Premier League: Things we learned about Reece James, Mohamed Salah and Youri Tielemans, plus others

Yet another weekend of Premier League action has come and gone with plenty of talking points to emerge. Old Trafford was the venue for the biggest story, with Liverpool humiliating a limp Manchester United side on their own patch, while Chelsea stroked seven past hapless Norwich. Here, Sportsmail picks out 10 things all the drama has taught us.

1 – Reece lightning is shining up top

Chelsea were in imperious form as they blew away Norwich during the Saturday lunchtime kick off.

Mason Mount starred as he grabbed his first ever Premier League hat-trick against the Canaries, but it was another of his England team-mates that caught the eye.

Completing just his second 90 minutes of the season, Reece James was sensational, not only at the back but going forward too.

It is an element to the defender’s game that has been growing this season, with his influence in the final third in evidence yet again at Stamford Bridge.

James grabbed Chelsea’s third of the afternoon – a well-taken dink over Tim Krul towards the end of the first half – his fourth goal involvement in six appearances for the Blues this season.

What is more impressive is his goal-involvement-per-minute ratio, the 21-year-old involved in a Chelsea strike every 70 minutes he is on the pitch – the best return of any player in Thomas Tuchel’s side.

With James having only completed two sets of 90 minutes to date this season, he can surely expect more minutes to be coming his way if his form continues.

Reece James celebrates with team-mate Ben Chilwell during Chelsea’s win over Norwich City

2 – Foden is more than a Phil in for De Bruyne

Phil Foden is no longer the emerging talent at Manchester City. He’s the real deal.

Saturday’s man-of-the-match display against Brighton only sought to cement his place as a key figure in Pep Guardiola’s side, as he pulled the strings during a convincing 4-1 victory.

His two goals – only his second brace in the Premier League – made him City’s top scorer in the top flight so far this season. His late assist for Riyad Mahrez capped another commanding display.

In just 570 minutes on the pitch this season across all competitions, Foden has registered four assists and four goals, showing his importance for City, with the England international currently outshining Kevin De Bruyne in the middle of the park.

Phil Foden was key yet again for Manchester City as he grabbed a brace at Brighton

3 – Aubameyang’s bouncing back

Much has been made of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s form since signing his bumper contract in 2020.

It has been no secret that the Gabon striker’s form has dipped drastically, and that he has done little to justify the hefty salary awarded to him by Arsenal.

Slowly but surely, however, things are beginning to click once more for the Gunners and their talisman.

Mikel Arteta’s side are unbeaten in the league since losing their opening two games of the season, and returned to winning ways with a comfortable 3-1 win at home against Aston Villa.

On the scoresheet, once again, was Aubameyang as he tucked away the rebound to his own saved penalty at the end of first-half stoppage time.

It was the fourth match in succession in which he has scored at the Emirates, the first time he has managed the feat since September 2019 and the first time since signing his new deal.

Maybe there are signs that both the player and the club are getting back on track.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored at the Emirates in the league for the fourth game running

4 – Wilson is setting Toon example to follow

The post-Steve Bruce era for Newcastle got underway with a barely-deserved draw at Crystal Palace, but there were some rays of light on another difficult day.

While putting an end to a run of back-to-back defeats was one plus, another was the performance of Callum Wilson, and the reassurance that this squad does possess some quality already.

As reported by Sportsmail on Sunday, the new owners are only too aware that a drastic overhaul is needed to the playing squad in a bid to turn around their fortunes on the pitch, with the club targeting a new spine including a centre back, a central midfielder and a strike partner for Wilson.

At the moment, the former Bournemouth frontman is single-handedly giving the side an attacking edge, and it took a moment of individual brilliance from him to rescue a point at Selhurst Park.

It was the striker’s sixth goal in his last six Premier League appearances, including one in each of his last three outings.

While others in the squad might be looking over their shoulder come January, Wilson will be front and centre to any Toon revival.

Callum Wilson is single-handedly driving Newcastle’s threat in front of goal this season

5 – Salah proving he is African royalty

The Egyptian King is now officially the Premier League’s King of Africa, too, after his hat-trick heroics at Old Trafford.

Mohamed Salah has been talked about in terms of the best striker in the world recently given his dazzling run for Liverpool, and he was true to form once again on Sunday as he beat David de Gea three times as Jurgen Klopp’s men ran riot in a 5-0 victory over rivals Manchester United.

