Plus: David Moyes believes Jarrod Bowen should be back in the England squad; Gareth Southgate names his next squad on Thursday ahead of a friendly against Australia and the Euro 2024 qualifier with Italy; cause for concern at Brentford?
Monday 2 October 2023 23:30, UK
For a quarter of an hour at Craven Cottage, it was a case of more of the same from Mykhailo Mudryk. Promising positions wasted; composure and confidence lacking at key moments.
An early dribble out of play had the Fulham fans behind the goal chanting "what a waste of money" in his direction. Soon afterwards, he rifled a wild, long-range shot high into the stands.
To his credit, however, Mudryk did not let his head drop. Instead, he kept at it, kept asking for the ball and kept causing Fulham problems until, in the 18th minute, he delivered precisely the kind of contribution Chelsea paid £88.5m for in the first place.
Levi Colwill's cross was taken on his chest at full speed and this time he produced the composure to match, directing a low finish through the legs of Bernd Leno. The goal set the wheels in motion for a much-needed Chelsea win. It might also be a turning point for him.
It was a shame that a thigh problem ended his evening prematurely but Mauricio Pochettino is hopeful of a swift recovery and feels the winger has finally adapted to his new surroundings.
"It's about maturity, adaptation," he said. "We need to understand that all young people need time to settle.
"It was a massive change for him when he arrived here. And when you arrive in a team, it's not easy to settle because, being honest, too many young players arrived in a team that is not solid."
A first goal offers encouragement of better times ahead. If he can continue to provide composure to go with his scintillating speed and directness, Mudryk could yet prove a serious weapon for a Chelsea side seeking to put their difficult start behind them.
Nick Wright
Brentford have taken just seven points from their seven Premier League games this season, with their only win coming at Fulham - which is their only victory in normal time in nine games across all competitions. That tally of seven points really should be nine after their 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest, where they had the advantage of playing 43 minutes (including added time) with an extra player but still could not swat aside Steve Cooper's determined outfit.
"We are strong believers of good performances, keep doing the right things, adding layers, keep learning from games like this," was Thomas Frank's assessment of his Brentford side.
"It's just a matter of time before we get over the line and get some wins."
Frank is a reliable customer when it comes to honest assessments of a Brentford performance level. This was a big step in the right direction after their no-show at home to Everton last week, where Frank admitted his team were poor.
Posting 15 shots inside the box to a backdrop of 39 touches in the Forest box usually would be enough to find the net twice in a match, especially against 10 players. It is a case of sticking to the process and Brentford should be just fine.
Lewis Jones
Since Rodri's Premier League debut in August 2019, Manchester City have lost 33 per cent of the top-flight matches they have played without the Spaniard, compared to just 7.5 per cent with him in their side.
The loss at Wolves - as well as the defeat at Newcastle in the Carabao Cup - add to the suspicion that City are just not the same without the dominating presence of Rodri.
Matheus Nunes and Mateo Kovacic are fine players but City lacked urgency and imagination in possession, with Pep Guardiola responding by removing the former at half-time.
City were also flimsy when they lost the ball, with Pedro Neto in particular causing concern when he raided down their left side.
Rodri may not have been able to single-handedly change the outcome of events at Molineux, but the numbers show City are clearly a more vulnerable side without him.
After looking unbeatable during the first weeks of the season, City are suddenly on the ropes - and Mikel Arteta will be desperate to ensure Arsenal are the latest side to expose the hole left by Rodri at the Emirates next Sunday.
Joe Shread
Fixing problems is a key trait of being a football manager in the Premier League. Injuries to Luke Shaw, Aaron Wan Bissaka and Sergio Reguilon has given such a problem to Erik ten Hag, who tried to remedy the issue by selecting new signing Sofyan Amrabat in a hybrid role down the left - like he did during United's comfortable first half performance in the 3-0 win over Crystal Palace in midweek. The difference was the Crystal Palace in opposition was a different team to the one that rocked up in midweek.
They played with bravery, physicality, and a huge amount of spark back in Premier League action. This gave Amrabat more defensive duties to undertake and he was given the runaround by the wily Jordan Ayew - a master of his craft at winning free-kicks and taking pressure off his defenders. He won five fouls off the desperate Amrabat, taking his tally to 25 fouls won over the course of this season - seven more than any other player.
