Premier League: 10 talking points from the weekend’s action

Arsenal might need Eddie Nketiah to step up, Liverpool stall on the road again and could Haaland beat Dixie Dean’s record?

BLUE BLOOK: Everton's Seamus Coleman and Crystal Palace's Wilfried Zaha. Picture: Isaac Parkin/PA Wire.

1 ) Nketiah deserves chance to show he is an able deputy 

Eddie Nketiah signed a new contract at Arsenal in the summer despite plenty of interest from elsewhere, and it was presumably made clear that he would play second fiddle to Gabriel Jesus up front. He is yet to begin a league game this season and, given Arsenal’s exceptional form and the outstanding performances of his new teammate, that is no huge surprise. But a lot is being asked of Jesus and, having been surprisingly deployed against PSV Eindhoven on Thursday, perhaps he could be excused a showing at Southampton that was rusty by his standards. Jesus has transformed Arsenal’s attack but Nketiah is a more than capable deputy and the time may have come to give the academy product another starting chance. Mikel Arteta will surely have to give his Brazilian centre-forward a rest at some point and Nottingham Forest should be beaten next weekend with or without Jesus. A successful outing for Nketiah would add confidence that Arsenal are the real deal beyond their starting XI. Nick Ames