On a weekend where VAR once again dominated the outcome of at least two Premier League results, it’s pretty much as you were at the top and bottom.
But were the decisions which went very much for Bournemouth and Manchester City – and against Arsenal and Wolves – the correct ones?
What this weekend also confirmed is, yet again, the gulf between the leading clubs and the rest is growing.
As it stands, we are going into the final week of October and four teams have yet to secure a league victory, let alone a series of Premier League highlights.
That two of the four are newly promoted sides, regular favourites for the drop with the SBOTOP Premier League betting odds, is no surprise but it’s a sad reflection of the financial gap and the increasing predictability of English football’s top flight.
The weekend action all started in north London on Saturday lunchtime when many wondered which Spurs would show up.
Would it be the team which dominated proceedings at Old Trafford or the side which capitulated at Brighton after building up a 2-0 advantage.
It proved the former but only after the Hammers took an early lead when arguably their best player, Ghanaian winger Mohammed Kudus, turned home a Jarrod Bowen cross 18 minutes in.
Midfielder Dejan Kulusevski got Spurs a deserved equaliser nine minutes before the break and their domination continued.
The half time introduction of Pape Sarr provided the hosts with added impetus and they never looked back.
Yves Bissouma, an own goal and Son Heung-Min turned the match on its head in a quickfire eight minute spell early in the second period and all that was left was for Kudus to be dismissed for pushing both Sarr and Micky van de Ven in the face, following an intervention from VAR.
His frustration mirrored West Ham’s and he will now be suspended for three games to add to the tough start being experienced by new manager Julen Lopetegeui.
One of the most impressive results of the weekend belonged to Aston Villa as they returned home from West London with maximum points.
Despite falling behind to a fifth minute Raul Jimenez strike – the Mexican has 10 goals in his past 12 Premier League starts, including seven in his last seven at Craven Cottage – they showed their worth within a few minutes as Morgan Rogers quickly equalised, albeit with a big deflection.
These two clubs have made great strides in recent seasons and a close encounter turned on two key moments.
The first was midway through the first half when Matty Cash was deemed to have blocked a Jimenez header back across goal – but the usually reliable Andreas Pereira’s tame low effort was saved by Emiliano Martinez.
The second came in a 10-minute spell from the hour mark.
First England frontman Ollie Watkins peeled away from his marker to head home a Youri Tielemans corner.
When Fulham centre back Joachim Andersen was sent off for dragging down Watkins a few moments later the tide swung completely and the game was won when Issa Diop turned a low cross from Lucas Digne into his own net.
Villa went down to 10 men themselves in stoppage time when substitute Jaden Philogene received a second yellow card, but it didn’t detract from a fine win.
The other standout victory for me was Brighton.
I must admit I thought their bubble had burst after an underwhelming September but, despite their continual selling of key players, the Seagulls have something about them.
They followed up their thrilling comeback win against Spurs with an excellent victory on Tyneside as Danny Welbeck, who left the fray injured late on, scored the only goal of the contest with a clever finish which highlighted his skill and experience.
He then played his part in a determined rearguard action from his team-mates which kept Newcastle, who were profligate at times, at bay.
It capped a frustrating week for home manager Eddie Howe who appears irritated/disappointed at not being approached for a chat about the vacancy for the England job, filled last week by German boss Thomas Tuchel.
From the North East to the South Coast, as an Athletic journalist observed last week, Southampton manager Russell Martin is locked in the psychological struggle of ‘could bend, won’t bend’.
Hardly a team in the Premier League is more locked into their tactics than his. The devotion to the mantra of possession, possession, possession is admirable — but the early-season results are whiffy.
It’s now one point from a possible 21, six goals scored, 18 conceded and no sign of the cavalry on the horizon.
It should have been so much more only for the Saints to contrive to lose a two goal lead at home to fellow newly promoted boys Leicester.
Cameron Archer and Joe Aribo had given the Coast hosts a deserved advantage inside 28 minutes but, after the hour mark, it was all Leicester, inspired by an excellent showing from substitute Abdul Fatawu.
Even at this stage, it’s hard to see how Southampton can survive.
They are not bottom, mind.
That position is occupied by Wolves – although it’s impossible not to find some sympathy with their plight.
A side I’ve tipped for the drop, they deserved more than the last-gasp heartache they suffered at home to Manchester City.
The decision to rule that Bernardo Silva, standing in an offside position, was not in the line of sight of goalkeeper Jose Sa as John Stones headed home the winner, was probably the right one.
Less clear was whether Silva was impeding the home shot-stopper seconds earlier.
Either way, it means Wolves sank back to the bottom on goal difference behind Southampton having taken just one point from eight matches.
It was extra sickening for a club which voted against the use of VAR technology in the close season, incensed after a similar ruling went against it in a match with West Ham last term.
On the upside for Gary O’Neil’s team, they have had the toughest start of any team in the bottom half.
That result took City top for a few hours until Liverpool moved back to the summit with a win against Chelsea.
As for the other title pretenders, they were involved in a potential VAR howler of their own.
While the decision should not detract from Bournemouth’s 2-0 victory over the Gunners, sealed through late goals from Ryan Christie and a Justin Kluivert penalty, it was a highly debatable call to dismiss centre back William Saliba for a foul on Evanilson near the centre circle.
Yes, he was the last man but with 40 odd yards still to run in on goal, did it warrant a straight red?
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