The table doesn’t lie but teams such as Burnley and Brighton are exceeding all expectations while Swansea and Everton have disappointed badly. Here’s how the 20 sides rank based on early-season health and vigourThey say the league table never lies, and this is of course true. What they don’t tell you is that during the dog days of an international break, when nothing falls or rises and hopes and fears are put on temporary hold, the narrative becomes a bit less compelling.You get sick of looking at the same thing, in other words, although Burnley, Brighton, Watford and Huddersfield will probably never tire of waiting for winter and the real meat of the season from a position in the top...
Where the Emirates reeks of broken dreams, Spurs’ world seems alive with potential before the derby on Saturday. They are becoming the club Arsenal should have been – but now they need trophiesA gleaming new stadium looming over north London. A distinct style based around homegrown players paid a fraction of what other comparable clubs are paying. A foreign manager who arrived in England to widespread scepticism before being revered as a magus-like figure who has led a revolution in physical preparation. Tottenham are becoming the club Arsenal should have been.They have even sold one of their better players to Manchester City – albeit, and this perhaps shows how they have improved on the Arsenal model – with a replacement...
The Chilean forward did his best to be diplomatic at the home of his possible future employers but was not happy as Manchester City eased to a 3-1 victoryThe chant went up almost as soon as the game kicked off: “Alexis Sánchez, he wants to be blue.” This much seems to be true, though here was an awkward situation for the Chilean forward. Not quite in the shop window, as some would have it, because Manchester City are already known to be admirers. They would have signed him up by now, had Arsenal allowed it, and to say the player was frustrated by the non-events of the summer would be understating the case by quite a distance.Sánchez has made his point on several...
Eden Hazard may tire of being kicked, Tony Pulis is under pressure at West Brom and Pep Guardiola may seek more firepower in JanuaryEden Hazard was fouled six times at Stamford Bridge. At one point in the second half the Belgium international was fouled by not one but three opponents in the colours of Manchester United, dragged to the ground by a combination of Nemanja Matic, Eric Bailly and Phil Jones like a man being crushed by falling trees. It is a regular experience for Chelsea’s No10, who can duck in and out from season to season, but who is at least consistent in his role as a human piñata for opposition teams. Hazard is kicked constantly in the Premier...
Ederson Moraes and Fabian Delph impressed, and although Arsenal found a small chink in City’s armour, the visitors’ defensive woes continued apace“We’ve got Guardiola” sang the delirious home support and here was another key win overseen by the Catalan. Yet despite this, Alexandre Lacazette’s second half consolation highlighted a weak spot that City’s competitors are sure to study. When Liverpool were trounced 5-0 in early September City had been split open along Nicolas Otamendi’s left-hand channel before Sadio Mané’s 37th-minute sending off changed the contest. In this match a similar vulnerability came when Otamendi was given scant support by an awol Fabian Delph, the left-back, and so Lacazette could stroke beyond the excellent Ederson Moraes. City are a formidable force...