Monday Morning Football: A definitive analysis of the Premier League weekend

It was the weekend that started and ended with familiar problems. West Ham United were shambolic at home, again, as they were thrashed by Brighton on Friday, before first Everton and then Liverpool were undermined by their longstanding defensive issues in a pair of drubbings against north London's finest.

Elsewhere, the inquest has begun after Manchester United fell to a shock defeat at Huddersfield Town, while Pep Guardiola’s purring Manchester City machine continued its smooth journey at the top of the Premier League table.

We also had great goals – the greatest of the season so far, at least, horror tackles, and a nightmarish pair of missed sitters that will leave the otherwise excellent Richarlison waking up in cold sweats all week.

All that, and much more, in our definitive analysis of the Premier League weekend.

Whose stock is rising? 

Antonio Conte

It took guts (or indeed “cojones”) for Conte to replace Alvaro Morata with Michy Batshuayi against Watford, not least because of the pressure he has found himself under in recent weeks following back-to-back defeats by Manchester City and Crystal Palace.

That pressure was exacerbated by reports this week that the Chelsea players were unhappy with the intensity of Conte’s training regime. But a fightback like the one they performed against Watford, after struggling for long periods of the game, does not seem to be the kind of determined showing produced by players who have lost faith in their manager.

Comparisons have inevitably been drawn with Jose Mourinho’s final season as Chelsea manager, when they tailed off spectacularly after winning the title. Yet those performances were defined by Chelsea’s listless, almost shoulder-shrugging performances, and there was nothing of the sort at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

Questions remain over the depth of Chelsea’s squad, and how they will cope with the added European workload this season, but on this evidence, and to Conte’s credit, you cannot question their fighting spirit.

Riyad Mahrez

If Leicester are going to rediscover some consistency this season, it is clear that Mahrez will be at the heart of it. The Algerian seems to have been on a slow but gradual downward trajectory since his wonderful title-winning performances in 2015/16, particularly in terms of delivering the goods in the final third.

So it was a pleasing throwback to see him slice through the Swansea defence time and time again on Saturday, fresh from scoring the equaliser against West Brom on Monday. The first, a Federico Fernandez own goal, was created by a whipped Mahrez cross, and the lay-off for the second, finished by Okazaki, was a testament to his awareness and technique.

Most encouraging, though, was the way he linked up with Jamie Vardy in those rapier-like counter-attacks. It really was vintage Leicester and, hopefully for them, a sign that Mahrez has got over the effects of the chaotic summer transfer window in which he held out for a move that never came.

Chris Hughton

The fallout from West Ham’s humbling at home to Brighton has understandably focused on Slaven Bilic. Rightly so, considering the consistently dour performances West Ham keep producing at the London Stadium.

Yet a word of praise is certainly due to Brighton, and Chris Hughton in particular. To go away from home and win 3-0 is a phenomenal result for a club of Brighton’s standing, wherever it is and whoever it is against.

Brighton have so far looked solid at the back this season, but limited going forward. So here was a pleasing releasing of the brakes, with Glenn Murray at the heart of it.

Hughton said afterwards he was as happy with the clean sheet as he was with the goals, but Brighton fans will surely be taking more encouragement from the attacking play. It won’t hurt, either, that record £13.5m signing Jose Izquierdo notched his first goal for the club.

Leroy Sane

Among the constellation of stars in Manchester City’s attack, Sane has stayed further below the radar than any of the others. That is starting to look unfair on the German who, lest we forget, is still just 21 years old.

Sane was excellent in the 3-0 win over Burnley and continued a terrific run of individual form. Just look at the stats: Sane has both scored and assisted in three of his last four Premier League games, and has been involved in a total of nine goals in his last six league outings.

Sane struggled at times last season following his £37m move from Schalke, taking 13 games to score his first goal for the club and not quite remaining a first-choice in Pep Guardiola’s maiden season in England. He is so much more clinical this time around, though, and seems to be growing in importance with each passing week.

Guardiola is reversing the modern-day trend of playing inverted wingers (right-footed wingers playing on the left and vice versa) with Sane and Raheem Sterling this season. By doing so, he is allowing City to maintain their width, but the danger with that is that they might lose some attacking threat without the wide-men darting infield towards goal. Sane’s cutting-edge on the left has ensured that has not been the case.

His goal on Saturday, running in behind onto a De Bruyne pass, was the sort of composed finish we have come to expect from Sane this season.

