It would have been very easy for Oliver Glasner to lose patience with Liam Delap. The forward is still only 23, yet the days when he was rattling in 12 in a Premier League season for Ipswich have come to seem a very long time ago (and his six games for Manchester City even longer). A season at Chelsea had left him bereft of confidence, an odd mix of diffidence and over-aggression, devoid of composure in the box, arms flailing like a broken windmill. But the old gifts have not left him. Both goals on Saturday were the result of great muscular surges and if the first finish seemed essentially about hitting the ball as hard as possible on target, the second was a precise – and still powerful – finish in off the far post. After games like this it’s possible to imagine him as England’s long-term replacement for Harry Kane. Jonathan Wilson
Amid the chaotic blur of proceedings at Old Trafford, there was one outstanding performance. Alysson had only one goal to his name in his Premier League career at Aston Villa, but he scored one and helped set up another two in the first 48 minutes against Manchester United. The 20-year-old winger, who has represented Brazil only at under-16 level, was signed from Grêmio for an initial £8.7m last January. His only goal in 18 previous appearances was against Nottingham Forest in September – it took less than a minute to open the scoring at United and less than four for his saved shot to rebound out to Nicolas Jackson for Villa’s second. United’s right-back, Diogo Dalot, was too slow to close Alysson down for his opener and did not have any complaints when his trip on the Brazilian conceded a penalty at the start of the second half. Dalot, often the face of United’s struggles, was booed off when substituted in the second half – Alysson was applauded off by the away end. Billy Munday
Diego Gómez is the latest example of a slow-burning Brighton player given the chance and space to bed in before then flourishing. His current status is as an overnight sensation though a taste for the spectacular and an eye for goal have been obvious since two goals against Leeds in November 2025. Gómez had signed from Inter Miami that January. The inside-right position from which he drilled his left-foot sidewinder to open the scoring against Brentford brings the best from his shooting prowess with both feet. His October halfway line strike against Crystal Palace came with his right foot. As with a number of Brighton’s purchases, Gómez can play in other positions, variously defensive midfielder, attacking midfielder, even on the wing. Within Fabian Hürzeler’s stringent tactical setup, he is asked to work hard for the ball. Such high pressing created the opportunity Charalampos Kostoulas should have done better with in the moments following the opening goal. John Brewin
There is nothing wrong with Arsenal’s habit of winning games by a single goal: Mikel Arteta’s side did it 15 times on their way to the title last season and the latest against Hull was their fourth this season. Yet despite being six points clear of Manchester City heading into the international break, Arteta will have some concerns about the lack of goals so far. With only 15 from their first 10 matches, Arsenal are on course to break Manchester United’s record of 67 for the fewest by a team being crowned champions in 1993 – the Premier League’s first season. They have also been struggling to score in the first half of games having gone six matches in all competitions without doing so last month and Arteta has called on his players to be more ruthless. “Sometimes we try to score the perfect goal against low blocks, but we need to be much more chaotic than that. If we open the scoring much earlier also, it changes the game,” he said. Ed Aarons
All hail Brian Brobbey. It is fascinating that a player sometimes derided for his supposed lack of technical quality while at Ajax has developed into one of the Premier League’s most potent and difficult-to-play centre-forwards in little more than a year in England. His new contract, announced last Wednesday, is richly deserved. There is, as Régis Le Bris acknowledged after the win over Chelsea in which he bullied the visitors, no one quite like him. “Against a team that wants to press like that it’s so important to have a target man,” said the Sunderland manager, and Brobbey was that and then some. Much has been made of how Chelsea miss João Pedro but the Mackems are a different team with their flying Dutchman. Andy Brassell
It was a tale of two benches at Elland Road. The big question hanging over Leeds is whether they have the support for Dominic Calvert-Lewin to make a concerted push for Europe this season; a question that went some way to being answered when the substitutes Harry Wilson and Noah Okafor combined for the latter to score the winner against Tottenham. In contrast, Roberto De Zerbi’s attacking options let him down in a game that felt there for the taking. Dominic Solanke struggled after replacing Mathys Tel, Omar Marmoush looked limited in the central striker role and their brightest performer was the 18-year-old Lucá Williams-Barnett, who one would suspect is now not far from a deserved start. Having won three straight games before their defeat in West Yorkshire, Spurs suddenly go into the international break with more questions than answers over their attacking credentials once again. Aaron Bower
Andoni Iraola had one wish as he signed off for the international window with the 3-1 win at Crystal Palace – that he does not lose any players to injury before Liverpool are back in action against Manchester United at Anfield on Sunday week. The manager is scarred by the previous round of international fixtures; Dominik Szoboszlai, Cody Gakpo and Alexander Isak all picked up problems. The trio were missed as Liverpool lost to Manchester City in the first game back. Szoboszlai’s injury was the most concerning; he was only able to return as a substitute in the defeat against Arsenal and Iraola admitted the Hungary midfielder was not 100% after Palace, that a knee problem required management. “Let’s see if Dom can play with the national team or not,” Iraola said. “I know what I want! But I have to understand the national teams. Also I’m sure Dom will want to go. I’m not sure if it’s going to be fine.” David Hytner
Bournemouth are really getting to grips with the Thursday-Sunday grind in their first season in Europe. Their head coach, Marco Rose, has been working hard to ensure his team are in the right shape to start Premier League games quickly after a Europa League assignment three days earlier. After Thursday’s trip to face Sparta Prague, Bournemouth were quick out of the traps at Ipswich on Sunday, taking the lead through Evanilson after five minutes. “Last week [against Leeds] I said we start slow and this week we start quite quick and score an early goal – I am a magician,” said Rose after their eighth consecutive win in all competitions – equalling a club record set under Eddie Howe in League One. Evanilson is himself on a streak – he’s scored in five in a row in the league – and only Nicolas Jackson has scored as many in the top flight since the last international break. The Brazilian did not need Christian Walton’s helping hand with this goal. BM
Newcastle delivered one of their more convincing performances of the season at Fulham, but one issue remains a headache for Matthias Jaissle. Efforts to replace Alexander Isak in attack have not been good enough. Nick Woltemade was loaned to Juventus after an inconsistent debut season in England and there was not much encouragement to take from how Yoane Wissa and William Osula played at Craven Cottage. Wissa, who has struggled since his £55m move from Brentford last summer, has four goals in 41 appearances and did not put himself about enough before being taken off after 61 minutes, while Osula did not manage a touch in Fulham’s area and lost possession before Rodrigo Muniz’s late equaliser for Alvaro Arbeloa’s side. Jaissle needs more from his forwards on and off the ball. Otherwise Newcastle are going to need to find different players to lead their attack. Jacob Steinberg
