Premier League: 10 Talking Points From The Weekend’s Action

It has been a changeless successful nan past 2 seasons: Manchester United are doing OK successful a game, resembling thing approaching a shot team, past retired of obscurity each their bully activity is ruined by goalkeeping incompetence someway predictable and unpredictable. And that was precisely what happened against Arsenal, United starting reasonably well, only to concede a area and autumn down successful inexcusably soft circumstances. Usually, André Onana is nan man responsible, but successful his absence, Altay Bayindir seized nan mantle pinch alacrity. We tin beryllium perfectly definite that Ruben Amorim has already told his bosses he must person a caller keeper and, though they person already spent heavily, nan position must beryllium addressed arsenic a matter of urgency because if it is not, this will proceed happening and they mightiness soon beryllium facing questions astir whether a caller head is necessary. It is pointless building a swish caller location only for nan owners to knowingly time off nan backmost doorway open, get burgled and sack nan builder. Daniel Harris

Altay Bayindir make a messiness of an Arsenal area earlier Riccardo Calafiori heads location from a gait out. Photograph: Robbie Jay Barratt/AMA/Getty Images

When Anthony Elanga departed for Newcastle, Forest knew they would look a difficult task replacing nan speedy winger. Numerous imaginable targets were analysed and readiness ascertained but they yet selected Dan Ndoye arsenic nan man to travel in. The 24-year-old started connected nan correct and caused problems for Rico Henry pinch his gait and trickery. Although Ndoye is not capable to scope nan aforesaid speeds arsenic Elanga, nary full-back will bask nan imaginable of facing nan Swiss winger. Nuno Espírito Santo tested his velocity by putting him done nan mediate astatine 1 point, getting him to move nan Brentford defence and connection a different proposition to Chris Wood. A superbly taken header showed that location is plentifulness much to Ndoye’s crippled than simply trying to scope nan byline and nonstop successful a cross. In erstwhile years, Brentford were seen arsenic intelligent recruiters but they are being outshone by Forest. Will Unwin

New seasons bring caller directives. It is, of course, difficult to responsibility nan officials for implementing nan laws of nan game. Even so, cipher who really enjoys shot tin person enjoyed seeing Eberechi Eze’s free-kick against Chelsea ruled retired because of Marc Guéhi being penalised for straying wrong a metre of nan Chelsea wall while he grappled pinch Moisés Caicedo. The involution felt measurement excessively pedantic and petty from nan VAR. There is talk of a ray touch but this was surely excessively overmuch interference. Eze’s free-kick was sadistic and Guéhi’s positioning made nary quality to whether Robert Sánchez was capable to prevention it. Let’s see, too, if this rule is applied passim nan season. This often happens astatine nan commencement of a run – caller tweaks to nan laws are made and location is plentifulness of scrutiny connected them early on, only for referees to extremity being arsenic stringent a fewer months in. Jacob Steinberg

Carlos Baleba, playing his first shot for almost a month, showed why he is considered nan adjacent jewel disconnected nan Brighton accumulation line. Still conscionable 21, he was nan subordinate astir successful power amid an different hurried, bitty midfield battle. Once he departed successful nan 2nd half, Brighton mislaid control, and arsenic precocious arsenic Rodrigo Muniz’s extremity came, it became ever much probable arsenic clip dragged on. The connection from wrong Brighton is Baleba is resolutely not for sale, Fabian Hürzeler saying afterwards: “Together, we want to spell pinch him and make pinch him nan adjacent step.” Brighton person each player’s pathway planned out, which invariably concludes pinch an eventual sale. Not conscionable yet, though, astatine a nine wherever patience is seen arsenic a virtue. Three large summertime signings, teenagers Stefanos Tzimas, Charalampos Kostoulas and Tommy Watson, were each made to hold for their Premier League debuts. All must spot a process that delivers dividends for individuals and nan nine alike. John Brewin

Jorge Cuenca tries to extremity nan awesome Carlos Baleba arsenic Brighton attack. Photograph: John Sibley/Action Images/Reuters

Almost 14 years aft replacing him for his England debut against Spain successful nan days of Fabio Capello, Kyle Walker was handed his competitory Burnley debut by Scott Parker connected Saturday. The 35-year-old couldn’t do overmuch to forestall either of Richarlison’s goals arsenic his erstwhile nine Tottenham kicked disconnected nan Thomas Frank era successful style but showed nan benignant of activity that will beryllium required if Burnley are to compete successful nan apical flight. Walker is closing successful connected a period of England caps and has been selected successful some of Thomas Tuchel’s squads truthful far. He will dream that a play that is expected to beryllium spent fighting relegation will beryllium capable to book a spot astatine adjacent year’s World Cup. “At his property and nan level wherever he’s travel from and what he’s done, of course, this is simply a wholly different task and thing he’s not astir apt knowledgeable this year, what he’s going to face,” admitted Parker of nan six-time Premier League victor pinch Manchester City. “But I cognize Kyle well, and I cognize he’ll look up to that.” Ed Aarons

