Premier League: 10 talking points from the weekend’s action

1

Arsenal in need of ruthless edge

It took them an hour of huffing and puffing, but Arsenal did something at Stamford Bridge they hadn’t managed since September – they scored an away goal in the Premier League. After toothless performances at Newcastle and Inter in the past week – and last month at Bournemouth – Gabriel Martinelli’s cute finish was itself a moment of relief, but Mikel Arteta was frustrated that his team didn’t find a winner. Their expected goals figure was lower than Chelsea’s (1.27 to 1.69) but that does not account for Leandro Trossard’s costly miskick at the death nor Kai Havertz’s would-be opener, which was just offside. The Gunners will almost always control games, especially now Martin Ødegaard is fit and firing again, but that age-old itch has not been scratched. They are not ruthless enough and they still lack a penalty box killer. Dominic Booth

• Match report: Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal

2

Slot driving Reds to remarkable start

Only once in the past 34 seasons have Liverpool collected more points from the opening 11 games than the 28 they have now. That was in 2019-20, when Jürgen Klopp’s team amassed 31 points at the same stage and went on to end the club’s 30-year wait for the league title. In Arne Slot Liverpool possess a head coach not only with the methodology to win 15 of his first 17 matches in charge, including three in one demanding week against Aston Villa, Bayer Leverkusen and Brighton, but the temperament required to handle the pressure of a title race. There is a humility there too that players appreciate. Note how he refused to take credit for Liverpool prospering from Villa corners repeatedly on Saturday night and insisted it was all down to the quality and ingenuity of his team. The team is being driven by Slot and the painful experience of blowing up late in last season’s title race. “We should have learned from last year,” said the club captain, Virgil van Dijk. “We’re only in November but I see us dealing with difficult moments pretty well. I can’t predict how the last part of the season will go but so far, so good.” Andy Hunter

• Match report: Liverpool 2-0 Aston Villa

3

Baleba brilliance the key cog for Brighton

João Pedro and Matt O’Riley were the scoring heroes in Brighton’s memorable comeback against Manchester City, but it was the performance of Carlos Baleba in the second half that had home supporters purring in appreciation. The Cameroon midfielder was instrumental in the turnaround after coming on and was the latest evidence of his rapid progress under Fabian Hürzeler having being brought in to replace Moisés Caicedo when he joined Chelsea for a British record fee of £115m last year. Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool are all thought to have already shown an interest in Baleba, but would surely have to pay a hefty price for the 20-year-old given Brighton’s reputation for demanding premium fees for their stars. “If there are big clubs who want me, it’s not something that worries me or gets me excited,” he said before the City game. “I just need to work hard and keep a cool head.” Ed Aarons

• Match report: Brighton 2-1 Manchester City

4

Can United adapt to Amorim?

With Rúben Amorim incoming as Manchester United’s new head coach, the outgoing interim manager, Ruud van Nistelrooy, chose not to answer when asked if the Portuguese’s preferred 3-4-3 can be carried out by the current squad. “That is a very good question,” he said. “What for me is important when I started as an interim at the beginning of this four-game period was to stabilise and continue playing what the players are used to 85% and put in little tweaks and that is where you start to get your own bit of identity in, try to get the confidence back. You could see the quality of the players still not in a consistent way because there is a lot to improve but there is a foundation in the last four games of strong unity, good spirit, players who were at it and looking for results and we got four. It is a lot to analyse, are there wing-backs, inside-forwards? I can’t comment on that.” Jamie Jackson

• Match report: Manchester United 3-0 Leicester

5

Newcastle subs pushing to start

The substitutes Harvey Barnes and Sandro Tonali taking the game away from Nottingham Forest reminded patience can be a virtue for big-money signings. Neither players’ talent is in doubt but injuries for Barnes and off-field problems – specifically gambling – for Tonali threatened to categorise both players in the “bust” section. “Harvey Barnes did what he does, he’s an outstanding player,” said Eddie Howe. Barnes’ goal was his special move, cutting in from the left to score with his right, an inverse Arjen Robben. Barnes has also been restricted by the pre-eminence of Anthony Gordon but is desperate to achieve his potential in a black-and-white shirt. “I can do what I do from the bench from the beginning,” he pointed out afterwards. Tonali, signed as the world-class midfielder his manager was missing, has a considerable emotional debt to repay Howe and Newcastle. His performance in Nottingham, closing out victory against admittedly tiring Forest legs, suggested he is capable of fulfilling it. John Brewin

