EPL wrap: Crazy weekend throws season wide open

Could this season actually get any madder? It all started on Saturday, when Chelsea required a dubious injury-time penalty to salvage a home draw against West Brom. Then came Sunday: Manchester United confirming they had managed to shrug off their September slumber with a win over the early-season pacesetters Arsenal to throw the title race wide open. But that’s not the even slightly mad bit. Manchester City crashed to their fourth defeat in six away games, this time to one of the most fragile of all Premier League clubs, Sunderland. And somewhere among all that Tottenham lost at home to Newcastle. That is a strange set of results indeed. So where to begin? The Manchester United v Arsenal game seems the right match to focus on. These have been the two most successful English clubs, at least as far as league titles is concerned, since the late 1980s. But whereas the Gunners have been silenced since 2004, United signed off with five Premier League titles in Sir Alex Ferguson’s final seven seasons. [caption id=“attachment_1221843” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Robin van Persie scoring the only goal against Arsenal. AFP[/caption] If Arsenal, one week on from beating Liverpool, could double up with success at Old Trafford, they would secure an 11-point lead over United, and would maintain their healthy five-point lead over their closest challengers. Then maybe a few more people would start to believe that Arsene Wenger’s latest project held real substance. This would have been a wonderful opportunity for Arsenal to bury the fears that might have lingered since their hideous 8-2 reverse at Old Trafford in August 2011, and more importantly to confirm that the midfield axis of Aaron Ramsey, Mesut Ozil and Santi Cazorla can turn on the heat consistently against the top sides. Not a bit of it. Arsenal started nervously, feeling the importance of this fixture, and that’s no way to approach a game of football at Old Trafford. Conspicuously, flagship signing Mesut Ozil - the man they hope will banish memories of the suicidal sale of Robin van Persie to the Red Devils – suffered stage fright. Olivier Giroud, perhaps more of a fair-weather friend rather than the kind of dogged fighter needed to help grind out results of an English winter, was even worse. Cazorla and Mikel Arteta were little better: someone must have hacked at their internal wiring because their passing went weirdly wonky. By contrast, United’s oft-maligned midfielders were very good. Many fans moaned on Twitter when Antonio Valencia appeared in the starting line-up again, but he produced a powerful display on the right flank, from where he mixed up some top-class crosses and high-energy running. United’s defence enjoyed a very satisfactory day at the office, but best of all was Wayne Rooney, worrying Arsenal throughout with a supremely confident display. David Moyes has courted criticism in a number of areas, but he has got Rooney fired up on many occasions this season. And Van Persie? Well, inevitably it was he who scored the game’s only goal. The travel sickness that continues to afflict City has gone well past the irritation stage. A plus-16 goal difference is all well and good but they are eighth in the table at the moment, and if they are still eighth at Christmas they won’t be winning the title this year, irrespective of whether or not they are the current favourites. Sunderland won in the classic manner of the underdog, scoring an early goal while the visitors were still establishing their rhythm, and clinging on for 70 minutes to repel waves of City attacks. “We played really well in attack and in defending,” said manager Manuel Pellegrini afterwards. In that case, Sunderland - comfortably swept aside by most other opponents so far - must have improved beyond all mortal capability. Tottenham unleashed 14 shots at goal against Newcastle, but failed to score - and found their opponents’ goalkeeper Tim Krul in brilliant form. That was a little unfortunate, but it might be time for Andre Villas-Boas to change tactics and commit more men to forward positions. They have scored just nine goals in 11 games this season, not nearly enough for such a gifted squad.