Time after time, Amrabat took the bait and was even yellow carded for a cynical handball after Ayew had ducked past him. A performance to forget in a season to forget so far for Manchester United.
Lewis Jones
It was a brilliant afternoon for Arsenal at Bournemouth on Saturday, but it was an even better one for Kai Havertz.
Having struggled since his £65m move from Chelsea this summer, the 24-year-old scored his first goal for the Gunners on his 10th appearance as they romped to a 4-0 win on the south coast.
Havertz is not Arsenal's regular penalty taker but with his side already 2-0 up, Bukayo Saka gave him the chance to end a club goal drought stretching back to March and he made no mistake, calmly slotting the ball into the bottom corner to put the victory beyond doubt.
The Germany international was immediately mobbed by his team-mates as his name rang out from the away section. It was a significant moment and clearly meant a lot to him.
Although he was booked for a late challenge in the first half, Havertz produced an improved performance and was deservedly given a standing ovation by the Arsenal fans when he was substituted in the 81st minute.
During his post-match press conference, Mikel Arteta praised the midfielder for continuing to show commitment on and off the pitch despite a tough start to life in north London.
"That goal will change everything," the Arsenal boss added. Has Havertz turned a corner?
Dan Sansom
It was Tottenham's most euphoric stoppage-time win since… the last home game. The season and his tenure are just seven league games old but already the task of ranking the iconic moments under Ange Postecoglou is proving tricky for Spurs supporters.
Each week there is excitement and reasons to believe. Memories to treasure: like the eruption when Joel Matip inadvertently stuck the ball in the Liverpool net in the final seconds on Saturday. Or the entire-stadium ovation dealt out to Postecoglou as he applauded all corners alone on the pitch after the players' show of appreciation. This is what it's all about.
Postecoglou is delivering exactly what these Spurs fans wanted after the pragmatic football of recent years. Ambitious and adventurous, Spurs have ridden their luck at times but have been rewarded for their approach with dramatic wins which have lifted them to second in the Premier League table.
Style and substance, it's all going Spurs' way right now. Postecoglou can do no wrong. Who knows where it will take them - but it's going to be fun finding out.
Peter Smith
Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool side of old were known as the mentality monsters. This new-look Liverpool team channelled that same spirit with a dogged performance at Tottenham on Saturday.
Had it not been for the incompetence of the officials, whose bosses have admitted they made a "significant human error", the picture could have looked rather different. The sense of injustice was ripe but Liverpool never allowed it to distract them from their task.
It was testament to the work-rate of those in red that Tottenham's numerical advantage only truly became clear when Diogo Jota followed Curtis Jones in seeing red. Even then Klopp adjusted well, setting up in an unfamiliar 5-3-0 formation, which frustrated - and largely silenced - Spurs.
Liverpool 2.0 is quickly starting to take shape. Klopp, a master of man-management, has wasted no time in moulding the new recruits into his own vision. The group, it seems, are ahead of schedule on their mission to close the gap on - and eventually catch - Man City.
Gary Neville says they are not ready to challenge for the title this season, but Saturday's performance showed that you can never count them out of the fight. No matter what the scenario.
Zinny Boswell
With his clinical low finish in West Ham's 2-0 win over Sheffield United, Jarrod Bowen made it five goals from seven Premier League games this season. Factor in his dramatic winner in the Europa Conference League final in June and it's six in eight.
He could easily have had more on Saturday afternoon at the London Stadium. His goalbound header in the first half drew a fine save from Wes Foderingham. But he was sensational regardless, earning a standing ovation when he was substituted late on.
David Moyes said afterwards the 26-year-old must be "closer than ever" to earning an England recall and it is difficult to argue otherwise. Bowen has been one of the Premier League's outstanding performers this season. Only Erling Haaland and Heung-Min Son have scored more goals.
Gareth Southgate has so many options in his forward line but few are performing at such a consistently high level. It's the goals which are propelling him into the headlines, but his all-action display against the Blades was a reminder that he offers plenty more.
