10 Premier League talking points: Arsenal shock as Mesut Ozil AND atmosphere spotted, Paul Pogba to the rescue for Man Utd & Tony Pulis record safe despite sacking
IT was a weekend where some familiar faces returned to the Premier League.
There was David Moyes taking charge of his 500th Premier League game as the new boss of West Ham (and losing), there was Zlatan Ibrahimovic on the bench against for United.
And then there was this guy too…
PAUL THE OTHER ONE
Last week we laid into Manchester United and Jose Mourinho for playing the kind of football that makes The X-Factor look positively thrilling.
For his part, Mourinho had his excuses, lamenting the absence of Paul Pogba in his midfield, even though he never, repeat NEVER, talks about injuries, not like all the other coaches.
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But the Frenchman returned on Saturday and boy did he make a difference.
Despite going a goal down to Newcastle, Pog turned the game on its head, bagging two assists and a goal as United ran out 4-1 winners – the seventh time they’ve scored four goals this season.
United really do look a different team with him in their ranks.
SOMETHING TO SHOUT ABOUT
A funny thing happened at the North London derby on Saturday.
As Arsenal cantered to an impressive win over rivals Spurs, the Emirates sounded like a real football stadium for once.
Yes, that’s right. There was actually an atmosphere.
And what happened? Well, buoyed on by their fans (and the fact it was Spurs they were playing) the Gunners played the best football they have in some time. Even Mesut Ozil put in a shift.
Funny what a little support can do, isn’t it?
TURF WARS
Somewhat incredibly, Sean Dyche is still manager of Burnley – he’s probably waiting for Zidane to jack it in at the Bernabeu – and the team continue to baffle and bewilder commentators, pundits and fans alike.
Another win on Saturday against Swansea – their third on the spin – and they now sit in 7th place, four points ahead of Watford and level on points with Arsenal and Liverpool.
Above them are the Big Six and that’s it.
And their secret? It has to be the defence.
Yes, they’ve lost Michael Keane and Kieran Trippier in recent years and England keeper Tom Heaton is a long-term casualty but it’s made little or no difference. Only the top two have better defensive records than the Clarets.
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In fact, they’ve kept six clean sheets in the league so far and only conceded more than one goal on two occasions all season (against Manchester City and versus Chelsea on the opening day).
With a fair wind and a little bit of luck they could even crack the top four this season. Imagine that.
No, I can’t either.
MADNESS!!!
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain cost more than Mohamed Salah.
Just leaving it out there.
REF JUSTICE
Why do referees never give big decisions early on in games?
The Leicester v Manchester City game wasn’t even two minutes old when Vincent Kompany cleaned out Jamie Vardy as the England striker raced through on goal.
It was about as clear a red card as you’re likely to see but the Belgian skipper escaped with a yellow from referee Graham Scott and Pep Guardiola’s men went on to win comfortably.
But it wasn’t just a case of the referee bottling it. It was a classic big club decision and you just know that if it had been Wes Morgan hacking down Gabriel Jesus, he would have walked.
ONLY THE TONY
Another game and another defeat for West Brom.
The Baggies are now without a win in the league since August 19th and staring the Championship in the face.
So what do they do now? Well, sack Tony Pulis... which they have done this morning.
Well, they need a no-nonsense manager who can come in and shore up the defence, a coach that specialises in saving relegation-threatened clubs and steer the ship to calmer waters.
In short, they need the man they've just gotten rid of.
Still, there will be some consolation for Pulis, his record of never taking a team down will still be intact.
Every cloud and all that.
ROY STORY
If I were a gambling man I’d have a little flutter on Crystal Palace beating the drop.
I know they’re still bottom of the table, five points adrift of safety, and I know only one club in the history of the Premier League with five points or fewer at this stage of the season has survived.
But I think their luck is about to change.
Just look at their next five fixtures: Stoke, Brighton, West Brom, Bournemouth and Watford. Three wins from those – which should be well within their capabilities – and it’s an entirely different story.
But I’m not a gambling man. Well, not much.
WE ALL STAND TOGETHER
Finally, I had an email from Brighton and Hove Albion this week, asking all Seagulls fans to show mutual respect to their fellow fans by fist bumping their Stoke counterparts at tonight’s game at the Amex.
Strangely, they’ve not asked they do the same at next week’s game against Crystal Palace.
