Round Five: Leicester, Palace, Hammers Rise

1. Chelsea (1): Perhaps unhappy to have not capitalized on the sending off of Pablo Zabaleta, Jose Mourinho will still be satisfied with one point at the Etihad Stadium.  Diego Costa's goal output is impressive but his temperament could cost Chelsea if it doesn't subside.  

2. Southampton (3): Ronald Koeman is manager of the year so far without a doubt.  This week, it was Victor Wanyama’s turn to play the hero, as the Nigerian came off the bench to sink Swansea on the road.  Roll on you Saints.  

3. Manchester City (2): Frank Lampard has proved his worth in each of his two appearances.  The former Stamford Bridge man looked embarrassed and apologetic after equalizing for the Citizens, but his last farewell to the Chelsea traveling fans would put a smile on even Fabio Capello’s face.  

4. Arsenal (4): On a weekend where Liverpool, City, United, Everton, and Tottenham all dropped points, Mesut Ozil stamped his influence on a three-goal outburst in the same amount of minutes.  The North London Derby beckons on Saturday. 

5. Leicester City (11): Enough cannot be said about Leicester’s resurgence in the top flight.  Jamie Vardy and Leonardo Ulloa led a stellar line of direct football against Manchester United.  Nigel Pearson’s unorthodox positioning up above during matches looks to be paying off for the Foxes.  

6. Aston Villa (6): There were plenty of positives to take from Aston Villa’s 3-0 loss to Arsenal on Saturday.  Had a nasty bug not taken hold of several players slated to play, this one could have been closer.  Paul Lambert cannot let his club slip into obscurity after just one bad day at the office.  

7. Swansea (6): On a weekend which saw Chelsea and Manchester City duke it out, England boss Roy Hodson’s attention was on this fixture.  Players like Nathan Dyer, Wayne Routledge, and Fraser Forster were unjustly denied a better opportunity to impress the England boss by Wilfried Bony’s overzealous pair of fouls on Maya Yoshida which resulted in a rightful sending off.  

8. Hull City (13): The purchase of Mohamed Diame is looking like one of the bargains of the summer, while the rest of Steve Bruce’s vast crop of recruits are settling in nicely at the KC stadium. 

9. Crystal Palace (16): A major, major result for Neil Warnock, who earned his first win as the Golden Eagles’ new boss.  Mile Jedinak’s leadership and the uncharacteristic errors of Tim Howard aided Palace to a much-needed victory at Goodison Park.  

10. West Ham (17): A fantastic atmosphere and an even better win will cool the critics regarding Sam Allardyce’s future.  Enner Valencia is looking to be an excellent signing, while former top-club players Stewart Downing and Alex Song impressed.  

11. Liverpool (7): Another spineless performance from Steven Gerrard allowed West Ham to snatch victory from the Reds at Upton Park.  Daniel Sturridge’s return could not come any sooner on Merseyside.  

12. Stoke City (14): Mark Hughes was denied a chance to exact total revenge on his former club Queens Park Rangers in a 2-2 draw.  Peter Crouch, who played for QPR as a youngster, scored for both teams in a game which twice saw Stoke surrender the lead.  

13. Everton (9): Tim Howard was strangely vulnerable in the home loss to Crystal Palace, misjudging a punch and failing to communicate with young Jon Stones on the second Palace goal.  The Toffees showed flashes of brilliance, but unforgivable errors at the back ultimately cost them.  

14. Tottenham (10): Since their two wins to start the season Tottenham have struggled.  A home loss to bottom feeders West Brom won’t do Spurs any favors, but shouts for the sacking of Mauricio Pochettino are ridiculous.  

15. Manchester United (8): Another plummet in the rankings for a disorganized and undisciplined United squad.  They showed how capable they are going forward but must do something about their gaping exposure at the increasingly unfit back line.  

16. Burnley (12): Sean Dyche missed a terrific opportunity to notch his first premier league win against Sunderland at Turf Moor.

17. West Brom (20): West Brom rebounded from a day at the Hawthorns with Everton which ended with the home fans booing their team off the pitch.  The Baggies were unlucky not to have won a first-half penalty, but a 74th minute James Morrison strike was the only goal in an uplifting win for a struggling club.  

18. Sunderland (15): Ashley Barnes’ late drive off the crossbar was the difference in what could have been another disappointing result for Gus Poyet.  Emmanuelle Giacherrini was a threat in an otherwise lethargic Black Cats team.  

19. Newcastle United (18): Alan Pardew avoided all-out anarchy on Tyneside when he saw his Magpies come back from a 2-0 deficit to earn a point.  His job is safe for now, but his leash must be running very thin.  

