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

Crystal Palace have problems in defence and attack, Maja improved by spell abroad and Liverpool are following a trend

West Brom don’t play for six days. Then they don’t play for a week after that. In fact, the way the schedule stands, they won’t have another two-game week for three months. That will come as a welcome relief in terms of fatigue, but as Sam Allardyce observed after Sunday’s draw against Manchester United, it will give him proper time on the training pitch. That will be critical not only to organising a side that currently has by far the worst defensive record in the Premier League, but also to integrate the five players he has added to the squad. Mbaye Diagne, loaned from Galatasaray, got the goal against United, while Okay Yokuslu, loaned from Celta Vigo, and Ainsley Maitland-Niles, loaned from Arsenal, were effective in protecting the back four. There is, for the first time in a long time, a glimmer of hope for West Brom, and the schedule could kindle that. Jonathan Wilson

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