The seventh round of Premier League fixtures concluded yesterday afternoon as West Ham United recorded a 2-0 victory over London rivals Queens Park Rangers at Upton Park.
From the 10 encounters, a total of 28 goals were scored, which helped to produce a host of talking points.
Here, Sports Mole has picked out five of the biggest incidents that have got tongues wagging.
1. Big game failings continue to haunt Arsenal
© Getty Images
It may not have been quite as embarrassing as Arsenal's last visit to Stamford Bridge, but the Gunners were still comfortably disposed of by league leaders Chelsea on Sunday. On the face of it, a 2-0 scoreline may imply that the encounter was a close one, but on the balance of play, the Blues were worthy victors. After all, Arsenal didn't register a single shot on target, which in a game of such magnitude, is a harrowing statistic.
Arsenal's well-documented problems were also exposed once again. The centre-backs lack pace, there is no bite in the middle of the pitch, Mesut Ozil was ineffective when played out of position and once again there was a lack of a proven goalscorer in big matches. It all seemed to get too much for manager Arsene Wenger, who pushed his opposite number Jose Mourinho on the touchline. Yet again, it was another big match to forget for those of an Arsenal persuasion.
2. Pochettino defeats old friends
© Getty Images
During his 18 months on the South Coast, Mauricio Pochettino transformed Southampton from relegation candidates into one of the Premier League's most attractive teams. The summer exodus of key players, as well as Pochettino's defection to Tottenham Hotspur, was expected to the see the Saints struggle to scale those heights again, but Ronald Koeman and his new signings have hit the ground running - so much so that many had tipped them to pick up a positive result at White Hart Lane.
Yet, perhaps aided by his knowledge of some of the Southampton starting lineup, Pochettino got his tactics spot on. Spurs were well organised defensively and although they didn't create too many opportunities, a strike from Christian Eriksen was enough for the home side to claim all three points against their manager's former employers.
3. Sunderland strikers find clinical touch
© Getty Images
In this column last week, concerns were raised regarding the lack of goals that had been scored by Sunderland's strikers. Prior to Stoke City's visit to the Stadium of Light at the weekend, the Black Cats had found the net five times in the Premier League, none of which had been scored by their frontmen.
Well, it would seem that maybe Steven Fletcher and Connor Wickham are big readers of Sports Mole! The duo were in inspired form against the Potters, with England Under-21 international Wickham opening the scoring. After that, Fletcher took centre stage by scoring twice, the second of which was set up by his strike partner. The victory was Sunderland's first of the season and if the pairing can maintain that form, more should come.
4. Pardew finds an ally in Cisse
© Getty Images
When Newcastle United were hammered away at Southampton last month, it seemed that Alan Pardew had well and truly lost the respect of the dressing room. Quite simply, the majority of the Newcastle team at the St Mary's Stadium that day no longer looked enthused to be playing under his management.
However, it would seem that Pardew does at least have one ally in Papiss Cisse. The Senegalese striker scored twice as a substitute against Hull City recently and he added another two goals to secure a 2-2 draw at Swansea City on Saturday afternoon. His contribution may have only delayed the inevitable, with Pardew still the clear favourite to be the next manager to be sacked, but it does at least show that Cisse is backing his boss.
5. Falcao to fly?
© Getty Images
Louis van Gaal admitted after his side's 2-1 victory over Everton yesterday afternoon that Radamel Falcao had been trying too hard to open his goalscoring account for Manchester United. It certainly seemed that way against the Toffees as he failed to score with two decent chances in the first half and another one early in the second.
Yet, all that was forgotten in the 62nd minute when the Colombian international, who joined United on a season-long deal from Monaco in August, turned Angel di Maria's wayward shot into the Everton net. The 28-year-old spoke of his relief at having broken his United duck after the match and with his record for River Plate, Porto, Atletico Madrid and Monaco in mind, it would take a brave person to back against Falcao now embarking on a scoring spree.
