Premier League

Nicola Pearson
BBC Sport journalist

"Makelele and Kante were an inspiration to me."

Those were the words of Moises Caicedo in an interview with club media, external after completing his then British record move to Chelsea from Brighton.

Alongside an old photo of the midfielder in a kit with N'Golo Kante's name on the back, Caicedo also said: "I can say we share similar qualities, but they [Kante and Claude Makelele] were better. But now I am going to give everything for this club because they did so much for me."

While it has taken a bit more time than most expected, those watching the Blues are starting to see just how good the 23-year-old can be.

It may be early on in the season, but Caicedo has already won more player of the match awards than any other player (three), and has scored three goals from his four shots on target.

Being a defensive midfielder, the Ecuador international may be more inclined to celebrate his topping the Premier League charts for tackles and interceptions - in fact, he is joint-top across Europe's top five leagues with his 18 interceptions.

Chelsea have a strong recent history of players in the holding midfielder role.

Makelele really set the standard - the role is named after him, after all - while Kante brought his own unique style in his seven seasons and, though not strictly the same kind of player, others such as Michael Essien and Ramires are also worthy of mentions.

Arriving at an older age, both Makelele and Kante had the years on Caicedo, but how does Chelsea's latest midfield star currently rank against his idols when they were at Stamford Bridge?

Despite playing a similar position, Makelele and Kante were somewhat different in style.

Makelele was not about about distances, speed and flair - he was about protection, defence and controlling the game.

And while Kante still held these traits of his fellow countryman, the well-used football joke of '70% of the earth is covered by water, the rest by N'Golo Kante', though tongue-in-cheek, did stem from the France international's incredible ability to cover the pitch and be the engine room of the team.

Caicedo's start to life at Chelsea was not easy - perhaps weighed down by his £115m fee - but he has grown into his role and his numbers are following.

When compared per 90 minutes, the similarities between all three midfielders is what stands out.

As expected, Makelele edges it in some of the more defensive stats, like tackles and interceptions, and Kante comes to the fore when it was about winning the ball and moving with it.

Coming out on top for duels attempted, Caicedo shows his fearlessness in competing for the ball, but his ability in using it is really highlighted when it comes to passes.

With 55.7 successful passes per 90 and a passing accuracy of 90.6%, Caicedo came out ahead on those metrics.

Having grown up watching both Chelsea's legendary midfielders, perhaps Caicedo is now growing into a player that shares strengths of both - and that can only be an exciting prospect for Blues supporters.

Who do you think will end up with the greatest Chelsea midfield legacy?

Make your choice here

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Joe Bradshaw
BBC Sport Senior Journalist

Too open. Too high a line. Players keep getting injured.

The criticisms that dogged Ange Postecoglou in his second season were varied and pointed as Tottenham limped to 17th place in the Premier League table.

After seven league games of 2025-26, his successor Thomas Frank has Spurs riding high in third with four wins, two draws and just one defeat so far.

Not only that, but they have only conceded five goals, the joint-second best record behind Arsenal (three).

So bar the improvement in results, what has changed?

Frank is much more of a pragmatist than Postecoglou and the type of football Tottenham are playing bears that out.

Witness the rise in long balls per 90, suggesting a far greater willingness to get the ball forward quickly.

And take a look at these passing maps from Tottenham's home games against Wolves over the past two seasons.

Image source, Opta

In the first, from December 2024, Postecoglou's defenders are much deeper to receive the ball from the goalkeeper. The most common passing is between the two central defenders and left-back Destiny Udogie.

Image source, Opta

In the second, from September 2025 under Frank, Tottenham's midfield is far more congested, with Guglielmo Vicario often launching the ball towards the halfway line to instigate attacks.

It is a similar story for average positions for those games. Again, Postecoglou's defenders are more spread, with two midfielders patrolling the halfway line and a spread front four. Frank's line-up is far more bunched, albeit again with a forward four.

Of course, this is only one game so a very small sample size, but it hints at a tactical transformation.

More broadly, Spurs are also sticking the ball in the penalty area more frequently, averaging 23.3 crosses per game compared to 19.8 last season.

That is despite the lack of a central focal point with their best header of the ball from last season, Dominic Solanke, mostly sidelined through injury.

