Premier League: 10 Talking Points From The Weekend’s Football

Amid nan headlines astir Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham being recalled for England, location was a small little said astir Nico O’Reilly being named successful Thomas Tuchel’s squad. Myles Lewis-Skelly paid nan value for his deficiency of crippled clip and now nan City man gets his opportunity to liking a declare for a World Cup spot. The 20-year-old now goes into campy having go nan latest defender to unopen retired Mohamed Salah. That’s little of an accomplishment than it utilized to be, but O’Reilly still had to show tenacity and patience against this nuggety, late-era type of nan Egyptian superstar. The City full-back nicked nan shot disconnected his man regularly – overmuch to nan delight of nan location fans – and sewage guardant to decent effect, too. If Pep Guardiola trusts O’Reilly successful nan biggest games and he tin debar wounded location is nary logic to deliberation that nan City academy postgraduate cannot make England’s astir unfastened position his own. Tom Bassam

After a 4-0 win, presumably it was smiles each information for Aston Villa? It felt that measurement arsenic Unai Emery and his players departed nan transportation aft destroying Bournemouth. For Harvey Elliott, though, it was different difficult afternoon. Omitted from nan lucifer squad for nan 3rd successive convention crippled (though he was ineligible to look his genitor club, Liverpool), nan 22-year-old past played for Villa connected 2 October arsenic an 86th-minute substitute against Feyenoord. His past convention quality came successful September, erstwhile he was hooked astatine half-time against his erstwhile nine Fulham. Emery points to nan shape of those pinch whom Elliott is competing, including Emi Buendía and Ross Barkley, some among nan scorers connected Sunday. Then location is Morgan Rogers, who has evolved into 1 of Emery’s undroppables. Elliott, a deadline-day arrival, has to play astatine slightest 10 games to trigger a £35m imperishable move from Liverpool but, aft conscionable 7 matches and 98 top-flight minutes, mightiness he person played his last crippled for Villa? Ben Fisher

Crystal Palace’s reluctance to waste Marc Guéhi to Liverpool successful nan summertime stemmed from Oliver Glasner’s concerns that his 19-year-old replacement Jaydee Canvot wasn’t knowledgeable capable to header pinch nan demands of playing successful 4 competitions this season. Gifting a extremity to nan Cypriot broadside AEK Larnaca successful a Conference League conclusion connected his first commencement since a £23m move from Toulouse gave credence to those doubts. In nan 0-0 tie pinch Brighton connected Sunday, nan France Under-21 world was outstanding arsenic he expertly filled successful for nan injured Guéhi and didn’t put a ft wrong. As Glasner put it, Canvot has “all nan hardware that you request arsenic a centre-back – he has pace, he is tall”. He besides predicted location is much to travel arsenic Canvot’s assurance grows. “Now it’s astir giving him time, measurement by step, helping him to go nan champion he tin be,” nan Palace head said. “I tin still retrieve a small spot erstwhile I was 19. When you get your debut successful nan Premier League, you should beryllium delighted and particularly you shouldn’t person fear.” Ed Aarons

How different clubs must yearn for Brentford’s expertise to proceed procuring goalscorers. Ivan Toney was initially their prima frontman and truthful effective that he played his measurement into nan England reckoning and past complete to Saudi Arabia. Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo took over, scored hatfuls and past departed successful big-money moves this summer. How could they perchance header without their lethal attacking duo? Arise Igor Thiago, whose double against Newcastle took his convention tally to 8 this play – down only Erling Haaland successful nan apical goalscorer list. An injury-ravaged first run successful England has fixed measurement to a awesome 2nd arsenic he now shoulders nan club’s goalscoring responsibility. “He’s conscionable successful a awesome vein of form,” nan Brentford manager, Keith Andrews, said. “Playing afloat of confidence. A immense personality. He’s loving life, loving football. Long whitethorn it continue.” Ben Bloom

Igor Thiago points to nan entity aft scoring Brentford’s 3rd extremity against Newcastle. Photograph: John Sibley/Action Images/Reuters

Igor Jesus is intelligibly a very bully footballer, but whether he is simply a Premier League No 9 is yet to beryllium seen. Sean Dyche gave him an hr against Leeds but nan Brazilian was incapable to enactment arsenic nan focal constituent demanded by his caput coach. When location are balls to chase, he does his champion but gives disconnected nan belief of personification who would beryllium much suited to playing deeper. When he joined from Botafogo, he was seen arsenic a nine-and-a-half, but nary of nan 3 coaches nether whom he has played astatine Forest successful 4 months successful England person considered pairing him pinch anyone. With Chris Wood injured, Igor Jesus has been fixed much minutes to acclimatise to nan Premier League but is yet to score, his 5 goals coming successful nan Carabao Cup and Europa League. If he wants to situation Wood and Taiwo Awoniyi successful nan longer term, he will request to accommodate his game. Will Unwin

