1) Jeering of Xhaka paints fans in a poor light

There can be little doubt that Granit Xhaka has underwhelmed since his big-money move from Borussia Mönchengladbach three summers ago, failing to provide either the midfield bite or the drive that has been perennially lacking in Arsenal’s post-Vieira era. He has not, however, lacked effort or interest, no matter how low his performances have dipped and you wonder what exactly those home fans who booed the captain as he left the field in the second half were thinking. Certainly Arsenal’s supporters, who pay through the nose, deserve better and are entitled to vent their frustrations. But to single out an underperforming player for abuse is cruel, toxic and patently self-defeating. Xhaka could be seen mouthing a four-letter response and, for once after an Arsenal implosion, the sympathy should be with the player and not the fans. Alex Hess

• Match report: Arsenal 2-2 Crystal Palace

Granit Xhaka’s angry reaction to substitution ‘was wrong’, says Emery Read more

2) Chelsea band together to offset Hazard loss

Christian Pulisic’s first Chelsea hat-trick promises to reshape the pecking order for the positions on the flanks. “Of course he gives himself a great chance of playing in the games coming up,” said Frank Lampard, but perhaps the most encouraging element is how many appealing attacking options there now are for a team who lost their most productive player. “Everyone wants an Eden Hazard in the team,” Lampard said, but Chelsea have scored 22 goals in their past eight league games without the Belgian. “Obviously there is a transition when you lose a player as impactful as Eden. He scored or created nearly 50% of our goals,” Lampard said. But now Tammy Abraham has been directly involved in nine league goals, Mason Mount and Pulisic in five apiece, Willian in four and Marcos Alonso and Callum Hudson-Odoi in three each. There has been a collective commitment to compensate for Hazard’s loss. Richard Jolly

• Match report: Burnley 2-4 Chelsea

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3) Alexander-Arnold’s creative mastery dwarfs any flaws

Trent Alexander-Arnold should be renamed Trent Alexander-Bruyne. The quality and range of his passes – it would be an insult to many of them to call them crosses – is quite staggering for a 21‑year‑old, and for much of the game against Spurs he was Liverpool’s biggest threat. It feels a bit churlish, giving the brilliance of his attacking, to acknowledge his occasionally immature defending. But that’s what opposition managers will be doing because it’s the closest thing Liverpool have to a defensive weakness. Most of Spurs’ chances came down Alexander-Arnold’s side, where Son Heung-min was positioned by Mauricio Pochettino. Alexander-Arnold’s positioning and decision-making are sometimes awry. Then again, you can say that of most defenders of his age. If his attacking play didn’t have the poise of a world-class player in his prime, maybe we wouldn’t expect as much of him defensively. Rob Smyth

• Match report: Liverpool 2-1 Tottenham

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Trent Alexander-Arnold and Son Heung-min was a key battle, and one in which the Liverpool defender eventually prevailed. Photograph: Jon Super/AP

4) Norwich getting drawn towards relegation dogfight

Ten games into the season, seven points on the board, and another match when opponents sliced through them, Norwich City look like prime candidates for relegation. Daniel Farke was correct in his assessment that his team were short of the physical commitment to make this a contest. What he didn’t say was that they also lacked the pace to counterattack and the poise to keep possession, a quality that was supposed to be their forte. Opponents have worked out how to neutralise Norwich and Emi Buendía and Moritz Leitner, who appeared too good for the Championship, are struggling to prove their worth. The Canaries’ next play Brighton and Watford and improved performances and results will be needed if this Norfolk project isn’t to take on the appearance of a wherry holed beneath the waterline. Paul MacInnes

• Match report: Norwich 1-3 Manchester United

Play Video Solskjær jokes that Rashford did 'honourable thing' by missing penalty against Norwich – video

5) Defensive crisis does not concern Guardiola

Despite the long-term injury to Aymeric Laporte and with another centre-back, John Stones, also just returned from a muscle injury, Manchester City have the fourth lowest goals conceded (nine). Pep Guardiola pointed to how he guided Barcelona to Champions League final triumph over Manchester United in 2009 as the inspiration to overcome the defensive crisis. “My first Champions League final, we had a back four with three injuries to the normal starters: against Cristiano [Ronaldo], [Ryan] Giggs, one of the best squads I ever faced in my career. I prefer to have Laporte, but today [against Aston Villa] John Stones played incredibly well apart from one or two actions and we were solid defensively. We have the players [we have], so OK: we go with them. That is the best way.” Jamie Jackson