What is also striking is the efficiency Tottenham have demonstrated so far.

Postecoglou's side took more passes and created more chances per game, but Frank's version have a higher shot conversion rate this season. It has meant that, although last season's Spurs were among the league's top scorers, 2025-26 Tottenham are actually averaging slightly more goals per game (1.9 v 1.7).

So far, the numbers are pointing to a more clinical, more business-like Tottenham Hotspur – and one that is flying high near the top of the Premier League.

Games against Aston Villa and trips to Monaco, Everton and Newcastle before the month's end should offer a rigorous test of just how far they have come.

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Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your views on Sir Jim Ratcliffe's comments that Ruben Amorim needs three years to prove himself as Manchester United manager.

Here are some of your comments:

Mike: Today's Manchester United is a joke from Ratcliffe down. A manager who has no 'Plan B' and, worse, doesn't want one, should not be there.

Hossein: I totally agree with Sir Jim Ratcliffe. Ruben Amorim needs more time and support and as a supporter of this great club we need to lower our expectations for a short period. I'm sure we will be back to our best position in the near future.

Jack: Utterly ridiculous statement by Ratcliffe! I predict United will be in a relegation battle by the new year. Will Radcliffe still be saying Amorim needs more time then?

Dave: Amorim was handed a poisoned chalice, with players that have underperformed for up to seven or eight years. To expect that to be turned around in one year is completely unrealistic. The clearout has started, more is needed, and Amorim needs real support, and more importantly - time. Back the manager, he's not swayed from his vision unlike Ten Hag. If he compromises there is a chance some of these players will revert to previous bad habits.

Paul: Whilst I agree that coaches can need time to implement their philosophy on a team, Amorim unfortunately has shown that he is out of his depth and makes selections, substitutions and tactical errors that are unacceptable for a club the size of United. Other coaches have adapted to their new clubs and progressed - unfortunately Amorim has not.

Dennis: Jim knows what needs to be done, as does the manager. They will not be distracted by (well meant) views from journalists, pundits or supporters because they have little or no experience in running/managing a football club.

Steve: If Amorim is given three years, United will be in League Two. He clearly is way out of his depth and his comments make no sense at all. Same goes for poor old Sir Jim.

Sean: Unfortunately I can't see him being here at the end of the season. Things are still the same as last season, he insists on playing this system that doesn't work. He has got players in that he wanted and nothing has improved. If things don't improve very soon the United faithful will be after blood. The Glazers and Ineos can do one as well.

Karan Vinod
BBC Sport journalist

Newcastle United's Malick Thiaw has made a positive first impression on Tyneside.

The 24-year-old summer signing has started three consecutive Premier League games and shown glimpses of why he was so highly rated during his time in Italy.

Across these three full appearances, Thiaw's per-90-minute numbers provide an encouraging snapshot of his abilities, albeit given this is a small sample size, it is too early to draw definitive conclusions.

One of the most eye-catching statistics so far is his 2.64 interceptions per 90, which currently leads the Premier League. It points to a defender who reads the game exceptionally well, positioning himself proactively to break up play before danger materialises.

In addition, his 4.29 possessions won per 90 minutes suggests that Thiaw offers more than just last-ditch defending. This is potentially a player comfortable stepping into midfield to take control - a trait that aligns with his ability to also operate as a defensive midfielder - and something Eddie Howe values highly in his aggressive press.

The 3.96 aerial duels won figure reinforces his physical presence. In a league where aerial dominance remains a key defensive asset, this early number bodes well. Meanwhile, his overall duels won (5.6) reflects a willingness to engage directly with opponents.

The one area that may warrant attention is his tackle success rate of 16.5%. Whether this is due to adjusting to the pace of the Premier League or simply a result of a limited dataset is unclear. Defensive metrics can vary significantly over small periods and it's worth bearing that in mind before making broader judgments.

It should be stressed that these are early days. Thiaw has only completed three full league matches, and while the signs are positive, consistency and context will tell us more over time.

Mark Mitchener
BBC Sport Senior Journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Another sign of Bournemouth's progress is the number of players they now routinely lose for a week or two during the international break.

