Premier League: Five talking points from the week gone by

Tottenham's defeat at Brighton meant that it has lost three of its last six Premier League matches, while Manchester City too was handed a shock defeat.

Sergio Aguero and Manchester City are now eight points behind table topper Liverpool.

Liverpool opened up an eight-point lead over Manchester City as the leader clinched a dramatic win over Leicester, while the defending champion crashed to defeat against Wolves.

Manchester United's problems mounted with a loss at Newcastle and Tottenham is in turmoil following its 3-0 reverse against Brighton.

Here are the talking points from the week gone by:

 

1) Insipid champion Man City stunned by Traore

Adama Traore celebrates scoring in Wolves' win over Manchester City.

 

Manchester City was abysmal and sorely missed the creative spark of Kevin De Bruyne in the middle of the pitch as the defending champion fell to a 0-2 defeat at the hands of Wolves at its own home ground.

Adama Traore's double meant Manchester City remains eight points behind Liverpool at the Premier League summit.

The Reds' last-gasp win over Leicester City a day earlier opened up a sizeable lead over Pep Guardiola's side, which was unable to reduce the deficit after an insipid display.

City was second best to its well-drilled opponents for long periods, with Traore's two breakaway goals in the final 10 minutes handing Nuno Espirito Santo's side a thoroughly deserved three points.

Guardiola has a two-week gap now to mastermind a reversal in fortunes for his side and reel in Jurgen Klopp's seemingly unstoppable outfit.

 

2) Liverpool shows City how to grind

James Milner celebrates his late winner.

 

This was a weekend where City could realistically have hoped to close the five-point gap at the top. Instead it ended it eight points back and facing a mountain to climb to retain its title.

Not for the first time in recent weeks, Liverpool found a way to win, this time thanks to a 95th-minute penalty scored by James Milner to see off the considerable challenge of Leicester 2-1 at Anfield.

Jurgen Klopp reminded his title challenger last week it is better to win eight games 1-0 than one game 8-0 after City trounced Watford by that scoreline a fortnight ago.

City has been hamstrung by injuries to Aymeric Laporte and John Stones, leaving its lack of centre-back cover exposed. And with Laporte not due back till the new year, the gap could even get bigger in the coming months.

Liverpool hosts the champion at Anfield on November 10 in what increasingly looks like a must-win for City.

 

3) Lloris forced off as Tottenham's slum continues

Hugo Lloris injured his arm against Brighton.

 

Tottenham's afternoon got off to a terrible start when goalkeeper Hugo Lloris gifted Neal Maupay with Brighton's opening goal and then had to be taken off on a stretcher with a serious arm injury.

Mauricio Pochettino's men, still smarting from a 7-2 Champions League thumping by Bayern Munich and a run of one win in their previous five matches, found themselves trailing by two after 32 minutes when Aaron Connolly scored his first senior goal for Brighton in his first Premier League start.

The visitor came out looking bright after the interval as it  attempted to break the storm clouds gathering over its coach's head but mustered just two shots on target in a tepid second half.

Brighton, meanwhile, continued to probe and press for openings, and Connolly scored the pick of the goals after 65 minutes to wrap up a memorable afternoon for him and a first league win for the Seagulls since the opening day.

 

4) Crisis deepens for Ole's Manchester United

Manchester United sits 12th on nine points, its lowest points tally after eight games since 1989-90.

 

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's ashen face told the story of Manchester United's latest abject failure as the beleaguered boss looked to the heavens at the conclusion of their 1-0 loss against Newcastle.

Matty Longstaff's second-half winner left United languishing in 12th place -- just two points above the relegation zone -- after its worst start since 1989.

United hasn't won away since March and its only victory in its last five matches in all competitions came on penalties against minnow Rochdale in the League Cup.

Solskjaer is a United great but that status might not be enough to save him from speculation about his future unless results improve quickly.

“It's my responsibility. I need to sort their heads out. Young boys lacking confidence, they need some help from experienced players and staff,” Solskjaer said.

But it doesn't get any easier for Solskjaer when the action resumes after the international break as red-hot Liverpool is United's next opponents.

 

5) Lampard's Blues maintain momentum

Frank Lampard celebrates after Chelsea's win.

 

Chelsea started the season slowly but it heads into the October international break on the back of a four-game winning streak in all competitions.

The Blues brushed aside Southampton 4-1 at St Mary's Stadium on to register back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time under Frank Lampard.

In-form striker Tammy Abraham broke the deadlock with his eighth league goal of the campaign to join Sergio Aguero at the top of the competition's scoring charts. 

Mason Mount and N'Golo Kante were also on target, either side of Danny Ings pulling one back, as Lampard's men netted three first-half goals for the second successive Premier League away trip. Substitute Michy Batshuayi scored the only goal of a low-key second half to seal the win for Chelsea.

Successive victories in the Premier League sees Chelsea move level with fourth-placed Leicester City and it does not face a side currently above it until travelling to Manchester City in late November.

 

( With inputs from AFP and Omnisport)