• Match report: Manchester City 3-0 Aston Villa

6) Holgate convinced Toffees’ luck will turn

The unlucky defeat at Brighton – Everton’s sixth loss in 10 Premier League matches this season – did nothing to help Marco Silva win over the club’s fans who say he is not the manager to take them forward. But Mason Holgate, who played well on his first top-flight start for the club in more than a year, says the players remain right behind him. “I think that’s showed in the last two performances we’ve put out. Last week [in the 2-0 win against West Ham] we were all unbelievable and then this week we were doing really well and there was a [VAR] decision that just completely put the game on its head.” Graham Potter reckoned Everton’s performance suggested Holgate’s words were not platitudes. “They had great intensity and structure and a great work ethic. I’m pretty sure that if they maintain that level they’ve had in the last two games they’ll pick points up.” Paul Doyle

• Match report: Brighton 3-2 Everton

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Everton manager Marco Silva remonstrates with the referee at the end of his team’s defeat at Brighton. Photograph: John Sibley/Action Images via Reuters

7) Joelinton a symbol of Newcastle mismanagement

By finally bringing the best out in Adama Traoré, Nuno Espírito Santo’s second-half switch from 3-5-2 to 3-4-3 paved the way for his side’s comeback from a goal down to claim a point. But, and it is a big but, it should have been academic. Had Newcastle possessed an effective centre‑forward they would surely have had the game all but won by the interval. Joelinton cost £40m from Hoffenheim but the 23-year-old Brazilian striker – deployed in a left-sided attacking role in Germany where he was never a prolific scorer – is struggling badly and, failing to hold the ball up, emphasising why Steve Bruce’s predecessor, Rafael Benítez was so desperate to sign Salomón Rondón permanently from West Brom. Instead Newcastle’s hierarchy said Rondón was too old so both he and Benítez are now in China. If only Mike Ashley had listened. Louise Taylor

• Match report: Newcastle 1-1 Wolves

8) Hasenhüttl faces a week of reckoning

Blame me for Southampton’s embarrassment, says Ralph Hasenhüttl Read more

It was noble of Ralph Hasenhüttl to take responsibility for the 9-0 defeat against Leicester when really his players laid down and accepted their humiliation. The Austrian’s job now is to pick them up for back-to-back fixtures against Manchester City full in the knowledge that another mauling could cost him his job. No one expects them to get anything from the two games but considering the Saints manager’s acceptance that there was “no fight for anything” on Friday night, so the manner of the performances this week will be all-important: the players will need to prove to the fans that they are committed to the cause, and dogged determination is necessary to get them out of their current hole. Southampton are demoralised from their historic defeat so changes will be made to personnel but Hasenhüttl’s real test will be to change the mentality. Will Unwin • Match report: Southampton 0-9 Leicester

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Ralph Hasenhüttl suffered on the sideline as Saints were put to the sword in historic fashion. Photograph: Robin Jones/Getty Images

9) Pellegrini must rejig side to bring best out of Haller

West Ham were right to sell Marko Arnautovic. The Austrian was unreliable, he turned 30 in April and his behaviour left much to be desired before his move to the Chinese Super League last summer. But he was one hell of a player when he was in the mood. Arnautovic’s individual quality was a crucial weapon for West Ham and his replacement, Sébastien Haller, is struggling to fit in. Haller toiled during this 1-1 draw and the £45m signing is crying out for more support and better service from Felipe Anderson and Andriy Yarmolenko. The 25‑year‑old is a more traditional target man than Arnautovic, who preferred to run behind defences and create chances for himself, and West Ham need to start playing to Haller’s strengths. The Frenchman has scored once in his past seven games, so Manuel Pellegrini needs to make changes. Jacob Steinberg

• Match report: West Ham 1-1 Sheffield United

10) Flores’s resilient Hornets set stage for Deeney return

For a team that haven’t won a league game all season, Watford are in pretty good health. Quique Sánchez Flores has stabilised the team as promised, with three consecutive draws and only one goal conceded. But their defensive improvement has had a knock-on effect at the other end. They rarely looked like scoring against Bournemouth, despite the highlights-friendly brilliance of Gerard Deulofeu. Sánchez Flores has preferred a back three – and, in this match, a fluid strike partnership of Deulofeu and Roberto Pereyra. It’s an intriguing, modern tactic, but it looks better on paper than it did on the pitch on Saturday. Watford are in need of something more old-fashioned: a No 9, a goalscorer and a hero. It’s all set up for Troy Deeney, who should return next month after a knee operation, to ride to the rescue once again. Rob Smyth

• Match report: Watford 0-0 Bournemouth