The weekend began with a new (old) boss returning to England after a brief hiatus and has surely ended with two other tenures one step closer to an unhappy ending.
It all started at the Emirates Stadium where there were plenty of Premier League 2025 highlights – as long as you were an Arsenal fan!
In truth, and he more or less admitted this before kick-off, Ange Postecoglou was always onto a loser.
He’d barely had time to meet his new players, let alone implement his preferred way of playing, with the lunchtime kick off coming just a few days after he walked into the Nottingham Forest hot seat.
In his first game since his Europa League triumph in May, he was also never going to get a warm welcome at the club which were his arch rivals until a few short weeks ago.
The 3-0 home win was just what the doctor ordered for the Gunners but also highlighted just how important their man of the match could be this season.
When captain Martin Odegaard had to leave the field in discomfort fairly early on with a shoulder injury, the mind of this SBOTOP observer raced back to last term when key injuries undermined their title bid before Christmas.
Manager Mikel Arteta is keen to avoid such a repeat this time around and one of those brought in at great cost to strengthen the ranks helped himself to a fine double.
Martin Zubimendi scored a fine volley, which took a slight deflection, for the opener and rounded off the scoring by heading home a cross from substitute Leandro Trossard.
In between, two other big money arrivals teamed up less than a minute after the restart when Eberechi Eze, making his first start for Arsenal, teed up Viktor Gyokeres to tap in from close range.
The man who has replaced the affable Aussie, Postecoglou, in North London is making a clear difference and Spurs now have three wins from four after a comprehensive success at struggling West Ham.
Two goals in 10 minutes early in the second half set them on their way, helped by a straight red card for Hammers midfielder Tomas Soucek.
Pape Matar Sarr was left unmarked to head in the opener before exciting talent Lucas Bergvall’s looping header doubled the lead.
When Micky van de Ven capitalised on some passive defending to drive in a third for the visitors just after the hour mark, it was the cue for a number of home supporters to head for the exits on a disappointing evening that leaves their team 18th in the table.
Graham Potter’s Premier League tenure in east London must be hanging by a thread.
Staying in the capital, there was a hero’s welcome for the talented and ultra professional Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi.
He was again at the heart of a controlled defensive display but his attackers could not earn the hosts three points as Palace were held to a frustrating goalless draw by newly promoted Sunderland at Selhurst Park.
A fine point for Sunderland, the draw means Palace are on the longest unbeaten run of any current Premier League side, avoiding defeat in each of their last 10 games – winning three and drawing seven.
Crucial early points were also up for grabs in west London where last season’s Championship winners Leeds were undone by a stoppage time own goal at Fulham.
In the fourth minute of added time at the end of a largely drab encounter, the Swedish left-back Gabriel Gunmundsson inadvertently guided an attempted headed clearance into the far corner to gift Marco Silva’s side a morale-boosting three points.
Leeds had been unfortunate not to be ahead by then with Dominic Calvert-Lewin sending a free header straight at Bernd Leno and Sean Longstaff’s rasping drive clipping the top of the crossbar.
But the Cottagers struck at the death and are up and running – and their Premier League 2025 betting odds have been boosted too.
Onto Sunday and the other promoted club, Burnley, could have given no more and may have even ended up with a highly unlikely point had they not played the last 10 minutes with 10 men against leaders Liverpool.
The final word comes from the Manchester derby where City were easy winners without even playing well.
On the flip side, it’s 10 months since Ruben Amorim was appointed but he is yet to win back-to-back league games and, of the 17 sides who have been in the Premier League since he was appointed, his United have the worst record with 31 points from 31 games.
It’s all been said before and I have nothing further to add.
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