The advantage of splashing £200m connected 3 forwards successful nan summertime is that, while it intends definite areas of nan broadside still require important investment, it makes it little evident if 1 is struggling. While Bryan Mbeumo is looking progressively comfortable astatine Manchester United – nan opening extremity astatine Tottenham was his 4th successful 4 convention games – Benjamin Sesko is yet to settle. The Slovenian has scored against Brentford and Sunderland this play but does not look a earthy fresh successful United’s beforehand three. In an era of large centre-forwards whose grace makes it a astonishment really gangly they are, Sesko is simply a 6ft 5in striker who looks 6ft 5in. Sent done precocious connected pinch nan people astatine 1-1, he clanked into nan way of Micky van de Ven’s situation and near nan section pinch a knee wounded that was a interest for Ruben Amorim post-match. Perhaps United aren’t utilizing nan striker successful a measurement that maximises his strengths but he looks measurement disconnected nan level of Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha. Jonathan Wilson

Benjamin Sesko is denied by Micky van de Ven during Manchester United’s tie astatine Tottenham. Photograph: Nigel Keene/ProSports/Shutterstock

Both Tomas Soucek and Jarrod Bowen were presented pinch typical shirts to people 250 appearances for West Ham. Both arrived together successful January 2020 and starred successful nan club’s glorious Conference League tally successful 2023. In West Ham’s hr of need, their selflessness will beryllium vital. Bowen, nan captain, has assumed nan domiciled of penitent frontman for a failing institution. Soucek is happy to beryllium supplanted by young Freddie Potts successful midfield. “I tin beryllium happy for him and dream he will transportation connected pinch his performances,” nan Czech world said. “Even though I want to beryllium connected nan transportation arsenic overmuch arsenic imaginable to thief nan squad successful immoderate way, I americium happy that I americium still a large portion of nan squad.” Against Burnley, a scratchy Bowen did not person 1 of his amended games but Soucek came disconnected nan chair to triumph nan match. Following his poacher’s goal, it was his changeable which led to Kyle Walker-Peters’s precocious clincher. John Brewin

Sunderland person made nan champion commencement to a Premier League play by a promoted nine since Hull City 17 years ago. The 2-2 tie pinch Arsenal connected Saturday intends they person taken 19 points from their first 11 games aft returning from an eight-year spell extracurricular of nan division. The caller £31m Keel Crossing, which connects Sunderland’s metropolis centre pinch nan Stadium of Light, opened past period and nan nine are successfully bridging nan spread betwixt Championship and Premier League. Sitting successful 4th spot having taken a constituent from nan leaders, relegation feels for illustration a distant imaginable but location is simply a informing from that Hull campaign: contempt starting nan 2008-09 play pinch 20 points from 11 games, Phil Brown’s broadside stayed up by conscionable 1 point. The Sunderland motto for past season’s playoff run was “Til nan End”, and that fighting tone was connected show again astatine nan Stadium of Light. “Here astatine Sunderland, we person galore players who will springiness their life to support a cleanable expanse aliases extremity a shot,” nan manager, Régis Le Bris, said aft different celebrated performance. Miles Starforth

Sunderland’s players and fans observe Brian Brobbey’s last-gasp equaliser against Arsenal. Photograph: MI News/NurPhoto/Shutterstock

Enzo Fernández is different subordinate who appears to beryllium suffering from nan effect of nan Club World Cup. The Chelsea midfielder, who played a cardinal domiciled successful nan club’s triumph successful nan US past summer, is battling done pain. Fernández was fantabulous during his side’s triumph against Wolves connected Saturday but nan Argentinian needs a remainder and will not correspond his state against Angola this week. “I will not beryllium disposable pinch Argentina,” Fernández said. “I was conscionable talking to nan aesculapian squad because I had a problem pinch my knee successful nan past 4 months. I came pinch a bony edema [swelling] that sewage worse successful nan past weeks and months because we played a batch of games. I deliberation nan astir important point is coming to nan extremity of nan play and I deliberation it’s bully to make this determination together, ever respecting nan doctors.” Jacob Steinberg

David Moyes championed nan England origin of James Garner pursuing Everton’s comfortable triumph against Fulham. The Everton head reasoned that, pinch Thomas Tuchel calling up Bournemouth’s Alex Scott for nan forthcoming World Cup qualifiers, “on Jimmy’s form, he can’t beryllium a cardinal miles disconnected either”. Having been switched to full-back to amended Everton’s distribution from nan right, Garner did impress. However, nan strongest outfield capacity from an English-born subordinate came from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The uncapped 27-year-old, who precocious pledged his allegiance to England alternatively than nan Republic of Ireland, produced arguably his finest show since his summertime move from Chelsea. “He has made america overmuch much imaginative and cultured successful nan measurement we play,” Moyes said. “He mightiness beryllium going nether nan radar a wee spot but he is playing truthful well. He covers large distances. He is an intelligent boy arsenic good and has surely helped america play better.” Andy Hunter