Five Things We Learned From Premier League Weekend as Manchester United Hit Heady Heights

A week is a long time in football, so they say, and in the Premier League just one positive result can change the outlook of a club’s season pretty quickly.

Momentum is a funny thing.

We have seen it this campaign already with managers losing their jobs despite early positivity with Nuno Espirito Santo at Nottingham Forest one particular example.

Last season’s Euro run should have been enough to add to the Portuguese boss’s good grace with the club but Nuno was sacked. Only for his replacement, Ange Postecoglou, to be binned within 39 days of taking the reins.

This past weekend has shown that it really is a funny old game with some big results, shock moments, upsets and wonder goals to discuss.

So we at FootballBlog took a closer look at matchday nine and picked out some interesting points which prove the Premier League is still must watch.

Sunderland stun Chelsea at the Bridge

Ever since the Black Cats thrashed West Ham on the opening day of the new season, the feelgood factor has been clear and obvious at the Stadium of Light.

Regis Le Bris has his side playing excellent football at times and their results and fourth place spot in the division tells a magical story for the Frenchman.

Enzo Maresca’s hosts may have dominated the action on paper at Stamford Bridge with the statistics showing up in their favour. But where it counted, it was Sunderland who took the points.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5NePbb3hGw

They even found themselves a goal down early on to Alejandro Garnacho’s strike and a lesser team with a weaker mentality might have crumbled after conceding within four minutes.

But their equaliser came not too long after the first goal and that allowed the visitors to find their feet.

A long, hopeful ball over the top within stoppage time at the end of the match would work itself into becoming the winner scored by Chemsdine Talbi and a stunned silence came over the home support only to be broken quickly by the delirious punters in the away end.

Sunderland have won massive points this season and none more so in London. If they can keep this up, they are in for a strong campaign.

Manchester United continue their winning run

All the talk regarding the Red Devils has been rather negative for some time now.

Ruben Amorim has been close to the sack on more than one occasion with results awful last term and this campaign not exactly starting on fire.

But the boss seems to be beginning to lead a shift in mindset with his players and their 4-2 victory over Brighton at Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon was just what the doctor ordered.

Summer signings Bryan Mbuemo and Mathues Cunha are starting to gel.

They have now won three matches on the bounce including a roaring 2-1 victory over Liverpool at Anfield last weekend which was certainly a ray of sunshine for the club.

United are now sixth in the Premier League but more importantly than that right now is that they are finding form at a good time and smiles will be back on the faces in no time.

That lad may finally be able to cut his hair within the next few weeks.

Aston Villa Cash-in vs Man City

With Arsenal running rampant at the top of the Premier League these days, the big question has been – so far – about which teams can realistically challenge them at this moment.

Mikel Arteta’s squad continue to win as they did vs Crystal Palace over the weekend, but their closest rivals have struggled with big points dropped already this year.

Liverpool, last season’s winners, are in a rut and that has allowed Pep Guardiola and Manchester City to climb.

But they stumbled on Saturday when they were beaten by Aston Villa thanks to a wonder-strike.

The Villans took their time to find form this year under Unai Emery but the Spaniard always maintained that his side would. Now they have.

Matty Cash struck a peach into the bottom corner for Villa to earn all three points over City and that held the Light Blues down in fifth as the so-called lesser teams crept into the top four over the weekend.

All credit has to go to Bournemouth and Sunderland for their start.

Liverpool winless drought goes on

Arne Slot has some serious questions to answer right now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WusVjp0L-k

The Dutchman has failed to win any of his last four Premier League fixtures and the defeat to Brentford was a poor one.

Sloppy goals conceded, silly chances passed up and dopey defending at times. Keith Andrews in the Bees’ dugout has to take credit for the victory, but the Reds must also accept responsibility.

Mo Salah is droppable now for Liverpool with fans growing impatient with his lack of success so far this season.

He did score the second of their day on Saturday evening but it was too little, too late.

Alexander Isak was missing through injury but he has started his career poorly in Merseyside and he has certainly not (yet) justified the whopping price tag they paid Newcastle.

Slot should get time to turn things around, he will get time.

However he will have to do so fast or run the risk of scoring out the good will he earned last season if the league title race gets too far away from them this early in the term.

Burnley scalp Wolves for first away win

Burnley’s stars might have been forgiven for accepting their first point on the road over the weekend having spurned a two-goal lead at Wolves.

But Scott Parker is building something with the Clarets and they were able to take advantage of a confidence-lacking Molyneux outfit as they secured their first win away from home instead.

It was a late winner for Parker’s boys thanks to Lyle Foster’s strike which heaped the pressure on home boss Vitor Pereira despite the Portuguese recently penning a new contract.

Continued results and performances like this one will do no good for the 57-year-old as they sit rock bottom of the table with just two points from a possible 27 out of their opening nine games.

Perhaps not quite a six-pointer at the bottom yet but the result leaves the hosts further adrift from their opponents who themselves were desperately needing a victory to climb up the division.

We’ve already mentioned the buzzword ‘momentum’ and gaining it early in the attempt to avoid the drop – or maybe in an attempt to make the top 10 – is vital.