Last season's away game at Aston Villa was a landmark as it was the first time in the club's history that they had fielded an entire starting XI of full international players.

They have come tantalisingly close to doing so again this season, but for the right-back role being filled by a combination of Adam Smith, James Hill and Alex Jimenez who have only been capped up to Under-21 level.

The same applies to Alex Scott, while Marcus Tavernier played for England Under-20s in his Middlesbrough days, and Bafode Diakite appeared for the French Olympic team (effectively an under-23 side) though not in the Olympics itself.

However, Diakite has seen two of his fellow centre-backs given fresh call-ups for this round of internationals.

Veljko Milosavljevic, after only one start for the Cherries since joining from Red Star Belgrade, has graduated to the full Serbia squad where he will join his goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic.

Meanwhile, Marcos Senesi's sparkling form has not only made him the top points-scoring defender in Fantasy Premier League, but has earned him a recall by Argentina - three years after winning his only cap.

Born in Argentina of Italian descent, Senesi's international career began in unusual fashion when, before the Finalissima between Italy and Argentina at Wembley in 2022, he found himself called up by both teams for the same match.

'El Gladiador' chose Argentina, eventually debuting in a friendly against Estonia a few days later, and later that summer left Feyenoord for Bournemouth.

A regular in his first two seasons with the Cherries, Senesi was unable to reclaim his starting place last season on returning from injury, because of the form of Dean Huijsen and Illia Zabarnyi.

But with that pair departed for big-money summer moves, Senesi has grasped the opportunity and taken on something of a leadership role at the back as the Cherries' young, multinational and multi-lingual defence has come together.

Senesi told the club website last week, external that he had even learned the words for "left" and "right" in Serbian, to help when playing alongside Milosavljevic.

Mike Taylor
BBC Radio WM reporter

Image source, Getty Images

"Time," said Unai Emery, when asked what Harvey Elliott might need to push his way towards more playing time. "Give him minutes, and through that he will feel confident in our structure."

He said that in the short time between the defeat of Feyenoord, when Elliott appeared only for the curtain calls, and the win over Burnley, which the 22-year-old experienced solely from the bench.

When asked recently about some of Emery's earlier comments regarding his early weeks at Villa, Elliott said he "took no offence". Plenty of onlookers were ready to take offence on his behalf. But there are case studies in the current Villa squad to suggest that such worries are unfounded - or at the very least, premature.

The timing of Elliott's arrival may have added to the scrutiny. He came in on deadline day, but crucially just as Villa were enduring their first serious stumble since Emery took charge. Only a few weeks earlier, Elliott had been the outstanding figure in England Under-21s' successful Euros campaign. Given how cautiously Villa had acted during the transfer window, no wonder so many supporters invested their hopes for a sudden improvement in Elliott.

Instead, he has played only around a quarter of the available Premier League minutes, and none at all since half-time against Fulham on 28 September. "He needs to adapt in everything, but I changed him not because he was playing bad," said Emery, when asked to explain why Elliott had been withdrawn so early. "He has to continue working, preparing and adapting to us, understanding everything."

For validation of this comment, Elliott might consult Youri Tielemans. About two years ago, many of the same opinions were being expressed about him. Signed after his Leicester contract expired, he did not start a Premier League game for Villa until November 2023, and became a regular selection only the following spring.

Donyell Malen might tell a similar tale. Omitted from the Champions League squad after his arrival last January, his acclimatisation period has lasted even longer, but his goals against Burnley indicated that he is now fully established.

Elliott need not rush. This should be the final phase of his long apprenticeship at this level.

He is a proven Premier League player. Once he becomes a proven Emery player - which, as we have seen, takes time, whatever your reputation - more chances to play will surely follow. And being in the Europa League means there are likely to be enough games to keep everyone fully engaged.

Tune into The West Midlands Football Phone-In from 18:00 on weeknights

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Matthew Hobbs
BBC Sport journalist

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James Tarkowski's new Everton deal is just reward for a player of model consistency - both in terms of availability and performance.

Before sustaining a hamstring injury that caused him to miss the final five games of last season, the centre-back had made 111 consecutive Premier League appearances - the longest run of any outfield player at that time and the fourth-longest such run in the competition's history.

