7 Truths: Lionel Messi doesn’t need penalties; Chelsea don’t need Diego Costa; City don’t need title

Yes, you would back Lionel Messi to dribble past three defenders and nutmeg the goalkeeper with more certainty than slot away a spot kick at times, but one thing is clear: he does not need penalties. That is not to say that he does not care for penalties – although often he does have a distinct look of disdain when presented with such a pathetically simple scoring opportunity – but that he does not in any way depend on them. The Argentine missed his fourth penalty out of eight this season against Getafe, but he also scored and assisted three goals – so no big deal. When you have 23 goals and 12 assists in 18 matches so far in 2016, missed penalties really do not matter in the slightest. As Lewis Hamilton likes to say, zero cares.

It’s time for Chelsea to seriously consider whether or not they really need to put up with Diego Costa beyond this summer. From being an ultra-aggressive but highly-effective striker in Jose Mourinho’s system last season, Costa has become somewhat of a liability for the club this campaign. Chelsea always knew that there were red flags over the combative striker’s ability to stay fit and to control his temper, but his red card – and potential ‘bite’ – against Everton may represent the beginning of the end for his stay at Stamford Bridge. It may well be time for the Blues to move on from the fiery centre-forward and leave his theatrics in the past – crucially, they can no longer have any confidence in his self-control.

After the gloriously-dramatic title in 2011-12 came the hangover the following season; now it appears as though two seasons will go by with City’s expensively-assembled squad failing to make a serious run at the title, even in the most open race for years. But it really does feel as though City have already switched all of their attention to next season and Pep Guardiola’s reign at the club. Okay, so they have already secured the League Cup, but this campaign must go down as a terrible underachievement given what an open goal Manuel Pellegrini’s side are set to squander in the title race. Another insipid display against Norwich City sums up City’s season in the league – they clearly don’t need the title this year, but it’s a huge missed opportunity.

As crazy as it now sounds, there were many reports that Neymar had to have his own stage and could not function effectively when having to share one with Messi. It may have coincided with many frankly absurd stories during contract negotiations, but it has clearly never been a problem for Barcelona or Neymar to have him playing off the great Argentine. Such is the fluidity and intelligence between Barcelona’s attacking forces, there is never an issue with one player attempting to dominate or hog the limelight – and so it was against Getafe as Neymar returned from suspension and immediately hit electric form in netting a brace while Messi settled for one goal and three assists. There never was a problem with the functionality of Barcelona’s attack and there certainly isn’t now.

Romelu Lukaku has always had the potential – which is one of the reasons why it’s so bizarre that Chelsea were ever willing to let him leave – but this season he has emerged as a genuine world-class centre-forward. He offers everything you could want from a striker: power, aerial threat, pace, a delicate touch, and the ability to finish from just about anywhere in the final third. It’s even possible to argue that he’s the best striker playing in England right now – and there’s some serious competition for that accolade. He was far too good on Saturday night for a Chelsea side who have been crying out for a player with his skill-set for some time. Everton simply have to improve if they are to keep the striker for much beyond this season, but for now the Toffees fans should simply enjoy being able to watch such a stunning player in action.

Shane Long doesn’t score enough goals, but the energy and industry that he brings to this Southampton team is crucial – as perfectly illustrated by his first-half display at Stoke. The Republic of Ireland international ran the Potters ragged, linking up brilliantly with two-goal hero Graziano Pelle and offering a constant threat on the counter-attack. His performance faded slightly after the break, but it was perfectly clear why manager Ronald Koeman was so pleased to have him back available. The time for a big move is probably gone for Long, but he can have a major say in how far Southampton can rise over the next few years.

Bournemouth will almost certainly stay up, and it’s a truly remarkable achievement from Eddie Howe and his men. Bournemouth moved into 13th place with their late win over Swansea and are now just two points away from the clichéd 40 points that supposedly assures a club of survival. Regardless of that platitude, they do appear to have secured enough points to start planning for next season: there are simply too many clubs below who lack the quality to mount a revival. While Leicester and Tottenham are grabbing all the plaudits for their incredible campaigns, Howe and Bournemouth can be quietly smug over their summer holidays after another magical season of overachievement.