Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has set an unwanted Old Trafford record as pressure mounts, while Pep Guardiola has hailed unstoppable striker Erling Haaland.
EARLY TRENDS START EMERGING IN EPL
Now that we’ve reached the first International break, with two more coming in October and November, we can take a quick breather and see where we are after three EPL rounds. The only two clubs with 100 percent win records are Man City and Liverpool.
The latter are the only team to not concede a goal. City are averaging three goals a game, Everton have conceded. Three teams have completed the “trifecta” – one win, one loss, one draw, they being Tottenham, Chelsea and Fulham. For those London clubs, it is a perfect indication of what their supporters are in for over the next 35 games.
SUNDERLAND GIVING EARLY HOPE TO FANS
Obviously, it’s too early to make projections, but like any general election, it’s always good to see early results and then start speculating. The Championship, which will produce three clubs being promoted to the English Premier League next season, is four matches into 2024/25 as he arrived at the International break.
It’s good news, so far, for Sunderland, who have 12 points from their first four games. They’re followed by West Brom and Watford. The only unbeaten clubs are Sunderland, West Brom, Leeds, Blackburn and Sheffield United. For Sunderland fans, the most impressive stat is that they’ve only conceded one goal from four games. That’s promotion form…
TEN HAG SETS UNWANTED OLD TRAFFORD RECORD
Erik ten Hag might not agree but the vultures are circling above Old Trafford. The Dutchman became the first Man United manager to lose three English Premier League home games by three or more goals in the space of 12 months.
Liverpool’s win last week follows Manchester City’s 3-0 win at Old Trafford in October 2023 and Bournemouth’s 3-0 win in December 2023. In the opposition dugout though it was a great win for Liverpool’s Arne Slot. The Dutchman is only the second Reds boss to win his first away league game against United, with George Kay the only other manager to do so, in 1936.
‘NOT EVEN A GUN’ CAN STOP HAALAND
Erling Haaland’s latest hat-trick, his second of the EPL season in three games, has already taken him to seven goals, four more than Noni Madueke (Chelsea), Mo Salah (Liverpool) and Bryan Mbuemo (Brentford). However, his manager Pep Guardiola has warned there’s plenty more to come.
“Erling is unstoppable,” Guardiola said. “There is not a central defender, not even with a gun, who can stop him. We know how clinical he is. Everybody knows it. He’s playing much better in everything [this season]. The details, he stays 20 minutes or half an hour after training sessions now. Last season, not even once.” Next up in the league for City and Haaland is Brentford and then a blockbuster with Arsenal.
THE POWER OF ONLINE GAMING
We all have a laugh when asking why someone supports Manchester City, for example, or a club that wasn’t as popular as let’s say, Man United, Liverpool or even Arsenal and Chelsea a few years ago. Our French volunteer with Team SA inside the Paralympic village, supports City. His reason left me thinking.
“I started supporting Manchester City when I was 17. I’m now 28. It was in 2013 when I started following the English Premier League more. Manuel Pellegrini was manager. I started supporting them because I was introduced to the Fifa game on PlayStation. City had all the best-rated players, speed, strength. So, that’s how I started.”
TEN EPL PLAYERS ON BALLON D’OR FIRST CALL
The “shortlist” for the 2024 Ballon d’Or which honours the best footballer in the world – what they don’t say is playing in Europe – stretches out to some 30 names but for the first time in 21 years doesn’t include Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi.
There are 10 players from the English Premier League, including Man City stars Rodri and Erling Haaland. Rodri will go close, surely, but Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jnr must be in pole position. The EPL players nominated are: Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Ruben Dias (Man City), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Rodri (Man City), Phil Foden (Man City), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Erling Haaland (Man City), William Saliba (Arsenal), Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa) and Martin Odegaard (Arsenal).
