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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
