TALKING points from the eighth round of the Premier League season:
ARSENAL ENDS MAN CITY HOODOO TO SEND TITLE MESSAGE
Eight years without beating an opponent is a long time in competitive soccer, as is 12 defeats in a row to the same rivals.
For Arsenal fans, ending that long barren run against Manchester City was worth the wait as Gabriel Martinelli fired a last-gasp winner to earn the Gunners a 1-0 win over the champions on Sunday and send the Emirates Stadium into delirium.
Given the way Arsenal fell away in the Premier League title race last season, they needed a strong start to the new campaign to send a message to dominant City they can compete again.
Arsenal are yet to lose a Premier League game this season, last going on a longer unbeaten run to start a campaign in 2007-08 — that is certainly how to make a statement of intent.
LATE WIN CAN NOT DISGUISE MAN UNITED’S DISUNITY
They may have pulled off a scarcely believable comeback to defeat Brentford on Saturday, but the signs of Manchester United’s disunity were on display for all to see until Scott McTominay’s late goals gave them a reason to celebrate.
Forced to field a makeshift backline due to a number of injuries, United’s players spent the game snapping and gesticulating at one another as they failed to find their rhythm against an organised Brentford side who appeared to be on the way to a well-deserved win.
The introduction of Christian Eriksen for Casemiro at halftime gave United a more organised look but too often the players seemed to be on different wavelengths and attacks were reduced to solo raids and shots from distance.
Only striker Rasmus Hojlund looked prepared to make the physical effort required to win, and it was exactly that kind of selfless play that led to McTominay’s late strikes for a win that will be welcome but is far from the answer to all their problems.
PRESSURE MOUNTS ON BOURNEMOUTH’S IRAOLA
Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola is in danger of becoming the Premier League’s first managerial casualty of the season if he is unable to improve the struggling team who sit 19th without a win in eight games.
Bournemouth sacked Gary O’Neil after he helped them secure top-flight survival last season and the club were excited to bring in Iraola, who had a successful spell at Rayo Vallecano.
But the Spaniard has failed to lift the gloom at the south-coast club and a 3-0 defeat by a similarly floundering Everton may force the owners to take a call during the international break, having sacked Scott Parker after four games last season.
“You talk about me having a good reputation but I have to show it,” Iraola said. “We haven’t won any games, so that means I am not doing my homework, but I feel the players are pushing and will improve.”
STERLING MAKES POINT TO SOUTHGATE
Having been left out of the England squad again by coach Gareth Southgate, Raheem Sterling proved he still has plenty to offer, even in a disjointed Chelsea team, after playing a starring role in their 4-1 win at Burnley.
Chelsea looked set for further disappointment this season after falling behind at Turf Moor on Saturday, only for Sterling to force an own goal to restore parity before winning a second-half penalty to complete the turnaround.
He then got on the scoresheet himself to cap a memorable afternoon in Lancashire.
