5 issues we learned from this weekend’s Leading League action

Arsenal defeat Manchester United 1- at Outdated Trafford as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side experienced a 3rd household Leading League defeat.

Elsewhere on Sunday, Southampton gained all over again, even though England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford viewed from the bench as Everton came unstuck at Newcastle, and Gareth Bale scored his to start with target for Tottenham since returning on mortgage from Authentic Madrid.

On Saturday, champions Liverpool came from powering to return to the summit with a 2-1 gain over West Ham and at the other end of the desk, Sheffield United’s struggles ongoing just after a 1- property defeat by Manchester City.

Here, the PA news agency appears to be like at what we acquired from the top flight this weekend.

Extra household difficulties for United

The Red Devils experienced looked back to their very best in a 5- thrashing of RB Leipzig in their midweek Champions League fixture. Nonetheless, Sunday’s lacklustre show in the dwelling defeat to Arsenal, when Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s 2nd-fifty percent penalty proved decisive, left Solskjaer at the time additional struggling with inquiries over the way of his crew following 100 video games at the wheel. United have now failed to acquire in their opening four top rated-flight residence matches for the initial time due to the fact 1972-73 – and, regardless of a lot of a bogus dawn, there appears no swift fix on the horizon.

Super sub Bale delivers

Gareth Bale had not been on the pitch lengthy when he headed in a cross from Sergio Reguilon, his former True Madrid workforce-mate, to assist Tottenham to a 2-1 earn about Brighton in Sunday’s late kick-off. It was much from a vintage Spurs effectiveness, but 1 which even so vindicated the nine improvements manufactured by manager Jose Mourinho next the shock Europa League defeat to Royal Antwerp, and the outcome moves them up to second in the Premier League desk. At 31, Welshman Bale could not be the participant he was when he left for LaLiga, but the celebrations which followed his goal – a to start with for the club because May possibly 2013 – showed how a great deal it still meant.

Attack best type of defence for champions

Although the awareness has been on just who would Liverpool switch to at the again with Virgil Van Dijk, Fabinho and Joel Matip all wounded, summer season signing Diogo Jota arrived off the bench to strike again as the Reds battled to victory around West Ham on Saturday. Jurgen Klopp could have been given very little choice than to set his religion in Nathaniel Phillips, but he was not allow down by a mature exhibit at the back again from the 23-year-old. Jota’s contribution, even so, confirmed when you have this kind of a slicing edge in attack, supplying the opposition a good deal to assume about in their possess box will always establish vital to hopes of a profitable title defence.

Saints go marching on

The last 12 months have furnished a outstanding turnaround in fortunes for Southampton, who ended up humiliated 9- at house by Leicester on a moist Friday night time in Oct 2019. Roll the clocks forwards, and Sunday’s 4-3 acquire at Aston Villa – where by the hosts scored twice in stoppage time to make the scoreline additional flattering – pushed Ralph Hasenhuttl’s very well-drilled side up into third just before Tottenham’s win dropped them to fourth. The progress is tribute to difficult perform on the education pitch, a keen eye in the transfer current market and patience in the boardroom. A recipe for results at any club.

Pickford provided time to reflect

It has been a tests couple of weeks for England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, who was taken out of the firing line by Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti as he dropped to the bench for Sunday’s defeat at Newcastle. The 26-12 months-previous, though, has been promised a swift return concerning the posts for next weekend’s Leading League match from Manchester United. How Pickford will reply stays to be noticed – but it could yet spark him back again into prime sort as he looks to shift on from the drop-out from his deal with on Liverpool defender Van Dijk.