When Tarkowski began this campaign in the heart of Everton's defence, he had perhaps not quite fully recovered from injury and his early outings were not quite as dominant as supporters had come to expect.

However, the 32-year-old has been a brilliant performer since joining the Toffees on a free transfer from Burnley in July 2022 and is someone who arguably does not get the same level of recognition as defenders at some of the more recently successful clubs - despite dominating most combative metrics since his move to Merseyside.

Tarkowksi leads all Premier League outfield players since the start of 2022-23 for clearances, headed clearances, blocks and aerial duels won - ranking ahead of the likes of Arsenal's Gabriel and Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk in those metrics.

While not being renowned for goals, Tarkowski has scored at least in once in the past seven Premier League seasons -and he saved his 2024-25 contribution for something special, equalising in the 98th minute in the final men's Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.

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Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

Image source, Getty Images

I like to pride myself in spotting special talents early. Those with exceptional skills and special vision can be spotted in their teens, even when they are playing poorly.

There are a very small number, however, that creep up slowly and before you know it, you think: "The guy could be world class and he is 25 years old - how did I miss that one?"

Step forward Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo - an overnight sensation for some but a player whose progression has been exponential in the past 18 months.

A match-winning performance against Fulham on Friday underlined that his opening-night goals against Liverpool were anything but a fluke.

Some big clubs tried to prise him from the Cherries in the summer but he stayed - and even signed a new contract.

He might not stay for those five extra years, but Bournemouth can console themselves that he has probably doubled in value in these first seven games.

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Former Brighton forward Warren Aspinall was critical of the Seagulls' performance in drawing 1-1 at Wolves on Sunday. The result left them 12th in the Premier League after seven games.

Speaking on BBC Radio Sussex's Albion Unlimited podcast, Aspinall didn't hold back, saying Brighton failed to show the intensity and attitude required against a struggling Wolves side.

"I'm disappointed. We played a team that conceded 14 goals and scored four," Aspinall said. "They've played six, won none, lost five and drawn one. You have got to go to a team like that and win, and convincingly.

"To do that, you have to start with high-tempo football, urgency.

"We played against Chelsea and finished on a high and then turned up against Wolves, thinking just going to win by turning up. It doesn't work like that.

"You have to be at it from the start in every game and that's why the top clubs are up there, because they have good players with a good attitude."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Listen to every Brighton game live on BBC Radio Sussex, with all the build-up and full commentary with Johnny Cantor and Warren Aspinall, and there is a full preview of all Seagulls' matches on Fridays at 18:00 in The Weekend Warm-up

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Fulham's Josh King says his controversially disallowed goal against Chelsea in August was his 'welcome to the Premier League' moment and has given further motivation to get his first top-flight goal.

The Professional Game Match Officials Limited said it was a mistake for the video assistant referee to intervene and rule out King's opener at Stamford Bridge in a game the Cottagers went on to lose 2-0.

"One that sticks out is when I had the disallowed goal against Chelsea," the 18-year-old told BBC Radio Derby's Dominic Dietrich.

"That was one where in my mind I thought 'welcome to the Prem'.

"It's a difficult one. With those type of things, you just have to keep going and keep playing in the same way. I think the feeling of scoring now has become addictive to me and now I just want to try and keep doing it."

Despite still looking for his first senior Fulham goal, King has started all seven Premier League games so far this season, and has been rewarded for his impressive performances with a first call-up to England Under-21s.

"It's something you dream of," he said. "You work so long and so hard for opportunities like this so when they do come you want to take them.

"I've really enjoyed the first part of the season and all I can do is keep working hard, trying to improve, and contribute where I can.

"It's been a really good start and I've really enjoyed it. Now it's full focus on England."

Asked about players that inspire him, King added: "[Eberechi] Eze is one where I watch and think technically on the ball, he's so clean. He's so good with it.

"Players like [Jamal] Musiala as well - he's someone who I look up to. He can turn and drive forward and score goals and assist. Those two stick out to me. I want to get people off their feet and excite them."

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your views on Arsenal's plans for extending the capacity of Emirates Stadium.

