvage something from another trophy-less campaign.

VAR UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT AS NEWCASTLE BEAT WOLVES Newcastle United got their challenge for a top-four finish back on track after Miguel Almiron came off the bench to seal a late 2-1 victory at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday.

But the game may have hinged on the moment in the 20th minute when Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope was robbed of the ball by Raul Jimenez and then appeared to bundle the striker over trying to atone for his error. Newcastle could, and probably should, have conceded a penalty and Pope might have seen a red card but referee Andy Madley took no action and, surprisingly, the incident was not looked at by the VAR officials.

EVERTON SHOWING FIGHTING SPIRIT UNDER DYCHE Everton posted their sixth victory of the Premier League season with a 1-0 defeat of visiting Brentford and three of those wins have come since Sean Dyche took charge in February. Saturday's success, courtesy of a goal in the first minute by Dwight McNeil and some resolute defending led by two more of Dyche's former Burnley men in Michael Keane and James Tarkowski, was very much from their manager's relegation survival manual.

The time for attractive football is long gone for Everton but they are at least showing they can answer Dyche's demand for a relentless mentality.