Three Talking Points From Premier League: Chelsea Shines As Manchester Struggles

Chelsea manager Maresca is cautious about adding extra pressure on his young squad, but it’s becoming increasingly difficult to ignore their potential as Premier League title contenders.

The Blues sent out an emphatic statement with a 4-3 win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday, after Arsenal were held at Fulham, to move just four points behind leaders Liverpool.

The outcome paints a grim picture for Tottenham manager, Ange Postecoglou, with his team sitting 11th in the table, only one point clear of a struggling Manchester United.

SportxparteSportxparte looks at three talking points from the Premier League weekend.

Chelsea the real contender?

Enzo Maresca has shaped a big Chelsea squad into an effective fighting force just months into his tenure at Stamford Bridge.

Last week, he expressed optimism for the Blues’ future, stating that despite not having secured any trophies since winning the Champions League in 2021, they have the potential to “dominate” English football.

“We are happy that our fans are happy,” the Italian said after his team came back from 2-0 down to beat Spurs.

“They can dream, they can think everything because on the outside it is quite clear, also inside, the reality is that I said many times for me we are not ready to be there, but the important thing is we improve day by day.”

But Chelsea are now within touching distance of Liverpool after a fourth straight top-flight win.

For Tottenham, the result is another major blow just two weeks after they blew Manchester City away 4-0 at the Etihad.

Man Utd back in crisis

Ruben Amorim experienced a typical new manager bounce following his arrival at Manchester United last month, but he is fully aware of the magnitude of the challenge that lies ahead.

The former Sporting Lisbon boss predicted the “storm will come” and it is here earlier than maybe he expected.

United went down 2-0 to high-flying Arsenal in midweek and on Saturday lost 3-2 at home to Nottingham Forest, paying for defensive lapses.

The 20-time champions currently sit 13th in the table with 19 points, marking their lowest position after 15 league matches since the 1986/87 season.

Amorim has urged United’s players and supporters to trust the process, saying it will be a “long journey”.

But there was more upheaval off the pitch on Sunday as the club confirmed the shock departure of sporting director Dan Ashworth just five months after he took up the role.

With upcoming away matches against Manchester City and Liverpool in the next few weeks, United may find themselves fighting just to maintain their dignity.

Brentford: Home sweet home

Brentford are a Jekyll and Hyde team. Their home form is the best in the Premier League, but their away form is horrendous.

Thomas Frank’s team was at it again on Saturday, securing an exhilarating 4-2 victory over Newcastle at the Gtech Community Stadium. This marks their seventh win in eight home matches, with the only other result being a draw.

It was the fourth time in five home matches that the Bees had hit four or more goals. Only second-placed Chelsea have more than Brentford’s overall total of 31 goals this season.

“The number of goals we’ve scored in the league, I don’t think any of us understand how crazy good that is,” said Frank.

Brentford currently sits ninth in the table with 23 points, despite struggling on the road, where they have recorded six defeats and one draw in their seven away matches.

Turn that around and they could be pushing for a European spot, with many of the bigger clubs struggling for consistency.