Here are some of your comments:

Alun: I've been a supporter all my life, and I pay for four memberships annually (for myself, my two adult children, and my junior gunner). It's almost impossible to guarantee tickets even though I essentially have three silver memberships. The expansion would be very welcome. Allowing more fans to attend games and hopefully reducing prices in the long term.

Aditya: In principle, this makes sense. Arsenal have demonstrated the ability to consistently generate ticket sales at high value per ticket and would put them in line with the top end of stadium capacity. With their global popularity, they could sell out even 20,000 more seats! That's equal to one more world-class player every year!

Amy: The stadium needs a proper renovation, not just an expansion. It's looking very dated and hasn't aged well at all in only 20 years.

Mark G: Fantastic development for the club. More fans to cheer the team on, more income and a bigger stadium than Tottenham - what's not to like?!

However, some fans were sceptical about stadium expansion.

Alex: Don't. The current ticket demand may be ephemeral. It will ruin the architecture. 70000, we go mid-table again and loads of empty seats. Just please don't do it. The stadium is beautiful as it is, and yes, its lightness puts it ahead of Tottenham's stadium.

Mark: I find it disappointing that after only 20 years at the Emirates, they feel it is not big enough! Not brilliant forward planning! I also feel playing home games at Wembley only becomes an incentive for the visiting teams.

Image source, Getty Images

Chief football writer Phil McNulty has been answering your questions on all things Premier League.

Paul asked: What do you make of the situation at West Ham United? The poor running of the club seems to finally be being noticed.

Phil answered: West Ham are simply reaping what they have sown, with poor signings and poor managerial appointments since David Moyes left.

Julen Lopetegui and Graham Potter failed miserably and both ended up looking out of their depth.

Now it is Nuno Espirito Santo's turn, and no-one can question how well he did at Nottingham Forest.

There is so much unrest at West Ham, with protests against the ownership in the shape of David Sullivan and Karren Brady and, of course, a stadium which is drained of atmosphere after the wonderful environment that was Upton Park.

An awful lot rests on Nuno for those in charge at West Ham United.

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Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

Image source, Getty Images

Three defeats in three have not quite got the alarm bells ringing at Anfield, though Liverpool clearly have a few problems.

Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak and Mohamed Salah have not yet gelled as a unit. They look more like a group of ultra-talented individuals than a well-drilled team, and this must change if they are going to defend their title.

It is early days for the new signings - but the Premier League does not wait for you to be formally introduced, then get to know each other over a number of months.

‌During the live commentary on the BBC, I kept underlining the problem at right-back.

Jeremie Frimpong is a converted winger, not a specialist defender. Conor Bradley is a very talented attacking full-back, but Arne Slot had to sub him at the break because a second yellow card was imminent for the youngster. He needed some help but his winger, Salah, was not going to provide any by chasing back.

‌Dominik Szoboszlai is a wonderful midfielder - maybe Liverpool's best player this season so far - but his limitations as a full-back were cruelly exposed, both when I was there in Istanbul for the Galatasaray game midweek and in west London.

When he moved in there on Saturday, Chelsea got to his byline time and again. He was also guilty of switching off when crosses were coming in from the other wing. Specialist full-backs simply do not do that.

‌Szoboszlai created Liverpool's goal from that full-back area, underlining where his true strengths lie: attack. With so many brilliant specialist wingers in the league, a makeshift full-back is not going to cut it.

‌Unsurprisingly, the hosts' late winner came from an attack down that side.

Liverpool could not beat a Chelsea side that had their sixth and seventh-choice centre-backs playing by the end, underlining that an easy cruise to another title is very unlikely for the Reds.

What do you think?

Is Liverpool's right-back position a problem?

What would you do if you were Slot?

Send us your views here

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Pat Nevin
Former Chelsea and Scotland winger

Image source, Getty Images

I was at Newcastle then Istanbul last week, so Chelsea v Liverpool at Stamford Bridge could have been quiet in comparison. With the two teams struggling lately, a decent number of key players injured and fans not exactly in love with both their playing styles, they still managed to serve up another breathless and noisy affair.

‌It could have gone either way, but in a season of last-gasp winners, no-one had left before Estevao Willian's stoppage-time winner.