Aaron Ramsey

Ramsey was absent for last weekend’s humiliation at Watford, and the Arsenal midfield was overrun without him. Back in the fold for the trip to Goodison Park, he played a crucial role in what was an impressive Arsenal performance against an admittedly struggling Everton side.

Ramsey could have scored in the first few minutes as he raced in behind the Everton defence. He eventually did so right at the death, adding further gloss to proceedings with a smartly-taken run and finish.

The image of Granit Xhaka standing motionless in midfield as Tom Cleverley scored Watford’s winner last weekend was an indication of Arsenal’s lack of drive and energy without Ramsey.

The Welshman can be sloppy at times, and there will be plenty of Arsenal fans perhaps hoping Jack Wilshere will take his first-team place in the long-term, but here was a timely reminder of what he can bring to Arsene Wenger’s side.

Whose stock is falling?

Jesse Lingard

It is perhaps harsh to point the figure at one Manchester United player after their derisory defeat at Huddersfield Town. There were certainly plenty at fault, as manager Jose Mourinho made clear in a remarkable press conference afterwards.

Victor Lindelof and Juan Mata were the biggest culprits when it came to the Huddersfield goals, but there was also a real lack of attacking rhythm further forward. At the heart of that was Jesse Lingard, who was a peripheral figure throughout the game.

Lingard started in a central position behind Romelu Lukaku, with Mata on the right. That looked a little odd from minute one, and it's safe to say that was not a decision that worked out. It seemed to place too much onus on Lingard, who seems to have fallen further and further down the United pecking order this season.

Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford have been in productive form this campaign, especially compared to Lingard. The 24-year-old has scored just one goal in 14 appearances, and that was against Burton in the League Cup. If Lingard has any ambitions of making the England World Cup squad, he needs to do more.

Richarlison

How different things could have been had Richarlison brought his shooting boots to Stamford Bridge. The Watford winger missed two sitters at a crucial moment in the game, when his side were in the ascendancy.

He was still a constant threat, of course, and has been a complete revelation this season. This author would go so far to say he has been one of the players of the campaign so far, and he has scored or assisted more league goals than any other Watford player this season (five).

Yet just as we heap praise on him for his decisive impact in games against Swansea, West Brom and Arsenal, it should be noted that he fluffed his lines on Saturday and it cost his side three points.

As he revealed exclusively to the Telegraph this week, Richarlison is not the kind of player to be cowed or perturbed by his misses, though. Watford face Stoke at home on Saturday and it would take a brave man to bet against him being the primary dangerman once more.

Mark Hughes

“There is no point feeling sorry for ourselves,” Hughes said after Stoke’s disappointing defeat at home to Bournemouth. The more appropriate response would be anger. That was certainly the reaction from some in the Stoke fanbase, increasingly concerned that their long-standing solidity is slipping away.

The defeat left Stoke in the relegation zone and more worrying would have been the manner of the goals they conceded. Andrew Surman’s calm finish for the first was perfectly placed, but he would never have had the opportunity if one of four dozing Stoke players had tracked the run of Adam Smith in the build-up. And the penalty, conceded by Ryan Shawcross, was a classic case of rustiness in his first game since August.

There are two factors that need mentioning at this point: Stoke have had a tough run of fixtures so far this season, and they have a history of starting slowly before building momentum. Yet this was  still a genuinely worrying result.

Stoke face Watford, Leicester, Brighton and Crystal Palace in their next four games. If things don’t improve by the end of November, the calls for a managerial change will escalate dramatically.

Jose Mourinho

Yes, that makes two Manchester United inclusions in one week. That is hopefully an indication of just how bad they were at Huddersfield, and a big chunk of the blame for that must be attributed to Mourinho.

The United manager was very calm in his post-match press conference, but he was brutal in the assessment of his players and their terrible approach to the game.

“I heard that Ander Herrera is in interviews and he is saying that the attitude and the desire was poor,” Mourinho said. “My God. When a player says that and feels that, I think they should all go to the press conference and explain why, because I can’t explain that.”

Hang on. Are we missing something here? Is it not Mourinho’s job as manager to ensure the attitude of his player is up to scratch? Mourinho is never afraid of diversionary tactics after a defeat, but this felt like an odd removal of blame from himself. They are your players, Jose. Motivate them.