20. Queens Park Rangers (19): QPR’s start to the season, although not as terminally awful, is mirroring that of 2012/2013.  Harry Redknapp’s side dropped more points at home, not the best rebound to the 4-0 thrashing they endured at Old Trafford.  

United Face Tougher Tests Ahead

The dust has settled, the rumors are over, and six new faces have joined the ranks at Old Trafford in the summer.  Louis Van Gaal’s re-vamped Manchester United side impressed in their last outing against Queens Park Rangers, but the coming weeks will be a better indication of how good this team really is.  

The win against QPR was albeit a spectacular match to watch from a red perspective, but as I have already stated beating arguably the worst premier league side at home is not a proper barometer for the caliber of this group.  

Angel Di Maria is drawing rave reviews after his first two performances for United, Ander Herrera marked his return from injury with a goal, while Daley Blind, Marcos Rojo, and Falcao each made their debuts last weekend.  To cap things off for the new boys, Jonny Evans declared Luke Shaw talented enough to be the best left back in the world today.  

Spirits are high at Old Trafford right now, but it’s imperative that Van Gaal decipher what system works best for this group, and also the personnel that will get the best out of the system (and vice versa).  Playing four in the back looks like the front-runner as of now, with Daley Blind’s two-way play justifying this formation.  

Thus, after a midweek rest during European competition, Van Gaal has had sufficient time on the training ground to figure out what works best for his team.  Between now and the end of November, United will face their first true tests of the season in the premier league.  

It starts this Sunday, when the Red Devils travel to Leicester and take on a group fresh off an upset win on the road at Stoke City.  Then, Van Gaal will take the Red Devils into a slightly more manageable fixture when they host West Ham six days later.  

The following Saturday, Manchester United host Everton in what will be Van Gaal’s toughest test to date.  The defensive midfield duo of James McCarthy and Gareth Barry are never easy to break down, and Roberto Martinez is more than capable of setting up his team accordingly to thwart United.  

After another two weeks rest, United travel to the Hawthornes and take on a desperate West Brom side, followed by an evening with Chelsea at Old Trafford on the 26th of October.

November is when United will be tested the most.  By then, expect a fully integrated squad with familiarity and confidence.  November second sees the first United derby of Van Gaal’s tenure, followed by a trip to the Emirates two games later on the 22nd.  

What benefits Manchester United in this upcoming schedule is that they only have to focus on one competition.  Champions League football is obviously not coming to Old Trafford this year, but their chances of bringing it back are boosted by this in itself.  

The tough part for the players will be staying patient and knowing their place in the squad with so fewer games to play.  The players have buy into the long-term goals of the club if they are to be competitive in the league this season. 

After just four games, United have accrued just five points while playing a very manageable schedule.  Going forward though, the absence of European football will help see this group through a rough transitional period as it did for Liverpool last year.  

Power Rankings: Chelsea Overtake Stumbling City

Chelsea take the top spot in this weeks power rankings, while Stoke City and Aston Villa made the biggest leaps following their impressive wins at the weekend.  

1. Chelsea (2): Jose Mourinho’s men flexed their muscles at Goodison Park on Saturday, blowing away Everton at the tail end of a 6-3 thriller.  Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas have taken this team to the next level, while players already at the club have improved as well.  They’ve been the best team going into the international break, and are 100% deserving of the top spot. 

2. Liverpool (5): Many thought Sunday’s contest with Tottenham would be an even contest, but Liverpool stormed the gates of White Hart Lane to a 3-0 win.  There are always room for improvements, and it will take time for Mario Balotelli to re-acclimate himself with the league.  But, as Brendan Rodgers said this morning, Liverpool is not the Balotelli show, and they showed it.  

3. Manchester City (1): As surprising as the result was for Manchester City, it’s not shocking to see this team go missing for almost an entire game.  This happened several times last season in their road to the championship.  However, Manuel Pellegrini will have to go back to the drawing board in order to get his high-octane offense going once again.  

4. Swansea (6): Gary Monk has enjoyed nine points from nine for Swansea City to start the season.  Going into the international break, Nathan Dyer has given Roy Hodgson something to think about next time around; the winger was a revelation on Saturday, linking up nicely with Wilfried Bony, whose form and power make Michu a forgotten man in Wales.  

5. Southampton (7): For all the work he’s put in in the first three fixtures, there wasn’t a man more deserving of a goal than Graziano Pelle.  The Italian finished off a 3-1 road win at Upton Park which saw Morgan Schneiderlin pick up a brace that will surely ease the pain of being left behind to face the music at Southampton.  James Ward-Prowse is making this team click with his precision long-balls and ability to control the tempo of the game.  

6. Arsenal (4): A flat performance from the gunners saw them drop two points to new boys Leicester City.  The loss of Olivier Giroud is still having an impact on the team, but Danny Welbeck’s arrival should ease pressure off of Alexis Sanchez and the flailing Yaya Sanogo to produce goals from the tip of the attack.  

