Premier League: 10 key talking points from the weekend's matches

1. Szoboszlai Shines in New Role
It was always going to be a close game, but in the end, a moment of brilliance from Dominik Szoboszlai sealed the win for Liverpool. Though naturally an attacking midfielder, Szoboszlai has been filling in at right-back since Jeremie Frimpong’s injury, a change manager Arne Slot has handled well. Szoboszlai has clearly picked up some free-kick tricks from Trent Alexander-Arnold over the years, but his seamless adjustment to an unfamiliar defensive role was even more striking. He handled Gabriel Martinelli with ease and quickly adapted to the greater threat posed by Eberechi Eze, staying composed throughout. Defensively solid, he also delivered impressive passes—both long and short—shifting the game’s momentum much like Alexander-Arnold used to. While the winning goal will be remembered, Szoboszlai deserves huge credit for how he’s adapted to help Slot and the team.

2. Sesko Must Step Up
When Matheus Cunha’s sprint toward Burnley’s goal was cut short by a muscle issue, Ruben Amorim had to make a substitution. The Manchester United manager had two realistic choices: new £72m signing Benjamin Sesko or the often-criticized Joshua Zirkzee. He went with the latter. Many were puzzled when Sesko was chosen last to take a penalty in the shootout loss to Grimsby, and Amorim hinted it’s because the striker isn’t fully fit after a disrupted preseason. Sesko came on in the 72nd minute but made little impact, missing a couple of good chances to score a third for United. His play lacks sharpness and he looked sluggish, but with Cunha and possibly Mason Mount facing time out, Sesko will have more opportunities to find his rhythm. United can’t afford to wait too long.

3. VAR Denies King a Dream Moment
Josh King thought he’d scored his dream goal: a darting run, a clever turn to shake off Tosin Adarabioyo, and a neat finish past Robert Sánchez. It would have been a brilliant first senior goal for the 18-year-old Fulham midfielder. But the officials had other ideas, controversially ruling it out due to a questionable foul by Rodrigo Muniz in the buildup. Fulham manager Marco Silva said King “is going home not understanding why the goal was disallowed,” a sentiment shared by many. Beyond the refereeing debate, King’s performance against Chelsea stood out. With Andreas Pereira’s departure opening up space, he’s been given a chance this season and looks ready—bright, quick, and clever on the ball. His potential offers some consolation after an unfair defeat.

4. Trafford Still Adjusting to City’s No. 1 Role
Aside from the result, James Trafford had a strong performance. His misplaced pass led to Tottenham’s second goal last weekend, but against Brighton, he made several key saves that nearly earned Manchester City a point. He denied Kaoru Mitoma in the first half and produced an exceptional stop from a deflected Jan Paul van Hecke effort late on. Yet, just a minute later, Brajan Gruda danced around him to slot in the winner. Trafford’s 77% pass completion was an improvement, especially considering he attempted 17 long balls, but his positioning remains a concern. Unlike Ederson, he doesn’t sweep effectively behind the defense—a trait few keepers share—and that’s contributing to City’s vulnerability to balls played in behind.Their defensive line. Although Trafford is only 22 and could develop that ability over time, he currently doesn’t seem like the right goalkeeper for them. — Jonathan Wilson

Match report: Brighton 2–1 Manchester City
Brajan Gruda rounds Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford and defender Rayan Aït-Nouri to score Brighton’s winning goal. Photograph: Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty Images

Iraola is a manager on the rise
There’s a lot to admire about Bournemouth. After a summer in which Andoni Iraola rebuilt his defense following the departures of Dean Huijsen, Milos Kerkez, and Illia Zabarnyi to Real Madrid, Liverpool, and Paris Saint-Germain respectively, his team’s strong performance in a deserved win at Tottenham on Saturday suggests the Cherries will be a force to be reckoned with once again. Credit to Iraola—who has reportedly held talks with the club’s owner, American billionaire Bill Foley, about extending his contract beyond this season, though he hasn’t yet committed—that new £34m center-back Bafodé Diakité has settled seamlessly into the Spaniard’s system. Iraola also revealed Bournemouth were still hoping to sign another defender on deadline day, having previously discussed a deal with Chelsea for Axel Disasi. “We’ve lost Dean and Zabarnyi, so we need another central defender,” said Iraola. “But if not, we still have options and we’ll deal with the situation, though it’s true we’re working on it.” — Ed Aarons

Match report: Tottenham 0–1 Bournemouth

Leeds show defensive resilience
The lack of quality on display at Elland Road was clear, as most of the talk focused on who wasn’t playing rather than who was. Both teams struggled to create chances, with Newcastle’s Alexander Isak again absent and Nick Woltemade—signed for a club-record £69m from Stuttgart—not registered in time to play. It’s now three games without a win for Eddie Howe’s side, and visiting fans made their feelings about Isak known with some harsh chants. On a brighter note, the 6’6″ Woltemade should make his debut after the international break when Wolves visit on September 13. Leeds have only scored once this season but have taken four points from three games and haven’t lost a league match at home in nearly a year. Midfielder Ilia Gruev praised the team’s attitude: “This performance showed we’re not scared of anything. We played with courage and self-belief from the first minute to the last.” — Ross Heppenstall

