Sky Sports' sports writers analyse Saturday's Premier League action as Jack Grealish takes his tally to four assists for the season; Plus: Chelsea face a striker problem and Bryan Mbeumo covers Old Trafford as Newcastle struggle in attack
Grealish is Everton's star again
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FREE WATCH: Highlights from Wolves v Everton in the Premier League
Given that three Everton players were among the scorers at Molineux (Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall also provided an assist), some might be surprised to see Jack Grealish named man of the match again, but he simply stood out.
He has provided two assists to take his tally for the season to four, which is already double his tally in his last two seasons at Manchester City. If he is playing regularly again, it would not be a big surprise to see him top the Premier League at the end of the season.
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But it was the goal he had no direct hand in that most clearly demonstrated his genius. After being denied a goal by Jose Sa moments earlier, his vision of the goal sent Dewsbury-Hall ahead, where he passed to Iliman Ndiaye, who slotted the ball into the net. Class!
Asked about Grealish's improvement, David Moyes said: “Well, it's not down to me, I tell you, it's down to Jack and his desire to improve.” He added: “The biggest compliment I can probably give him is that he's been better than I thought he would be.”
Adam Bate
Chelsea top the table but face striker dilemma
Seven points from their opening three games and top of the Premier League table heading into Saturday's games would have brought a smile to most managers' faces.
However, Liam Delap's injury will undoubtedly dampen the mood at Stamford Bridge following the 2-0 win over Fulham.
Enzo Maresca confirmed the striker will be out for several weeks with a hamstring problem after limping off in the first half, while the team now face a tricky return to the side for Nicholas Jackson.
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Minutes after landing in Germany, Nicholas Jackson's loan at Bayern was cancelled after Liam Delap picked up an injury during a game against Fulham.
Minutes after confirming the injury news, Sky Sports News reported that Chelsea would terminate Jackson's loan deal to Bayern Munich due to Delap's failure.
The player was in Germany to complete the transfer and will now have to settle for a return to west London after his manager previously sanctioned his departure.
- Chelsea 2-0 Fulham – Report and Highlights
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The Blues have had a strong start to the season but were not at their best against Fulham and Jackson's contribution will be vital if they are to maintain this strong form and stay at the top of the table.
In the Premier League we have tough games ahead against Brentford, Manchester United and Brighton, not to mention the first match of the Champions League season against Bayern Munich on September 17.
Jackson will likely play at the Allianz Arena in the near future, but he will be wearing blue rather than red.
Patrick Rowe
Mbeumo is a bright light in the darkness at Manchester United
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FREE WATCH: Highlights from Manchester United v Burnley in the Premier League.
Amid the obvious problems facing Manchester United, one name stands out as a potential beacon of light: Bryan Mbeumo.
He has consistently excelled for Brentford and has wasted no time fitting into Ruben Amorim's system. Other players have struggled in the United shirt following expensive transfers, but Mbeumo is relishing the responsibility given his performances in three Premier League games.
- Manchester United 2-2 Burnley – Report and Highlights
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For a United team looking for balance and incisiveness, Mbeumo's qualities are exactly what they need: he is direct, strong and able to quickly switch defence to attack.
His ability to move between the full-backs and centre-backs created chaos for Burnley, with Bruno Fernandes regularly providing him with excellent passes, which he took advantage of, particularly in the first half.
United were looking for a player who could provide more dynamic attacking options and they may have found it in Mbeumo.
Lewis Jones
Frank comes back to earth, but Simons offers creative hope
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FREE WATCH: Highlights of Tottenham v Bournemouth in the Premier League.
The 1-0 home defeat to Bournemouth was a reality check for Tottenham manager Thomas Frank.
After a triumphant victory over Manchester City, Tottenham put in a terrible performance against Bournemouth, which dashed the Dane's optimism, and the final whistle was greeted with boos.
- Tottenham 0-0 Bournemouth – Match Report & Highlights
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One fan leaving the stadium at the end of the match shouted: “Same old Spurs!”, even though they had come onto the pitch with a chance to advance and maintain their perfect start.
Wins over Burnley and Manchester City proved false successes as Tottenham looked helpless against a great Bournemouth side.
On the day Spurs learned their Champions League dates, you would have thought it would be Bournemouth who would be facing Villarreal at home on September 16, so dominant and clever was their side.
Toothless Spurs mustered just five shots on target against the Cherries, while Frank's side have not had a single first-half shot at home in the Premier League since February 2020.
How might Frank deal with Saturday afternoon's new £51m signing Xavi Simons?
Frank said of Simons in his post-match press conference: “Sometimes you need a player who can make something out of nothing, get past the opposition, make a cross, a shot, a pass, who has that extra quality that's needed on the day and that's what I think he can bring.”
Spurs will be desperately hoping the Netherlands international can add some sparkle and guile because the outrage will only grow louder if Tottenham produce more performances like this.
Declan Olley
Newcastle struggle without attacking spark
It would be interesting to hear the thoughts of new signing Nick Waltemade after watching Newcastle's goalless draw at Elland Road.
But he has not seen the Magpies at their best. Without the creative Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isaac, who are likely to leave before 7pm on Monday, and without the acumen of Joelinton, Newcastle have looked somewhat lacklustre.
The absence of players was noticeable. There were only eight shots, two of which were on target, and not a single serious chance was created. As in the first leg against Aston Villa, there was a deficit of goals that desperately needed to be made up.
- Leeds 0-0 Newcastle – report and highlights
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“Historically we've been a very good attacking team and we've created great chances but we're lacking quality at the moment,” Eddie Howe told Sky Sports after the game. “We're disappointed with that aspect of our game.”