7. Tottenham (3): Just when we all thought Tottenham were for real, Liverpool came to town and swept them away 3-0 at White Hart Lane.  After two wins to start the year, Mauricio Pochettino has some thinking to do over the international break.  The talent is there for Spurs, but they must figure it out as a unit. 

8. Aston Villa (14): In a matchup of damage control after two respective mid-week losses, Aston Villa were the more resilient side against Hull City.  Andy Weimann continues his excellent start to league play, and Paul Lambert can rest easy during the international break.  Tom Cleverly will improve the side as Carlos Sanchez settles into life in England.  

9. Manchester United (11): I had to move Manchester United up in the rankings despite the disappointing away draw to Burnley because of what they did in the dying days of the transfer window.  Angel Di Maria was the Red Devils’ best player on the pitch Saturday, while Daley Blind and Radamel Falcao should further improve the starting XI.  

10. Stoke City (19): Going into the matchup, finding Jim Morrison alive would be more likely than Stoke City snatching all three points from the Etihad.  Thanks to some excellent organization and defending, especially from Ryan Shawcross, Stoke were able to pull off the deserved shocker against the holders.  

11. Everton (10): Everton were brutally exposed by Chelsea, but it shouldn’t deter Roberto Martinez’ men one bit.  Chelsea put six goals past Tim Howard, but there are plenty of positives to take from a match in which Everton wouldn’t stop clawing back.  The Toffees will look to bounce back in a fortnight when they head to the Hawthornes to take on West Brom.  

12. Crystal Palace (17): Times are looking up once again for Crystal Palace.  New manager Neil Warnock was rewarded a point against Newcastle by new signing Wilfried Zaha, who looks to re-vamp his post-United career. 

13. Burnley (15): Similar to Leicester City, Burnley had a chance to inflict damage on an already hurting club in the confines of their own stadium.  The point against United is a good one, but like their fellow new boys will regret not snatching three shocking points from a doable fixture.  

14. Hull City (12): Hull City endured a poor week, losing mid-week in the Capital One Cup, then falling 2-1 to Aston Villa.  Things could have been much worse for Steve Bruce, who say his Tigers thoroughly outplayed in the first half.  

15. Sunderland (9): Gus Poyet will regret not seeing his team go ahead early on, as they dominated the first portion of the match with QPR.  Overall, a disappointing result against a team who has scored one goal in three matches thus far this season.  

16. Leicester City (18): There are two sides of the coin to take from Sunday’s match with Arsenal.  Leicester City should be somewhat satisfied with a point against the Gunners, but will rue the opportunity to snatch three points against a top four team at home.  

17. West Ham (8): Sam Allardyce will not be happy with the atrocious defending on Southampton’s second goal, which saw the Saints catch the Hammers off guard from a corner.  After a big week two, West Ham are among the biggest fallers in this week’s rankings.  

18. Newcastle United (16): On the bright side, Rolando Aarons has arrived and could be a pleasant surprise for the Magpies this season.  On the not so light side, a late goal conceded cost Alan Pardew two valuable points in an otherwise outstanding contest from a neutral perspective.  

19. Queens Park Rangers (20): The highlight of the game was probably new signing Leroy Fer’s cannon off the crossbar, but other wise a huge step in the right direction for QPR.  Three points will ease pressure on Harry Redknapp, but more work is to be done if they are to stay in the league next season.  

20. West Brom (13): West Brom were thoroughly outplayed by Swansea City on Saturday, and because of it have fallen to the bottom of the rankings.  Swansea are off to a miraculous start, but the usually tough and physical Baggies were overrun by Gary Monk’s men.  

Chelsea Lucky, Familiar Foes for Arsenal, City

Arsenal

A familiar foe for Arsenal in recent history, Borussia Dortmund join the Gunners in Group D.  Group mates in three of the past four seasons, Arsenal and Dortmund won their respective away games against each other last year.  Even with the departures of Robert Lewandowski and Mario Gotze to Bayern Munich, Dortmund are still an extremely dangerous team in this competition.  

However, the bottom half of the group is much easier for Arsenal than the likes of Napoli and Marseille were last season.  Anderlecht, having won the Belgian championship three years running, will likely be the whipping boys of the group; they have only progressed past the group stage twice in their history.  Galatasaray, under new manager Cesare Prandelli, will look to play spoiler here, but it’s difficult to imagine them upsetting either Arsenal or Dortmund.  

Liverpool

Brendan Rodgers will be happy with Liverpool’s favorable draw in Group B.  Sure, they’ll have Ronaldo and the boys to deal with twice against Real Madrid, but advancing past the likes of Basel and Ludogorets should be a formality.  Expect Liverpool to finish second in this group, with an outside chance of ruining Los Blancos’ expected finish atop the group.  

