Three talking points from the Premier League

Metropolis conceded three penalties, however none of them had been as controversial as those that price Tottenham and Crystal Palace to spark extra debate over the brand new interpretation of the handball rule within the Premier League.

Champions Liverpool usually are not in motion till Monday once they host Arsenal, however on high of Metropolis’s collapse there was additionally little to concern from what Chelsea and Manchester United confirmed on Saturday.

AFP Sports activities appears to be like at three issues we realized from the Premier League weekend.

Hand-wringing over handball

The Premier League’s adoption of a brand new interpretation of what constitutes handball is inflicting consternation simply three weeks in.

Tottenham and Palace had been the massive losers this weekend, however there’s already a consensus amongst coaches that one thing must be completed now to forestall farcical scenes from persevering with all season.

Joel Ward was harshly penalised for Everton’s winner in a 2-1 victory at Selhurst Park leaving Palace supervisor Roy Hodgson despairing for the sport he is been concerned in for over 50 years.

“I discover it very disappointing that the sport I really like and consider in is being diminished to this stage,” mentioned Hodgson. “I’ve despair a couple of rule that I consider is ruining the sport of soccer.”

Hodgson has help in Newcastle boss Steve Bruce, despite the fact that his aspect benefitted to grab a 1-1 draw at Tottenham because of Callum Wilson’s 97th-minute penalty.

“I can perceive why Spurs will go berserk and Roy Hodgson reacted like he did. It’s a complete nonsense,” mentioned Bruce. “We must be leaping via hoops, however I might be devastated if that was us.”

No case for Man Metropolis defence

In his 686th recreation as a supervisor with Metropolis, Bayern Munich and Barcelona, Guardiola was hit for 5 as his aspect collapsed when confronted with the tempo and crafty of Jamie Vardy on the counter-attack.

Vardy scored a hat-trick to take his tally to 9 in 5 seasons towards Guardiola’s aspect, leaving big query marks over Metropolis’s title problem.

Regardless of the signing of Bournemouth centre-back Nathan Ake, Metropolis appeared even worse on the again than final season as Kyle Walker, Eric Garcia and Benjamin Mendy all conceded rash penalties.

In accordance with stories, Benfica centre-half Ruben Dias is heading for Manchester, whereas Aymeric Laporte’s return after testing optimistic for coronavirus will come as an enormous reduction.

However the arrival of Dias might take Guardiola’s spending on defenders alone at Metropolis to £400 million.

The Catalan has been unable to get the very best out of John Stones, Joao Cancelo, Mendy and lots of others and the strain is on him to show to his teaching, quite than simply the membership’s cheque ebook, for options.

Chelsea, Man Utd removed from challengers

Chelsea’s big funding within the switch market and Manchester United’s tremendous Premier League kind because the January window closed had led to hopes of a four-way title race this season after three years of dominance from Liverpool and Metropolis.

Nevertheless, on the proof of the primary few weeks, Chelsea and United stay removed from challengers.

Frank Lampard’s Blues ought to markedly enhance as soon as they’ve all their new signings match and bedded into the staff, most notably in purpose with Edouard Mendy not concerned for a Three-Three at West Brom after finishing his transfer from Rennes on Thursday.

However Chelsea nonetheless have issues to handle in defence, the place 36-year-old Thiago Silva’s kind raised questions whether or not the Brazilian may be the answer at centre-back.

United escaped with all three factors because of a handball penalty awarded after the ultimate whistle at Brighton to win Three-2. However even Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admitted his aspect barely deserved a degree, nevermind three, from a recreation through which Brighton hit the woodwork 5 occasions and had been unlucky to see a penalty overturned on a VAR overview.

There are additionally extenuating circumstances for the Crimson Devils after a brief pre-season, however they too stay leaky on the again with no signal of a brand new left-back or centre-back simply over every week earlier than the switch window closes.

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