After yet another confident, free-flowing performance from Chelsea it is perhaps time we take Maurizio Sarri's team seriously; if Eden Hazard continues his form they could challenge Manchester City and Liverpool for the Premier League title.
Tottenham Hotspur, by contrast, appear to be getting further away from a first title since 1961. Mauricio Pochettino badly needs a new defensive midfielder, as was evident in their mistake-ridden defeat against Liverpool on Saturday,
Here are three things we learnt from the weekend action:
1) Spurs' game management, and central midfield, is holding them back
Liverpool should have beaten Tottenham by a considerably bigger margin than their 2-1 victory, such was the consistency of the hosts' tactical flaws; the two full-backs sat far too high up the pitch and the central midfielders continually gave the ball away, which allowed Liverpool's front three to run riot. It was a mistake from Mousa Dembele in the middle that led directly to the opening goal, although the pattern of the game had been set long before then.
Danny Rose and Kieran Trippier both took up winger positions throughout, which left just two centre-backs to handle Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, and Mohamed Salah whenever the visitors won possession. It was far too easy for Mane and Salah to simply position themselves outside the centre-backs and wait for a pass from James Milner. Milner was outstanding, and everything Dembele and Eric Dier were not: strong in the tackle, incisive in his passing.
Spurs should have instructed one of the full-backs to stay deep at all times to make a flat back three, but in Mauricio Pochettino's defence he would have expected his midfielders to cope with the gegenpress a lot better. Their sloppy passing and poor positional play cost them, just as it did at Watford. Spurs need a new midfield engine if they are to challenge for the title.
2) Energetic, bullish, & individualistic: Mourinho and Man Utd are back to their best
After a difficult opening month of the Premier League season Manchester United and Jose Mourinho are back on track. Saturday's victory over Watford was classic Mourinho: it was the first time this season United have looked coherent and shown signs of pulling in a clear direction. The performance is a template the players can refer back to throughout the campaign.
Marouane Fellaini was, for the umpteenth time, crucial in allowing the attackers to play with freedom. The Belgian, along with Nemanja Matic, played with aggression and tempo to ensure United won the 50-50s, giving Mourinho exactly the sort of compact, resolute defensive shield he has always built around. Victor Lindelof was also much improved; without needless individual errors United suddenly looked stoic at the back.
Going forward, Paul Pogba, Alexis Sanchez, and Romelu Lukaku were all in top form. Their power and precision feel very Mourinho, particularly in that all three play with creative freedom. The Portuguese relies on individual moments to win matches, rather than carefully constructed team moves, and so he needs his three best players firing. A title challenge is unlikely, but United are back on the up.
3) Chelsea finally have a manager to maximise Eden Hazard's talents
Despite most people putting Eden Hazard in the "world class" category the Belgian has always had his critics, primarily because he's only once reached double figures for assists in a Premier League season and doesn't score as often as he could. But this reflects the tactical systems in which Hazard has played, rather than his own deficiencies; after years of Jose Mourinho and coaches in a similar mould, the 27-year-old finally has a manager that suits his playing style.
Chelsea's expansive formation and intelligent quick-tempo football under Maurizio Sarri helps release Hazard into space in the final third, meaning he can attack more directly through the centre rather than work in tight spots on the flanks.
Hazard rarely finds himself with his back to goal and having to wriggle away from trouble this season. Instead, he is flanked by willing runners for those give-and-gos - those bursts of pace - that define Hazard at his best. Five goals from five games, plus two assists, is a direct consequence of a new managerial approach.
Best of the Week – Pellegrini's formation change
After four straight defeats in the same wide-open, two-man midfield 4-2-3-1 formation Manuel Pellegrini finally changed things for West Ham's visit to Everton on Sunday. He switched to a 4-3-3, adding a third body in the middle to strengthen their most vulnerable area and ensuring both wide players can stay up top for the counter-attack.
Everton struggled to pass the ball through the middle of the pitch throughout, instead relying on crosses into the box from their two full-backs, while Felipe Anderson, Andriy Yarmolenko, and Marko Arnautovic consistently broke behind the Everton defence. A deep-lying, counter-attacking 4-3-3 is much better suited to the West Ham squad.
Worst of the Week – Fulham's early risk-taking
Nobody has worked out how to stop Manchester City, although ultimately Fulham's style of approach – be bold and confront the champions – will probably be adopted more frequently as the season wears on and mid-table sides realised sitting deep just won't work. However, Fulham weren't brave but reckless, weren't confrontational but relaxed.
Pressing high is the right approach, but this must be combined with compressing space between the lines. Instead, Fulham began in a wide and stretched shape, meaning that one misplaced pass from Jean Michael Seri allowed City to walk the ball into the back of the net. Taking big risks straight from kick-off was incredibly naive, throwing away a game that could easily have been a stern test for Pep Guardiola's team.
