Premier League: 10 talking points from the weekend’s action
1) Marsch hopes Anfield can relaunch Leeds’ season
Inconceivable. That could apply to the decline of a team who were challenging on all fronts six months ago, have reached the knockout stage of the Champions League, yet find themselves adrift in the title race having dropped points in eight of 12 matches this season. But it was the word Jesse Marsch used to describe Leeds’ first win over Liverpool since April 2001 – prefixed by “almost”, admittedly – as the under-pressure manager savoured the release of a dramatic late victory at Anfield. The emotional celebrations were understandable but did not cloud Marsch’s assessment that Leeds cannot waste the chance to launch their season. With three of the current top four to play after Bournemouth’s visit to Elland Road next Saturday, his realism made sense. “We should not be in this position, we should not be suffering the way we are,” said Marsch. “But we haven’t found ways to reward ourselves. Part of it is we are a young team.
We needed a moment in our season to stop the bleeding and to get it here is almost inconceivable. But we can’t just rely on one game. We need to build momentum in our season.” Andy Hunter
Match report: Liverpool 1-2 Leeds
2) Cucurella makes torrid return to Brighton
Marc Cucurella is struggling. The Spanish defender has had a difficult start to life at Chelsea and it did not get any better for him when he returned to Brighton on Saturday. Brighton’s fans had not forgotten how Cucurella
forced his way out of the club last summer and they delighted in watching him fail to contain Solly March, who had the freedom of the right flank because of Graham Potter’s cavalier decision to field Raheem Sterling at left wing-back for Chelsea. Sterling offered Cucurella, who was at left centre-back, zero protection and the home side duly ran riot. Nothing went right for Chelsea. They were comfortably outplayed and the individual concerns over Cucurella are growing. His defending has been ragged, his distribution iffy, and he has been substituted early in four of his last five starts; not the best look for a player who cost £62.5m. Jacob Steinberg
Match report: Brighton 4-1 Chelsea
3) Nelson makes his case from the bench
Reiss Nelson has had to wait patiently for his chance but the Arsenal attacker took full advantage during their dismantling of Nottingham Forest. Nelson was brought on for Bukayo Saka in the first half and played a huge role in the rout. Two goals at the start of the second half and an assist added
up to an outstanding return that suggests he can play a valuable role in their squad this season. “Not only me but all his staff and teammates are so happy for him, because he’s really evolving and maturing,” said Mikel Arteta. “He’s showing every day how much he wants it. Today he had that opportunity and he did extremely well.” It was only Nelson’s fourth appearance of the season and his first in the Premier League but he played with the confidence and touch of a first-team regular. It will surely not be his last meaningful contribution. Simon Mail
Match report: Arsenal 5-0 Nottingham Forest
4) Guardiola looks ahead to City’s home comforts
“I know the calendar,” Pep Guardiola said a little menacingly a halfhour or so after victory at Leicester, proceeding to rattle off how Chelsea host Arsenal and Tottenham entertain Liverpool before the World Cup break. Chelsea also travel to Newcastle before the Premier League halts. The point Guardiola was making was that his Manchester City side must try to make the most of a relatively kind schedule. They have four successive home games before eyeballs turn to Qatar, including a Carabao Cup tie with Chelsea and league matches against Fulham and Brentford. Rivals are likely to drop points and City will hope to avoid fatigue and defeat. “We can arrive after the World Cup being there on top of the league,” Guardiola said. Ben Fisher
Match report: Leicester 0-1 Manchester City
5)Martínez’s injury points to concussion concerns
It is a measure of Newcastle’s progress that two national coaches, England’s Gareth Southgate and Brazil’s Tite, watched Eddie Howe’s side shred Aston Villa, scoring four fine goals. In scoring two and helping create both of the others, Wilson emphasised that he should be nailed on as Harry Kane’s international understudy. He has surely booked a place in Southgate’s Qatarbound World Cup squad. While Howe’s impressive team seem genuinetopfour contenders, Aston Villa’s incoming manager, Unai Emery, has much to do when he begins work on Tuesday. One priority must be reviewing the club’s concussion protocols. Despite requiring prolonged treatment after his teammate, Tyrone Mings, accidentally drove a knee into his head, Emiliano Martínez continued for a further 12 minutes before collapsing unchallenged after collecting a cross and finally being helped off the pitch. Why did Villa not replace their goalkeeper immediately after the Mings collision? Louise Taylor
Match report: Newcastle 4-0 Aston Villa
6) Antonio has a future as a West Ham supersub
