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Wan-Bissaka torments United replacement
Aaron Wan-Bissaka looked as if he had a point to prove against Manchester United. The right-back has had an intriguing role for West Ham this season. Julen Lopetegui has spotted hidden creative tendencies in the defender and given him freedom to attack. Wan-Bissaka has inverted and he was irrepressible against United. Noussair Mazraoui, his replacement at United, could not contain the former Crystal Palace player. Wan-Bissaka kept running clear and delivering crosses, and he should have had an assist when his ball reached Emerson Palmieri, who scuffed wide. If there is a concern, though, it is that Wan-Bissaka’s positioning does make West Ham open. Alejandro Garnacho had a lot of space and did not make enough of it. United were ridiculously frustrating in front of goal. A better team would have punished West Ham during the first half. They got the win, though, and at the end Wan-Bissaka was making a vital lunging tackle to deny Garnacho. Jacob Steinberg
Alex Iwobi played for six different managers in four years at Everton including caretakers – Marco Silva, Duncan Ferguson (twice), Carlo Ancelotti, Rafael Benítez, Frank Lampard and Sean Dyche – so perhaps it is no surprise it took him time to reach a level that satisfied the Goodison Park crowd. But his name never reverberated around the old stadium like it did on Saturday when Fulham supporters serenaded the midfielder not only for a fine goal – one that should have been the platform for a comfortable victory over a poor opponent – but for a mature and influential display. The 28-year-old is enjoying a fine season and Silva, Iwobi’s one manager during his time at Craven Cottage, believes there is more to come. “What Alex has done this season has been so good, he is improving game-by-game and he is more decisive for us,” said the Fulham manager. “Last season was probably the best from him at this level and I think he’s going to be even better this season. He is taking much more responsibility and pushing the team forward.” Andy Hunter
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Van Dijk turns table on set-piece coach
Nicolas Jover is Arsenal’s now world-famous set-piece coach. Once at Brentford, a finishing school for corner and free-kick gurus, and then at Manchester City, Jover was the genius behind 26 Premier League set-piece goals last season, a record 16 from corners. A problem with being a set-piece specialist is being only as good as the last set piece. As Virgil van Dijk stooped to score Liverpool’s first goal, Jover’s name was mud, only to be revived by Mikel Merino scoring Arsenal’s second from Declan Rice’s free-kick. Premier League technical areas are lately full of such operatives, Aston Villa’s Austin MacPhee’s Doobie-Brothers-stylings are part of the furniture, as is Carlos Vicens by Pep Guardiola’s side. It can be a cut-throat, results business; Wolves sacked Jack Wilson from the role earlier this month. And then there’s the problem that football isn’t just set pieces. Against Liverpool, Arsenal won only one attacking corner. John Brewin
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Howe needs upturn in results
Newcastle show little sign of rising above mid-table irrelevance, which was certainly not the plan when Saudi Arabia’s public investment fund took over three years ago. Eddie Howe professed himself happy with most of their performance at Chelsea, where better decision-making from Alexander Isak might have brought a draw, and took it as a sign of movement in the right direction. But the Magpies look blunt and they will certainly cross their fingers that Anthony Gordon’s groin injury, which ruled him out on Sunday, is of no longer-term consequence. While a Carabao Cup rematch with Enzo Maresca’s side on Wednesday, this time at home, offers scope for a confidence boost the Premier League tests keep on coming. On Saturday they host Arsenal and the victories need to start coming again soon. “A couple of wins changes the picture very quickly,” Howe said. “As long as the players are giving everything and are committed I will take the results.” Others with an interest in their fortunes might want something more to show for that attitude. Nick Ames
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Nuno not getting carried away
Nottingham Forest looked like scoring with every attack at rivals Leicester on Friday but their defensive structure has been imperative to their success so far this season. Only Liverpool have conceded fewer goals than Forest, for whom Chris Wood has scored seven of their 11 league goals. Nuno Espírito Santo has turned Forest into formidable opponents and, aside from a trip to Arsenal, their November looks like an opportunity to build on their brilliant start, with home matches against West Ham, Newcastle and Ipswich. Nuno has told Forest supporters to enjoy this moment but the Portuguese is the last person who will get carried away. Asked about riding high in the table, Nuno was quick to extinguish the question. “It doesn’t mean anything,” he said. “What is important is [training on] Monday. We are going to prepare for West Ham. We have to correct details – you can see the [Leicester] goal, we have to try to improve.” Ben Fisher