Yohan Cabaye

The ‘villain of the weekend’ title this time falls to Crystal Palace’s Yohan Cabaye, for producing a grim, wince-inducing scissor-challenge on Newcastle’s DeAndre Yedlin.

It was nasty, and it was made worse by the fact it was against his old club, at the stadium he was once so revered. Cabaye should have been sent off, but for Newcastle there was to be great joy in the Frenchman staying on the pitch, as it allowed the ever-subtle Jonjo Shelvey to celebrate Mikel Merino’s winner accordingly:

Five mind-boggling stats  

11 - Since the start of the 2015/16 season, Swansea have scored 11 Premier League own goals. That is more than twice as many as any other side.

14 - Liverpool have now conceded more away goals than they did in the entirety of the 2008-9 league campaign, when they finished runners-up. 

18 - Since Slaven Bilic started as West Ham manager, his side have conceded 18 penalties. That’s four more than anyone else.

19 -Chelsea defenders have scored a combined 19 goals since the start of last season, more than any other side.

133 - There were just 133 seconds between Bournemouth’s first and second goals against Stoke City on Saturday.

Goal of the weekend

Forget goal of the weekend, this could be the goal of the season.

Until now, Sofiane Boufal has resoundingly failed to impress in a Southampton shirt since his £16m move from Lille last year. What he has shown, though, is that he is capable of scoring special goals.

His slaloming run electrified a lifeless game against West Brom at St Mary’s, and was made all the better by the way he caused two West Brom players to wipe each other out. And after all that, he had the composure to roll home a measured finish. 

A special mention, too, for Surman’s strike for Bournemouth at Stoke, which was as aesthetically pleasing as they come.

Jason Burt's team of the weekend

*Formation builder particle to go here*

One key question for this week

How long can Jurgen Klopp persist with Dejan Lovren?

Has this not gone too far, for too long, now? Lovren has been wobbly all season, and it reached a nadir in those first 30 minutes against Tottenham. His work for the first two Tottenham goals, scored by Harry Kane and then Son Heung-min, was a complete abandonment of the most basic rules of defending.

Lovren, clearly, has a been a problem for a while. That is why Liverpool were so keen to sign Virgil Van Dijk in the summer. But does Klopp not have enough options at the club already, not least moving the impressive Joe Gomez into the centre of defence? Ragnar Klavan is around, too, although he hardly inspires confidence either.

When he is good, which he has been at times, Lovren is an agressive, front-foot defender who likes to come forward. His major problems appear to start when he is turned. So you can understand why he would want to step up for both the Tottenham goals, but it was the wrong time, the wrong place and the worst execution. Increasingly, Lovren looks to be the wrong man for the job, and we wait to see just how damaged he is by being hauled out of the game after just half an hour.

Who's showing the most cards?

How is the table looking?

Off the Ball, by Dan Zeqiri

Alternative analysis

Arsene Wenger's 68th Birthday wishes: 

- Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil to sign new deals  

- A European trophy 

- Some atmosphere at the Emirates 

- Jose Mourinho to contract a tropical disease

- How to cope with retirement self-help book 

On this day in 1940 

Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pele, was born. The great man went on to score more than 1,000 goals in a garlanded career. 

Picture of the weekend 

One Arsenal fan let a 5-2 win at Everton go to his head, but he did go home with Jack Wilshere's shirt for his trouble.

Commentary of the weekend 

'I don't want to jump into Dejan Lovren's nightmare' - Psychic Jamie Redknapp decides against entering the hapless Liverpool defender's mind. After a disastrous 30 minutes at Wembley, he's certainly in for some sleepless nights.  

Made-up stat

9 - Weeks before Jose Mourinho lets Victor Lindelof train with the first-team again. 

Tweet of the weekend

Mendy was at again too, in his new role as Manchester City's chief cheerleader. Some City fans have even taken to inflatable sharks in a nod to their cult hero. 

Race for the Golden Boot 

What's coming up next?

What's on TV this week?

Tuesday:Swansea City v Manchester United, League Cup, 19.45, Sky Sports

Wednesday: Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United, League Cup, 20.00, Sky Sports

Friday: Leeds United v Sheffield United, Championship, 19.45, Sky Sports

Saturday: Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur, Premier League, 12.30, Sky Sports; Bournemouth v Chelsea, Premier League, 17.30, BT Sport

Sunday: Brighton v Southampton, Premier League 13.30, Premier League, Sky Sports; Leicester City v Everton, Premier League, 16.00, Premier League, Sky Sports