Good: Aleksandar Mitrovic
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The young Serbian forward will have had Newcastle fans sick to the pits of their stomachs this weekend. The Geordies former striker was at his menacing best against Burnley. Getting on the score sheet twice, he was vital in his side’s first three points of the season. Fulham are going to need his cut and thrust performances this season if they are to stay up and this was very much an encouraging sign for the Cottagers.
At twenty-three, the Serbian has the makings of a really solid, line leading forward. Too often he was hot and cold in previous seasons. If he can find that consistency, Fulham may struggle to keep hold of him.
Bad: Richarlison
Good last week, bad this week, the young Brazilian showed a really ugly side to his game on Saturday afternoon. With the match still very much in the balance, Everton’s record signing got involved in an unnecessary off the pitch spat with Adam Smith. Richarlison duly stuck his head into the Bournemouth defender’s face in plain view of everyone including the referee.
The forward is still very young, but should have played enough football by now to have learnt a bit more restraint. He is a top talent, but well and truly let his side down on Saturday. Everton for the second time in three games, were left with ten men at an awfully tricky ground. Richarlison’s absence will be costly and Marko Silva will be hoping he can teach his talented play maker some much need restraint going forward.
Good: Willy Boly
The Frenchman was immense for Wolves in their stoic draw with champions Manchester City. At times, the home side were very much against it, with wave after wave of City attacks crashing into an old gold wall of defenders. Boly showed great experience and grit, throwing himself in front of anything that came his way to help earn his side a point.
Boly is the personification of what Nuno Espirito Santo is trying to do at Molineux. The side looks to sit deep at times, but defend with bravery, composure and spirit. The towering French centre-half is crucial to this. His goal was a blatant hand ball but nobody in The Black Country will care one bit.
Bad: Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg
Diving is sadly part of the game for now, it’s unpleasant, but it’s a realty we cannot escape, much as we’d like to. Southampton midfielder Pierre-Emiie Hojbjerg, may stop and think twice next time though as he took what is likely to be the most embarrassing red card of his career on Saturday.
Already on a yellow, he simulated contact in the area late on in the second half and fell to the ground. Referee Jonathon Moss was not to be conned though. The Dane was shown a red and left his side with ten men, with a decent chunk of the match remaining. In fairness to him, you cannot pin the defeat solely on his sending off, but Hojbjerg should be suitably embarrassed for his antics. Southampton need all the help they can get at the moment and will be ruing his red card and suspension.
Good: Alisson
The mark of a good keeper is one who has little to do for much of a game, but it there, ready when called on. Alisson matched said criteria late on Saturday evening as he flung himself to the left to expertly tip Pascal Gross’ header past the post. In all honesty it wasn’t the most demanding of saves, but it was enough to keep his side in front late on in the game.
He also cut a commanding and decisive figure all day, coming for cross and sticking confidently to his decision. He even did well from a dodgy back pass as the home side struggled in the second half. Liverpool’s ‘keepers have, in recent years, cut indecisive, dithering figures who upset the back four and falter at key moments. It’s only early day’s but Alisson already looks a step in class after years of Mingolet and Karius. He also gets extra kudos for that outrageous piece of skill on the ball in the second half.
Bad: Fabian Schar
The Swiss international was guilty of a sloppy lapse in judgment that ultimately cost him team dearly. Rafa Benitez knows all about the small details when it comes to his side’s defensive performances, he will know all too well how costly Schar’s trip on Marcus Alonso was to his side’s ambitions today.
In fairness to the Switzerland international, Newcastle were far too deep for most of the match against Cheslea. The Magpies will need to be immaculate at the back if they are to pull off results when sitting so deep and experienced defenders like Schar will need to show much better timing, after his rash lunge at St James’s Park
You cannot give Cheslea such an opening, and Newcastle were ultimately made to pay as another as Schar’s defensive colleague DeAndre Yedlin deflected into his own goal with just a few precious minutes left on the clock. Today was certainly an unpleasant wake up call for Schar as he is still finding his feet in the Premier League.
