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Winners and losers: EPL Round 3 and deadline day

Roar Guru
2nd September, 2014
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This was a huge week for the English Premier League, with a blockbuster round of fixtures accompanied by the excitement of deadline day.

For those unaware, deadline day is the day the transfer window closes, where fans of all EPL clubs look to see if any last minute deals are done. To sum it up, it can be the most exciting day of the season, or the most anticlimactic.

Below we look at the winners and losers of Round 3, including efforts on deadline day, and the few days leading up to it.

Winner: Chelsea
Although manager Jose Mourinho would be unhappy with his side shipping three goals away to Everton, the fact his team could score six would surely go a long way to easing any pain felt.

Superstar signing Diego Costa has continued his amazing goalscoring record after netting twice for his new side, including a goal after less than a minute. His tally now stands at four goals in three games.

The game itself was an absolute ripper. Nine goals, some of them came as a result of some absolute breathtaking football, and an amazing atmosphere. Chelsea have sent three messages in three weeks heading into the international break, and remain premiership favourites. They’ll need to tighten up at the back though.

Loser: Tottenham
This was Spurs’ chance to show the Premier League that they had the bottle to contend for a top-four position. Yet their effort against Liverpool has once again shown the gulf between the top sides and those just on the outer.

Conceding three goals – it could have been more – Spurs never looked like forcing their way into the game. Mario Balotelli ran wild early on and, although he didn’t score, there’s no doubt he will rack up quite a tally.

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Spurs have the international break to refine their form and answer some questions. They have been among the best of the rest for a long time now, and it looks as though this may be yet another season of the same.

Winner: Fans watching Palace versus Newcastle
Despite lacking the stars of the big four teams, or even the best of the rest sides, this was a game that will go down as one of the most exciting this season.

A goal in the first minute to Dwight Gayle for the visiting Palace side set the tone for what would be a brilliant 90 minutes. Newcastle drew level just before half time, only for Palace to take the lead after the break.

Newcastle drew level in the 73rd minute before scoring what looked like a sure winner with only two minutes remaining, only for Palace to secure a point five minutes into injury time.

Those watching the other games would have been kicking themselves after seeing the highlights of this beauty.

Loser: Everton
Everton were the only side to score three goals this week and not come away with at least a point. If you were looking at fixtures and could guarantee three goals, you’d expect to win games, not come away having scored just half of your opponent.

The Diego Costa-led Chelsea machine looked rattled as Everton staged one of the great comebacks, however it was not meant to be.

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Nemanja Matic, Samuel Eto’o and Ramires all scored goals within four minutes, creating one of the most frantic periods we’re likely to see this season. Everton will be happy to have scored three against the red hot favourites to take out the title, but to concede six against any side at this level is a little worrying.

Winner: Swansea
Everybody can tell you who is currently leading the Premier League, but I doubt many would be able to pick Swansea as the second placed side after three games.

A brilliant 3-0 win over West Brom means it’s three wins from three for the Welsh club. A Nathan Dyer double, split by a goal to Wayne Routledge, was enough to send more than 20,000 fans into raptures as the Swan’s unbelievable start to the season continues.

Incredibly the Swans are now one of only two sides with maximum points after three fixtures, and although I don’t have my calculator on me, I’m willing to bet that their side is worth considerably less than their fellow undefeated side, Chelsea.

Winner: Man United
Despite the fact that they’re still yet to post a victory after three games, after a horrible 0-0 draw with Burnley, this week will go down as a great one for United’s future goalscoring chances.

Having only scored two goals this season, the need for class up front was becoming quite desperate, but in Colombian superstar Radamel Falcao they may have finally signed their man.

With Juan Mata and Angel di Maria providing plenty of chances up front for the likes of Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie and now Falcao , surely goals will come. Although the deal is only a loan at this stage, reports indicate the signing will become permanent next season.

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United also secured Ajax defender Daley Blind, wrapping up a great bit of business in this transfer window.

Loser: Man United
Despite the fact they signed one of the top strikers in the world, the simple fact remains that they’re winless after three games, something that until recently would have been thought impossible.

A dire draw to Burnley wraps up three winless games against three opponents that United would have counted on for fairly comfortable victories. A lot will be made of the big name signings of Falcao and Di Maria especially, but in defence, and midfield, the Red Devils do not host the same quality.

United fans, although busy championing their superstar signing, are frustrated that reinforcements were not called in to plug midfield gaps and create a more rock solid defence.

Some on social media have commented that United may need to simply outscore their opponents with such a lack of depth in defence, and although their current line-up very well could achieve that, it’s hard to see them winning many scrappy midfield battles against the likes of City, Chelsea or even Liverpool.

Big Win: Liverpool
Liverpool suffered a morale-sapping defeat last week to Manchester City, but came back in brilliant fashion to put Tottenham away with style.

Balotelli was brought in to replace the departing Luis Suarez, and although he failed to find the back of the net in his debut his performance was more than enough to fill fans with plenty of confidence.

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Liverpool needed to win this fixture, and win well, after last week’s performance, and they did just that.

In the last two weeks they’ve proven they may be a fair way off the elite sides, but they’re still a lot better than the chasing pack. Balotelli may be the man to lead them back to the top this season.

Big Loss: Arsenal X2
Results wise, dropping points to Leicester is not something a side with genuine title aspirations should be doing. Alexis Sanchez did what he was signed to do, score, but it wasn’t enough to get his side home.

Although disappointing, the result is not the end of the world for Gunners fans.

More frustrating for the London side is their lack of action on deadline day. Fans rightfully expected that the club would pull out all the stops to sign a superstar striker to compliment their talented midfield.

Fans took to social media to vent their anger that manager Arsene Wenger was managing a side in a charity game on a day when he should have been presenting a shirt to their latest superstar signing.

Fans will have to make due with Man United underachiever Danny Welbeck, who was signed almost a full two hours after the deadline closed. They wanted fireworks, but have been forced to settle for a player who at times has promised fireworks, but is yet to rise above sparklers.

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