WINNERS
LIVERPOOL
Jurgen Klopp's men continued their quest to secure a first league title since 1990 with a 3-0 demolition of visitors, Southampton on Saturday afternoon to secure the Red men's seventh win in a row this season. Klopp took the unconventional step of replacing one of his midfield trio with Swiss star Xherdan Shaqiri and how did he deliver. The miniature attacker crossed in the ball which Wesley Hoedt inadvertently diverted into his own goal for Liverpool's first. The Swissman then unleashed a brilliant freekick which hit the frame of the bar on the half time mark for Egyptian star, Mo Salah to tap in his third league goal this season. Shaqiri can count himself as unlucky to have been replaced at half time. Liverpool continued the disembodiment of the Saints after the break but could not get past the resilient Alex McCarthy in their quest for a fourth goal. Joel Matip came into the side also in replacement of Joe Gomez and capped an impressive 90 minutes with the opening goal. Virgil Van Dijk's slight injury aside it was a brilliant day out at home for Klopp's men and all roads lead to Stamford Bridge next Saturday teatime where the Pool hope to further cement some people's tags as firm favorites for the Premier League crown.
JAMES MADDISON
"Madders" as he is affectionately dubbed by teammates and fans alike contributed a man of the match performance in Leicester's 3-1 win over Huddersfield. Maddison, who is Leicester's record signing at over 24 million pound , scored a stunning free kick in his sides victory going some way to diffusing Leicester City's fans concerns of Riyad Mahrez departure from the club. Maddison was magisterial at times with his use of the ball and was particularly effective in the transition between defence and attack. The Coventry born man was many's EFL young player of the year and will go a long way to collecting the Premiership's equivalent accolade should he continue his fine start to the season. Maddison's technical ability, set piece skills, pace and ability to ride tackles all make him an exciting proposition to watch. Gareth Southgate will certainly be casting an eye on the Leicester man's future performances and he is certain to earn a maiden England call up in the not too distant future.
ARSENAL
The Gunners got the better of Everton in a testing clash last Sunday to continue their mini resurgence under new boss, Unai Emery. The Spaniard saw his team deliver a performance akin to Jekyll & Hyde. The saying "attack is the best form of defence" is definitely applicable to Arsenal and Emery will be a tad concerned that it was goalkeeper Petr Cech who received the man of the match honours at the end of Sunday's game. For every bit unimpressive Arsenal were in defence they were ruthless in attack. Without doubt summer signing Lucas Torreira added extra impetus and an eagerness to move the ball quicker from a to b in the centre of Arsenal's midfield but it was duo Alex Lacazette and Piere Emerick Aubameyang who shone brightest for the Gunners. Lacazette has contributed nine goals in his last nine starts in the Premier League (seven goals, two assists). While only Mo Salah has scored more goals in all competitions since Aubameyang's January arrival at the Emirates (Auba has scored twelve). The duo have both scored in three of the last five games they have started together so the chemistry is there, if Emery can get his defence to gel in a similar fashion the Gunners will not be too long climbing the league table.
BURNLEY
Sean Dyche's men picked up a much needed win on Saturday with a 4-0 throbbing of an unusual out of sorts Bournemouth side. Burnley were keen to return to form given their early Europa League exploits and were every bit as dominant as the scoreline suggests. Led by the combative and unrelenting Ashley Westwood in midfield the Clarets possessed a drive and aggressiveness that was lacking in earlier games this season. Aaron Lennon looked a man reborn on the left side cutting in on to his favoured right foot. A testament to the Ginger Mourinho's management style is his ability to keep a whole squad of players happy and enthusiastic. Joe Hart has looked every bit like the keeper Man City once had on their books the past few games. It is noteworthy that his current form is sidelining the recently returned club captain Tom Heaton. Ashley Barnes came off the bench to net a brace while new signing Matej Vydra also netted a maiden league goal for his new side. Sam Vokes and Chris Wood are proven goalscorers and tested at this level and will be hoping to match their colleagues form in the coming weeks. All bodes well for Dyche and his men to further propel themselves up the Premier League table.