Bulgarian side Ludogorets will be happy taking any points from this group, but Basel have adequately played the spoiler role in the Champions League in recent years.  However, I see Brendan Rodgers having a lot of success in European competition in years to come.  Rodgers is such an excellent tactician, partnered with his shrewd business in the summer.  Many of the players he has signed have Champions League or Europa League experience and are comfortable in the European game.  

Manchester City 

The Citizens finally progressed past the group stages in last years competition, but were disposed of rather easily by Barcelona.  This year, the draw isn’t much easier, but Manuel Pellegrini will expect his team to go through and perhaps even challenge Bayern for the top spot in the group (assuming his math is correct this time ‘round).

CSKA Moscow and Roma round out the bottom half of the group, both of which are respectable Champions League opponents.  Traveling to Moscow is never easy, while Rudi Garcia continues to build an impressive foundation at Roma.  Pellegrini has added more depth to his team in the summer, showing he is ambitious to make some noise in the Champions League this season.  However, this is probably the hardest group in the entire competition, so don't count on chalk here.    

Chelsea

By far the easiest draw of any premier league side, Chelsea should have no problem not only advancing but winning this group easily.  Jose Mourinho has depth at every position, and could feasibly change all 11 starters from a premier league game and be fine against these teams.  

Sporting Lisbon look a dangerous side with Nani in the fold, but last year was truly a revelation in the Portuguese league and I don’t expect them to hit the same form again this season, especially if William Carvalho leaves before Monday.  Maribor impressively eliminated Celtic, but will be the bottom-feeders in this group.  Schalke have a good record in European competition, but with the emergence of Bayer Leverkusen will be happy to just be back in the Champions League next year and likely focus on the Bundesliga.  

Fernando Simplifies Things For City

It was a roller coaster of a campaign for Manchester City last season.  In Manuel Pellegrini’s first season at the Etihad, City won two trophies and displayed some dominant displays of football.  What almost saw the Citizens lose the title however, was their inconsistent defending in the middle of the park.  

Particuarly away from home, Manchester City were too susceptible to the odd counter attack and poor run of play.  They would go missing for extended periods of matches, lacking the ability to defend in the middle third.  

Fernandinho is an excellent central midfielder, as is Yaya Toure.  However, as the year went on, it became clearer and clearer that both prefer to get forward more than track back.  

After two league games, Manchester City new boy Fernando is already panning out as the clubs most impactful signing of the summer.  Since Nigel De Jong left in the wake of their 2011-2012 championship, the Blues have been missing a steely defensive midfielder.  

Fernando fills this void, and although Fernandinho played alongside Yaya Toure for much of the year to great effect, the Brazilian was at fault for a lot of City’s positional indiscipline last season.  

In the big games, Pellegrini has the option to play the more defensive Fernando next to Toure, while Fernandinho would offer more going forward if he prefers an attacking side.  As we have seen in the first two games, Fernandinho can replace a forward from the bench and provide even more cover.  

In both instances, Pellegrini has done this to protect a lead, and in both instances Manchester City have closed out the game properly.  The chances of coming from behind against this team are even slimmer now.

Although he shows no signs of slowing down, Yaya Toure is getting old.  Fernando is the type of player who complements the Ivorian best, especially at this point in his career.  Liverpool, playing just one holding midfielder, ought to look at what Pellegrini does with his two central holders and think about fielding more support for Steven Gerrard.  

Poetically enough, Fernando is a much simpler player than Fernandinho.  They share a name and a starting position, but the latter is more flamboyant in both aspects.  With Fernando in the fold, Pellegrini has a means to simplify things on the pitch, which so far he has done after just two games.    

Room to Improve for Liverpool

An early season loss at the Etihad Stadium these days is far from the worst thing that can happen to a premier league team.  Brendan Rodgers will make sure his players know this all too well and will use the Manchester City game on Monday as a barometer for what Liverpool must improve on.

Defensively, all three of Manchester City’s goals started from the left side of the pitch.  Stevan Jovetic was easily the man of the match, and aside from his two goals he was a constant thorn in the side of Liverpool’s defenders.  Usually taking up a position behind Edin Dzeko, Jovetic worked in the channels on either side of Gerrard to great effect.  

Alberto Moreno was not quick enough to clear from inside his own penalty area and allowed Jovetic to fire home the opener off of a loose ball.  Then, Jovetic again broke down Liverpool’s left side with a deft flick to Samir Nasri who stormed into the penalty area past Moreno and delivered the assist to the Montenegrin.  

