This weekend once again saw twists and turns, delights and outrages, quality and embarrassments:
Top Game: Sunderland's win over Blackburn was the most contrasting result in relation to the actual match. How the ball did not end up in the net more than once for Blackburn and how they ended up on the losing side is inexplicable looking at the chances and dominance they had. They were on top and Sunderland struggling until the visitors fell asleep and gave away the match. Similar to Liverpool's defeat - just examples of when the scores do not reflect the match in the slightest. Seemed to be the theme of the week...
Top Team: Manchester United got back on track this week thumping Wigan. Arsenal served a quality match with plenty quality goals. And Burnley continued their high ride start to their Premier League campaign with a win against a struggling Everton side. But Blackburn and Wigan impressed me most. Both were on the losing side this week but created chance after chance and great entertainment and competitive football.
Top Player: Wayne Rooney scored his 100th and 101st goal for United, stealing the goals, match and show and making him the 21st centurian goal scorer for United. Michael Owen scored his first Premier League goal for the side, hoping to reach similar peaks as his Scouser colleague - which made me grin thinking back to the period he scored over a century of goals for their main rivals. How times have changed.
Top Goal: Carlton Cole's top-draw left-footed turn-strike for West Ham against Tottenham was a beauty. He created a lot of chances for his side, shame he also served Spurs one on a plate, giving the ball away to Jermain Defoe, who did not waste the present to equalise.
Top Save: Brad Friedel did a brilliant job for Aston Villa, making numerous stops and saves for his side. And if it were not for the saves Ben Foster made for Man Utd, the game could have developed very differently, the score not reflecting the threat Wigan were at times.
Flop Team: Liverpool created enough pressure from loads of possession but looked chaotic and clumsy at times, slipping up and losing the ball at crucial times. Man Utd did not look much better in the first half against Wigan, but certainly turned that around in the second half, making the defeat against Burnley fall into oblivion.
Flop Player: If Andriy Voronin or Ryan Babel were supposed to be match-saving subs and are the best Liverpool have on the bench, it indicates very much what they are lacking: resources, backup, alternatives. As I wrote in my season preview, they will need THAT player that can turn up when the team is disappointing and turn the game around. So far, not good and no one spotted.
Flop Goals: Lucas Leiva's own goal crowned and Steven Gerrard conceding a penalty just minutes after his side finally scored peaked the frustration and misery for Liverpool.
My Predictions - Actual Results
Arsenal 3:0 Portsmouth - 4:1
Birmingham 2:0 Stoke - 0:0
Hull City 0:0 Bolton - 1:0
Man City 2:0 Wolves - 1:0
Sunderland 0:1 Blackburn - 2:1
Wigan 1:3 Man Utd - 0:5
Burnley 2:0 Everton - 1:0
Fulham 1:1 Chelsea - 0:2
West Ham 1:3 Tottenham - 1:2
Liverpool 2:0 Aston Villa - 1:3
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