Enzo Maresca's relieved and excited 70-yard sprint to celebrate showed the media pressure has been getting to him after all.

Even with a red card, it was a perfectly understandable reaction. His bold substitutions had worked - bringing on 19-year-old Marc Guiu, 21-year-old Jamie Gittens and the 18-year-old scorer Estevao were big but crucial calls near the end.

‌Maresca's willingness to be more offensive right from the start suggested he had listened to recent complaints about negativity.

Going from 4-2-3-1 to 4-1-4-1 might not sound like a huge change, but that additional forward midfielder contributed to their first goal and the extra attacking freedom raised the belief in his players.

‌Maybe the most pleasing thing was that neither team considered settling for a draw at 1-1. Because of this positivity and openness, the Premier League is as entertaining as it has ever been.

‌A loss for the Blues would have silenced any hopes from their fans. But, now they are back in the conversation for a top-four finish - all because the manager was brave enough to take a few more risks.

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Image source, Getty Images

Chief football writer Phil McNulty has been answering your questions on all things Premier League.

Sean asked: I'm really concerned about Liverpool's recent run of form. Is Salah undroppable?

Phil answered: I've seen every Liverpool game this season bar the Carabao Cup tie against Southampton and, for all the wins at the start, they have not looked right from day one.

I think bringing in so many players means it always takes time to settle, no matter how good they are, but the balance just does not look right with Florian Wirtz behind the strikers.

Liverpool have looked far more exposed, not helped by Ibrahima Konate's poor form and two new very attack-minded full-backs in Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez.

Is Mohamed Salah "undroppable"? Very few players are undroppable at some point in their careers and there is no doubt he has not been himself this season. And don't forget he is 33.

World-class players very rarely decline overnight, though, and I wouldn't back against him making a big contribution to Liverpool again this season?

Will Arne Slot occasionally take him out of the team? Yes, I can see that, as he did against Galatasaray in Istanbul last week.

Alan asked: Is Florian Wirtz the biggest £100m transfer flop? Ten games, zero goals and only one assist. His Premier League stats are seven games, zero goals and zero assists.

Phil answered: It's far too early to be going there with that one, Alan. Wirtz has been disappointing so far, no doubt about that, but he has been playing in a side undergoing a very expensive transition which has not been at its best at all, despite topping the Premier League table in the early weeks.

He is getting used to the Liverpool players and they are getting used to him.

It's always a mistake to make such snap verdicts and I think Wirtz - £116m fee or not - deserves a lot more time before anyone makes any judgement, certainly the judgement that he is a flop.

It's very early days.

Laura Kirk-Francis
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

When the final whistle went on Saturday, signalling an end to Arsenal's unremarkable 2-0 win over West Ham, there was a palpable sense of relief. This has been a banana-skin fixture for Arsenal in the past two seasons. Both times, the visitors have returned to east London with the three points.

Although Arsenal cruised to victory this time around, the topic of the atmosphere at Emirates Stadium has reared its head once again. Fans have spoken about how flat the crowd felt, particularly given Arsenal's dominant play and the fact the result meant leapfrogging Liverpool to top the league going into the international break.

From where I sit - both literally and metaphorically - it is no surprise that this specific game did not produce a ferocious atmosphere. West Ham, currently 19th in the table, offered no real threat to the Gunners, bar a corner in the first minute of the game.

Arsenal were in control throughout, and hardly needed to get out of second gear to get the win. Forgettable, routine wins are part and parcel of a title-winning season.

On further examination, fans have pointed to a change in how Arsenal administer tickets. In 2023, the club introduced a ballot system, meaning fans have equal chances to buy tickets regardless of how many times they have previously attended. This has largely been dismissed as a cause for the quiet atmosphere, though, as season ticket-holders still make up the majority of the ground.

Some fans also point to the 2022-23 season for when the stadium was at its loudest. But during that time, Arsenal were surprise title challengers. Nobody expected the Gunners to be in the title race, but suddenly they were.

Fast forward three years, and it has naturally become a case of fearing dropped points, rather than celebrating expected wins.

I would love nothing more than the Emirates to be rocking every game, but I do not believe it is a massive failure if the ground is a bit quieter for a 3pm kick-off against a side in a relegation battle.

