Substitutes save Arsenal again. Manager Mikel Arteta calls Arsenal's substitutes players who come on to finish the game. After the win against Bilbao in the first round of the Champions League, these players helped the Gunners escape with a 1-1 draw against Man City.

In the third minute of stoppage time, Eberechi Eze carried the ball from his own half and delivered a perfect pass to Gabriel Martinelli, who chipped the ball over goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to secure a point at the Emirates.

Arteta's starting lineup choices may be controversial, but he is right to emphasize the strength of his bench. Martinelli and Eze continue to prove that Arsenal have enough "trump cards" to turn the tide.

Did Guardiola "park the bus"? Manager Pep Guardiola laughed when asked if Man City used defensive tactics in the 1-1 draw with Arsenal. "Once every 10 years isn't bad," the Spaniard joked.

At the Emirates, Man City had only 32.8% possession, the lowest in all 601 league games Guardiola has managed. Coincidentally, both of Guardiola's Man City games with the lowest possession percentages have been against Arsenal in the Premier League, previously 36.5% in 3/2023. His previous worst was 34.6% when he managed Bayern against Barca in the 2016 Champions League.

Guardiola admitted that Man City's defensive approach stemmed mainly from the quality of Arsenal's play, rather than a deliberate tactical calculation. At the same time, he emphasized that context was an important factor. After a tense series of matches – winning against Napoli in the Champions League and the Manchester derby last weekend – Man City entered the big game with two fewer days of rest than their opponents. The squad being in the process of rebuilding also forced them to adjust their playing style.

Amorim relieves pressure. Man Utd experienced an emotional match at Old Trafford. After goalkeeper Robert Sanchez received a straight red card in the 5th minute, the home side scored two quick goals thanks to Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro.

In first-half stoppage time, Casemiro received a second yellow card, turning the tide of the game. Chelsea pushed forward strongly in the second half and narrowed the gap thanks to Trevoh Chalobah. But Man Utd defended resolutely to keep all three points in Manchester.

Fernandes was the most outstanding player of the match and left a special mark with his 100th goal for Man Utd. Fernandes became the fifth Portuguese player to reach 200 appearances for Man Utd in the Premier League, after Luis Boa Morte (296), Bernardo Silva (270), and Cristiano Ronaldo (236). The Portuguese midfielder is also the fifth Man Utd player to score in his 200th Premier League appearance, after Denis Irwin, Phil Neville, Wayne Rooney, and Antonio Valencia.

Tottenham show resilience. In 10/2024, Tottenham led 2-0 then lost 2-3 to Brighton, prompting then-manager Ange Postecoglou to call it the worst defeat of his career. But returning to the same stadium last weekend, Thomas Frank's side showed a transformation in resilience.

After 31 minutes, Tottenham were down 0-2 and looked set to suffer their first away defeat under Frank. However, the London team fought back strongly to draw 2-2, even at times putting great pressure on their opponents and coming close to a winning goal.

It's not just the result, but the way Tottenham played that brings confidence. Frank emphasized that mental and physical factors made the difference – especially important for a club that could play up to 50 games this season.

Newcastle and away-game attacking woes. The 0-0 draw against Bournemouth highlighted Newcastle's struggles and lack of sharpness away from St James’ Park. With an expected goals (xG) of just 0.69, Eddie Howe's side extended their streak of four away games without scoring and are winless in their last six away trips.

The heavy rotation, with 7 changes from the loss to Barcelona in the first round of the Champions League, was ineffective. New signing Nick Woltemade, despite making an impact on the team's overall play, did not have a single shot. Missing Alexander Isak, one of the league's top strikers, Newcastle are facing a difficult problem up front.

Postecoglou faces difficulties at Nottingham. Manager Ange Postecoglou insists Nottingham Forest are meeting his demands. But the reality is that the team has yet to win since the Australian coach replaced Nuno Espirito Santo.

Postecoglou is enduring a 9-game winless streak in the Premier League, stretching back to his final days at Tottenham. This is his worst run of results in his managerial career in the Australian, Japanese, Scottish, or English top flights.

In the 1-1 draw against Burnley, Nottingham started brightly and took an early lead in the second minute thanks to their fast-paced, energetic play. But their aggressive pressing and organization gradually lost them control of the game, allowing Burnley to create several good chances and equalize in the 20th minute.

These moments of lost control were what led to Postecoglou's downfall at Tottenham, and are now repeating themselves at City Ground. If he doesn't fix them quickly, Forest will struggle to find stability and success under the Australian manager.

Potter on the brink. Graham Potter is known as an unpredictable manager, cold as a seasoned poker player. Entering the press conference after West Ham's 1-2 loss to Crystal Palace, his face was almost emotionless. No one could tell whether his team had just won 6-0 or suffered a bitter defeat.

In a football environment full of emotion – from players to fans and even the coaching staff – Potter often appears indifferent. This lack of passion makes it increasingly difficult for him to win the trust of big clubs.

Potter's managerial ability is not denied. He had success at Ostersunds, made his mark at Brighton, and showed periods of tactical understanding at Chelsea. Within coaching circles, Potter is still highly regarded for his footballing thinking and philosophy.

But his biggest weakness is his cold, impersonal demeanor. In high-pressure environments, especially with ambitious teams, Potter has never created a strong bond. As West Ham's patience wears thin, the Englishman's future looks increasingly precarious.

Wolves in danger. Wolves are known for their slow starts, losing 9 of their last 10 games and conceding over 10 goals in the first few rounds every season. But the current situation is even worse.

The orange-clad team has been playing disjointedly in both attack and defense. They have made the most direct errors leading to goals in the Premier League, second only to West Ham in goals conceded (12 compared to 13). Meanwhile, the 1-3 loss to Leeds exposed the weakness of their attack. Wolves created three times the expected goals of their opponents but scored three times fewer.

The simultaneous loss of Nelson Semedo, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Pablo Sarabia, and Matheus Cunha in the summer of 2025 has left a big void, not only in terms of quality but also in experience handling difficult periods.

Xhaka shines at Sunderland. Granit Xhaka's move from Leverkusen to newly promoted Sunderland in the summer of 2025 was met with skepticism.

But the 32-year-old midfielder has played every minute of the first 5 rounds, most recently in the 1-1 draw against Aston Villa at home. Xhaka has played a major role in helping Sunderland earn 8 points – their best start since the 2016-2017 season.

Not just a source of experience, Xhaka has also made a direct impact in attack. The former Arsenal midfielder set up Wilson Isidor's goal in the 2-1 win against Brentford and again provided an assist for his teammate's equalizer against Aston Villa.

Hong Duy

Photos: Guardian, AP, Reuters