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Premier League Round Up - Sergio Aguero deserves a three-match ban

Most important goal of the weekend - Marcus Rashford

Jose Mourinho says he feels no pressure to start Marcus Rashford in Manchester United’s starting line-up, despite the winner against Hull City. In many respects, that’s fair enough. With Zlatan Ibrahimovic already scoring, there seems little to gain in dropping the Swede to accommodate a teenager with barely a track record to point towards. But what a fraction of a track record it is. Nine goals in 20 games, the ability to be present when necessary, and the self-assuredness to dispatch chances with a calmness that eludes most people in most situations. Spectators have been burned too many times to go against Mourinho’s judgement with any certainty. English supporters have seen what Wayne Rooney has become and what Jack Wilshere failed to become. United fans only have to go back a couple of seasons to witness the stagnation and decline of Adnan Januzaj, and this season’s Anthony Martial has nothing on the previous year’s version.

While it seems unlikely, it can’t be discounted that Rashford is just a young man who is currently outrunning reality’s grasp. It could all be a quick flash before he ends up on loan at Coventry, and settling around the yo-yo clubs between the Premier League and the Championship. The reason it seems unlikely though, is because as described above, he just seems so bloody good right now. It wasn’t his best goal, and it’s hard to say whether it was his most important given the relatively high impact every goal had in the frigid Van Gaal era. But with Chelsea winning and Eden Hazard looking special again, slipping up against Hull was not an option.

Goal of the weekend - Eden Hazard

Speaking of Hazard, it is remarkable what refocusing the mind can do. With talk of Real Madrid excised from the papers, and perhaps his representatives, and with the constant friction of Mourinho now at Old Trafford rather than Stamford Bridge, Hazard looks like the player who originally joined Chelsea. No longer does he, or much of the squad, seem lethargic and reluctant to get involved in other season of provocation and complaint.

Antonio Conte will doubtless cause a few rows over the coming season, but at least they will be a different flavour of argument. He is not known, here at least, for conspiracy theories or needless intimidation of other parties. There is a lightness about Chelsea at the start of this season. N’Golo Kante and Michy Batshuayi are sensible if not dominating signings, and the relief seems mainly that the inescapably disappointing ending of 2015/16 is wiped away, and they get to try again. There is a similar lightness about Hazard’s fleet-footed run towards the Burnley goal, whipping a shot past Tom Heaton.

On his way to earning a megabucks deal to Real Madrid - Alexis Sanchez

Sanchez struggled last season. Chile’s Copa America tournament was victorious, but tiring. It meant that Sanchez didn’t have chance for that feted concept, the ‘proper pre-season’ and while he hit the ground running at the start, it became apparent that the barrel-chested forward needed a good sit down. It only came when Arsene Wenger ran him into the ground and caused a retrospectively inevitable injury against Norwich City. Then, Arsenal threw away the easiest chance of a Premier League title since the last time they threw away an easy chance of a Premier League title. Instead of a charge towards the end of the season, and a rest, Sanchez and Arsenal stumbled towards the end of the line with the pressure off, having failed, and a sense that they would never have such a good chance to waste again.

Wenger is still at Arsenal, still making sure his dull and underwhelming signings will prevent any serious progress, but Sanchez seems more like the player from Barcelona than he did last season. Beating Watford isn’t especially hard, but nobody would have been shocked to see clownish Arsenal turn up and lose 4-1 instead. Sanchez, amongst others, prevented that. They won’t win the league this season, but if Sanchez continues to perform, then perhaps he will be willing to cut his losses in England and return to Spain and Real Madrid.

Surprise of the weekend - Sergio Aguero is unpleasant

Sergio Aguero, during a challenge for a high ball with Winston Reid, decided that the best course of action was to sling an elbow into the side of Reid’s head. He was lucky in two respects. One, he didn’t seriously hurt Reid, who while jostling the striker, was essentially blameless in the tussle. Two, he wasn’t sent off at a time when City’s lead had been halved. However, he should not be lucky three times. There can be no argument that according to the rules, he should incur a three-match ban for violent conduct. After the international break, City take on Manchester United. City might have drastically improved under Pep Guardiola but they would nevertheless miss the chance to put Aguero up against Daley Blind. If the rules are applied correctly, then miss it they will do.

Miserable weekend for…

Willy Caballero. He’d seen off Joe Hart, last seeing weighing up a move to Torino, Sevilla, Everton or Sunderland as the transfer window comes to an end. He’d managed to put in a couple of decent performances, less flaky that Manchester City fans had seen in previous appearances under Manuel Pellegrini. But with City 2-0 up and ambling towards an easy victory, they thought, Caballero flapped unconvincingly at a cross from the left wing, barely getting off the ground, and allowed Michail Antonio to head West Ham back into the match. Claudio Bravo will have few worries about taking the first-choice keeping spot.