Our writers round up the weekend's Premier League talking points.

“He has something really big going on now,” Quinny warned us, as Big Sam gyrated provocatively across the Stadium of Light pitch, yanking off his jacket and threatening, for a terrifying moment, a celebratory full monty.

As the television replays showed Thierry Henry’s handball on an endless loop, Howard Webb reached for his mobile phone.

Owen Hargreaves knew Bastian Schweinsteiger was different when the Manchester United midfielder approached him and demanded his boots.

Gary Lineker believes the Premier League still does not attract the best players in the world despite the bumper new television deal.

Gary Lineker has been unveiled as the face of BT Sport’s coverage of the Champions League from next season.

The former World Cup final whistler has been handed a new role as performance director for England’s professional referees.

Getting up early and heading to a newsagent’s in Cheltenham for a Racing Post bang smack in the middle of the Festival can be hard work, but you are usually rewarded with a surreal sight or two.

Everton 0 Swansea 0

The furore over Brian Cody’s criticism of Barry Kelly last weekend has shed some light on a little-discussed phenomenon in the GAA, the shadowy world of county-referee incompatibility, where it can be claimed without fear of contradiction that a certain county has issues with a certain official.

In October 1983, as she sat down to write her 301st column for the Los Angeles Herald Examiner, Diane Shah had a dream.

England’s top referee Howard Webb has announced his retirement - and not a moment too soon for a lot of football fans.

The Italian official accused last week of favouring Argentina and Lionel Messi has been chosen to referee their World Cup final against Germany.

Brazil 1 Chile 1 (AET) (Brazil win 3-2 on penalties)

Brazil squeezed through to the quarter-finals of the World Cup after coming within a whisker of going out against an accomplished Chile side.

WORLD CUP GROUP C:

Colombia 2 Ivory Coast 1

Hull City 0 Everton 2

Palace 0 Manchester City 2

Real Madrid 1 Bayern Munich 0

Cardiff City 1 Stoke City 1

Cardiff manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer revealed a contentious first-half penalty for Stoke galvanised his players into the recovery act that could help secure Barclays Premier League survival.

Although Tony Pulis may still not admit it, his Crystal Palace side are all-but safe after earning a deserved victory over a poor Aston Villa side at Selhurst Park.

Atletico Madrid 1 Barcelona 0 (Atletico Madrid win 2-1 on aggregate)

Atletico Madrid 1 Barcelona 0 (Atletico Madrid win 2-1 on aggregate)

Hull 1 Swansea 0

West Ham 2, Sunderland 1

Sunderland 1 West Ham 2

Schalke 1 Real Madrid 6

Cardiff 0 Hull 4

Club-record signing Mesut Ozil has been left out of the Arsenal squad for today’s Barclays Premier League clash against Sunderland at the Emirates Stadium.

Doubters begin to have faith restored

Arsenal 2 Liverpool 1

The daggers which seem to permanently hover just behind Arsene Wenger’s back, and which inched even closer following the disrespectful and disgraceful comments made by Jose Mourinho, should now be sheathed; Arsenal’s season is very much alive.

Arsenal 2 Liverpool 1

Chelsea 3 Newcastle 0

Aston Villa 0 West Ham 2

West Ham striker Andy Carroll will serve a three-match ban after his appeal for the red card shown in Saturday’s win over Swansea was dismissed by the Football Association.

West Ham have notified the Football Association that they wish to appeal against the sending-off of striker Andy Carroll in Saturday’s win over Swansea.

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce accused Swansea defender Chico Flores of “over-exaggerating” the impact of an aerial clash that led to Hammers striker Andy Carroll’s dismissal at Upton Park today.

West Ham 2 Swansea 0

Norwich 1 Hull 0

Norwich 1 Hull 0

Southampton 1 West Brom 1