Plus: Recharged Newcastle hit back to hold Man City; Jack Grealish dazzles despite target on his back; Sean Dyche proves his worth to prospective new Everton owners; Bryan Mbeumo carries Brentford's attack against West Ham
Saturday 28 September 2024 21:02, UK
Arsenal have the same amount of points as Manchester City in the Premier League table but the bookmakers have the Gunners down as slight favourites over Pep Guardiola's side.
It makes very little sense, given City have the experience and Arsenal are still going for their first Premier League title in over two decades. So what do Arsenal have that City don't?
The answer is clear: set-pieces. Tottenham, Man City and now Leicester - that's three Premier League games in a row where Arsenal have scored from the same corner routine. Bukayo Saka's delivery from the right, several Arsenal players rushing the goalkeeper and the ball in the back of the net, either planned or just finding a way in somehow.
It is another example of planned pressure Mikel Arteta's Arsenal have. They are so well-drilled in multiple areas of the pitch.
It is not just with set-pieces - they are this efficient in open play too. Steve Cooper said they conceded two "typical Arsenal goals" in the first half having spent all week working on how to defend Arsenal's cutbacks and crosses. "That's how good they can be," said Cooper after the game.
The ball keeps on going into the net for Arsenal and the points keep racking up. Arsenal are yet to lose this season despite a tricky last 10 days or so. If you can't beat Arsenal when they're on an off-day, when can you?
Sam Blitz
As Arne Slot pointed out after Liverpool's 2-1 win over Wolves at Molineux, it did not feel like a top-against-bottom game and he is reluctant to get carried away just six games in. The Dutchman insists that we should only judge when everyone has played each other.
But for now the table shows Liverpool ahead of Premier League champions Manchester City, ahead of Premier League favourites Arsenal. Five wins from six games with the best goal difference, as well as two wins from two in the other competitions as well.
There is depth in attack, unexpected synergy in midfield and the defence looks strong. Slot still wants more patience from his players but for now there are promising signs that they can add that composure without losing the cut and thrust of the old Liverpool.
Even if any fledgling title push fails to materialise - they faded last season under Jurgen Klopp - Slot is right to point out the obvious when he says that if Liverpool had started poorly, he would have been questioned. As it is, the table shows his side at the very top.
Adam Bate
Chelsea's game against Brighton was supposed to give us a clearer idea of where they might end up this season. A litmus test against a tougher side to establish if they can truly be considered among the frontrunners for Champions League qualification.
The chaos that ensued at Stamford Bridge failed to fully answer those lingering questions about Enzo Maresca's side and their credentials. They came up against a depleted Brighton defence that will struggle to have a worse game this season. It was a one-off.
Having Cole Palmer, however - who is on a contract until 2033 - will always put them in that conversation. At just 22, he is the talisman, the player this young team turn to as a source for inspiration. And he does not look burdened by that responsibility.
Palmer's first-half four-goal haul, a record in the Premier League, serves as a reminder about his quality and expels any suggestion he might struggle in his second Chelsea season. In fact, Maresca's decision to play him centrally means Palmer could become even better.
Palmer's influence has grown now he is playing as one of two No 8s in midfield rather than on the wing. Maresca is clear that the player he views as "the Premier League's best" must be at the heart of Chelsea's system.
It had been a relatively quiet start to the campaign by Palmer's own lofty standards, with two goals in six games before Saturday's win, but the midfielder says he is now back to full fitness and feeling at his best after a long summer with England at Euro 2024
Chelsea will be glad to hear that. Palmer's presence in the team elevates them to one of the top contenders for those Champions League spots, despite some lingering concerns about the rest of the team.
Zinny Boswell
Despite dominating possession, Brighton were on the wrong end of a classic match-up at Stamford Bridge. Often managers are praised for sticking to their principles and not relenting to the toils of action. That stubbornness is one that we have seen from some of the best managers in the league. However, in that first half it backfired for Fabian Hurzeler.
On a number of occasions, Brighton's defence was unravelled by a countering Chelsea attack, with the Blues enjoying a great deal of space beyond the Seagulls' high line.
The likes of Nicolas Jackson, Jadon Sancho and Noni Madueke, fed by a rampant Cole Palmer, participated in wave after wave of attacks on the Brighton goal. Hurzeler's found success from that in his opening five games but after conceding the same number of goals at Stamford Bridge than he did in his first five games, it calls for change.
"You can't win when you make these easy mistakes. If necessary, we have to adapt something," Hurzeler said when quizzed about whether he would persist with the high line.
"Of course some things are non-negotiable, some things are negotiable. I think I should discuss it with the players before I go out here in the public and say something about our style of play. I need to discuss it with the players, how they feel, if they feel confident or not.
"But again we try to improve the players, we try to help the players, we try to talk to the players, we need to give them advice and if you want to play with this high line, you need a connection and this connection was missing today."
Hurzeler has gained plaudits for his style of play since arriving in the Premier League but will Palmer's four servings of reality give the 31-year-old a change of perspective?
William Bitibiri
Newcastle have not carried the kind of adjectives we've come to associate with an Eddie Howe team of late. There has been a lack of bite. A lack of aggression. They had become easy to play against.
Not against Manchester City. The Newcastle of old returned. They were full of spark out of possession when tasked with pressing the champions. Anthony Gordon was all over Ederson like a rash, making the goalkeeper look uncomfortable, and the relentless Sandro Tonali was everywhere Jack Grealish went, backed up by Joelinton and Bruno Guimaraes.
There was aggression in everything they did and it upset the flow of Man City's attacking patterns, making 14 fouls that did result in the three aforementioned midfielders being carded.
This was more like it from Newcastle after a sticky period of performances.
Lewis Jones
In a very flat attacking performance from Manchester City, it was Jack Grealish's creativity and spark that carried Pep Guardiola's team through the game.
