EPL Review: Unwanted trebles, horrible misses, and depth issues

Following each weekend of Premier League motion, theScore examines an important developments and largest speaking factors to emerge from the slate of matches. Beneath, we dissect Matchweek 9 of the 2024-25 season.

Squad depth pushed to the restrict

When Rodri was dominated out for the season with a torn ACL, Arsenal, within the eyes of many, jumped to the entrance of the queue within the title race. With Kevin De Bruyne additionally nursing damage points, this regarded like the obvious probability for Arsenal – or Liverpool, maybe – to finish Manchester Metropolis’s hegemony.

However since Rodri suffered the damage in final month’s draw with Arsenal, Pep Guardiola’s staff has dropped solely two factors, and it eked out one-goal wins in its final three league matches. The schedule has definitely been useful – these wins got here in opposition to Fulham, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and now-last-place Southampton – however Metropolis proceed chugging alongside regardless of not being at their fluid finest and lacking varied starters, with Matheus Nunes lastly discovering his ft and contributing in a significant means.

Arsenal are dealing with the identical kind of take a look at.

Captain Martin Odegaard stays sidelined, they usually completed Sunday’s 2-2 draw in opposition to Liverpool with Jakub Kiwior and teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly as a part of a makeshift backline. Liverpool exploited that space of the pitch to attain their late equalizer, as Kiwior hesitated whereas making an attempt to intercept a go into the channel earlier than Mohamed Salah’s objective. With Riccardo Calafiori additionally sidelined, Mikel Arteta can be determined to obtain excellent news concerning the damage that compelled Gabriel Magalhaes out of the competition within the second half.

William Saliba’s return from suspension, in the meantime, cannot come quickly sufficient.

With some large checks coming over the following month, Arsenal must grind out wins. Three factors, not model factors, is all that issues. On the stability of play, they have been unfortunate to not beat Liverpool on Sunday, conceding late to Salah, who continues to feast in north London. These are the sorts of margins we’ll be coping with all season on this title race.

Arteta, who has proven a robust willingness – bordering on need – to play attritional soccer with lineups that make the most of 4 central defenders throughout the backline, could have no qualms about successful ugly. If they’ll do this persistently, this may very well be the Gunners’ 12 months in spite of everything.

Fast free-kicks 📝

Battle of the disaster golf equipment

Erik ten Hag has taken plenty of flak of late – together with on this area – however he has real cause to really feel aggrieved after Manchester United’s 2-1 loss in opposition to West Ham United on Sunday. The late penalty, which Jared Bowen transformed in stoppage time to present Julen Lopetegui a desperately wanted win of his personal, was mushy, at finest. There was contact by Matthijs de Ligt on Danny Ings, nevertheless it regarded extra incidental than something. That the on-field name (no foul) was overturned after VAR intervened, was, frankly, bewildering. Not all contact is a foul. Regardless, the end result piles extra stress on Ten Hag, whose staff didn’t convert a bunch of probabilities and now has one win in its final eight video games throughout all competitions. The Hammers, who have been themselves the proverbial “disaster membership” after getting routed final week, at the moment are, virtually inconceivably, forward of Manchester United within the desk.

Miss of the season (thus far)

Diogo Dalot did not rating right here. That is it. That is the entire description.

Ignominious outing

Ipswich City defender Harry Clarke’s full Premier League debut was definitely memorable – simply not in the best way he wished. Clarke, 23, turned solely the second participant in league historical past to attain an personal objective, concede a penalty, and get despatched off in the identical match, finishing the unlucky treble in Saturday’s chaotic 4-3 loss to Brentford. Southampton’s Jan Bednarek is the one different participant in England’s prime flight to handle the identical feat, doing so in the course of the Saints’ notorious 9-0 defeat to Manchester United in 2021. The Tractor Boys, who threw away a 2-0 lead and conceded a stoppage-time winner on the Gtech Neighborhood Stadium, are nonetheless winless after 9 matches, their longest-ever run with out a victory to begin a top-flight marketing campaign.

Dat Man Welbz

Danny Welbeck wasn’t a prototypical Brighton & Hove Albion signing when he joined the membership as a 29-year-old. The Seagulls, famend for his or her capability to unearth younger expertise earlier than promoting for an unlimited revenue, took an opportunity on the oft-injured striker in 2019. Now they’re reaping the rewards. Welbeck, 33, is having fun with a renaissance, main the road for Fabian Hurzeler, a supervisor two years his junior. Welbeck scored his sixth league objective of the season Saturday, and he is now simply three shy of matching his career-best tally; he scored 9 occasions for Manchester United in each 2011-12 and 2013-14. Evan Ferguson, who scored his first league objective in 11 months this weekend, is the long-term reply up entrance – till he too is offered – however, for now, “Welbz” is the primary man.

Turning level for Wolves?

If Wolves flip their season round and keep away from relegation – they’re at present second final within the desk and with out a win after 9 video games – a wild sequence from Saturday’s unlikely 2-2 draw with Brighton may very well be the singular second that received Gary O’Neil’s staff on the highway to restoration. Wolves fought again for a degree after trailing 2-0 into the 88th minute, and, whereas down 2-1 in stoppage time and pushing for an equalizer, gave up a uncommon four-on-one counter. Extremely, Tommy Doyle broke up the play and flipped the sector by discovering Matheus Cunha, who scored the all-important equalizer seconds later. Wolves have been hindered by probably the most tough schedule within the league to begin the season, however this heroic play by Doyle could be the constructing block to show issues round as their fixture record will get extra favorable.

Star performer 🌟

Bryan Mbeumo (Brentford)

His two objectives within the seesaw 4-3 win over Ipswich weren’t precisely good items of particular person high quality. One was a penalty, and the opposite, although a 96th-minute winner, was a cross that merely evaded everybody and went into the web. However in lieu of a very dominant particular person efficiency throughout the league this weekend, that is pretty much as good a possibility as ever to present Mbeumo the popularity he so richly deserves.

The 25-year-old, arguably probably the most underrated participant within the Premier League, is second in scoring behind solely Erling Haaland. He is the primary participant to have 50 Premier League objective involvements for Brentford (29 objectives, 21 assists) and has taken over because the undisputed talisman following the departure of Ivan Toney. His understanding and intermingling with Yoane Wissa is crucial to Brentford’s play, and the 2 are shortly changing into one of many league’s most intriguing attacking duos.

Finest XI 😎

(Courtesy: FotMob)

Spotlight of the weekend 🎥

Crystal Palace lastly picked up their first win of the season Sunday, and this spectacular help from Eberechi Eze was the decisive second that lifted Oliver Glasner’s staff to a 1-0 house victory over Tottenham Hotspur. A particular flick from a particular participant.

(Out there to view in U.S. solely)

(Out there to view in Canada solely)

Stat of the weekend 🔢

There’s territorial dominance, after which there’s this from Man Metropolis …

Social media second 📱

After one other excellent efficiency by which he scored the successful objective in opposition to Newcastle and helped arrange his staff’s different tally with a defense-splitting go from his personal half, Chelsea star Cole Palmer was in comparison with membership icon Gianfranco Zola by supervisor Enzo Maresca. Palmer’s hilarious response will make you’re feeling historic.

The place we stand 👀

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