Arsenal won't catch Spurs, but can QPR pull off a miracle?

SPURS' win over Arsenal dominated the weekend's headlines and could prove significant in the battle for Champions League places, but there were plenty of other crucial results.

Manchester United's grip on the title tightened as they beat Norwich to go 15 points clear ahead of Man City's clash with relegation-threatened Villa tonight. And down in the drop zone QPR registered a rare win. Indeed they and West Ham were the only two clubs in the bottom half of the table to win last weekend.

Here's what the fans will be talking about this morning:

ARE ARSENAL IN A 'NEGATIVE SPIRAL'?
Was Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas taking a dig at Arsenal or simply stating the truth when he said the Gunners were trapped in a "negative spiral" after the north London derby? Spurs are certainly in the ascendancy at the moment and have a seven-point lead over Arsenal. This year it looks as though Arsenal fans will miss out on 'St Totteringham's Day' - the celebration held on the day that the Gunners are assured of finishing above Spurs in the table.

SUAREZ WON'T WIN PLAYER OF THE SEASON
Luis Suarez scored another hat-trick as Liverpool brushed Wigan aside on Saturday evening, but amid the praise heaped on the Uruguayan there was the acknowledgement that he has little chance of being named player of the season. The striker has been sensational all term, but the likes of Robin van Persie, Gareth Bale and Michu stand a better chance of winning the award as their exploits have helped their teams to reach new heights. Liverpool, despite Suarez's efforts, still lie a mediocre seventh in the table.

KAGAWA PRESENTS FERGIE WITH A DILEMMA
Shinji Kagawa became the first Asian player to score a Premier League hat-trick on Saturday as he helped Manchester United to a 4-0 win over Norwich. His performance presents Alex Ferguson with a dilemma ahead of the Champions League clash with Real Madrid on Tuesday. Has the Japanese midfielder done enough to warrant a place in the starting line-up and what does that mean for Ferguson's formation? Kagawa only really performed at his best once Robin Van Persie had come off, when he was able to adopt a more attacking role.

RAFA GETS OFF LIGHTLY
Those expecting a public execution at Stamford Bridge on Saturday would have left disappointed after Rafa Benitez emerged relatively unscathed from his first appearance in front of the Blues faithful since his midweek attack on the club. There were the usual anti-Benitez banners and songs from some sections of the crowd, but the abuse was no greater than usual. Perhaps his promise to leave at the end of the season has drawn some of the venom from the crowd. The fact that Chelsea ground out a 1-0 win over West Brom would also have helped.

BIG WEEK FOR QPR
Things could not have gone much better for QPR this weekend. Not only did Harry Redknapp's strugglers win at Southampton, dragging the Saints back towards the drop zone, but their relegation rivals, Reading and Wigan, both lost as well. However, QPR remain three points adrift at the foot of the table and are still four points from safety. But they now at least have a chance of staying up and upcoming games against Aston Villa and Wigan will be crucial. ·