WINNERS
Anthony Martial
It’s impossible to leave out the French teenager after a dream debut for Manchester United.
To secure a win in your first appearance is one thing and to contribute a goal is another, but to see off a late fightback from your club’s fiercest rivals with a goal of real quality – that’s the stuff of legend.
The only downside for Martial is that he might struggle to live up to such high standards in the long term, but we can cross that bridge when we come to it.
https://twitter.com/AlwynPayne/status/642824055058509825
Kelechi Iheanacho
If it wasn’t for Martial’s stunning introduction then Iheanacho would surely have been the story of the weekend.
The Nigerian forward is 10 months younger than United’s new arrival, and cost considerably less than £36m, but his first Premier League goal was arguably even more important.
Iheanacho’s 90th-minute strike – just a minute after he left the bench – saw off the spirited challenge of Crystal Palace and kept up Manchester City’s perfect record going into the Champions League opener against Juventus.
With Sergio Aguero an injury doubt, he may well get an even longer run-out against the Italian giants.
The big question: is 72 the highest shirt number to have scored a Premier League goal?
— Michael Cox (@Zonal_Marking) September 12, 2015
Claudio Ranieri
When the Italian returned to England, many were sceptical of his appointment at Leicester.
He had led Greece to a home defeat against the Faroe Islands, and it had been more than a decade since his last Premier League job.
Well, the former Chelsea boss has silenced his critics so far, leading Leicester to 2nd in the table thanks to a rousing late comeback against Aston Villa.
If that wasn’t enough, the win was sealed by one of Ranieri’s new signings, Nathan Dyer.
Steven Naismith
The Scotland striker just loves playing against Chelsea.
He has found the net six times in seven games against the Blues, including the winner in a 2013 league meeting and a second-half effort in last year’s 6-3 defeat.
But this weekend he took it to another level, completing the perfect hat-trick of right foot, left foot and header – and all three were cracking finishes to boot.
3 – Steven Naismith is the first player to score against a Jose Mourinho team in three separate PL games. Hunted.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 12, 2015
Losers
Jermain Defoe
Small margins often make a huge difference when you’re down at the bottom of the table, and Defoe will certainly rue his missed opportunity against former club Tottenham.
With the score at 0-0, Defoe had the perfect opportunity to show off his famed finishing when he was put clean through on goal.
But with Hugo Lloris closing, he could only send a shot against the post. The game stayed goalless until the final 10 minutes, then Ryan Mason ensured his former team-mate was made to pay.
Jordan Amavi
If Aston Villa thought the international break would sap Leicester’s momentum, they were sorely mistaken.
Even a trip to Lesotho and back with Algeria’s national team wasn’t enough to put star man Riyad Mahrez off his game, as Villa left-back Amavi soon found out.
It had all been going so well for the Frenchman, who has impressed since joining from Nice, as Villa opened up a 2-0 lead just after the hour.
But things change quickly in football and as Amavi tired, and then picked up a booking, he was run ragged by Mahrez and the Foxes struck three times in the last 20 minutes to turn the game around.
https://twitter.com/machinpaul80/status/643106531039408128
Jose Mourinho
In his post-match interview following Chelsea’s defeat at Goodison Park, Mourinho suggested that everything had gone wrong for his team.
While there some things you can’t account for, you can at least prepare yourself by ensuring you have strength in depth to cope with any mishaps.
This is the main thing Mourinho has failed to do, especially in the attacking third where the introduction of Kenedy and Radamel Falcao only showed how understaffed the Blues are compared to title rivals Man City.
Mourinho has the air of a man on the brink of losing his job.
— Jamie Whitehead (@jamiewh_) September 12, 2015