In doing so, Salah became the top African goalscorer of all time in the Premier League, overtaking Didier Drogba at the top of the standings.

His hat-trick goal was his 107th in the competition, putting him clear of the Ivory Coast icon, who finished his career at Chelsea with 104 top-flight goals.

It was also the 10th successive match in which the Egyptian has scored for the Reds, in all competitions.

Jamie Vardy beat Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Premier League record in 2015 when he scored in 11 consecutibe top flight games. Salah’s run is currently seven. Watch this space.

Mohamed Salah became the top African goalscorer in Premier League history on Sunday

6 – Sorry United see records tumble

On the receiving end of some Mohamed Salah magic was a dismal Manchester United side.

There had been fears among fans and pundits that some late goals and Cristiano Ronaldo heroics were papering over the cracks at Old Trafford, and that emphatically proved to be the case on Sunday.

The numbers behind the defeat are damning for manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, as was the manner of it, with decades old unwanted records falling.

It was the first time in the club’s history that United had trailed by four goals at the end of the first half of a Premier League match. It was also their biggest home defeat in their history against their arch rivals.

It was also the first time they had conceded five without reply at Old Trafford since 1955.

While there will certainly be no knee-jerk reaction from United, the performance hammered home the gulf between them and the very top teams in the league.

Sunday may have brought the stark realisation that they are still not running with the top pack.

Several unwated records fell for Manchester United on a dismal Sunday at Old Trafford

7 – Antonio is a prime poacher

There is just no stopping Michail Antonio. Spurs are all too aware of that by now.

The striker grabbed his sixth goal of the season at the London Stadium, which coincidentally just so happens to be the same number of goals he has scored against Tottenham in all competitions.

It is also the third home match in a row he’s netted against the London rivals.

His prolific nature is firing West Ham up the table, and it’s also keeping him in some esteemed company in the record books too.

It’s an odd quirk that every single one of Antonio’s 52 top-flight strikes have come from inside the box. Only two other players can boast the same 100 per cent record and have scored more, Tim Cahill (56) and Javier Hernandez (53).

At this rate, the Jamaica forward could have the title of top poacher all to himself come the end of the season.

Michail Antonio is proving himself to be one of the best poachers the top flight has seen

8 – Kane has derby day dread

Derby day misery is becoming an all too familiar feeling for Harry Kane and Spurs.

Having already been beaten comfortably by Crystal Palace, Arsenal and Chelsea this season, another London defeat almost looked inevitable for a languid Tottenham side devoid of any real creativity.

Part of that issue is Kane’s own lack of form in front of goal. Despite breaking his top-flight duck for the campaign last weekend against Newcastle, the England skipper was once again without any cutting edge – and even contributed to his team’s downfall with a lapse in concentration while defending a corner that aided Michail Antonio’s winner.

It was the fifth London derby in a row where the striker has failed to find the target, a run he hasn’t been through since 2014. It is symptomatic of a striker struggling to get out of a real rut.

Harry Kane failed to find the net for a fifth consecutive London derby on Sunday afternoon

9 – Tielemans is thinking outside the box

Not for the first time this season, Youri Tielemans provided a moment to savour for the Foxes faithful.

The Leicester City midfielder sent the away support wild on Sunday afternoon when he let rip from 25 yards out with an effort that nearly took the back of David Raya’s net off.

It has become a bit of a trademark for the Belgium international, who memorably won Brendan Rodgers’ side the FA Cup last season with a thunderbolt at Wembley.

And it is something Tielemans is now making a bit of a regular occurance, with no other player in the Premier League scoring more goals from outside the box than his four in the calendar year.

Not many that watch him week-in week-out would bet against another before the New Year.

Youri Tielemans scored his fourth goal from outside the box this calendar year at Brentford

10 – Return of the King haunts Everton

Joshua King’s redemption story was something that could only make you smile on Saturday afternoon – unless that is you are an Everton fan of course.

The Norway striker endured an infuriating spell at Goodison Park in the second half of last season after joining from Bournemouth, failing to start a single game and only able to show glimpses of his talent on Merseyside during substitute appearances.

Life at Vicarage Road hasn’t been the rosiest either, with King having to wait for his chance to shine, but boy did he take it on Saturday afternoon.

The 29-year-old grabbed his first, second and third Premier League strikes of the season as he put his old side to the sword in a shock 5-2 win for Claudio Ranieri’s men.

It ended a run of 29 games without a league goal for King, as he also became just the third Premier League man to score three against one of his former sides.