I will be reserving my judgement of the crowd for November's north London derby.

Find more from Laura Kirk-Francis at the Latte Firm podcast, external

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Adonis Storr
Fan writer

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Before last weekend, Leeds United's last top-flight game against Tottenham Hotspur came in the final fixture of the relegation season two and a half years ago.

Sam Allardyce was in the dugout that day and United lined up in a 5-4-1 formation, with a midfield featuring Robin Koch, Weston McKennie and Adam Forshaw. What followed was a performance so devoid of passion, competence and work-rate that it prompted then captain Liam Cooper to tell the players, in not so many words, that if they did not want to be at the club, to leave.

McKennie was particularly derided by a vociferous Leeds crowd, who vocalised their displeasure at both the board and players.

The whole club needed a reset. And, despite suffering another loss to Spurs last weekend, that Leeds were beaten was the only similarity between the two games.

In fact, the ever-present fans aside, Leeds United is an organisation re-imagined. New owners, a new manager and a new team – only Jack Harrison remains from the starting XI beaten 4-1 on that day.

Plus, in the directors' box, there was no Victor Orta screaming until he is red in the face and trying to convince anyone who will listen on the merits of a raft of average players. No stony-faced Angus Kinnear. No former owner, Andrea Radrizzani.

Just chairman Paraag Marathe and a professional recruitment team that – instead of bringing in players like McKennie - have transformed the squad over the past few years with excellent additions such as Joe Rodon, Ethan Ampadu, Sean Longstaff, Anton Stach and Jayden Bogle.

All were bought relatively cheaply and are now worth more than the price Leeds paid for them.

Upper management at a football club is often a thankless task, but they should be praised as Leeds have come a long way in two years.

Find more from Adonis Storr at The Roaring Peacock, external

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Wrexham centre-back Conor Coady has a little sympathy for Liverpool's Ibrahima Konate as the central defender continues to face criticism.

Coady thinks changes around the defender will be posing him a problem.

See what he has to say above and watch Chris Sutton's response below.

Sutton believes the Reds may regret not signing Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace.

Watch the full episode of Monday Night Club on BBC iPlayer and listen on BBC Sounds

Former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel joined BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club to discuss Senne Lammens' debut against Sunderland, and the chant that emerged from the Old Trafford crowd.

Schmeichel says Lammens offered a "solid performance".

Watch the full episode on BBC iPlayer and listen on BBC Sounds

Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton says he does not "see it ending well for Ange Postecoglou" because "I can't see Forest fans changing their mind about him".

The Nottingham Forest boss was jeered by his own fans after just six games in charge, following the defeat at Newcastle.

"Nottingham Forest fans loved Nuno Espirito Santo and they love Evangelos Marinakis because he is a very hands-on owner," said Sutton on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club. "He is visible so they absolutely adore him.

"But he has made this decision so there needs to be an element of patience.

"Any manager needs time. He has barely been in the job for four weeks!

"But having said that, I don't see it ending well for Postecoglou because I can't see Forest fans changing their mind about him.

"It is deeply unfair and sums up where we are in the game now, in terms of it being short-term and going off what people think."

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Simon Stone
Manchester United reporter

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Manchester United's lack of European football was cited as a positive going into this season.

Unfortunately for United's players, they have discovered the relatively wide gap between fixtures just offers more time to brood over bad results.

It was something Mason Mount, who opened the scoring in Saturday's 2-0 win over Sunderland, reflected on following the dismal defeat at Brentford the previous week.

"Sometimes it is difficult when you only have one game a week," he said. "It means there's a lot of time to think.

"After a game like Brentford, we're hurt, as a team and as a staff because we know we can do better.

"It really hurts as a club as well. It feels like a long time going into the next game."

Not currently part of Thomas Tuchel's England set-up, Mount has even more time to ponder the next game as United now have two weeks before a trip to Liverpool, when they will again try to win two Premier League games in a row for the first time under Ruben Amorim.

Unlike at Brentford, when United started sloppily and found themselves 2-0 down, against Sunderland they began well, with Mount putting them in front after eight minutes with a superbly taken goal, his first in the league at Old Trafford.

"Coming off obviously a difficult result, I think it was so important for us to start sharp," he said.

