Fast and relentless, the Premier League has legions of fans around the globe chiefly due to the frenetic version of the beautiful game that is employed by clubs of the English top-flight.
Unlike other leagues, there’s almost always a massive clash every week and controversy reigns regardless of an upset or a miraculous triumph.
With so much happening, it’s impossible to keep your finger on everything but worry not. The Statesman is at hand to collate all the data and give you the major talking points from the weekend’s action.
Harry Kane not world-class, but surely getting there
Theirry Henry and Jamie Carragher stirred a hornet’s nest when they asked which Premier League striker is truly world-class.
From the current lot, perhaps only the oft-injured Sergio Aguero has earned that distinction, but what about Harry Kane?
The Tottenham Hotspur striker, winner of the Premier League Golden Boot for two years on trot, continues to bang in the goals for a side that are yet to prove they are truly elite.
Yes, Spurs play a style that suits the Englishman’s play but the likes of Aguero (Manchester City), Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United) and Alvaro Morata (Chelsea) all play for sides that are brimming with quality in every department.
If Kane manage a hat-trick of Golden Boots at the end of the season, an incredible feat considering the form of Morata, Lukaku et al, will he be considered world-class then?
Definitely. For the 24-year-old is all about goals and will soon be giving the likes of Luis Suarez and Robert Lewandowski a run for their money for a spot in the FIFPro World XI in the coming years if he keeps scoring at such a prodigious rate.
City dominant at Bridge in best-ever performance of Pep Guardiola era?
Kevin De Bruyne lapped up the plaudits after his man-of-the-match display and rightly so, but Sky Blues manager Pep Guardiola was the real architect of the masterclass in London.
City dominated Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, a feat few teams have ever achieved in the Roman Abramovic era, and their achievement was even more incredible considering left-back Benjamin Mendy, centre-back Vincent Kompany and top scorer Sergio Aguero all missed out due to injury.
Aguero’s absence, arguably, proved to be a boon as Pep started in-form wingers Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling on either side of Gabriel Jesus and that all-out attack formation worked wonders as City were dictating the tempo of the game from the first minute itself.
Of course, Alvaro Morata’s injury early on helped matters but the stats don’t lie.
City had 62 per cent possession, five shots on goal (compared to Chelsea’s 2) and eight corners (Chelsea had four).
The Citizens manager has always been stubborn about dominating opponents and then winning. And with a stellar squad finally capable of playing the football he wants without losing their effectiveness, it looks like tiki-taka is here to stay.
So, the Pep Guardiola revolution has begun and fans of the Premier League best sit back and enjoy it (unless their team is on the receiving end, of course!).
And how good has Ederson been?
Eyebrows were raised when City paid £35 million to sign Ederson, making the Brazilian the second-most goalkeeper of all time, behind only Juventus legend Gianluigi Buffon.
Any doubts fans and critics had have been firmly put down by the 24-year-old custodian.
City’s goal has been breached only twice, one being Charlie Daniels’s stunning contender for goal of the season-in seven Premier League games. Granted, their defenders have finally learnt how to defend, but their 6’2 shot-stopper deserves a major share of the praise.
Ederson’s bravery (against Liverpool and Sadio Mane, in particular), his ball-playing qualities and calmness while collecting crosses have been nothing short of impressive.
David de Gea (Manchester United), Hugo Lloris (Tottenham Hotspur) and Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea) are widely regarded as the best three keepers in the English top-flight, but how long before the Citizens have a representative in that debate?
Hamstring injuries becoming fashion now?
First it was Paul Pogba, then on Saturday it was Morata.
Usually, hamstring injuries occur when a player has not sufficiently warmed up but at that level with such high-stakes, it is difficult to believe that professional athletes are sent out to play without proper precautions taking place.
And both Pogba and Morata’s managers have repeatedly claimed that the Premier League puts demands of the broadcasters ahead of the players health.
Is it a coincidence that after starting for the first time in the Champions League mid-week, Morata started the Premier League fixture against City and injured himself by the half-hour mark?
Perhaps, had Chelsea played City on a Sunday instead of a Saturday, the injury wouldn’t have cropped up and maybe the show runners need to pay heed to the growing lot of disgruntled managers.
Merseyside in shambles: Tale of two clubs
One can’t defend, the other can’t score.
What is happening in Liverpool?
First, the club reeling from severe pressure and criticism after finding themselves nearer to the relegation zone than the summit.
Despite losing top scorer Romelu Lukaku to Manchester United, the Toffees made serious acquisitions to their squad in the summer and spent well over £100 million, a considerable sum even by today’s inflated standards.
Yet, the Toffees, after a bright start, are flirting with disaster despite it being early days. They have scored just four goals in their opening seven games. With a tally like that, it’s no wonder Everton are languishing in 16th place in the table.
It seems club icon Wayne Rooney and club-record signing Gylfi Sigursson cannot play together, for one obvious reason-lack of pace-and Ronald Koeman best pick one before he loses his job.
Coming to the red half of Merseyside, who have scored 13 goals in seven league games to suggest their attack is finally clicking but the fact that they have conceded 12 times suggests something ain’t quite right at the back.
Reds fans may not like it, but it’s time their beloved Liverpool took a leaf out of arch-rivals Manchester United’s book.
The Red Devils were in free-scoring form when they took on Southampton away in gameweek 6 and after nabbing a first-half opener, defended resolutely to clinch an invaluable three points.
Some days, you just can’t outscore the opposition and need to shut shop after taking a lead.
Mr Klopp, are you listening?