Eberechi Eze to cap dream season with Crystal Palace return, Taty Castellanos and James Maddison could be key in relegation fight - The Radar

Eberechi Eze could hardly have scripted a better season.

On Sunday, he returns to Crystal Palace as a Premier League title winner with Arsenal. Nobody at Selhurst Park will begrudge him the guard of honour he is expected to receive before the game.

Eze, scorer of their historic winning goal in last year's FA Cup final against Manchester City, is of course fondly remembered at his former club. He is already cherished at his new one too.

The manner of his arrival helped. Eze was the former academy player snatched from north London rivals Spurs. He was unveiled at the Emirates Stadium back in August as a returning hero.

His contribution to Arsenal's title triumph includes five goals in two appearances against the side he was close to joining. There was also a decisive strike against Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium in October and another against Newcastle in April.

There were difficult periods too. Eze needed time to adapt to the off-the-ball demands of playing for Mikel Arteta. But he has added qualities beyond the ones that mark him out on the pitch.

While some team-mates appeared weighed down by past disappointments on their way to the title, Eze showed a lightness, unencumbered by those near misses, his attitude summed up by his answer to a question about rival fans willing Arsenal to fail at a press conference in April which subsequently went viral.

"I don't care," he said. "If I'm honest I'm not too interested in what people think or how they feel about us winning.

"I just know that we've got a team that is more than capable and has proven that we are of the highest level. And when we do win, it will down to everyone else to deal with it."

Arsenal hope this is just the start of a winning era. There is of course the small matter of a Champions League final to come.

But before that there is Crystal Palace, and a full-circle moment for a player who has enjoyed a season to savour.

West Ham were given a final-day lifeline by Tottenham's defeat to Chelsea on Tuesday but Nuno Espirito Santo's team selection against Newcastle may yet prove costly. The decision to drop Taty Castellanos and use a back three backfired at St James' Park.

The plan was abandoned after just 26 minutes of the game, when Nuno introduced Castellanos for Jean-Clair Todibo and reverted to a back four. But the damage was already done, with West Ham two goals down, seemingly resigned to their fate.

Castellanos, though, clearly wasn't ready to accept it.

His sensational goal, guided acrobatically over Nick Pope from Mads Hermansen's long pass, came from one of eight shots by the Argentine, the second-highest total by any player in a Premier League game all season. And that despite only playing 64 minutes.

His one-man mission to turn the game around might have succeeded if not for two smart saves by Pope. He also crashed an effort off the bar. Nobody can accuse him of a lack of effort. The striker is a whirlwind of energy with a maverick spirit reminiscent of some of West Ham's most loved players.

His total of five goals since his January arrival from Lazio could, and maybe should, be higher. But West Ham would be down already if not for him and his display against Newcastle called to mind recent comments by Brentford owner Matthew Benham when discussing his club's approach to identifying goalscorers. "For a striker, getting in position is way more informative than finishing."

Castellanos gets into position, to quote Benham, with impressive frequency. He ranks among the Premier League's top 10 players for shots and headed shots per 90 minutes this season. He sits even higher, in fifth, for shots on target per 90 minutes.

He is a major threat, in other words. And while defeat at St James' Park means West Ham's fate is out of their hands on the final day, there is little chance of Castellanos giving it up. His return to the starting line-up for the visit of Leeds is a must.

James Maddison spurned a big chance for a Spurs equaliser in the closing stages of their defeat to Chelsea when his angled shot was charged down by Jorrel Hato. But his introduction from the bench, even in his half-fit condition, made a marked difference.

In only the second appearance of a season wrecked by injury, the 29-year-old could immediately be seen demanding the ball, making things happen. His total of 28 touches in the period between the 69th-minute and the final whistle was the most of any player.

Maddison took responsibility for driving Spurs up the pitch. By the end, he had made more forward passes in 21 minutes than Conor Gallagher managed in 90, with eight. There were 23 passes in total and he didn't misplace a single one of them.

It was a reminder of the qualities Spurs have missed in his absence this season. While the underlying data shows Roberto De Zerbi has transformed their defensive performances, taking them from fourth-worst in the division to best for expected goals against since his appointment, their attack continues to be blunted by absences.

With Dejan Kulusevski, Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus still unavailable, supporters will be eager to see Maddison given as many minutes as possible against Everton on the final day. But De Zerbi must balance the needs of the team with those of a player still recovering from a long-term knee injury.