Man City enjoy derby triumph while Arsenal's Arteta causes refereeing stir

The referees were at the centre of the action in the Manchester derby, and manager Mikel Arteta also raised strong objections after a penalty was awarded against Arsenal for the first time in 49 league matches. 

Chelsea are struggling with a leaky defence led by Malo Gusto, whilst Brighton are the highest-scoring team thanks to another goal-fest.

Is Arteta putting pressure on the referees?

Arsenal continue to produce impressive results. They have a 100 per cent record across all competitions this season.

The 2–0 win away at Sunderland was the Gunners’ eighth consecutive Premier League victory, and having conceded just one goal so far this season in England’s top flight, Mikel Arteta’s side once again hold the title of the league’s best-defending team.

Whilst the Londoners extended several streaks, they saw two others come to an end in the clash with the Black Cats. Arsenal’s opponents were awarded a penalty for the first time in their last 49 Premier League matches.

Arteta, meanwhile, received his last yellow card 43 league matches ago; he was booked for repeatedly leaving the technical area.

Ezri Konsa had his arms around Daniel Ballard from behind during a corner, and the two players ended up holding onto each other and falling to the ground.

“It’s a judo-style takedown, where he pulls the player to the ground,” said the Gunners’ manager, describing the incident.

Last season, Arsenal dominated in terms of goals from corners, partly thanks to physical play that pushed the boundaries of the rules.

However, according to the Gunners’ camp, this was not a foul, and Sky Sports reports that the club therefore intends to contact ProRef. They will be seeking an explanation from the organisation responsible for professional referees in England.

A Manchester derby full of controversy

Howard Webb, at the helm of ProRef, is going through a trying time.

In the Manchester derby, the video assistant referees made a mistake in awarding the only goal of the match, when Erling Haaland scored partly because Enzo Fernandez, who was in an offside position, got involved in the play and drew defenders towards him without touching the ball. United were thus wronged by a VAR error.

The opposition could have made the same complaint. In the 23rd minute, Phil Foden was shown a red card when, whilst lying on the ground, he blatantly kicked back at Bruno Fernandes, who was standing up and got away without any punishment - despite kicking Foden while he was down on the floor.

Enzo Maresca acknowledged after the match that the numerical advantage had, in a way, also been a complication for United.

“Phil Foden’s red card didn’t just change the game for us, but for them as well. They’re good at the transition phase and attacking the space behind the defence,” explained the Citizens’ manager.

“The game actually became more difficult for them,” added the manager, whose club is the only one in the league, alongside Arsenal, with a 100 per cent record.

Chelsea’s defence isn’t to Alonso’s liking

Attack wins matches, defence wins titles. Chelsea have the second-best attack in the league after Brighton, but only three teams have conceded more goals.

Most recently, the Blues’ back line crumbled against Hull, whose supporters are celebrating the continuation of their unbeaten run even after a gruelling trip to Stamford Bridge.

Xabi Alonso must quickly work out which line-up for his frequently rotated defence will be the ideal one. Levi Colwill is still not performing at his best following his return from a long-term injury, and Jorrel Hato had a poor first half against the Tigers. Malo Gusto is also struggling at the back.

Chelsea took the stance in the summer that they did not want to sell Gusto and would only consider offers of around 85 million euros, thereby deterring potential suitors.

At the last minute, Liverpool considered a simple loan deal, but were unsuccessful. The Blues brought in left-footed Pepa Chavarría for the left-back position in the summer and Marco Palestra for the right-back position, although the latter has since picked up an injury.

Given Gusto’s current form – though at least his willingness to always comply with the manager’s tactical requirements works in his favour – the Italian’s speedy recovery will be all the more important.

Brighton: a goal-scoring machine

In the 2017/18 season, Brighton quietly made their way into the Premier League and have firmly established themselves there. For several years, Brighton were known as a club that brilliantly increased the value of players acquired through data-driven scouting and subsequently sold them to the giants of the English top flight for several times their purchase price.

Meanwhile, however, the Seagulls are climbing the table and leaving many of these big clubs behind them. With 13 goals scored after four matches, they boast the Premier League’s highest-scoring attack.

On two occasions, they played a significant portion of the match with a man advantage; it was against Aston Villa (4–0) and, most recently, Coventry (0–5) that they scored the bulk of their goals.

However, one team from the red half of Manchester recently proved that a man advantage alone is not enough.

Brighton are currently enjoying a spell of success, before last year’s achievement – qualifying for the Conference League – is put to the test as they face a more demanding fixture list.

Will the side currently fifth in the table, managed by the 33-year-old Fabian Hurzeler, maintain their productivity as their League Cup and Conference League fixtures approach?