The introduction of Jesus Navas was the last thing Moreno needed, as the wide-man delivered an inch-perfect through ball for Sergio Aguero to send home the third and final goal.  Moreno was excellent for a majority of the game, but has probably found out that he has to be at the top of his game at all times to keep his place in the side.  There’s no doubt in my mind that he is a fantastic player, and away to City is as hard as it gets in a premier league debut.  

Lovren was not as sharp as he was against Southampton in week one, but that’s going to happen against a team like City.  Glen Johnson on the other hand, is running out of excuses for his increasingly poor and lazy performances.  Johnson, a fullback who loves to get forward, was caught upfield several times by the efficient Blues counter-attack.  If Manchester City had targeted Johnson as they did Moreno and Lovren, this game could easily have been much worse.

It's never nice to see fans cheering when a player gets injured, but that's exactly what's happening right now in Liverpool-clad households around the world.   Jon Flanagan’s return cannot come sooner for the Reds in my opinion, as he is the most well-rounded fullback in the squad.  He should feature at the weekend given Johnson’s injury, but I would play him regardless of his fellow Englishman’s fitness.  

Up front, the biggest impact by a Liverpool player was made by Rickie Lambert, who scored in a substitute appearance.  It is becoming more and more clear that Liverpool play best with a midfield diamond and two strikers, which is what they played primarily throughout last season.  With Mario Balotelli joining the Reds, we could see a drastic change from how Liverpool have started out in the first two games of the season.

Given Daniel Sturridge’s desire to roam the front line in search of the ball, it’s imperative that Rodgers has another striker in there to occupy the box when Sturridge makes these runs.  Lazar Markovic should figure in the conversation to start as well, his impact a positive one in his late appearance on Monday.  

Perhaps the most intriguing player ready to make his return is Adam Lallana.  Brendan Rodgers made the Englishman his top transfer priority in the summer and paid top dollar for his services.  Lallana should challenge Coutinho for the keys to Liverpool’s attacking midfield, but we could very well see both players line up at the same time.  

It seemed as if Rodgers would revert to his favored 4-3-3 formation after the departure of Luis Suarez, but it’s beginning to look more and more like the 4-4-2 diamond will be the most effective.  Rickie Lambert, not a world-class striker by any means, changed the game after coming on.  This is indicative of the fact that tactically, Balotelli should fit nicely.  

If Liverpool are to play with one holding midfielder, and if that one player is going to be 34 year old Steven Gerrard, things must change on Merseyside.  I feel like a broken drum when I say Emre Can would be ideally placed alongside Gerrard, but part of it is also the fullback play.  

Liverpool need more out of their wide defenders if they are to give their captain more help, Glen Johnson the main culprit.  If Rodgers can optimize his formation, Liverpool will be an excellent side as they were last year.  There’s no doubt that Luis Suarez has been replaced adequately by the Scot, so an early season loss to Manchester City should be the least of supporters’ worries. 

Can and Moreno Would Help Liverpool

Manchester City have achieved the ultimate level of stability.  This summer, coming off a title triumph, they managed to not lose any significant contributing players and have strengthened the areas of concern.  Equialim Mangala joins the Citizens and makes an aging defense more youthful, while Fernando impressed in his premier league debut last weekend.  

Liverpool have had similar fortune in the transfer market, securing the services of many young talents in the wake of Luis Suarez’ exit from Anfield.  What gives Manchester City the advantage apart from the obvious Etihad effect is that they didn’t lose their best player this summer.  

Don’t expect Liverpool to struggle as Tottenham did in the months following Gareth Bale’s mammoth move to Real Madrid.  However, questions still remain as to whether or not Liverpool are at the level they were last season.  Suarez contributed with and without the ball, and was loved unconditionally by the Anfield patrons.  

Losing such a mercurial talent and personality typically puts a dent in a squad’s level of play, but Brendan Rodgers has done an exceptional job at replacing his impact.  Two names who could feature at the Etihad Stadium today are Emre Can and Alberto Moreno. 

In a performance that lacked steel in the midfield last weekend against Southampton, Lucas looked way out of depth.  Emre Can, as I speculated last week, could be an inclusion for the Reds who will bring more physicality and energy to the midfield.  Can’s influence would decrease the duties of Steven Gerrard but more importantly inject inspiration into a midfield who will certainly need reinforcements in a longer season.  

Similarly, Alberto Moreno should feature for Liverpool and make his premier league debut.  Moreno was unlucky not to be on the plane to Brazil with La Roja this summer, but that should only encourage the Spaniard to elevate his play further.  Javier Manquillo struggled against Ryan Bertrand and Dusan Tadic and could make way Glen Johnson, who started on the left last weekend, or Jon Flanagan.  

