Premier League takeaways: Jesus leads way for Arsenal, Wolves lack bite, Rodgers on brink

A look back at the weekend's English top-flight action

PREMIER LEAGUE WEEKEND RESULTS: Friday, September 16, 2022 - Aston Villa 1 (Ramsey 41') Southampton 0: Villa secured their second league win of the season thanks to Jacob Ramsey's first-half goal. "It wasn't pretty or stylish but, with where we were in the league, we knew we had to do it in a pragmatic way," said Villa manager Steven Gerrard. Getty

Nottingham Forest 2 (Awoniyi 11', O'Brien 77') Fulham 3 Tosin 54', Joao Palhinha 57', Reed 60'): For the second match in a row, Forest lose after leading at half-time. Fulham's three goals in six minutes condemned Steve Cooper's side to another defeat. "It was a fantastic feeling for us even if we suffered a little in the last few minutes and they had belief they could score again," said Fulham manager Marco Silva. Getty

Saturday, Spetember 17 - Wolves 0 Manchester City 3 (Grealish 1', Haaland 16', Foden 69'): Erling Haaland scored for the seventh consecutive game and took his total to 14 in the past nine as champions City coasted to victory against Wolves. Jack Grealish, who opened the scoring after just 55 seconds, said: "It was a long time coming ... it is nice to get off the mark this season and do it so early. I should be scoring more and getting more assists." EPA

Newcastle United 1 (Isak pen 67') Bournemouth 1 (Billing 62'): Record signing Alexander Isak scored his first goal at St James' Park but the Magpies remain without a win since the first weekend of the season after Philip Billing had put the Cherries in front. "We are disappointed with our performance, there was just something missing from us today," said Newcastle manager Eddie Howe. "We weren't quite our intense selves." AFP

Tottenham Hotspur 6 (Kane 8', Dier 21', Bentancur 47', Son Heung-min 73', 84', 86') Leicester City 2 (Tielemans pen 6', Maddison 41'): Substitute Son Heung-min bagged a 13-minute hat-trick as woeful Leicester produced another defensive horror show and fell to a sixth straight defeat. "I understand the game, I understand football," said Foxes manager Brendan Rodgers. "Today the scoreline didn't reflect the game, but the bottom line is we have had a heavy defeat and we should have been better." Getty

Arsenal's Portuguese midfielder Fabio Vieira (L) celebrates with Arsenal's Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka after scoring the team's third goal during the English Premier League football match between Brentford and Arsenal at the Gtech Community Stadium in London on September 18, 2022. (Photo by Ian Kington / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. /

Everton 1 (Maupay 53') West Ham United 0: Everton secured their first win of the season at the seventh attempt thanks to Neal Maupay's first goal for the club since moving from Brighton. "It's a win that has been a little while coming," said Everton manager Frank Lampard. "We probably have deserved it somewhere this season already but it hadn't come." Getty

Can Costa rescue toothless Wolves?

Another game, another goal for the machine that is Erling Haaland as the Norwegian made it 11 in seven Premier League games in Manchester City's demolition of Wolves on Saturday.

It was the seventh game in a row Haaland has found the back of the net, taking his tally to 14 in nine including the Champions League.

Compare and contrast with toothless Wolves, who look set to be dragged into the relegation battle on current form.

They have won just once all season and, more worryingly, scored three times in seven games. Their cause against City was hardly helped by Nathan Collins' sending off for a reckless tackle on Jack Grealish.

Last week saw former Chelsea and Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa join the club and the publicity shots of him holding three fierce-looking wolves on leads certainly looked impressive.

But Costa is 33, has not played competitively since being released by Brazilian side Atletico Mineiro in January and has not scored more than seven goals in a season since 2017.

Wolves' Nathan Collins was shown a red card for this challenge on Jack Grealish of Manchester City. Getty

Rodgers hanging by thread at Leicester

While scoring goals is Wolves' biggest concern, Midlands rivals Leicester are finding life problematic at the other end of the pitch.

Saturday's 6-2 drubbing at Tottenham Hotspur – that saw Spurs substitute Son Heung-min score a 13-minute hat-trick – took the Foxes' goals against column to 22 in seven games. Only Bournemouth, who lost 9-0 at Liverpool and have shipped 19, come close to such an abysmal defensive record.

They have also lost 4-2 and 5-2 away from home – against Arsenal and Brighton, respectively – leaving them bottom of the table with just one point after six defeats in a row.

“Whatever happens to me here at Leicester whether I stay and continue to fight on, I will always respect them,” manager Brendan Rodgers said after the game. How long he is allowed to fight on, remains to be seen.

Scott Parker was sacked by the Cherries after the Anfield debacle, Rodgers must surely be close to following him to the job centre.

Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers has seen his team lose six matches in a row. PA

Newcastle draw another blank in win column

There can be no doubt that Newcastle United have made huge progress under manager Eddie Howe.

In the calendar year league table, the Magpies lie an impressive fifth, behind Manchester City, Liverpool, Spurs and Arsenal. Only City and Liverpool have lost fewer games.

And they sit comfortably mid-table this season having lost just once – a last-gasp defeat at Liverpool. But Saturday's frustrating draw at home to Bournemouth was their fifth in seven games and Howe's side have not won since the first weekend of the season.

Newcastle looked desperately short of ideas about how to break down a well-organised Bournemouth defence without winger Allan Saint-Maximin and striker Callum Wilson.

The club have spent big in the transfer market – with record £58 million buy Alexander Isak scoring his first home goal against the Cherries – and while Howe retains the full support of the Saudi-led owners, he knows questions will start to be asked if his team do not begin to upgrade those draws to wins.

Newcastle United's Alexander Isak scores from the spot against Bournemouth. Reuters

Gabriel Jesus puts Gunners back on target

Any concerns that Arsenal's flying start might be crashing to a halt after losing their 100 per cent record against Manchester United, were blown away at Brentford on Sunday.

In what should have been a tricky contest – especially without captain Martin Odegaard – the Gunners roared back to winning ways thanks to goals from William Saliba, Gabriel Jesus and Fabio Vieira, the latter making his first Premier League start.

Jesus, their summer signing from Manchester City, has been a revelation and is clearly revelling in being the main man at the North London club.

With the Brazilian as their new spearhead, Mikel Arteta's side are top of the table and looking like they could be back in the Champions League for the first time since 2016/17 by the end of season.

Gabriel Jesus heads home Arsenal's second goal against Brentford. Getty

Relief for Gerrard and Lampard

Two of the Premier League's greatest midfielders have been finding wins hard to come by from the confines of the dugout.

Steven Gerrard's Aston Villa went into Friday's game with Southampton without a win since beating Everton in August, while Frank Lampard and Everton had yet to taste victory at all before their match against West Ham on Sunday.

So both managers were delighted to come away with scrappy 1-0 home wins that eased the pressure going into the international break.

“In football, you have to grind and fight and be committed and we worked hard today,” said Gerrard, while Lampard insisted his team had "worked hard this season and deserved more" than their points total suggested.

Everton manager Frank Lampard celebrates after beating West Ham. Reuters