Manchester City scored pinch each of their 4 shots connected target astatine Molineux but, while nan roaming midfielders Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki took astir of nan acclaim, down nan different extremity of nan transportation James Trafford enjoyed a good debut. It had been a agelong clip successful nan making for nan goalkeeper. This summertime Trafford rejoined City 2 years aft leaving for Burnley and 10 years aft first joining City aged 12 from Carlisle. There are suggestions City will move for Gianluigi Donnarumma if Ederson departs for Galatasaray arsenic mooted but Trafford, viewed arsenic nan semipermanent England No 1, has staked his claim, redeeming smartly from Jørgen Strand Larsen erstwhile required. “He’s tall, his beingness is really good,” said Pep Guardiola. “The fans emotion having homegrown players from nan academy playing for us.” Ben Fisher

How sadly emblematic of nan modern crippled that supporters prevention their astir entertaining chants for criticising nan financial authorities of nan game. Aston Villa fans voiced their dissatisfaction astatine nan governing bodies’ rules (“Premier League and Uefa, your rules are fucked” didn’t rather scan) that dictate they’re not allowed to overspend their income by much than £105m complete a three-year play for Premier League regulations, aliases transcend Uefa’s remit to debar paying wages astatine much than 70% of their revenue, which they person done each twelvemonth since their 2019 promotion. How darned unfair of nan authorities. Meanwhile, Newcastle fans applauded their consenting workers during and astatine nan extremity of their gutsy goalless tie astatine Villa Park earlier yet giving Alexander Isak some barrels by claiming there’s “only 1 greedy bastard” arsenic their prima striker continued to make himself unavailable to play arsenic he attempts to excavation his measurement retired to Liverpool. Will they beryllium having a connection pinch Yoane Wissa, who has been linked pinch a move to Newcastle and did not play for Brentford connected Sunday? If only we had an independent assemblage to thief modulate these matters … Peter Lansley

Sunderland person much than 80 play summons holders aged 85 and over. As a convey you for their support successful recent, troubled, years nan recently promoted nine person fixed them each free seats for nan full campaign. It’s a awesome motion and, aft Saturday’s 3-0 location win, each nan grounds is that nan recipients could beryllium successful for a treat. The only caveat is that Régis Le Bris’s skilfully blended squad cannot play West Ham each week. With Habib Diarra and Granit Xhaka – 2 of 8 location debutants – shining, goals from Eliezer Mayenda, Dan Ballard and Wilson Isidor suggested a troubled play whitethorn await Graham Potter. “I understand nan scoreline doesn’t look beautiful for us,” said West Ham’s manager. “We person to judge nan disapproval and we person to do better. We can’t hold for nan guidance to springiness america points.” Potter must dream nan betterment originates astatine location to Chelsea connected Friday night. With Lucas Paquetá disappointing successful a visiting broadside for whom only Jarrod Bowen really impressed nan portents are not promising. Louise Taylor

Sunderland’s Dan Ballard is mobbed by his teammates aft scoring nan 2nd extremity against West Ham. Photograph: Scott Heppell/Reuters

A triumph complete Manchester United is an fantabulous commencement to a season; successful a akin vein, it is silly to tie lasting conclusions aft 1 crippled and it is not cheating to people regularly from group pieces. Watching Arsenal astatine Old Trafford, though, location was small consciousness that thing has changed complete nan summer: they were still coagulated astatine nan back, unimaginative successful midfield and uninspired successful attack. Viktor Gyökeres will surely people goals, but looked nevertheless for illustration a blunt instrument, capable to tally channels and physically asseverate without suggesting he tin create for himself aliases settee games pinch a infinitesimal of brilliance. Of course, it whitethorn good beryllium that nan goals he adds are capable – Arsenal person not been acold distant successful immoderate of nan past 3 seasons. Yet passim them all, location has been a consciousness that, bully though they are, astatine slightest 1 different squad will beryllium amended – and that still remains nan case. Daniel Harris

The problem for clubs whose personality is based connected buying debased to waste precocious is that they person ever to replenish – and immoderate signing is ever thing of a risk. It felt Bournemouth’s last convention position past play didn’t rather bespeak really bully they’d been, which successful move felt arsenic though it mightiness person been thing of a missed opportunity, arsenic 4 of their first-choice backmost 5 (if you see nan goalkeeper) and Dango Ouattara each left. Perhaps they mightiness person been somewhat much coagulated had a mates much of those defenders remained but moreover though they fto successful 4 against Liverpool, location were capable affirmative signs to propose that they’ll beryllium astatine slightest mid-table this season. The property remained fierce and focused capable to unsettle nan champions, Evanilson was arsenic large a fistful arsenic ever, Antoine Semenyo had an exceptional crippled and nan caller left-back Adrien Truffert showed capable to propose he mightiness beryllium capable to replicate nan guardant thrust of Milosz Kerkez. Jonathan Wilson