Michail Antonio last started a Premier League game in mid-September but he has a potential future as a supersub. At Old Trafford, he was called for after 57 fruitless minutes for Gianluca Scamacca. Antonio offering variety could be important for David Moyes, who has lacked a backup option of note for a long time. Antonio went on and made Lisandro Martínez know of his presence immediately, producing the sort of shoulder barge that would leave a lesser player requiring a month in bed. Manchester United knew they were in a battle and had to adapt to the new challenge, doing so successfully – but only just. He lost out to defenders on a couple of headers but the pressure was certainly increased on the opposing backline and he forced David de Gea into a fine tip over the bar with a rising drive. Antonio can continue to have similar impacts and in modern football there is no great shame in being a very effective substitute. Will Unwin
Match report: Manchester United 1-0 West Ham
7) Moore’s strength vital for Cherries and Wales
Kieffer Moore is non-conventional. His route to the Premier League – signed by Yeovil Town from non-league Dorchester only to endure back-toback relegations; a brief stint with Norway’s Viking FK; a whistle-stop UK tour taking in Ipswich, Barnsley, Wigan, and finally Bournemouth – was nonconventional. His playing style – 6ft 5in battering ram centre-forward – is, by modern standards, non-conventional. But against Tottenham on Saturday, Moore was too much for the visitors to handle. A goal in each half came through a pair of differing first-time finishes. He steered the opener home with his right foot, before later stooping for a header of strength and bravery. He did not deserve to finish on the losing side. Still, there were signs of promise for both Bournemouth and Wales. Sam Dalling
Match report: Bournemouth 2-3 Tottenham
8) Lampard and Silva are at clubs that suit them
“I have to remind you that in our first season [at] Everton we finished in eighth,” said Marco Silva. “Until the last game we were competing for the Europa League.” Silva was standing his ground determinedly, just as Fulham had been denied victory by the brilliance of Jordan Pickford, and some prime defending by Conor Coady and James Tarkowski. His sacking in December 2019 clearly still rankles but at Fulham his attacking style of play is highly appreciated. Frank Lampard, meanwhile, suits Everton’s current needs well, and deserves credit for reviving his career and reputation by saving the club from relegation before making them hard to beat this season. “Last year we would lose that game so there is progress, but I want more,” he said. Everton remain blunt in attack but Lampard’s relative success and Fulham’s excellent season so far under Silva reminds us certain clubs suit certain managers. Finding those combinations is the difficult bit. John Brewin
Match report: Fulham 0-0 Everton
9) Palace continue to lack a top finisher
Patrick Vieira’s tenure at Crystal Palace has been quietly impressive so far, the manager having succeeded in transforming an uncomplicated counterpunching side into one that attacks with far more imagination, all without sacrificing any resilience at the back. The one glaring absence, though, is a goalscoring striker – a situation compounded by Conor Gallagher’s return to Chelsea and mitigated only partly by Wilfried Zaha’s output. With 88 goals in four seasons for Celtic, Odsonne Édouard was signed to fill that gap but a piddling total of six last term did not befit an attack featuring two of the country’s most fearsome wingers. The Frenchman’s record is little improved much this season but his three goals so far – close-range conversions to cap passages of smart buildup play – at least offer a decent blueprint for the type of striker Palace need. If Édouard doesn’t improve soon, Vieira should be on the lookout for a more predatory centre-forward capable of spearheading a charge for Europe. Ivan Toney perhaps? Alex Hess
Match report: Crystal Palace 1-0 Southampton
10) Costa’s red card so wasteful for Wolves
There were signs that Diego Costa was finding sharpness in the draw with Brentford. A neat feint and drag past Ben Mee in the second half left the impressive centre-back flailing and the former Spain international’s vicious low shot was well stopped by David Raya. His link-up play and movement looked to be improving, too. Having scored only six Premier League goals this season, Wolves desperately needed the veteran striker to quickly find fitness and form to help lift them away from the relegation zone. The hard work on getting up to speed was wasted when the forward headbutted Mee over absolutely nothing. It was an astonishing lack of discipline and the straight red card – Costa’s first in the Premier League, surprisingly – means the 34-year-old is now suspended until Boxing Day. Another extended break will mean Costa has to work again to find match fitness. Wolves might be wondering whether signing him was worth it. Gregg Bakowski
Match report: Brentford 1-1 Wolves