Big Sam explains his decision to drop Jermain Defoe last weekend. Raheem Sterling praises Sergio Aguero for helping to improve his finishing, Aaron Lennon explains his recent upturn in output, Tony Pulis lauds the Baggies front two and Danny Welbeck concedes he’s still lacking match sharpness following a successful return to action.

Allardyce explains Defoe omission

In response to both Dame N’Doye and Fabio Borini scoring against Crystal Palace in Gameweek 28, Sam Allardyce opted to start both at Southampton while demoting Jermain Defoe to the bench. The latter subsequently went on to score in a second-half cameo, boosting his tally to 11 goals for the season. Speaking on the rotation of his forwards after the Saints encounter, Allardyce explained his decision to drop the Black Cats’ top scorer and hinted at an immediate return to the first XI:

“Fabio scored against Crystal Palace, Wahbi (Khazri) scored against Man United and Dame scored against Palace. Jermain hadn’t scored since Liverpool, so we put Dame up the top and he did a good job in creating chances. He went off and Jermain came on and got the goal we were looking for, so it’s a nice rotation thing between them. Jermain was disappointed he wasn’t selected, but he went on and scored. He says ‘there you go, are you going to leave me out next time?’”

Allardyce frustrated by defence

As a result of Southampton’s last-gasp equaliser last Gameweek, Sunderland are now without a clean sheet in 15 outings. Taking the season as a whole, only Norwich City have produced as few shut-outs (three), while only Villa have surrendered more goals (55 to 54). Furthermore, no team has allowed as many shots inside the box (261) as the Wearsiders, illuminating their inability to pressure opposition attacks. Ultimately, despite taking points off the likes of Liverpool and United in the last five, Allardyce – who today drafted in Emmanuel Eboue at right-back – is convinced that his side’s inability to keep out opponents may yet prove decisive in their battle to beat the drop:

“That clean sheet has eluded us yet again. It’s taken us so long to get that clean sheet, I thought this was going to be it and I was going to be telling the lads how important those 1-0 wins are. We’re scoring goals, but we are not keeping clean sheets and that is a massive problem for us. We have to keep them sooner or later and for me it was going to be my first 1-0 win which I was going to celebrate with my family on Mothers’ Day tomorrow, but now I’m going to be crying into my wine.”

Pulis hails front two

Following Saido Berahino’s return to the starting XI, West Bromwich Albion have strung together a four-match unbeaten streak that’s harvested seven goals – only Liverpool (11) and Chelsea (10) managed more in the same time frame. Salomon Rondon has been the chief beneficiary of Berahino’s comeback, alerting us to his potential in the mid-priced (6.5) bracket with three goals and an assist in four starts. Discussing the current potency of the Baggies’ attack, Tony Pulis conceded that they’re a more threatening proposition now that the want-away Berahino has settled down and returned to form:

“We’ve looked better as a team going forward now we’ve got Saido and Salomon together up front. We’re more of a threat now. At the beginning of the season we were hoping to start with those two. I think between them the pair of them would have scored enough goals to have made us a decent team. Unfortunately we haven’t had Saido during that time. Since they’ve been together the team have looked a lot better going forward. The testament to Salomon is that he just never stops. He’s such a fantastic lad. His goal was a great finish. We’re very pleased with him, he’s such a good lad.”

Sterling praises clinical Aguero’s influence

Despite netting his sixth league goal of the campaign against Aston Villa – rendering him the third-top scorer in the Manchester City camp – Raheem Sterling has generally struggled to nail down a starting berth since the turn of the year. Nonetheless, the 8.5-priced midfielder has still managed to chalk up 10 more shots inside the box (38) than any of his Sky Blues counterparts, underlining his differential potential when afforded a run of matches. Given that his shot-conversion rate has noticeably improved from his final term with Liverpool (8.3% to 11.8%), Sterling insists that he’s profiting from working alongside the clinical Sergio Aguero:

“It [goal tally of 11] isn’t near my target, but it’s a personal target, not to put in the press. With 10 games to go I have matched my record in terms of goals at Liverpool, which is 11 so far. Hopefully I can go on and reach the target I set myself for my first season. I have been working on my finishing. It’s something I want to do. Obviously we have players in the team like Sergio who you can look at and improve your game, and it’s no different for me. He is a world-class striker and someone I can look up to, so it’s always nice to have someone like him you can watch and see how they finish.”