Fernando’s holding presence in the midfield should further allow Fernandinho and/or Yaya Toure to push forward and contribute to Manchester City’s already impressive attack.  His positioning was on-point against Newcastle in the opening premier league fixture and atoned for his embarrassing stumble against Arsenal in the Community Shield.  

Sergio Aguero should be back to full fitness, and David Silva looked a menace in midfield against the Magpies.  The question for Liverpool will be whether or not they can handle such an attack in a hostile environment.  Dejan Lovren is already proving to be a huge upgrade but the second center back position remains a question for the Reds.  

If Martin Skrtel can stay disciplined alongside Lovren, Liverpool could have a chance to take points away from today.  It’s almost inevitable that City will put goals on the board, so Liverpools speedy attack must be on point when they are granted chances by the Blues’ defense.  

Even in such a massive fixture, it’s still early in the season and should bear much determination on the title race.  Then again, earning points is a priority for both sides.  I would be surprised if Manchester City didn’t earn three points at home, but won’t rule out a resilient performance from Liverpool in which Emre Can and Alberto Moreno star.  3-2 Blues in this one for me. 

Power Rankings Going into Week Two

1-  Chelsea: The additions of Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa have given the Blues an immediate boost.  More is yet to come from this squad who has yet to solidify why will start from a deep pool of players.

2-  Manchester City: Manchester City were my favorites to win the title two weeks ago, but Chelsea’s ruthless span of football and solidarity in the second half put them ahead of a City side which allowed a great deal of pressure from Newcastle.

3-  Liverpool: More is also yet to come from this squad who have yet to feature Mario Balotelli, Lazar Markovic, Alberto Moreno and Emre Can.  Expect minor changes to the squad as they look to reek havoc at the Etihad Stadium on Monday.

4-  Arsenal: Sluggish at times, but the return of Mesut Ozil will galvanize the Arsenal attack.  Alexis is still settling in, as are the players returning from World Cup layoffs.  Still in need of a couple more players before the window closes.  Everton will be eager for a result following their draw with Leicester, but it would be a massive result away from home for Arsenal if they were to win. 

5-  Tottenham: Is there the start of a new revolution at Spurs?  Eric Dier’s winner off of Harry Kane’s sublime pass could be symbolic of improvements in North Londoners.  Spurs play host to QPR on Sunday, who will be chomping at the bit to erase the home defeat to Hull City at Loftus Road.  

6-  Southampton: Tadic and Bertrand formed an exceptional partnership down the left, and Schneiderlin logged an impressive display in an opening loss at Anfield.  Another hard fixture awaits as West Brom visit Saint. Mary’s.

7-  Swansea: Soaked up pressure for much of the day but capitalized on two scoring chances.  Dealt Manchester United an opening blow in the league and should pick up all three points when they play host to Burnley this weekend.  

8-  Manchester United: Highlight of the match for me was watching Louis Van Gaal graciously sign those kids’ match day programs.  Reinforcements are on the way but a stern test away to a hungry Sunderland side awaits.  Marcos Rojo has been ruled ineligible for Saturday's clash, further complicating the situation for the Red Devils. 

9-  Everton: The loss of Ross Barkley shook the Merseyside club in the days leading up to Saturday, but Roberto Martinez is more than capable of turning things around.  They will be tested as they were against Leicester City when Arsenal come to town on Saturday.  

10-  Hull City: An opening win at Loftus Road saw the Tigers emulating manager Steve Bruce’s fiery approach he displayed as captain for Manchester United decades ago.

11-  Aston Villa: Winning at the Brittania Stadium against Stoke City is much harder than it sounds, and things are looking up for Aston Villa who just added Colombian Carlos Sanchez.  Sanchez, nicknamed ‘the rock,’ could feature right away against visitors Newcastle who showed promise in week one.

12-  Sunderland: Gus Poyet’s men delivered a hard-fought point at the Hawthorns as they look forward to hosing Louis Van Gaal and Manchester United at the weekend.  Coming off their season-defining win against the Red Devils last Spring, the Black Cats will be hungrier for more in week two.  

13-  Crystal Palace: Deserved a point against Arsenal in a game which saw Jason Puncheon sent off late and a stoppage-time winner from the impressive Aaron Ramsey.  Similarly, West Ham were unlucky in week one and should make up for an exciting affair.

14-  Newcastle: Fought valiantly against Manchester City and were unfortunate not to have grabbed equalizer.  Sergio Aguero’s late goal sealed a cruel fate for the Magpies who look to turn the tables on hosts Aston Villa.

15-  Leicester City: Everton were in for a long day when they played hosts Leicester City, who showed fight and spirit which culminated in a 2-2 draw.  It doesn’t get any easier in week two which sees them travel to Stamford Bridge for Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas’ home debuts.