He's certainly back to his best after a spell backstage rather than being front and centre. His hips are shaking and his toes are twinkling.
His assist for Josko Gvardiol's goal was a thing of beauty, creating something out of nothing. Kieran Trippier didn't know where he went before sliding a perfect ball in for the goalscorer.
Such was his influence, Newcastle had to try and disrupt him. They kicked him from pillar to post, fouling him five times with Fabian Schar and Tonali both being carded for challenges on him.
No player attempted more dribbles (4) and he won eight of his 12 duels, showcasing plenty of resistance under pressure from all angles. He has to be one of the first names on the Man City teamsheet in this form.
Lewis Jones
In the week the Friedkin Group agreed to take over Everton, Toffees boss Sean Dyche desperately needed this win over Crystal Palace.
The takeover news had immediately led to speculation around Dyche's future, with ex-England boss Gareth Southgate reportedly being eyed by prospective new owner Dan Friedkin.
But Dyche proved his credentials on Saturday as he inspired a superb second-half performance by bringing on Jack Harrison - who provided the assist for Dwight McNeil's winner - and presumably giving an impactful half-time team talk.
Dyche, whose contract is due to expire at the end of the season, will hope to have restored faith amongst the Everton support, who were delighted to see Jarrad Branthwaite back.
It is no surprise that the centre-back's long-awaited return culminated in Everton's first league win of the season, with his calmness and composure at the back on display against Palace.
At the other end of the pitch, McNeil continues to impress with a stunning equaliser - and he has now created the most chances (21) of any player in the Premier League this season.
With this quality, Dyche will be hoping he can move his side upwards to convince the prospective new owners he is the right man to take the club forward.
Declan Olley
By any logic Brentford should be struggling after losing both Ivan Toney and his replacement Igor Thiago, as well as Yoane Wissa. Bryan Mbeumo carries the weight of the entire Bees attack on his shoulders.
Kevin Schade is as close as they come to another recognised striker but Mbeumo is the main man through the middle, and is thriving with five of Brentford's eight league goals.
Thomas Frank is as big a cheerleader as Premier League managers come but he meant it when he said Mbeumo was more of a loss to the team last season during his four-month injury absence than Toney - at the moment he was ruled out, he was on for a 15-goal season.
This time around, he might just manage it. Five in six is a trajectory he certainly can't continue but it is not just down to fortune, and he is a much better finisher than when Brentford were first promoted.
In their first Premier League season he scored less than half the goals his xG tally suggested - from a small sample size this season, he's outperforming it by more than double.
Ron Walker
When you're in a bad run of form and you concede with 41 seconds on the clock, you fear the worst. In that context, the way West Ham bounced back to earn a point at Brentford is a positive.
But that's still as good as it gets. For a team with the depth and quality of this Hammers side, the lack of memorable moments they produced is still a concern.
The Hammers' defending has been a major cause for concern but their attacking return is an even greater worry when Julen Lopetegui was tasked with delivering a more expansive style.
That will take time but with an expected goals tally lower than Southampton, despite Lucas Paqueta, Mohamed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen featuring in every game, their individual quality should be enough to produce more than this.
Paqueta was a particular oddity in an anonymous showing at the Gtech, and after shuffling over to the touchline when substituted he shook his head in frustration as he reached the substitutes' bench.
Something is not right with the Brazilian but he is far from the only issue.
Ron Walker
For the players, fans and especially Marco Silva, the final whistle could not have come sooner on Saturday afternoon.
The Cottagers would have been having flash backs to their frustrating 1-1 draw with West Ham during the game at the City Ground.
They were the better side and were clutching onto a finely-balanced 1-0 lead heading into injury time as their opponents pushed for an equaliser.
As many will know, West Ham went on to find that goal through Danny Ings but this time, thanks to an impressive performance from summer signing Joachim Andersen, Fulham managed to shut out their opponents and secure all three points.
They are now up to sixth place in the Premier League and deservedly so. An exciting project is bubbling away in west London and the results are following suit.
Patrick Rowe
It is easy to see why Forest were unbeaten heading into this fixture after watching their first-half performance.
They suffocated Fulham prior to the break and restricted any space given to the likes of Alex Iwobi, Emile Smith Rowe and Adama Traore.
This, coupled with the threat they posed in the air from Murillo, Chris Wood and the returning Taiwo Awoniyi, meant the Reds headed into the interval as the better side.
Forest came close to leading through Wood but were denied the opener by a mere matter of inches - but after half-time it was a different story.
Nuno Espirito Santo sacrificed the physicality of Awoniyi for the more technically gifted Anthony Elanga - which was a fair decision.
It was clear after the restart that more space was available for Fulham, and they quickly made the pressure count from the penalty spot.
The Forest boss admitted it was not "the best" game from his side and that it became "stretched" after the break.
He might not be so quick to change the set-up with his side in control next time round.
Patrick Rowe
Wolves always knew this was a daunting start, facing five of last season's top seven in their opening half a dozen games. The only other fixture was at Nottingham Forest where they picked up their solitary point so far. It is the context behind their poor form.
The home support still chanted Gary O'Neil's name during their 2-1 defeat to Liverpool under the lights at Molineux but some are restless, frustrated by the absence of a replacement for Max Kilman and feeling that the club is going in the wrong direction.
Key for O'Neil will be ensuring his players see it differently. Even in this run of one point from a potential 18, there have been signs of quality. Wolves' hardworking midfield is impressive, while in Rayan Ait-Nouri and Matheus Cunha they have entertainers too.
If they stick together, more winnable game will come and they are far from cut adrift. If the negativity begins to take hold then it could go very differently. The problem for O'Neil is that it could get worse before it gets better. Next up at Molineux? Manchester City.
Adam Bate
