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One. Anderson Earns Support from The Two Coaches

The Nottingham Forest midfielder spent much of Nottingham Forest's 2-0 defeat away to Newcastle, showing Eddie Howe what he lost when top-flight spending rules required the midfielder's sale to avoid a points deduction. This occurred back in the summer of 2024, and Anderson has excelled ever since his switch to Forest. For much of the first half he eclipsed even Sandro Tonali and, across the match, was clearly the Forest manager's best player. Yet mistakes can happen, and when his misplaced ball offered the Brazilian midfielder an opportunity, his subsequent attempted tackle was ill-judged and resulted in the Newcastle player falling in the penalty area. The Brazilian had earlier shot the Magpies into the lead from 25 yards, and from the spot the striker converted his fourth of the season in five starting appearances. Significantly, at the end of the match, both the Forest boss and Howe made obvious gestures to comfort the young midfielder. Should Forest's manager is to establish himself at the club, he will certainly be leaning on Anderson's talent. Howe, meanwhile, would be keen to re-sign the Newcastle academy graduate. In case Forest, regardless of Postecoglou, continue to founder, the Tyneside club may yet be in with a chance.

Two. The Spanish Midfielder Setback Mars City Win

The midfielder's expression said it all. When he went down to the Griffin Park surface gazing at the ground, there was a barely discernible shake of the head – though his posture spoke volumes. Another setback for the Spanish midfielder? That appeared to be the case. Pep Guardiola has attempted to manage Rodri's game time this season since his return from injury from a significant knee problem; it's time for him to trust other options. The Spanish midfielder is the natural stand-in in the lineup, however has only been trusted to play from the outset a single league match since the start of the season. The former Porto man was a £49.8m signing and will be called upon more frequently after his introduction as a substitute for Manchester City in the capital. Regarding if he can offer composure akin to peak Rodri, it remains to be seen.

3. Mason Mount Advances the Ranking at United

Fitness issues have hindered the midfielder's spell with the club. His start against Sunderland was just his 17th in the league since joining in the summer of 2023 from Chelsea. His pedigree has always been recognized, but establishing himself and sufficient minutes to build momentum has been a challenge. In the latest match, his touch was excellent and he provided vision and tactical awareness in equal measure, which might explain why Ruben Amorim chose him ahead of Matheus Cunha. He scored expertly, netting the quickest opener for the Red Devils since his initial match almost a year ago. At a big club, Mount's experience could be crucial. My role is injecting intensity into the team and initiating the press at times, being a key instigator going forward,” stated. “That’s always something that I aim to do, helping the people around me and really bringing the energy. Finding the net was hugely important for me.”

4. Nuno Shows Trust in Young Player Marshall

The West Ham manager's move to send on the young striker for his debut at the Emirates against Arsenal, rather than the established the seasoned forward, was an enormous show of faith in the 20-year-old Northern Irish forward who had a loan spell at Huddersfield. Given that Wilson – who joined on a free transfer in the off-season – and the German striker have contributed just one goal combined so far in the Premier League, the youngster could be given further game time if the Nuno's comments after the game are any indication. “It’s not easy to select a youngster in front of an experienced player,” said the manager. “It’s important for us, as quickly, to have total knowledge of the players available. What I’ve been seeing, [Marshall] has energy, he’s a clinical in front of goal, pace, he can identify openings in the final third. I think we have a player who can contribute.”

Five. Assured Frank Slowly Gains his Spurs Rewards

It's unclear how competitive Tottenham can be this season, least of all themselves. What is clear is that they are heading in the right direction under Thomas Frank. With a third success from a solid away record this campaign, confidence is building that Tottenham are developing into a increasingly organized and tough side than the squad which slumped to their poorest season under the previous manager previously. There is a calm assuredness to the manager, who praised highly of his players' mindset and unity in beating a feisty Leeds United side at a noisy, windy their home ground. Frank had failed to defeat his rival manager and friend Daniel Farke in their past five encounters, but scores from Mathys Tel and the Ghanaian winger, around Noah Okafor's tying goal, ensured the outcome was different. It is early days, but prospects are improving for Tottenham.

Six. Acheampong and Badiashile Rise to the Occasion

Enzo Maresca wanted a additional defender after the injury to Levi Colwill to a knee injury ahead of the campaign. The club hierarchy had a different view. The squad depth are deep and a desperate purchase was not needed. Then came additional setbacks, leaving Maresca with limited options. There were nerves about Josh Acheampong and Benoît Badiashile lining up against Liverpool on Saturday, but there need not have been. The 19-year-old is very young but few doubt his potential. He dealt with Crystal Palace’s {Jean-Philipp