Berbatov unbalances Arsenal see-saw

It was only at the beginning of last week that Arsène Wenger had voiced his concerns at his team's lack of creativity. He was able to point out that Arsenal had conceded the fewest goals in the Premier League. They were largely OK at the back. The sentiment rang hollow against Fulham as Arsenal demonstrated alarming fragility. It was possible to fear for them every time that Dimitar Berbatov and Bryan Ruiz swept forward. Wenger desperately needs balance. David Hytner

Hernández elbows his way to the front

Sir Alex Ferguson has promised Javier Hernández a place in the Manchester United line-up at Carrow Road this Saturday, on the back of his game-changing contribution against Aston Villa, although the Mexican still seems more likely to be a super-sub, in the Ole Gunnar Solskjaer mould, rather than a regular starter this season. That is not so much a criticism of Hernández, who looks to be back to his best after a difficult 2011-12 season, but more a reflection of the attacking options Ferguson has at his disposal. To accommodate Hernández against Villa, Ferguson withdrew Ashley Young, who was hugely disappointing against his former club, dropped Robin van Persie into a deeper role and shifted Wayne Rooney to the left. Danny Welbeck never got off the bench. What is clear is that Hernández deserves his chance. He has started only one league game this season but has four goals to his name. That is more than Rooney and Welbeck put together from a combined 11 starts. Stuart James

Referees cop it from O'Neill

Martin O'Neill, the Sunderland manager, joined the debate about the inconsistency of referees after his team's 2-1 defeat at Everton. Danny Rose was wrongly booked by Lee Mason for a late incident in which the Sunderland full-back was sinned against rather than the sinner – a decision O'Neill said beggared belief. "All season I've not said a word about referees, and I'm loth to do it now. But we had a seminar a couple of weeks ago when a referee came and told us about the risk of conceding penalties when a player uses his arms in an outstretched position. So what happens? We got one against Stoke, which I never thought was a penalty, then last week, against Aston Villa, there was a clear penalty, identical to the one Mike Dean had given at Old Trafford a couple of hours earlier, and it's not given." Joe Lovejoy

So, Micah, you were saying?

He does know what he's doing. Well, nobody really said Roberto Mancini didn't but it has been a talking point even in his own dressing-room. Micah Richards had made it clear the Manchester City players did not like it when the manager experimented with a 3-5-2 system, and the body language of other defenders said much the same. Mancini ignored it all and, 1-0 down to Tottenham Hotspur, went back to the three-man defence. Maicon and Aleksandar Kolarov were deployed as wing-backs and the game changed almost immediately. That tactical switch was the key moment, André Villas-Boas admitted afterwards. Mancini had got it spot-on. Daniel Taylor

Playing it like a monk fools nobody



Is not celebrating a goal as false a display of loyalty as kissing the badge? You could understand Denis Law walking away enveloped by sadness when his back-heel dribbled over the line to settle the Manchester derby in 1974. The Manchester United with whom he had achieved so much were about to be relegated and his goal was the final nail in their lead-lined coffin. However, Kevin Nolan did not deprive Newcastle of anything much bar a point and, although he admitted to loving his time at St James' Park, he did not have to demonstrate such monastic self-denial to prove it. Most supporters know who contributed what to their club whether they celebrate against them or not. They are surely not that shallow, however childlike they appear on Radio Five's phone-ins. Tim Rich

Case for the defence…

… is a headline writer's fallback position for uneventful 0-0 draws but it fits the bill for Reading's first clean sheet of the season. Brian McDermott's team let in less than one goal a game in winning the Championship but their leakage at the back this season (running at two per league game before the visit of Norwich) was becoming a serious concern. So keeping it watertight on Saturday was vital for Reading's self-belief and their chances of eventually nailing a first Premier League win of the season. Robert Woodward

Relegation six-pointer anyone?

Southampton and QPR seem to have been competing with each other this season to see who can prove the more self-destructive and defeat for one or the other when they meet next weekend could prove ruinous and possibly determine the winner in the Premier League sack race. Southampton should start as slight favourites for the match, since, despite regular defensive slips, they play with greater confidence and cohesion than QPR. They have scored almost twice as many goals this season as the London side and seem to have a clearer idea of what they are supposed to be doing. Paul Doyle

How can QPR be so strong and yet so weak?

Given the strength of the squad, and what it cost to assemble, Queens Park Rangers' position at the bottom of the league is now verging on the ridiculous. Rangers have not been particularly unlucky, 11 games is long enough to make a judgment, and Mark Hughes' failure to produce a single win with players of the unquestioned quality of Esteban Granero, Alejandro Faurlín and Djibril Cissé at his disposal should mean the Welshman is far more vulnerable to being replaced than Nigel Adkins. Richard Rae

Patience is name of the game for Chelsea and Liverpool

The injury to John Terry, and the absence of Ashley Cole and David Luiz, drew the focus back to Chelsea's recent defensive fragility at Stamford Bridge with the European champions still seeking the balance between flamboyant attack and the solidity of old. Roberto Di Matteo and his players recognise their shortcomings and will need time to strike a successful formula. Yet, while they will hope to do so while remaining contenders for the title, Liverpool's patience may be further stretched. Brendan Rodgers spoke about needing "one or two more players" to make a mark, and of is "way off" in the league, with his immediate target to finish higher than last season's eighth. Football is so often about securing instant results these days; both Chelsea and Liverpool might do well to accept some initial pain but look longer term for proper reward. Dominic Fifield

Men in Black 2

When are referees going to put an end to over-zealous behaviour by players in the penalty area when awaiting delivery from set pieces? The wrestling to the floor of Mario Balotelli at the end of Manchester City's Champions League draw with Ajax last week highlighted the lengths to which defenders are now allowed to go, and on Saturday, a grapple between Jonas Olsson and Ivan Ramis at a West Brom corner ended with both being tangled in the back of the net. Neil Swarbrick lectured the pair. Cue more shirt-grabbing seconds later. Richard Gibson