BOLASIE SMILED HIS WAY TO INSPIRING PALACE
Yannick Bolasie looked up for it on Sunday. Even before kickoff, the Crystal Palace winger was bouncing. Then, after the first time he sped past Javi Manquillo, a smirk broke out into a broad grin. He knew he had the Liverpool defender's measure. Bolasie played with a smile on his face and that spirit and self-belief was relayed across the Palace team. When going a goal down, it was no coincidence Palace's equaliser was inspired by Bolasie. His stunning drive was just one of a catalog of great moments from the DR Congo international, who only three years ago was running around for Barnet.
RODGERS LEFT HANGING BY MONEY BALL APPROACH
"We've got the model at the football club to bring in young players. So we've got a lot of young players who don't have experience and some who don't have experience of the league." - Was Brendan Rodgers sending a message to his paymasters after Liverpool's collapse at Crystal Palace? Outclassed and outfought at Selhurst Park, you wonder if Rodgers was hinting he's been blocked from adding the much-needed Premier League experience his team is crying out for. As Palace exposed on Sunday, FSG's 'money ball' approach has left Rodgers with a team lacking experienced know-how right across the pitch.
CALLUM ROBERTS THE NEXT OFF TOON LINE
The Ryan Taylor heartbreak aside, Alan Pardew's Newcastle United played some exciting stuff for the win over QPR - particularly in the first-half. They may lack stardust, but with Sammy Ameobi, Remy Cabella and Ayoze Perez all willing to dip a shoulder and take on their marker, it's a thrill to see this young team bombing on. And while Rolando Aarons faces more time in the medical room, Peter Beardsley may've produced 'another one' for Pardew and the first team. Callum Roberts was included in the squad for Saturday's game, but didn't make the bench. However, remember the name. Pacy, left-sided and with quick feet, the Toon's coaching staff have quietly been talking up Roberts for the past year. He's just now beginning to get some recognition in the press - and rightly so. The 17 year-old South Shields lad is a real talent.
TOTTENHAM PUSHING TO WIN KRAMARIC RACE
Tottenham ARE serious about signing HNK Rijeka striker Andrej Kramaric. While his father has been in Italy speaking informally with both Inter Milan and AC Milan this month, tribalfootball.com can confirm his representatives have been in contact with Spurs. Fans of Harry Kane shouldn't be concerned. The pair of them would complement eachother, with Kramaric better working around a centre-forward in the Kane mould. The move for Kramaric is being driven by the higher ups at Spurs, rather than Mauricio Pochettino. However, given Dejan Lovren was a personal push by former Southampton head of recruitment Paul Mitchell, the imminent Spurs scouting chief will know plenty about Lovren's Croatia teammate.
WHERE'D UNITED BE WITHOUT FELLAINI?
It's like the only thing Marouane Fellaini did at Arsenal was upset Jack Wilshere. The Belgian, again, was outstanding for Manchester United in Saturday's surprise win. Louis van Gaal spoke after the game about telling his players at halftime 'if they kept the ball, they'd win the game'. And those big moments in the first-half all came from Fellaini either breaking up the attacks of a rampant Gunners, or keeping hold of the ball with his incredible chest control in the opposition half. And, of course, it was his super pass for Angel di Maria that led to Wayne Rooney's winner. Would United be in the top four today if Fellaini had been sold to Napoli?
WELBECK AT HIS SCATTERGUN BEST
There's no question: Danny Welbeck fluffed his big day. The Arsenal striker was at his scattergun best on Saturday and did little to prove Louis van Gaal wrong over why Manchester United no longer needed him. Jack Wilshere should've scored in that outstanding first-half for the Gunners, but Welbeck also was guilty of lacklustre finishing. Perhaps that's what convinced Van Gaal in preseason. Just compare the aggression and decisiveness of Wayne Rooney's finishing for United and England this week in contrast to Welbeck at the Emirates. It's harsh, but Welbeck, today, epitomises Arsene Wenger's Arsenal.
INGS PROVES HIMSELF PREMIER LEAGUE CLASS
Fantastic for Burnley. Fantastic for Danny Ings. The goals at Stoke City is what Ings is all about. They weren't spectacular, but his sharp movement was on another plane and left Stoke's defenders flat-footed for that quickfire brace before halftime. He's definite Premier League class. And with the Clarets' campaign now well and truly off and running, Ings leaving Turf Moor in the summer is now not so certain.