16-  West Brom: Saido Berahino was one of the stars of week one for a West Brom team which looked unusually weak in defense.  Sunderland really brought it in week one, and now the Baggies must head south where the resilient Saints await.

17-  West Ham: One could argue Sam Allardyce should have put on an extra striker a man up.  Maybe, maybe not, but Big Sam wasn’t happy to see his outstanding defense let Eric Dier slip through for the winner at the death.  West Ham are in for another fight when they play a spirited Crystal Palace side. 

18-  Burnley: Showed spirit against Chelsea, both in the opening sequence and parts of the second half.  A rough draw in week 1 sees them travel to Swansea as underdogs to an impressive side who won at Old Trafford on Saturday.

19-  Stoke City: Losing at home to Aston Villa won’t sit well with Mark Hughes and his men.  They go into a difficult matchup with Hull City, but expect a fight from the strong and resilient Potters.

20-  Queens Park Rangers: Harry Redknapp is back.  Awesome.  In other news, Loic Remy has re-joined his parent club which lost to Hull City 0-1 at home last weekend.  QPR must now march into White Hart Lane for Tottenham’s home opener and hope they can come away with a point.  

How Liverpool Can Succeed Against City

If there is one thing premier league viewers can be assured of, it’s that Manchester City will bring it at the Etihad Stadium.  With a 17-1-1 mark last season at home, the Blues come off an impressive title-winning campaign in which they netted 63 goals in front of their home fans.  

Liverpool shared similar success at home, but won’t be playing in the friendly confines of Anfield on Monday evening.  Liverpool and Manchester will meet for just the second premier league fixture of the season in the first marquee matchup between two title contenders in the new campaign. 

If Liverpool are going to have any success against high-octane Manchester City, they must defend better in the middle of the park than they did against Southampton.  James Ward-Prowse was allowed too much time and space, but that’s not to take anything away from the impressive Saints teenager.  

Emre Can has to start in place of the sluggish Lucas, whose time may be wearing thin at Liverpool these days.  Can has the engine and tenacity in the tackle to cause discomfort for the likes of Yaya Toure and David Silva in the midfield.  Can’s presence should ease pressure on Steven Gerrard, while the German is considered by many to be the Liverpool captain’s heir in central midfield.  

The most important area of the pitch for Liverpool will be the defensive line.  Dejan Lovren appears primed to take up a leadership role alongside either Martin Skrtel or Mamadou Sakho.  However, Alberto Moreno would be the focus of attention if he were to make his Liverpool debut on Monday.  

Moreno wowed La Liga with his pace and skill on the ball going forward, but what makes Moreno such a valuable asset to the Reds is his defending ability.  Similar to Jon Flanagan, Moreno has the ability to shut down a flank, something Glen Johnson looks less and less capable of doing.  The Englishman could still feature for Liverpool, but I would argue a fullback tandem of Flanagan and Moreno will be most effective against Manchester City.  

Finally, Liverpool must utilize their speed all over the field if they are to snatch goals at the Etihad.  Raheem Sterling and Daniel Sturridge will feed off of Coutinho, who was recently called up by Dunga to the Selecao.  The aforementioned fullbacks will likely be eager to get forward on occasion, and I personally can't wait to see Moreno pitch in to the attack.  Obviously, taking their likely limited chances is a must if they are to walk away from the Etihad with any points.  

Brendan Rodgers grows more experienced every week in the premier league.  He should have seen Javier Manquillo’s rough go about against Ryan Betrand and Dusan Tadic as a sign that he isn’t ready for a fixture of this magnitude in England.  Manchester City will surely attack Liverpool, so they have to maintain shape and take their chances with pace when they are presented.  For me, a shift in personnel would lead to improvements for Rodgers’ side in such a test on the road.  

No Place for Diving in England

Being a football fan in the United States, it’s not uncommon for me to hear criticisms of the sport in general.  First off, ‘it’s not football, it’s soccer’.  Well, no.  Actually it’s not, because the whole world refers to ‘soccer’ as ‘football’ so that’s that.  Other than the most basic of complaints about what people refer to the sport as, diving takes the drivers seat in the most-complained about aspects of the sport.  

In the World Cup, Arjen Robben assured the world that diving is still an unfortunate yet massive of the sport, as did Fred, Neymar, and Bastian Schweinsteiger.  Ironically enough, Neymar actually sustained a real injury when Juan Zuniga of Colombia kneed him in the back, effectively ending the Brazilian talisman’s World Cup.  

After all the times I saw Neymar rolling around on the ground as if Popeye himself had walloped him in the face with a shovel, I wrote off the Zuniga challenge as another instance of his antics.  However, I was wrong, and found myself wondering if Neymar’s parents ever told him the story of The Boy Who Cried Wolf.  

