1) Is Mark Hughes bulletproof?

Despite presiding over a dreadful start to the season, Mark Hughes has received the strongest possible support from his employers. Tony Fernandes, the QPR chairman, has suggested Hughes is safe come what may. These are, of course, early days but there is a wider picture that makes for uncomfortable reading at QPR: Hughes's record since his appointment at Loftus Road back in January reads P25 W6 D4 L15. That, quite simply, is relegation form. Hughes has been heavily backed in the transfer market since he took over and, although it takes time for players to gel, QPR fans are entitled to expect much better than two points from the opening seven matches this season. The fans have yet to turn on him – the absence of any vocal criticism from the hardcore support behind the goal at The Hawthorns is a better gauge of the mood than any messages sent to Fernandes's twitter account – but the chairman would be naïve to think the faithful will continue to buy into his theory that "stability" is key should results fail to improve. Hughes badly needs a first league victory of the season, although that seems unlikely to happen until he sorts out a shambolic defence that has conceded 19 goals in nine games this season. Stuart James

2) Is James Milner better as a holding midfielder?

Against a disappointing Sunderland side, James Milner proved effective as a defensive midfielder in Manchester City's 3-0 win. Rarely a starter for any big game under Roberto Mancini, Milner played the best football of his career operating centrally for his former club, Aston Villa. Lacking the artistry of David Silva or Samir Nasri, City's prime wide operators, Milner has the energy and tenacity to prosper as a midfield shield though whether he gets a chance before Gareth Barry, Yaya Touré, Javi García and Jack Rodwell may be unlikely. Jamie Jackson

3) Chelsea need to be convinced and convincing

Unless some new information or interpretation comes to light over the coming weeks, the game against Norwich should represent John Terry's and Ashley Cole's last ever appearance for Chelsea. No decent club can employ a captain who racially abuses an opponent, nor anyone who conspires with him to compound that offence by misleading investigation into it. Paul Doyle

4) Is Arouna Koné one of the bargains of the year?

Swansea's Michu scored 15 goals in La Liga last season, cost £2m and his arrival has been widely described as one of the coups of the summer. But what about Arouna Koné? The Ivorian striker was twice as expensive, at £4m, after striking 15 times for Levante last year and his brief Wigan career has already produced three goals as well as an assist for Franco di Santo on Saturday. A criticism of Roberto Martínez's record in the transfer market is that he has struggled to sign fine strikers but, equipped with pace, power and a predatory instinct, Koné seems the class act Wigan have long lacked. Richard Jolly

5) Why must players be booked for celebrating?

Mohamed Diamé scored one of the best goals of his career at Upton Park on Saturday, the Senegalese's flashed finish thrusting a side recently promoted from the Championship into the lead against one of the division's Champions League participants. It prompted a predictably raucous reaction in the stands. Yet within seconds Diamé had been booked for venturing to the advertising hoardings to celebrate with the home support – the same would later apply to Theo Walcott – thereby flirting with dismissal at every subsequent challenge. Indeed, he might have been dismissed within seven minutes after crunching Mikel Arteta. "It put him on the edge," said Sam Allardyce of the original booking. "We had to tell him at half-time not to make another tackle. I don't think referees should be booking players for things like that but they're doing what they're told by the police. But nobody can control himself when he scores a goal, so why punish him? Players running to fans doesn't cause a problem these days because everybody's reasonably well behaved." Even in an occasionally fractious London derby, it was hard not to agree. Dominic Fifield

6) James Morrison is very good

As if James Morrison did not have trouble enough, what with redeeming his name from pop music abomination, the faddish nature of football formations is to his significant disadvantage. But, though the box-to-box midfielder is almost extinct, he is arguing the case for its conservation with increasing eloquence, illustrating his value with another goal and assist on Saturday. Yet he is far more than a Fantasy League player and his former club manager, Roy Hodgson, probably wishes he could pick him for England. Daniel Harris

7) Christian Benteke does Paul Lambert no favours at White Hart Lane



Paul Lambert's reasoning for once again omitting Darren Bent from the starting Aston Villa line-up and persisting with Benteke was sound. The manager wanted cover in wide areas in a new-look 4-2-3-1 formation against opponents that attack in numbers on the flanks; Benteke is the better lone target man as he is capable of hold-up work while Bent likes to play alongside a No9 and thrives on balls in behind. It should be noted that Villa restricted Tottenham in the first half. But when two opportunities knocked for Benteke early in the second period, the second a gilt-edged header, his failures to convert put Lambert in a tight spot. David Hytner

8) Saints should play to the whistle

Southampton players fell like ninepins in the first half against Fulham but, on most occasions, Mark Clattenburg, the referee, deemed that the injuries were not serious and tried to keep the play moving, regardless of which team had possession – as he is instructed to. But the home players constantly pleaded with him to stop the game, which destroyed the natural ebb and flow. Play to the whistle, guys. Russell Kempson

9) Manchester United still have the quality

Manchester United impressed and also reminded everyone of the quality in their ranks against Newcastle. The club lives within its means but we sometimes forget that they have the budget both to sign outstanding, costly players such as Robin van Persie, whose wages must be large indeed. Newcastle United are skilled in buying wisely but those sums do not buy men of quite their opponents' calibre. Kevin McCarra

10) Brendan Rodgers' principles are admirable … up to a point

The name of Andy Carroll will always arise when Liverpool fail to score and several dangerous crosses into the penalty area go begging in the process, as was the case against Stoke City. This does not render the argument worthless. "I'm not one who will go down the desperation route," was Brendan Rodgers' direct response to the Carroll question on Sunday. It was not a sign the Liverpool manager will be turning on the charm offensive to get the centre-forward back in January, yet Rodgers deployed Martin Skrtel up front in the final 10 minutes of the defeat by Manchester United and the defender almost won the game against Stoke in the 90th minute. Andy Hunter