6
Tottenham’s midfield weaknesses on display
Playing both Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison in a three-man midfield should be exciting. It’s a risky approach but it means there are two fine creative presences there alongside Yves Bissouma. Yet the evidence of Tottenham’s victory over West Ham last week was that Spurs look better-balanced with only one of them, and Pape Sarr alongside Bissouma at the base of midfield. Against West Ham, the issue was that Spurs were open on the counter; against Crystal Palace the problem was more they seemed to lack the physical presence to relieve the pressure. Perhaps, as Ange Postecoglou intimated, the issue was psychological as much as anything else, but Kulusevski seemed unusually rattled while Maddison couldn’t impose himself. Not that things improved much after the hour when both were withdrawn and Sarr came on, but by then, perhaps, the damage was done. Not for the first time, Spurs looked a team who could be got at. Jonathan Wilson
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Harsh lesson for Wieffer
“He will be disappointed and he should be,” said Fabian Hürzeler of Mats Wieffer, the late Brighton substitute whose lack of composure supplied Wolves’ late, counterattacking equaliser. As a Feyenoord player, Wieffer’s team averaged 2.52 points, a joint-record for the Eredivisie, but here was the ruthlessness of the Premier League. In those closing moments, and despite Evan Ferguson’s well-taken goal, Brighton had shown off their inexperience. Their manager must shoulder some of the blame, though perhaps Wolves’ surge to salvation might have been averted had more battle-hardened players such as Danny Welbeck, who tired after his goal, or Lewis Dunk, denied his 250th appearance by a warm-up injury, or James Milner, missing since August, been on the field. Still, credit Wolves for a comeback few saw coming. They’re not done yet. “We’ll definitely be fine this season and that only reaffirms my thoughts,” said Gary O’Neil, despite his team’s total of two points. John Brewin
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Do Villa really suffer European hangovers?
Despite conceding a last-gasp equaliser against Bournemouth on Saturday, the data suggests Aston Villa are not actually tending to suffer a drop-off in performance after Champions League matches. Unai Emery’s team have won all three matches on their return to Europe’s elite competition to top the table. But the thinking, after a poor first half in the 3-1 win over Wolves and a goalless draw with Manchester United before Saturday’s disappointment against Bournemouth, that the emotion of the Champions League is costing them is countered by the data. According to SofaScore’s stats for possession, expected goals and big chances created, Villa are actually performing less convincingly in the matches before their Champions League games than the ones after. . Peter Lansley
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Lewis-Potter impresses in thriller
After 43 minutes of what Thomas Frank described as some of Brentford’s worst football during his time in charge, the ball arrived at Keane Lewis-Potter’s feet on the left wing against Ipswich. Injuries meant the start of Lewis-Potter’s Brentford career did not quite go to plan after his then club-record move from Hull in the summer of 2022, which came with hefty expectations. “You can’t expect everyone to be Vinícius Júnior or [Kylian] Mbappé,” empathised Frank. But Saturday provided full proof of his abilities. With his side two goals down, Lewis-Potter cut inside with a deft first touch, before jinking his way through two players to release Vitaly Janelt for Yoane Wissa’s opener. “It was one action that sparks everything,” said Frank of Lewis-Potter’s move. “Boom, 2-1 and suddenly a little belief.” In a bonkers match that repeatedly swung both ways, Lewis-Potter regularly caught the eye, always driving forward and drawing both the yellow cards that prematurely ended Harry Clarke’s full Premier League debut. “Probably his best game,” said Frank. “I’m very, very pleased with his performance.” Ben Bloom
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Injuries mount for City
Injuries are a concern as Manchester City take to the road for four matches at Tottenham (EFL Cup), Bournemouth (Premier League), Sporting (Champions League) and Brighton (PL). Pep Guardiola named only five outfield replacements against Southampton as he did, too, for Wednesday’s victory over Sparta Prague due to the unavailability of Jack Grealish, Kevin De Bruyne, Rodri, Oscar Bobb, Jérémy Doku and Kyle Walker. The manager said: “We talked about that, we have to take care of ourselves. Good sleep, drinks, good food, sleep a lot, training and recovery. I would love to have everyone – it’s not the position. OK. We have to do what we have to do.” He may rest players. “I don’t know if I’m going to think against Spurs about some players from the academy. If players are fine they are going to play against Spurs but if they have doubts I’m not going to take a risk – that’s for sure,” Guardiola said. Jamie Jackson