Lennon explains goal form

Aaron Lennon is arguably in the best scoring form of his Premier League career, having bagged five goals in seven outings. The Everton winger has subsequently emerged as a viable option at the 5.6 mark, attracting over 20,000 investors since Gameweek 26. That being said, it’s worth noting that Lennon is currently posting an unsustainable shot conversion rate (50%) rather than being nurtured as a focal point for the Toffees’ offense. Regardless, the former Spurs recruit is relishing the freedom that Roberto Martinez bestows him:

“I’ve enjoyed the whole season, even when I wasn’t playing that much. I’m just buzzing to be back here. The manager gives the wide players freedom. He’s always telling me I have to get in the box if the ball is on the opposite side and, thankfully, I’ve managed to get a few of late. When your manager gives you a licence to do that, you’re going to get chances.”

Neil acknowledges Jerome’s displays

Having played second fiddle to Dieumerci Mbokani for a substantial stretch, Cameron Jerome reclaimed his starting slot from Gameweek 26. Since being tasked with leading the line, the budget forward has failed to trouble the scoreboard, mustering just two accurate attempts in the process. Quizzed on his decision to field Jerome, Alex Neil intimated that his work in the final third is proving invaluable in the Canaries bid for survival:

“You have to look at what he offers and if you do take him out of the side what you are losing. Look at the last few good performances from us and he has been involved in all of them. The one thing Cameron does give us is his work rate is excellent and he keeps the ball well at the top end of the pitch. He gets himself into really good goal scoring opportunities and I would be much more concerned if that was not the case. He is creating chances for himself. He is getting into good areas, but they are the chances that can win you games. He is six yards out (against Chelsea) and if he makes clean contact it probably goes into the net rather than hit the bar. Those are the crucial bits that win you games.”

Welbeck still lacking sharpness

After bagging the winner as a late sub against Leicester in Gameweek 26, the fit-again Danny Welbeck was afforded his first start of the season for the following week’s trip to United. The Arsenal attacker bagged a goal and assist from the right flank in a 3-2 loss at Old Trafford and, after dropping to the bench for the visit of Swansea, was handed the lone striker role for the north London derby trip to Tottenham last weekend. As he looks to step up his claim for more minutes up top, the former United man conceded that he’s not yet firing on all cylinders after such a long spell on the sidelines:

“No (I don’t feel sharp yet), it is going to take a while I think. I don’t feel as sharp as I did before my operation and I don’t know how long it will take, but I’m getting fitter and stronger each week. It is obviously difficult watching from the sidelines and being at home and not being able to play your part on the pitch. You try and do as much as you can off of it, work as hard as you can so once you do come back you are ready and you get your opportunity on the pitch and to play your part on for the team.”

Howe on utilising Francis as a centre-back

Simon Francis begun Bournemouth’s maiden top-flight season as their first-choice right-back but from Gameweek 11 onwards has operated in central defence – primarily alongside Steve Cook – to compensate for Tommy Elphick’s long-term injury. Although the Cherries’ captain is back in contention after completing his rehabilitation program, Eddie Howe suggested that he is loath to tinker with a defence that conceded just one goal in their previous trio of match-ups:

“I think that’s reflected in my team selection. From my perspective, Simon is a centre-back in a team that has performed very well over a long period of time. We know that he can play different positions but at the moment, he is doing so well in there and I wouldn’t want to take him out. They have performed very well since they played together at Chelsea, it has been a good partnership that has developed and of course with the full-backs included in that and the goalkeeper playing his part.”

Flores on Watford’s lack of goals

Since Gameweek 21, no side has tallied fewer goals (four) than Watford, while only Aston Villa have recorded less shots inside the box (43 to 48). Throughout the course of the campaign, Odion Ighalo and Troy Deeney account for 79% of the Hornets goals (23 of 29), so it’s no wonder that the team’s attacking output has plummeted in light of their barren spells (three in 10 outings between them). Although Quique Sanchez Flores acknowledged their deficiency in the final third, he reckons that his men are fashioning enough clear-cut opportunities – a statement bolstered by the fact that only five sides notched more big chances (14) than Watford during the above-mentioned period:

“It’s not a drama but it’s real. The important thing is we have built a system that can contain this situation. If we hadn’t it would be impossible to believe we could survive in the Premier League. Our system is good, the team is good and the attitude of the players is really good. We have two players who normally score. But we have been ready for the situation when Ighalo or Deeney doesn’t score. But when you read the statistics at the end of the match, we are creating attempts, are having shots and are getting into the box of the opponent.”