EPL week #4 review: Sheffield United snatches draw at Chelsea; Arsenal, Spurs share four goals in pulsating derby

It was honours even in the north London derby, while The Blades came from behind to shock Frank Lampard’s Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in Gameweek #4.

Southampton 1 v 1 Manchester United

The Saints came from a goal down to salvage a draw at home to Manchester United in the early kick-off as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Red Devils dropped points on the road yet again.

Daniel James got the visiting side off to a flying start when he netted his third goal in as many Premier League games following his summer move from Swansea, driving a rising shot into the top corner to stun the St. Mary’s crowd.

Southampton, so often a soft-centred side in the early part of last season, already look stronger under Ralph Hasenhuttl, and they responded in the second half with an equaliser from Jannik Vestergaard.

United, having dropped points at Wolves and at home to Crystal Palace in previous gameweeks due to missed penalties, were given no such easy route back to winning ways, as Vestergaard’s header from a Kevin Danso cross once again exposed their defensive frailties. They have only kept one clean sheet this Premier League season in their opening day defeat of Chelsea, with the visitors on that occasion hitting the Old Trafford woodwork on multiple occasions. De Gea, having looked bulletproof for much of his recent time at Old Trafford, is starting to look beatable in recent weeks, and while the introduction of Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan-Bissaka have undoubtedly strengthened Solskjaer’s squad, more work is needed to make it a water-tight backline.

Offensively, even when Southampton were reduced to 10 men after Danso turned from hero to villain with a second yellow card on 73 minutes, United were blunt. Missing the absent Martial’s goal touch and still uncertain of the right combination in the engine room of central midfield, a United side with potential is still fighting to conjure a new identity. They will wait a fortnight before getting the chance to put this latest setback right.

Chelsea 2 v 2 Sheffield United

Frank Lampard’s Chelsea suffered another setback in their fledgling progression under their new manager as they let a two-goal lead slip in a disastrous second half.

Tammy Abraham grabbed two more goals in what is looking to be a very promising season to see The Blues go into the break two goals up. Just a minute into the second half, however, that lead had been slashed in half after Callum Robertson reduced the arrears for the away side, enjoying their first season in the Premier League in over a decade.

With a minute to go, Kurt Zouma’s own goal gave The Blades a vital point in their battle for survival, which looks in good spirit if their opening four games are anything to go by.

In stark contrast, Lampard has a huge job to do to get Chelsea into the top four. With Arsenal and Spurs looking more dangerous following the arrivals of players such as Pepe and Ndombele respectively, Chelsea’s inability to participate in the transfer window along with next January’s window, looks set to restrict Lampard’s squad.

With the Champions League about to begin, Chelsea will play more games than other rivals and with Sheffield United, Manchester United and Leicester all taking points from the London club already this season, it could be a very long route to the top four for Lampard’s young side.

Arsenal 2 v Tottenham Hotspur

A fantastic North London derby saw Tottenham go two goals clear before their hosts roared back to pull level before a breathless end saw both rivals go close to stealing all three points.

Spurs got off to a quick start when Christian Eriksen, who for a long time looked like he might be heading to Madrid this summer, opening the scoring after just 10 minutes when he struck on the follow up to a flowing move to tap the Lilywhites into the lead. It was Arsenal’s nemesis Harry Kane who doubled Spurs’ lead when he stroked in a penalty on 40 minutes and had French striker Alexandre Lacazette not smashed Arsenal a goal back on the stroke of half-time, it may have ended very differently.

But the second half instead saw The Gunners lay siege to the Tottenham goal, eventually getting the goal their play deserved.

Results:

Southampton 1-1 Man Utd
Chelsea 2-2 Sheff Utd
Crystal Palace 1-0 Aston Villa
Leicester 3-1 Bournemouth
Man City 4-0 Brighton
Newcastle 1-1 Watford
West Ham 2-0 Norwich
Burnley 0-3 Liverpool
Everton 3-2 Wolves
Arsenal 2-2 Spurs

Premier League table:

1. Liverpool – 12 pts
2. Man. City – 10
3. Leicester – 8
4. Crystal Palace – 7
5. West Ham – 7
6. Arsenal – 6
7. Man Utd – 5
8. Sheff Utd – 5
9. Chelsea – 5
10. Tottenham – 4
11. Burnley – 4
12. Everton – 4
13. Southampton – 4
14. Newcastle – 4
15. Bournemouth – 4
16. Brighton – 4
17. Wolves – 3
18. Aston Villa – 3
19. Norwich – 3
20. Watford -1