• Match report: Nottingham Forest 1-3 Newcastle

6

Ipswich’s young duo catch the eye

Ipswich fully merited their landmark win at Spurs and it was a particularly eye-catching afternoon’s work for two of England’s most vaunted young talents. Omari Hutchinson and Liam Delap cost around £35m between them in the summer and, while both still have rough edges, their values are shooting up by the week. Delap’s opportunist effort was his sixth goal of the season and it is hard to think of a 21-year-old centre-forward in the league with equivalent potential. Hutchinson, a bundle of energy who has worked hard on his decision-making, relieved pressure constantly with his running and was near-impossible to dispossess, somehow staying on his feet to help create the winner. Ipswich’s battle against relegation may well go to the wire but, by investing in two players who will surely receive senior international recognition before too long, they have set themselves fair for the future however their season pans out. Nick Ames

• Match report: Tottenham 1-2 Ipswich

7

Bees need to take home sting on the road

Brentford lost their talisman and main goal threat in the summer when Ivan Toney made the £40m move to the Saudi side Al-Ahli – and yet you’d never know from watching them at the Gtech Community Stadium this season. The fact Toney barely gets a mention these days is a testament to their attacking prowess without him. No team has bagged more home points (16) than the Bees this term and no team has scored more goals (18) while doing so. Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo are sharing the scoring burden, netting seven and eight, respectively, to sit among the league’s top five goalscorers. The flipside to all this is Brentford’s rotten away form, failing to pick up a point in five games on the road. By Thomas Frank’s own admission, his team are “not perfect” but they’ll be desperate to find some attacking swagger in their next away game, against Everton after the international break. DB

• Match report: Brentford 3-2 Bournemouth

8
Time to clamp down on timeout farce
With Wolves in trouble and facing repeated attacks, José Sá dropped to the ground calling for medical attention, forcing the referee to call a temporary halt to proceedings as it is impossible to carry on with a goalkeeper out of action. While the Wolves No 1 took a rest and a man with a degree rubbed his leg for a few seconds, his deputy, Sam Johnstone, did not bother to warm up, an indicator that nothing was wrong. As the medical staff jogged across the turf, Wolves’s outfield players headed to the touchline for a huddle and instructions from Gary O’Neil as he looked to change tactics. It seems a ridiculous situation that teams get a time out on false pretences and the officials need to find a way to stop these quasi-farces because it slows the game down and offers an unfair advantage to the team plotting these breaks. Will Unwin

Match report: Wolves 2-0 Southampton

9
Summerville a rare light amid gloom
A lot of questions have, understandably, been asked about West Ham’s summer signings: £130m spent on eight permanent signings and two loan deals of which only Aaron Wan-Bissaka has clearly worked. But one of the others, Crysencio Summerville, is beginning to make his mark. He is quick and direct, works hard and has fast feet and, while question marks remain about his decision-making, looks as though he could become a valuable part of the front three. On only his third league start since joining from Leeds in the summer, the Dutch winger was West Ham’s most consistent threat, his effort against the post the closest either they or Everton came. The question is how he can be fitted into a side with Mohammed Kudus, Jarrod Bowen and a centre-forward, particularly while Lucas Paquetá remains available – but for a side so short of flair and attacking edge, any threat at this stage is worth celebrating. Jonathan Wilson

Match report: West Ham 0-0 Everton

10
Wilson: to start or not to start?
What does Harry Wilson need to do to start? The question was inevitable once the Welshman slotted in against Crystal Palace, his third goal of the week from the bench. “He is doing the right things,” Marco Silva, Fulham’s manager, said. “He is doing nothing wrong. He is competing against very good players. If I can play with 12 or 13 it’s going to be easier for me, but I can’t.” The predicament is understandable. Fulham’s starting attackers were delightful to watch at Selhurst Park, Raúl Jiménez’s hold-up play complementing the Arsenal-bred trio behind him: Alex Iwobi, Reiss Nelson and Emile Smith Rowe. It was Iwobi’s exquisite through-ball that set up Wilson, and the Nigerian international is clearly loved by Silva, who signed him for Everton, too. “Last season was the best season from him in the Premier League. I’m sure that he’s going to be better this season,” Silva added. Wilson may have to be a Solskjær-esque substitute for a little longer. Taha Hashim

Match report: Crystal Palace 0-2 Fulham