mford Bridge
Here, Press Association Sport's Jim van Wijk takes a look at what was learned over the weekend in the Barclays Premier League.
1
It ain't over until it is over....
As the saying goes, play to the whistle
Perhaps there was a tad more than the 'minimum' of the allocated seven minutes played when John Terry flicked in an offside equaliser for Chelsea
But whether you want to blame Everton for over-egging their celebrations following what should have been a winner in the last of the regulation 90, credit to the Blues for battling on until the referee says time is finally up.
2
It is easy to see referees, and their assistants, need a little bit of help
For some, video technology cannot come soon enough
Certainly referee Mike Jones and assistant Peter Kirkup could have done with a quick glance at an instant replay, beamed instantaneously straight to their smart watch, when Terry tucked the ball away despite having sneaked a couple of yards ahead of the last Everton defender
If the Premier League is to hold itself as the greatest sports entertainment on the globe, then it has to get these game-changing moments right
Embracing such vital new technology sooner rather than later must be the way forwards, just as the goal decision system has proven.
3
The Premier League is a whole new ball game for Jan
"Hopefully he'll learn quickly" was the blunt assessment of Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce as Belgian defender Jan Kirchhoff endured a Premier League debut to forget when coming on at Tottenham
After being dragged all over White Hart Lane chasing Harry Kane before tripping Danny Rose, the former Bayern Munich man will probably have been glad when the full-time whistle went
A tough first 31 minutes in English football it might have been, but one which will make Kirchhoff stronger for the battles ahead to help keep the Black Cats up.
4
Manchester United against Liverpool isn't really a big game any more
Despite Wayne Rooney wheeling away after scoring the goal which secured United a 1-0 smash-and-grab raid at Anfield, the one-time clash of the Premier League titans was hardly vintage stuff
Forget the pre-match rhetoric of rival bosses Jurgen Klopp and Louis van Gaal, the truth is both these teams are a long way from mounting a sustained challenge on the title
Battling for a place in the top six or, at a push, the top four is a more realistic goal - and one which shows just how far down the pecking order these two great clubs now find themselves.
5
Someone needs to get a grip at the top of the table
The longer the campaign goes on, the less we appear to learn about where the final destination of the Premier League trophy will be come May
Leicester came away from bottom club Aston Villa with a point, but will feel it should have been three after missing a penalty
Arsenal also failed to pick up an away victory, but will probably be just about happy enough with a draw at Stoke, where they have so often come unstuck in the past
The big winners of the weekend were Manchester City, who demolished a fading Crystal Palace side 4-0 at the Ethiad Stadium
Expect the lead to change hands again, before maybe in February when one side will actually lay down a marker for the run-in.
Source : PA
Source: PA