Match report: Leeds 0–0 Newcastle

Wolves eager for more signings
Fans in the Sir Jack Hayward Stand made their feelings clear about the state of Wolves. “Back the team or sell the club” was the loudest chant, with chief executive Jeff Shi—frontman for owners Fosun International—also getting a mention. It’s another slow start to the season, and another summer where more players have left than arrived. This time last year, Pedro Neto departed. Now, Jørgen Strand Larsen wants to leave for Newcastle, though the club insists he must stay. The Norwegian missed the Everton game due to injury and was sorely missed. Sasa Kalajdzic came on as a late substitute, but as Vítor Pereira noted, the Serbian is still working his way back after 560 days out with a knee injury.”He can play 15 or 20 minutes.” Pereira was clear in his request for more signings before the transfer window closes. “We need a solution in attack and a solution in midfield,” he said, adding, “I understand the supporters.” — John Brewin

Match report: Wolves 2-3 Everton
Vítor Pereira applauds the fans at Molineux but knows his Wolves side need reinforcements. (Photo: David Davies/PA)

Le Fée delivers again
At 5ft 7in, Sunderland’s French midfielder Enzo Le Fée may be small in stature among Premier League players, but his first touch is exceptional and his game intelligence is superb. By scoring an equalizing penalty and helping set up Wilson Isidor’s 96th-minute winner, Le Fée spoiled Jordan Henderson’s return to Wearside. The outcome might have been different if Sunderland’s excellent Netherlands U21 goalkeeper Robin Roefs hadn’t saved Kevin Schade’s penalty, but Brentford failed to learn from the warning when Anthony Taylor awarded that kick after Reinildo fouled Nathan Collins. Taylor quickly pointed to the spot again after Rico Henry brought down Habib Diarra. With referees cracking down on holding, it was good to see the rule enforced. Le Fée helped Sunderland come back after Igor Thiago’s header had briefly put Brentford ahead—a team clearly missing their unsettled striker, Yoane Wissa. — Louise Taylor

Match report: Sunderland 2-1 Brentford

Wilson’s magic eases pressure on Potter
After West Ham’s first win of the season, Graham Potter spoke about the instability of his role. He did so when asked about Mads Hermansen keeping a clean sheet, reflecting on a tough start at the club. “You get written off in your job after a week, which is ridiculous,” said the West Ham manager. Callum Wilson can likely relate. The signing of the 33-year-old striker was criticized in some circles, and while Wilson has battled injuries, he showed his scoring ability off the bench in the win at Nottingham Forest. Wilson came close twice before sealing the victory with his first league goal in 16 months, causing problems for Forest after replacing Niclas Füllkrug. West Ham fans will hope for more of the same. — Ben Fisher

Match report: Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham

Palace’s highs come with lows
Crystal Palace fans must be torn between joy and frustration as their team continues to exceed expectations. Eberechi Eze scores the winning goal in the FA Cup final, then departs on good terms to join his boyhood club Arsenal for a solid fee. Marc Guéhi leads the team into their first European campaign, qualifying for the group stage—though in a competition a tier below what their Cup win deserved. They extend a 14-game unbeaten run to reach eighth in the Premier League before the international break, thanks to a brilliant goal from Guéhi—who may now be headed to Liverpool. At least they still have Adam Wharton… until he suffers a groin injury that could rule him out of another chance to impress for England over the next 10 days. — Peter Lansley

Match report: Aston Villa 0-3 Crystal Palace

Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of clear and concise FAQs about the Premier League weekend covering a range of topics from beginner to advanced

FAQs Premier League Weekend Talking Points

1 Who scored the most impressive goal this weekend
Its a close call but many are pointing to Cole Palmers stunning freekick for Chelsea against Everton It was a perfect curling shot into the top corner that the goalkeeper had no chance of saving

2 What was the biggest surprise result
Crystal Palaces dominant 10 win away at Liverpool was a massive shock Liverpool who were favorites to win the league looked completely off their game at their famous home ground Anfield

3 Which teams performance was the most disappointing
Liverpools performance was the most disappointing After dropping points in the title race last week they needed a big response but instead produced a flat and errorprone display against Crystal Palace

4 What is a title race and who is involved now
The title race is the battle to finish first and win the Premier League trophy Its now a tight threeway fight between Arsenal Liverpool and Manchester City with only a few points separating them

5 How did the results affect the battle to avoid relegation
It was a huge weekend at the bottom Evertons 20 win over Nottingham Forest was a massive result for them pulling them further from danger Meanwhile Luton Towns heavy defeat pushes them deeper into the relegation zone

6 What does GD or Goal Difference mean on the table
Goal Difference is the first tiebreaker if two teams are level on points Its calculated by subtracting goals conceded from goals scored A high positive GD is very important as we see with Arsenal who have a significant advantage

7 Which player made the biggest impact coming off the bench
Aston Villas substitute Jhon Durán had a massive impact He came on and scored two late goals including one in the 81st minute to complete a stunning comeback from 31 down to draw 33 with Brentford

8 Are there any major injury concerns for top teams after the weekend
Yes Manchester United will be worried after both their starting centerbacks Raphael Varane and