WEST HAM 1-2 LIVERPOOL
Steven Gerrard's two penalties took him past Kenny Dalglish in Liverpool's all-time scoring charts, but these days a man who was once a support striker now stands close to his centre-backs. Indeed, his touch map shows he was on the ball only three times in the final third: one corner and his two spot kicks.
Yet he contrived to have an influence all over the pitch in open play. His pass map -- showing where his passes were directed -- proves how ambitious Gerrard is in his distribution. One defence-splitting ball, to Luis Suarez, led to the award of Liverpool's first spot kick. Others were similarly threatening.
The number of times he made raking through passes -- particularly his favoured diagonal ball, from right to left -- illustrates that he is a footballing quarterback, aiming for far-off teammates. It is why Gerrard's pass completion rate will never be the highest but, in completing 82 percent of his 96 passes and 12 of his 16 long balls, he showed the merit of having a deep-lying, attack-minded playmaker.
EVERTON 3-0 ARSENAL
Roberto Martinez often suggests the key for Everton is to "be ourselves." It suggests the focus is purely on them, but the reality can be different. He configured his team with Arsenal in mind. For the first time in his Everton career, Romelu Lukaku operated on the right wing.
However, he had a remit to get in the penalty area and Everton's first two goals -- indirectly and directly -- came from his two touches in a central area in the penalty box. As Martinez noted after the match, Lukaku is left-footed, meaning he was an inverted winger and he cut in to score their second on his favoured foot.
Another instructive element of his touch map is how Lukaku was not involved within 40 yards of his goal. Most wingers, even the most lax defensively, track back sometimes. Not Lukaku. The Belgian was ordered to stay on or near the halfway line when Arsenal ventured forward.
Initially, left-back Nacho Monreal stayed back with him, limiting Arsenal's attacks on that flank. Later, centre-back Thomas Vermaelen shifted across to look after Lukaku so the Spaniard could advance, but it meant he was dragged across to the touchline. Lukaku's positioning on Arsenal's left was significant, too: In Arsenal's strongest side, he would have been up against Kieran Gibbs and then Laurent Koscielny. Instead, he beat Monreal and Vermaelen en route to scoring. It suggests Martinez had pinpointed the pair as weaker links in the Arsenal side and redeployed his top scorer to exploit that.
NEWCASTLE 0-4 MANCHESTER UNITED
Life without Robin van Persie has had its advantages for Manchester United. They have won three of their past four league games (albeit separated by a derby defeat to Manchester City) and it has allowed others to operate higher up the field. Two weeks ago, the Tactics Board focused on Wayne Rooney's role as a No. 9.
The greatest beneficiary, however, has been Juan Mata, who longer has to pretend to be a winger. Selected as a No. 10 at Newcastle, he delivered two goals and a backheeled assist for Adnan Januzaj. As his touch map highlights, it allowed Mata the free rein to get involved all over the pitch. He had 87 touches, more than anyone else, and sent in the most crosses, with six, as well as, obviously, scoring most goals.
He also brought some fluidity. Mata had been used on the right by David Moyes and, even when granted a central role, he tended to drift out there, often swapping positions with Shinji Kagawa. Indeed, after Ashley Young, a specialist winger, came off in the 18th minute, United had three men who are No. 10s by trade, with Januzaj joining the Japanese and the Spaniard. The teenager's goal came when he and Mata combined in close quarters; with both making angled runs, United were not playing in straight lines, a regular criticism of them in Moyes' reign.
When United had a three-goal lead, Moyes took off Marouane Fellaini, abandoned his tactic of playing two conventional -- some would say defensive -- central midfielders and played 4-1-4-1 with Darren Fletcher sitting behind a duo of Kagawa and Mata. They proved kindred spirits: indeed, one of the most frequent passing combinations was Mata to Kagawa. It was only the third time they have started together and United have won all three games; tellingly, however, United have been without van Persie, Rooney or both in each of those matches.
CHELSEA 3-0 STOKE
More than two months after signing, Mohamed Salah made a belated first start for Chelsea and immediately looked a quintessential Jose Mourinho winger. The Portuguese likes his wide men to have pace, be able to cut infield and score goals. The Egyptian did all three.
As his touch map shows he operated largely on the right. Yet his most significant contributions came when he got in or around the penalty box. His goal proved the merit of staying near the edge of the box for the cutback when Nemanja Matic got close to the byline: Defenders automatically drop deeper toward their own goal, so space can be found a little further out. He earned the penalty that led to Chelsea's second from a rare foray into the inside-left channel, albeit after a diagonal run from the right and an exchange of passes with Eden Hazard.
Chelsea's third goal was revealing, too. While striker Fernando Torres formed the first line of the attack, taking Stoke back into their box, he was supported by the three attacking midfielders. None was in his supposed position: Salah was in the centre with Hazard on the right and scorer Willian cutting in from the left. Like Willian and Andre Schuerrle before him, it suggested Salah is acclimatising quickly to life at Stamford Bridge and adjusting his game to suit the manager's expectations. Each made few starts immediately after his arrival, but subsequent displays suggest lessons were learned on the training pitch.