LOSERS
CHELSEA
The Blues playing a cavalier style of football that would be benign to past teams under the tutelage of Messr's Mourinho and Conte were held scoreless by a spirited West Ham side on Sunday. If Maurizio Sarri insists on munching cigarettes he will look as every bit as toothless as his side against the Hammers. The attack was very slow and posed very little questions of the Hammer's low block. The buildup play was predictable and unimaginative at times with N'Golo Kante in particular struggling to assert any presence in particular when in possession. The Frenchman who played on the right of a midfield three made his runs into the channel vacated by Willian either too early or too late and closed off passing lanes much to the angst of his teammates on several occasions. His colleague, Jorginho set a new Premier League record with 180 passes and illustrated best the dilemma now faced by Sarri and his staff. At times when "Sarriball" fails to work will his side be willing to negate Plan A in favour of a more direct and riskier approach in games akin to last Sunday? The Italian came out and said that it would take another year for Chelsea to reach Liverpool's current level. Unfortunately he has just a few days before he guides the Blues into two pivotal fixtures against the Reds where at best he hopes Chelsea can match them for par.
MANCHESTER UNITED
The ominous signs are in the air at Old Trafford, it bears all the hallmarks of third season syndrome for Jose Mourinho once again. Every football neutral eagerly anticipates the point in the third season collapse where The Special One attends a press conference with the infamous Mourinho buzz cut, only then do I believe the end is near. Saturday's opposition, Wolves avoided defeat for the first time at Old Trafford since November 1980 having lost their last eight. Another worrying trend is that United have dropped six points from the seven Premier League home games under Mourinho, betwen 2006/2007 - 2015/2016 they only dropped five points against such opposition. The outcome could have been worse had Wolves and the enigmatic Adama Traore in particular taken their chances. More was expected of a United team on the back of a 3-0 away win to Young Boys, however in comparison to how they played against Wolves it was merely more than smoke and mirrors. Alexis Sanchez returned to the starting XI and looked every bit the player bereft of confidence which he has seemed since his January move from Arsenal. Paul Pogba seems a law to himself too these days and played a huge hand in Joao Mountinho's equalizer having been dispossessed so easily in midfield. His post match comments about the United setup did little to diffuse any simmering tensions between himself and his boss. One would recommend that someone in Pogba's entourage should step up and give their boy some advice however given that his interests are in the hands of superagaent, Mino Raiola maybe such would not be wise. The Old Trafford hierarchy have a conundrum now have a problem in that of Mourinho. If the Special One is to be relieved of his duties, the board compromised of executives with no prior football experience spearheaded by ed Woodward might be exposed for the bunch of inept, mercenaries they are. Mourinho has done little to better the situation but being pinned as the constant source of blame by many in the media is unfair and unjust. With everything on and off the pitch United at best will be hoping for a top 4 finish.
MAMADOU SAKHO & ANDRIY YARAMELENKO
The decision to couple the Crystal Palace centre half and West Ham winger might baffle a few but anyone who witnessed the pair's misses in last weekend's fixtures will understand why. Late on at Selhurst Park, Andros Townsend did remarkably well to keep a loose ball in play beating the onrushing Newcastle defender before floating a sumptuous ball to the back post deceiving Newcastle goalkeeper, Martin Dubravka flush onto the head of Sakho only for him to divert the ball wide from less than six yards. Given the Eagles poor start to the season it would have done little to combat the aging of 70 year old boss Roy Hodgson. Meanwhile over at the London stadium last Sunday the Hammer's displayed a fine performance to earn a point against London rivals, Chelsea, however it could have been so so different had Ukranian, Andriy Yaramelenko not inextricably nodded Robert Snodgrass's out swinging cross inches wide of the Chelsea goal. It was a bad miss for the forward who given early teething problems, bagged a brace away at Goodison last Sunday week. Saying that it will be hard find a sitter missed as worse as his or Palace's Sakho for the rest of this season.