Spurs are running on empty
Tottenham’s young squad is still getting to grips with the Champions LeaguePremier League treadmill.
They had the Europa League last season but the intensity is greater in the senior competition. Nine of the 11 which started against Leverkusen took to the field in Bournemouth in Saturday’s early kick-off, and it showed with a tired display.
Koscielny bales out Mustafi
Laurent Koscielny is the best centre-back in the Premier League. No one is thinking that more than his backline partner Skhodran Mustafi whose positioning against Middlesbrough was all over the place, with the Frenchman needing to sweep up a number of times.
Mustafi is yet to fully settle in this Arsenal XI but at least he has Koscielny by his side to help him adapt.
Goals dry up for the Toffees
Everton are experiencing the ‘short blanket syndrome’ – if you attack too much, you pull the blanket and leave your defence exposed and if you concentrate too much on restricting the opposition, so your attack is left cold.
Ronald Koeman’s side have just three goals in their last five games in all competitions and unless Romelu Lukaku delivers, they don’t have much else to offer.
Sunderland could be down by Christmas
David Moyes was expected to stabilise Sunderland, make them hard to beat and eke out results against the odds. Instead, they look a worse side than 12 months ago under Dick Advocaat.
Their next five fixtures read: Arsenal, Bournemouth, Hull, Liverpool, Leicester. Somewhere, someway at least two wins have to be mustered otherwise it looks bleak for the Black Cats.
Keep an eye on Mane’s celebrations
Sadio Mane is proving a livewire addition to Liverpool’s team, however as much as his football is gaining attention, the next time the Reds score look out for his reaction.
As the Senegalese runs to celebrate with his team-mates, Mane has developed a routine of copying their celebrations. Soon he’ll have the full repertoire mastered.