And that question will be easy to answer after the international break. Waltemade is likely to make his debut, while Gordon and Joelinton are likely to return to action soon.
And Isak could still find himself in that famous black and white streak, although it may take a little longer to resolve. Stay tuned.
Charlotte Marsh
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FREE WATCH: Highlights of Leeds v Newcastle in the Premier League.
Leeds find home tough to beat
Ahead of Leeds' Premier League opener against Everton, manager Daniel Farke has said the atmosphere at Elland Road will be crucial to their victory.
And he was right.
Leeds were unbeaten in their two home games, beating Everton and drawing with Newcastle. Granted, neither side were in the best form, but when you've just been promoted and points bring prizes, Leeds won't mind.
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Elland Road has long had a reputation for being a difficult place to play at when the fans are loud. Whatever their fate, Leeds fans have never ceased to make their stadium a terrible place to play.
In fact, all three clubs promoted to the top league are giving their visitors something to think about. None of them have lost at home this season.
If Leeds are to win the play-offs – and the evidence suggests they may – then home form will be crucial. So far so good.
Charlotte Marsh
Silva frustrated but Fulham's fortunes will change
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WATCH FREE: Highlights from Chelsea v Fulham in the Premier League.
Marco Silva, predictably, looked frustrated for much of the game at Stamford Bridge, pacing up and down the touchline, defending his team's position to the officials and shaking his head repeatedly.
At half-time he barely restrained himself from approaching Rob Jones on the pitch and returned to the tunnel. In the second half you could even see him getting lost in his patrol, wondering how long VAR had dragged out the game, which hadn't done him any good.
However, at the post-match press conference he pulled himself together and decided to focus on the positives before discussing his complaints about the game.
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Fulham were the better team in the first half; they deserved the lead they took and it was clear they ran out of steam after the break.
But he was right to focus on the positive. The transfer window has been tough, with only one player signed so far, but his team have impressed in the early stages of the season despite not having enough points.
They bounced back against Brighton. They did the same against Manchester United and could have easily won that game. They had to get something out of that game.
When it rains, it pours. Luck is not on their side at the moment, but they have class in the squad, as well as potential new arrivals that Silva is expecting before the deadline, which will soon turn the tide in their favor.
Patrick Rowe
Le Fey makes his mark at Sunderland
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WATCH FREE: Highlights from Sunderland v Brentford in the Premier League.
Wilson Isidore will naturally steal the limelight for Sunderland with his dramatic last-minute winner. However, while the super-sub will be the centre of attention, the Black Cats' true star is still under the radar.
Enzo Le Fay may have been a vital piece of the puzzle for play-off winners Regis Les Bris last season, but a squad reshuffle to adapt to Premier League football has seen the midfielder play a lesser role at the start of the season.
- Sunderland 2-1 Brentford – Report and Highlights
- How it was | Teams | Match statistics
Le Fay played a total of 40 minutes against West Ham and Burnley. However, the manager backed him by starting him in place of Simon Adingra, and the Frenchman did not fail to justify the trust placed in him.
Despite operating on the left flank, Le Fay was effective as an extra midfielder when Sunderland went on the defensive. His work rate was hard to beat, particularly in the first half when he ran halfway across the pitch and made a flawless tackle to stop a Brentford breakthrough.
His play off the ball eventually resulted in a goal, showing Kevin Schade how to score a penalty, but what he showed throughout the match reminded those with short memories why he quickly became a favourite at the Stadium of Light last season.
Callum Bishop
Brentford pay fine
Pictured: Robin Roofs saves a penalty from Kevin Schade
Brentford looked demoralised after Sunderland's last-minute heroics left them on the brink of defeat on Wearside. But the turning point came much earlier when Kevin Schade missed a penalty for the Bees early in the second half.
Sade’s decision to take the spot-kick was a strange one. Igor Thiago, the highly paid Brentford striker who had scored the spot-kick against Forest in the Bees’ first leg, seemed the obvious choice to take it. But Sade, who had never scored a penalty in his professional career, came on in his place. He took a weak shot, forcing a save from Roofes and sending shockwaves through the Stadium of Light.
Brentford manager Keith Andrews had urged them before the game to avoid any chance of allowing lively home fans onto the pitch. But Sade's miss prompted just that. Since then, Brentford have been slumping at crucial moments, conceding just three minutes after Thiago's opener and losing to Wilson Isidore's stoppage-time winner.
Asked about the penalty dilemma after the game, Andrews said he was aware the Bees had lost their regular spot-kick taker Bryan Mbeumo in the summer. However, the fact that the former set-piece coach has not yet decided on a first-choice candidate to replace the Cameroonian makes the admission surprising and potentially costly.
Noah Langford
Wolves are clearly not up to par in terms of quality
Only West Ham are keeping Wolves bottom of the Premier League table and after three defeats in their first three games there is a growing sense that they could be relegated to the Championship this season. They lack quality.
Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait Nouri were always going to be serious losses alongside Nelson Semedo. Now the drop in class was all too obvious. Wolves were looking for an equaliser, which caused some confusion, but the point was hardly deserved.
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Long balls to giant Sasa Kalajdzic looked the best solution, but Wolves don't have the quality of Grealish or Ndiaye in the final third and it shows. Even with Jorgen Strand Larsen, they will struggle. Without him, their hopes could be dashed.
That seems to be the sentiment of fans who have seen their team bounce back from adversity in two of the last three seasons, but who see the team's trajectory as clear. “Support the team or sell the club,” they have been shouting at the owners.
Asked what the chant was and whether he felt supported, Vitor Pereira told a press conference: “They are trying to help the team. I hope that before the end of the transfer window they will try to add at least two players to help us, because we need more solutions. Especially in attack.”
Adam Bate
Sourse: skysports.com
