10 Things We Learned From The English Premier League Football Weekend (30 Sept - 1 Oct 2017)
Fury cross the Mersey.
The summer transfer window has already done much to alter the complexion of the Premier League this season.
Manchester United's signature of Romelu Lukaku both guaranteed goals and added another dimension to his side's attacking play. The big Belgian is striking again and again. The joke that was Claudio Bravo's goalkeeping performances wasn't funny anymore, so the Citizens asked Pep Guardiola to put another pair of hands in the gloves. Ederson, on the few occasions on which he's been called to action, has deputised superbly. Manchester City have evolved into potentially the best PL side in years; they've got everything now.
Self-barbarism begins at home, but Spurs have cancelled out the Wembley jitters with some sublime away performances, having done well to retain the services of Harry Kane and Dele Alli in the summer. Even Arsene Wenger, after years of refusal, finally realised that money changes everything - and splashed out on a costly, free-scoring striker of genuine international class. What difference does it make? With Champions League qualification at a premium, it could make all of it.
The top sides have all plugged the necessary gaps - with one glaring exception - and oh mother, you can feel the soil falling over their heads...
10. Harry Is Kaning In The Goals
Tempting though it may be to use unfashionable Huddersfield Town as a makeweight in the "Is Harry Kane the greatest striker on the planet right now?" argument, they're a side of quiet but no less genuine quality, having made a very good account of themselves within their new Premier League surroundings.
Despite picking up valuable points against sides of veritable top flight quality over the last fortnight, they were no match for England's no. 9. His first goal was as much of an indictment of Huddersfield as it was an indication of his class, however; he pounced on an air shot to slot home at the near post within the first ten minutes. Strikers are often confused for bloodhounds in the metaphor stakes - but Kane really did sniff out this opportunity to add to his enviable goals tally. The second goal fell into the lap of Ben Davies, like a tired Chihuahua, but you can forgive the Huddersfield defence for the lapse in concentration; the slick passing sequences exchanged in the build-up were hypnotic in their first touch incision. Kane's second was altogether more unstoppable. It was a rocket.
A fortuitous Moussa Sissoko last-minute effort compounded Huddersfield's agony - their first stern test of mentality. If they can recover, bet the farm on them securing PL status for another year.