Three talking points from the Premier League weekend

MANCHESTER – Arsenal and Manchester City stay out in entrance, however the Premier League title race is way from a two-horse race after a weekend by which all of the prime 5 received.

Liverpool’s newest embarrassing defeat, 2-1 at residence to Leeds, leaves the Reds with an eight-point hole to bridge to the prime 4.

Chelsea had been the different large losers on Saturday as Graham Potter was thrashed 4-1 on his return to Brighton.

AFP Sport appears to be like at three talking points from the Premier League weekend:

NO MORE HOME COMFORT FOR LIVERPOOL

Despite Liverpool’s struggles this season a proud document of not having been crushed at residence in the Premier League in entrance of followers for over 5 years had stayed intact till Leeds’ win on Saturday.

The guests arrived at Anfield with supervisor Jesse Marsch clinging to his job after an eight-game winless run noticed them fall into relegation hazard.

Leeds’ dedication to combat for his or her boss was clear as they ran 11 kilometres greater than their hosts.

But a surprising defeat encapsulated the flaws of Liverpool’s season to date.

Leeds had been gifted the opening aim by a person error from Joe Gomez and stored in the recreation by wasteful ending from Darwin Nunez.

But Reds boss Jurgen Klopp was most aggravated by the slack defending that allowed Crysencio Summerville to fireside in an 89th-minute winner unchallenged.

Klopp once more pointed to accidents and a heavy fixture schedule for such a sluggish begin to the season.

The Reds are additionally clearly struggling a bodily hangover from a 63-game marketing campaign final season after they got here so near an unprecedented quadruple.

Currently they’re a shadow of the crew they as soon as had been and desperately have to restrict the injury over the subsequent two weeks to limp in direction of a much-needed break for the World Cup.

Already 14 points behind Arsenal, the title appears to be like lengthy gone however even a return to the Champions League by way of a top-four end is turning into unlikely.

MINI MARTINEZ A COLOSSUS FOR MAN UTD

Lisandro Martinez’s suitability as a Premier League centre-back at simply 1.75 metres (5ft 9in) tall was ridiculed amidst Manchester United’s disastrous begin to the season.

But the Argentine has proved the doubters unsuitable, together with his velocity, aggression and poise on the ball greater than making up for an absence of peak.

Martinez’s partnership with Raphael Varane has supplied a strong basis for Erik ten Hag to construct on, however even with out the injured Frenchman, the former Ajax man stood agency to resist a second-half West Ham onslaught to safe a 1-0 win on Sunday.

United have now stored 5 consecutive clear sheets at Old Trafford, only one fewer than they managed in the entirety of final season.

NO MERCY FOR POTTER

Brighton’s followers and gamers refused to roll out of the crimson carpet for Graham Potter’s return to the Amex Stadium.

The Chelsea boss was subjected to boos and chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” by the residence help, who stay upset at his determination to leap ship to Stamford Bridge final month.

“I’ve got nothing to say sorry for, I think I did a good job at the club and I think I left it in a good place as you can see today,” mentioned Potter.

Of extra urgent concern for Potter is getting the Blues’ Premier League marketing campaign again on observe.

His first defeat as Chelsea supervisor had been coming after being outplayed by Brentford and Manchester United in attracts earlier than the journey to Brighton.

Victories for Tottenham, Newcastle and United imply Chelsea slip to sixth, three points adrift of the prime 4, and 10 behind Arsenal, who they face subsequent weekend.