Not that I would ever wish injury on an athlete, but this is one of the more poetically just things to have happened in Brazil.  Diving is an action that should have no place in football.  It is arguably the least enforced form of cheating in sports, and is a cowardly way of trying to deceive the neutral official into making a wrong decision.  

If there is one league in Europe that is actually doing something about diving, it’s the premier league.  It’s a fair dissertation to declare the premier league the fastest and most physical league in Europe.  Often times, players joining the league from other leagues have a hard time adapting to these challenges.  

Diego Costa, who previously plied his trade in Spain, was booked for diving yesterday in Chelsea’s opening visit to Burnley.  Whether or not it was a dive is up for debate, but the fact of the matter is referees do their research and know the players they police on the pitch.    

Michael Oliver may have made the wrong decision (one could also argue that Costa, already well off-balance, left his right leg out in an effort to create the contact himself) but he did the right thing.  Booking Costa on the opening set of fixtures for diving sets a tone for the season and gives teams an idea of how officials are going to judge these calls.  

Widely considered the two most prone divers in England, Luis Suarez and Gareth Bale now ply their trade in Spain.  During his tenure in the premier league, Suarez was the constant center of controversy, and was never in the good graces of referees who knew of his exploits.  

Similarly, Gareth Bale was one of the more harshly officiated players in the league, having actually accumulated enough simulation yellow cards to merit a ban in his final term with Spurs.  I’m not taking anything away from these two outstanding footballers, but from a diving point of view it’s a relief to see them gone.  

Here in the States, football takes a back seat to several other sports.  In my humble opinion one of the things holding football back in this country is the reputation for simulation.  Anyone who says there isn’t diving in the States is full of it though; just look at Lebron James’ antics over the years. 

However, the NBA, for one, is doing something about it.  In the last two seasons, the governing body of basketball has begun handing out fines for players who dive, something European football leagues should take into consideration.  The premier league is tough, relentless, and physical, but these are the exact reasons it’s the best league to watch in Europe.  

Messi's Relationship With England

It’s no secret that Lionel Messi is good, really, really good.  His stardom is what embodies Barcelona, and it’s no secret that his word bears some weight around the Nou Camp.  There is a notion that Barcelona is a place where attacking midfielders and forwards alike have a chance to succeed and play in a beautiful system which produces brilliant football.  

This, I would argue, is false.  In the summer transfer window, the premier league has seen Luis Suarez head to the Nou Camp, with Cesc Fabregas and Alexis Sanchez coming in the opposite direction.  For Suarez, a change of scenery and culture will probably help him, but when it comes to football he may be in for a bit of a surprise.  

Since joining Manchester City from Barcelona, Yaya Toure has kicked it into another gear, showing a more diverse and free all-around game at the Etihad.  At Barcelona, Toure was shackled by the constraints of the Barca way, but in the premier league is able to impose himself on the fast-moving and physical game that suits him the best.  

Players to join the Catalan club from the premier league don’t always find their way in Spain either.  Javier Mascherano has turned into a terrific center back, but his identity as a defensive midfielder shouldn’t be thrown under the table as he proved in Brazil for Argentina.  Alex Song is another example, for he has rarely started and is often played out of position at center back too.  

Cesc Fabregas was given the ultimate freedom at Arsenal to roam the pitch from box to box and create chances.  At Barcelona, due to the presence of Xavi, Sergio Busquets, and Andres Iniesta, Fabregas was too often played as a winger or false nine in the absence of Messi.  

Fabregas was still a good player for the Catalans, but his return to the premier league should be an exciting one for the creative midfielder.  At Chelsea, Fabregas will surely feature more centrally alongside Nemanja Matic or Ramires.  His positional dilemmas he experienced at Barcelona should be a thing of the past, because Jose Mourinho will put him on the field where he is the most dangerous.  

After just one premier league game under his belt, the praises are already being laid upon Alexis, who looks freed from his sidekick role to Messi in Barcelona.  The Chilean showed in the World Cup he can be devastating when given positional freedom, and has made a good impression on the Arsenal fans so far with his tricks, marauding runs, and creative awareness.  

The balance of power in La Liga is very different from that of the premier league, and it’s a testament to Barcelona's commitment to their star player that so many top-class players are cast into his shadow.  Luis Suarez was in a perfect situation at Liverpool; he was a rockstar, and now at Barcelona he arrives highly coveted but with a black cloud of shame over his head.  

With Messi already the incumbent rockstar with his young sidekick Neymar at his side, Suarez is in danger of being shackled at Barcelona, just as Alexis, Fabregas, and Yaya Toure have been.  Ultimately, the premier league is probably a better (and probably safer) place without the Uruguayan, but from a football point of view it’s a shame to see players limited so much when they move to the Catalan giants.