Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is struggling to get a chance at Liverpool but Fabian Delph showed he has a Manchester City future - 10 THINGS WE LEARNED

  • Jurgen Klopp has only handed 74 minutes to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain so far 
  • Fabian Delph sprinted more than anyone bar Raheem Sterling at Chelsea 
  • Jay Rodriguez is re-energising his career at West Bromwich Albion 

Manchester dominates the Premier League after United's thrashing of Crystal Palace and City's win at Chelsea.

Here, Sportsmail's Ralph Ellis shares 10 things he learned from the weekend's action throughout the leagues. 

Kevin De Bruyne celebrates scoring Manchester City's winner against Chelsea 

Kevin De Bruyne celebrates scoring Manchester City's winner against Chelsea 

 

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will report for England duty this week having not started a single game for Liverpool apart from in a much changed side that lost to Leicester in the Carabao Cup. 


Given that the 24-year-old turned down Chelsea because he'd been convinced by Jurgen Klopp he'd get game time in central midfield you wonder what he makes of it. The Ox got just the final six minutes of the 1-1 draw at Newcastle. 

His five appearances off the bench so far add up to a total of just 74 minutes.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has spent most of his Liverpool career as an unused substitute

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has spent most of his Liverpool career as an unused substitute

 

Tottenham seem to be learning how to deal with the travel involved in the Champions League if their 4-0 win at Huddersfield is anything to go by. 

Ten of the players involved at Leeds Road, including two-goal Harry Kane, started in the midweek win away to Apoel Nicosia which involved a 5,000 mile round trip. 

Last season Spurs dropped 10 points in away games which followed European weeks, losing to Manchester United and Chelsea while drawing at Bournemouth and Arsenal.

 

Fabian Delph has a chance to forge a new future at Manchester City as a makeshift left back if he can sustain the way he performed in the 1-0 win at Chelsea. 

The 27-year-old, who had made just three 90-minute appearances in the Premier League in two seasons following his move from Aston Villa, did a superb job after being called in to replace injured Benjamin Mendy. 

The England midfielder's energy added an extra dimension to City's attacking play. He made 67 sprints at Stamford Bridge, with only Raheem Sterling (74) making more.

Fabian Delph has been given a chance to prove himself by City manager Pep Guardiola

Fabian Delph has been given a chance to prove himself by City manager Pep Guardiola

 

Nacho Monreal's quality on the ball has helped Arsenal build from deep now he has been moved from playing as an orthodox left back into a three-man central defence. 

In the 2-0 win over Brighton the Spaniard played a remarkable 105 passes, with 102 of them reaching a team mate. 

It wasn't just a case of playing easy balls sideways, either. Some 38 of them found either Granit Xhaka or Aaron Ramsey in midfield while another 14 picked out the feet of Alexis Sanchez.

 

Jay Rodriguez has bought into the work ethic required of players in Tony Pulis teams since his £12m move from Southampton to West Bromwich Albion. 

The 28-year-old, keen to resurrect an England career that stalled after one cap due to injury, ran 7.8 miles in the 2-2 draw with Watford, the furthest of any player on the pitch, as well as making 76 sprints. 

He's also being used to cover the near post when West Brom defend corners and cleared both of the attempts that Watford aimed there during the 2-2 draw.

Jay Rodriguez is looking to get his career back on track after nightmare injury problems

Jay Rodriguez is looking to get his career back on track after nightmare injury problems

 

Burnley's away form has been such a contrast to last season that they already have more points on the road than they managed in the entire 2016-17 campaign. 

But it's not just the results they have achieved but who the opposition have been. 

So far Sean Dyche's side have beaten Chelsea and Everton and drawn at Tottenham and Liverpool. The same four fixtures last year brought four defeats with three goals scored and 10 conceded.

 

Swansea's Jordan Ayew might be struggling for goals – he has just one in the Premier League so far – but you can't fault his build-up play. 

The 26-year-old, surprisingly axed along with his brother Andre by Ghana for their crucial World Cup qualifier, found a team-mate with 32 out of 32 passes in the 1-0 defeat at West Ham. 

He was the only player who completed 90 minutes this weekend with a 100 per cent passing success rate.

Jordan Ayew completed 100 per cent of his 32 passes for Swansea against West Ham

Jordan Ayew completed 100 per cent of his 32 passes for Swansea against West Ham

 

Bristol City boss Lee Johnson will need no reminding that his side's promising start to the season means nothing. 

The excellent 3-1 away win at Ipswich means his side sit fourth having gone above Leeds on goal difference following their defeat at Sheffield Wednesday. 

But the 20 points they have is exactly the same number they had gathered after 11 games last season – and that was followed by 13 defeats in the next 16 which brought a relegation fight that wasn't won until the final week of the season.

 

Peter Whittingham could become a big influence for Blackburn's promotion ambitions after taking time to settle following his move from Cardiff where he spent ten years. 

The 33-year-old made his first start since August for Tony Mowbray's side in the 1-0 win over Gillingham which shifted the club into the play-off zone.

 

Coventry centre back Jordan Willis is attracting attention as part of a side that has kept seven clean sheets in 11 matches to sit fourth in League Two. 

The Sky Blues did well to convince the athletically built Academy product to sign a new contract in 2016, but unless they go up it could be much harder next summer when that deal runs out. 

Willis, who made his debut as a 17-year-old, has only just passed his 23rd birthday but has made 125 starts for the club.  

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