EPL Hits and Misses: Chelsea maintain perfect start, United signings sparkle
Manchester United fans can finally afford themselves a smile again, but Chelsea were the weekend's biggest winners after crushing Swansea to maintain their perfect start to the season. This way for Hits and Misses...
HITS
Chelsea
Another weekend in the Premier League, another win for Chelsea. Even though it took them more than half an hour to neutralise John Terry's 11th-minute own goal, the Blues walked away from the clash of the perfect records with Swansea with theirs very much intact.
While Jose Mourinho will once again be unhappy with his defence leaking another two goals, Chelsea have a simply irresistible attack that has yielded 15 goals in the four games.
On top of Diego Costa's hat-trick, the Portuguese will have been especially delighted to see Loic Remy get off the mark after Chelsea's well-documented problem with strikers.
Diego Costa
Spain's loss has certainly been Chelsea's gain.
While Costa struggled to make an impact in the land of his birth during the World Cup, the fit-again Spaniard has taken to life in the EPL like a duck to water.
With his physicality and predatory instinct, it's no surprise that Costa was called the Beast during his time at Atletico Madrid.
Now boasting a record of seven goals in four game with an assist-happy Cesc Fabregas happily supplying the ammunition, the 25-year-old looks like a spot-on contender for the Golden Boot should his hamstrings be kept intact.
Manchester United
The sleeping giant has awakened. Granted, Queens Park Rangers were truly rotten opponents, but it looks like the long-missing feel-good factor has finally returned to Old Trafford after it had been sent into exile by David Moyes.
With Louis van Gaal shelving his 3-5-2 formation (for now), United were allowed to return to their roots with buccaneering wing play supported by adventurous overlapping full-backs.
United fans far and wide must certainly drop a word of thanks to Real Madrid for letting them have a proper winger in Angel di Maria.
While his creativity was the catalyst with his involvement in all four goals, his work rate and powerful running showed why he's a worthy bearer of the Red Devils' revered No. 7 shirt.
Sterner tests await, but everyone associated with United can be afforded some cheer with the club turning a corner.
Daley Blind
Aside from having fullbacks again, United fans must have certainly enjoyed seeing a proper defensive midfielder in their starting line-up again as the tactically-sound and efficient Blind went about his engine room duties with minimal fuss.
Aside from his spectacular long-range shot that nearly gave Radamel Falcao a debut goal, the Dutchman laid on 112 passes for his team-mates and succeeded with 107 of them, earning plaudits from all quarters.
Aston Villa
Unbeaten at Anfield since their last defeat there in Dec 2010, Paul Lambert's men ground yet another surprise result as they held onto their lead for a win over their much-more illustrious opponents.
After flirting with relegation last season, the Villans now find themselves at the other end of the table, occupying the second place which Liverpool finished last season in.
Manchester City
Slump avoided, then. Manuel Pellegrini's Blues also deserve credit for their part in what turned out to be an incredibly entertaining and exciting 90 minutes of football at the Emirates Stadium.
Southampton
While they were beneficiaries of some truly schoolboy defending from Newcastle, the Saints simply marched over the opponents to propel them into a most unexpected fourth spot.
MISSES
Liverpool
So that's what happens without the SAS. Brendan Rodgers might have had the cotton wool out to protect Raheem Sterling ahead of Liverpool's return to the Champions League, but with Daniel Sturridge out of action, benching the England livewire looked like a poor decision.
Despite handing starts to summer acquisitions Adam Lallana and Lazar Markovic, the Reds could not sputter to life against a resilient Aston Villa. While Sterling eventually found his way onto the pitch just after the hour mark, the 19-year-old did little to lift the Reds against the settled Villans.
Stoke City
From the high of snatching an incredible away victory at Manchester City to losing at home to newly-promoted Leicester City. Football might be a cruel and fickle game, but Mark Hughes clearly has consistency issues to iron out with the Potters.
Alan Pardew
A convincing performance was needed at St Mary's. Instead, all Newcastle United fans got was an emphatic defeat that will push Alan Pardew even nearer to the St James' Park exit.
To compound matters, the Magpies couldn't even muster up a meaningful response as their defence committed error after error to gift Southampton the win. Patience has clearly run out on Tyneside - it will take a few miracles for Pardew to save his job.
Danny Welbeck
It might be a little cruel to put him here after he put in a typically hardworking display against the champions, but Welbeck showed just why Manchester United were happy to let him go after he fluffed his lines with a gilt-edged chance to score for his new club.
Harry Kane
Are you sure you know which goal you're supposed to score at Harry? That's two own goals in a Spurs shirt versus the three you've scored at the correct end...
QPR
Rotten. Just. Rotten.
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