So after seven games played by each side we can start to gather how the rest of this season may play out. I’ll supplement this article with the rest of the sides in the next couple of days.
Starting with the cream of the crop.
Manchester United
With a solid if unconvincing start, opening with a couple of 1-0 wins before travelling early to Newcastle, it appeared as if Louis van Gaal was in for much of the same as last season, getting the results but not always in the dominant fashion expected.
A loss in Swansea didn’t help matters, however it made obvious what was missing at Old Trafford.
Thus, probably most successful panic buy in Premier League history emerged. United spent £36m on an unproven 19-year-old in Anthony Martial. It didn’t just raise eyebrows but blew them into the stratosphere, yet even the most wildly optimistic Red Devil couldn’t believe just how accurate those Thierry Henry comparisons would prove to be.
Accompanied with the retention of the irreplaceable David De Gea, it has become clear just how silly it is to judge a team after four games rather than after seven.
Now, with three wins on the bounce – accompanied by 9 goals – and Memphis Depay exhibiting why Van Gaal so ruthlessly chased him, the Red Devils look like they’re in for a very good campaign. Although managing those expectations could now be tricky.
Manchester City
If you want to know how to start a season, look no further than the Etihad. After finally getting their prize man, Raheem Sterling, in the most predictable transfer saga of the summer, the Citizens and Manuel Pelligrini did exactly what was required to make the media forget about that £49m sum.
Easily despatching of West Brom in the first Monday fixture of the season they followed that by demolishing Chelsea, before backing it up with two more impressive performances.
With the transfer deadline approaching, the most expensive signing in English footballing history, Kevin De Bruyne, arrived at the Etihad and orders were made for a sky blue ticker-tape parade.
However, after scraping past a spirited Crystal Palace by their enamel, Pelligrini’s men suddenly didn’t appear their blistering best and two straight losses to two more London clubs levelled a few of the fans’ heady dreams. Still, sitting pretty at the top, separated only from their arch rivals by a point, Manchester City still look like the team most likely to be on top at the close.
Incidentally, the past five Premier League champions have all opened with a win in the first Monday night fixture. Manchester City beat West Brom 3-0 in this season’s premier Monday match.
West Ham United
How do you describe West Ham’s performances? After some extremely astute summer signings and the return of Stevan Bilic to the club, the opening win against their cross-city rivals at the Emirates reinforced the positive energy around the Hammers organisation.
This energy was quickly stifled though with a couple of home losses to Leicester and newly promoted Bournemouth.
All of a sudden a tricky season looked on the cards, and an away trip to the previously undefeated Liverpool certainly didn’t appear to aid matters. Except many had forgotten that the Hammers had proven they had goals in them, and they took the Reds to the sword, dismantling them 3-0.
Returning from the international break with another couple of wins, the best away to the previously impenetrable Manchester City and West Ham fans were in heaven once more. But, a draw and loss from their last two games appears to have ushered in a topsy-turvy last season at Upton Park, yet they should have enough to challenge those Europa League spots.
Arsenal
Could this be their big season? No, probably not. After losing timidly at home to West Ham, Arsene Wenger looked to be on the ropes already, yet he somehow recovered. The terrible defensive performance was put in the past after a grinding win against the impressive Crystal Palace, before Petr Cech recorded his first clean sheet in an Arsenal shirt at home to Liverpool. Now that opening performance was surely regarded as a fluke.
Even the lack of transfer market activity couldn’t dampen the Gunners’ mood, reinforced with a couple more wins and more clean sheets for Cech. Now Wenger was appearing as if he tear the Mourinho-shaped monkey from his back as a trip to Stamford Bridge loomed.
This did not eventuate though, with Diego Costa playing the villain of the piece to stretch Arsenal’s unbeaten run against the Blues to eight games. Wenger managed to rally his troops effectively after this demoralisation as they disposed of Leicester with some clinical finishing, even if some defensive frailties were still on show.
Expect Arsenal to improve over the course and Giroud to establish his position in leading the line as another Champions League appearance beckons, but they won’t have enough to go all the way and put their name on the Premier League trophy.
Everton
A tough start has been well navigated with much positivity still in the air. After finishing last season in a disappointing 11th much more was expected of the Toffees and some astute arrivals in the summer matched the air of promise. A thrilling home draw to Watford was quickly overlooked as they put Southampton to the sword with Romelu Lukaku reinforcing his status as the Toffees’ talisman with a well-taken brace.
Even a home loss to the in-form Manchester City couldn’t dampen spirits as Everton again battled very well to hold out Tottenham in a goalless draw at White Hart Lane, as Martinez’s side showed their steel.
Into September and a wonderful 3-1 home victory over Chelsea was the icing on the cake to a great start which was followed by another nil-nil draw away in Swansea and a frenetic come-from-behind win against West Brom. Already Martinez looks to have put last season behind him and with a strong, young, energised squad are likely to keep the front-runners honest – as long as their lack of depth isn’t exposed.
Thank you all for reading and I hope to do more articles like these every couple of months to check progress and feel like an idiot. Comments and suggestions are more than welcome on my debut piece.
Are you the ultimate team manager? Pick your own superstar team and go head to head with other football fans for glory and cash prizes on Draftstars. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.
Manchester United have survived one of the most astonishing FA Cup semi-final comebacks to beat second-tier Coventry City 4-2 on penalties after a chaotic…
Erik ten Hag hopes Manchester United's nail-biting last-eight win over arch-rivals Liverpool in the FA Cup can prove the turning point in a challenging…
Phil Foden has led Manchester City's fightback - even despite an astonishing miss by Erling Haaland - as the champions beat Manchester United 3-1…
Arsenal remain just two points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool after trouncing Newcastle 4-1 to continue their rich vein of form. Rebounding quickly from…
Watching Manchester United trip, stumble and struggle in English Premier League football is compellingly appealing, satisfying and almost comical for those of us who…
It was a move retro by comparison to much of the Premier League, and indeed modern football: a natural right-footed winger stationed on the…