The visitors could not handle him on their left-hand side, where he combined so effectively with Vladimir Coufal, dribbling and driving forward in possession and hounding opposition defenders too. He is becoming impossible for Southgate to ignore.
Nick Wright
Wins over Brentford and Aston Villa had fostered hopes of brighter days ahead for Everton, but instead it was a landmark day for Luton, who celebrated their first top-flight victory since a 2-0 success against Aston Villa in April 1992.
A drenched Rob Edwards conducted his followers in the Bullens Road End through three joyous fist pumps in the driving rain. It was a filthy day but so beautiful for those who had made the journey from Bedfordshire.
"The Town are staying up," was the chant from the away end, and on this evidence few would say with any conviction that the Hatters are set for an immediate return to the Championship.
Luton were brilliant and deserved this win, typified by Alfie Doughty's dangerous deliveries. Every player stuck to the game plan and were really organised off the ball. They were really strong at the set-pieces and took their chances.
There's a togetherness which is working for them, and it showed in adversity too as the Hatters lost Reece Burke and captain Tom Lockyer in the second half to injury. This may have been even more comfortable as Carlton Morris was denied his second by an offside flag.
Ben Grounds
Co-founders of 777 Partners Josh Wander and Steve Pasko were in attendance at Goodison Park along with Don Dransfield, the CEO of the 777 Football Group, but they witnessed the size of the task ahead to turn Everton back into a force in English football - despite 23 attempts on goal.
Fourteen of those were off target. It was all so desperate, no finesse, and too frantic.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin described the defending for Luton's crucial second goal from Carlton Morris as "criminal", while Sue Smith said the players looked "scared" after falling behind. The confidence generated from two away wins in the space of five days drained away from the players after falling two goals down at home to a promoted side within 32 minutes.
Everton's surprise win at Brentford had offered them a platform to move comfortably away from the relegation zone ahead of the October international break with this home game coming before another encounter next weekend at Goodison Park against Bournemouth.
The visit of the Cherries will at least trigger happy memories of the last-day victory that secured survival if nothing else, as this 14th home defeat in 23 games since the start of last season underlines the problem Everton have playing in front of their own supporters.
Calvert-Lewin's third goal in as many games was indeed the first home goal of the campaign, but there were few signs of an understanding between he and Beto when the Portuguese came on in the second half. The striker signed for £27m from Udinese missed glaringly when well placed to level. This was a nasty reality check for Everton.
Ben Grounds
Brighton will be sick of the sight of Ollie Watkins.
Watkins' hat-trick inspired Aston Villa to an emphatic 6-1 victory over the Seagulls and the England striker has now scored six Premier League goals against Brighton, netting in each of his last four appearances against them.
In his English league career, it's now the outright most goals he's scored against a single opponent, overtaking the five he has vs Liverpool.
He works really hard for the team which sometimes goes unnoticed. Today was the complete performance.
The 27-year-old now has seven goals in all competitions this season, including two hat-trick to become the first player to score two trebles in a single season in all competitions for Aston Villa since Andy Gray in 1976/77. He's also only the second player to score more than one Premier League hat-trick overall for the club, after Christian Benteke.
Watkins' rise under Unai Emery continues but his exploits against Brighton were a timely reminder to England boss Gareth Southgate, who was in the stands at Villa Park on Saturday.
He wasn't in the Three Lions squad for the games against Ukraine and Scotland in September, but on this showing he will surely be firmly back in the thoughts of Southgate when he names against Australia and Italy in October.
Oliver Yew
"As a newly promoted team, I'm not that naive to not guess that it could be this type of start."
Vincent Kompany saw it coming. One point from their first six games back in the Premier League has Burnley second from bottom.
Manchester City, Aston Villa, Tottenham, Nottingham Forest, Manchester United and Newcastle represented nearly the toughest start they could have had.
There have been flashes of the side that stormed to the Championship title. Zeki Amdouni and Luca Koleosho have shone in difficult circumstances. Now they must deliver in a crucial October.
A trip to Luton is next on Tuesday, followed by misfiring Chelsea, Brentford and Bournemouth. Burnley's season starts now. David Richardson