"It was something we spoke about in the dressing room and Bruno [Fernandes] spoke about in the huddle before kick-off.

"I felt the energy at the beginning and then to get the goal really settled us."

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Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney says he is concerned for Nottingham Forest manager Ange Postecoglou's future.

Speaking on the The Wayne Rooney Show, the former England captain said Postecoglou deserved more time to implement his ideas following Nuno Espirito Santo's departure, and questioned the club's hierarchy for creating instability so early in the season.

The former forward believes Postecoglou has shown promising signs despite poor results.

"It's crazy. All the rumours that you're hearing is Ange could get sacked, and he's had what, six or seven games," Rooney said. "It's absolutely crazy. And I like Ange. I think he's a good manager. He obviously struggled in the league with Tottenham last season and then won the Europa League, and it was strange.

"Obviously, Nuno getting sacked at Forest and they've brought Ange in, so if he does get sacked, I'm not hearing anyone talking about the ownership, and decisions they're making. They're the ones making the decision. So, if they do sack him, someone has to be responsible for hiring him.

"The difficulty he's got is the style Nuno played to what Ange wants to play is completely different.

"I watched him against Burnley. I thought Forest were very good and against Real Betis in the Europa League, I thought they were very good in that game as well. He's been unlucky on a couple of occasions.

"The Forest fans really like Nuno, and it doesn't look like they're willing to give Ange time."

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It feels like Mohamed Salah's lack of defensive work has become a little problem for Liverpool, especially against the better teams.

I can totally understand if Arne Slot has told Salah not to track back, because waiting high up the pitch on the right for the transition has made him one of the most potent goalscorers in the world.

But the players behind him are not covering him correctly and that has caused a lot of issues for whoever has been at right-back this season.

Whether it has been Jeremie Frimpong, Conor Bradley or Dominik Szoboszlai, they have been in trouble because they are often facing a two against one overload down their side.

It was a real weakness on Saturday and led to Chelsea's late winner - so the concern must be that more teams will be clever enough to do the same.

The other players have to be able to help out more, and quicker, because it felt like Chelsea were working the ball forwards and then shifting it out to their left as that is where the space was.

If a Liverpool midfielder went out there too late - whether it be Ryan Gravenberch or Alexis Mac Allister - then it left space in the pockets in front of their defence because they were losing a man from the middle.

All of this becomes less of a problem when you are playing teams where you can dominate the ball. We've seen it be successful before - Liverpool won the league playing this way - but they have to tighten up because the top sides will continue to exploit it.

It is not as if Salah has changed his role this season but, because he is not scoring at the other end, maybe the defensive side of his game is amplified.

Read more of Murphy's thoughts over here

Former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney also "questioned the work ethic" of Salah, who he describes as "lost", on the latest episode of The Wayne Rooney Show.

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

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Wolves assistant manager Luis Miguel apologised on Vitor Pereira's behalf after the manager's red card against Brighton.

Pereira was dismissed in the first half of the 1-1 draw with the Seagulls after kicking a ball into the dugout housing broadcasters.

It came after the head coach was left furious when Wolves were not awarded a free -kick and he immediately apologised to those in the dugout.

Referee Jarred Gillett was left with little option but to dismiss the Portuguese, which came seconds before Wolves' opener.

"The ball was near him and he kicked the ball, I want to apologise for Vitor," said Miguel.

"It is not like his character to do that. It was one second of frustration. These things happen when we are under pressure."

Jan Paul van Hecke's header denied Wolves their first Premier League win of the season after Bart Verbruggen's own goal, the second straight game in which Pereira's side have conceded late to miss out on victory.

Joao Palhinha's injury-time leveller ensured a 1-1 draw at Tottenham last week and another point on Sunday was not enough to lift them off the bottom of the Premier League.

"We won in the cup, now two draws, in the Premier League is one point, three points, one point, three points, three points, three points - that's what we want," said Miguel, with Wolves unbeaten in three games having beaten Everton in the Carabao Cup last month.

"It's not easy but we keep going like this and trying to get a clean sheet. We're working very hard in our defensive position to improve the players on that side, because if we are secure there, we will score goals for sure."