Three winners following match week six of the Premier League season
The Premier League had an eventful weekend as the teams completed gameweek six. Six games into the season, the table is beginning to take shape, but each weekend brings with it new winners and losers. At this early stage of the season, teams are struggling to find consistency, and each weekend is bringing with it new topics to be discussed.
Mentioned below are three people who came out of the weekend as winners and whose stock rose in the public eye. Good performances and results, along with exceeding expectations, mean that these figures rose above the rest during this match week.
#1 Graham Potter - Premier League neutrals' favorite?
Brighton & Hove Albion manager Graham Potter has been in charge of the club since 2019. Season by season, he has helped Brighton climb up the league table. Brighton currently sit fourth in the Premier League table with four wins, one draw and one loss. They have conceded the least goals along with Tottenham Hotspur and are playing some appealing football.
Potter has quietly put together an exciting team despite Brighton not having anywhere near as much budget as some of his colleagues. Despite losing Marc Cucurella to Chelsea, Brighton replaced him with Pervis Estupinan from Villarreal. They have brought in exciting young players like Billy Gilmour and have only lost one game this season.
🗣️ "But for half a millimetre - could've had a sixth"
Graham Potter praises his Brighton players after they struck FIVE past Leicester! 🔵 https://t.co/28hW0YEqQV
Some would say that Graham Potter is destined for a big six club after the reputation he has built at Brighton. Last season, the team finished ninth in the table, and after their start to the current season, there is no doubt that they can finish in a European position this season.
#2 Ivan Toney - The modern day Didier Drogba?
Ivan Toney has five goals and two assists in his first six appearances of the season. He recently scored a hat-trick against Leeds United, which involved brilliant finishes and one long-range free-kick. His ability to drop deep and link up play with the midfield while being lethal in the box drew comparisons to Didier Drogba during his peak at Chelsea.
🗣 "Hopefully get 30 goals. It's achievable why not?" 😬
Ivan Toney reveals that he's set himself a target of scoring 30 goals for Brentford this season https://t.co/SbpBVnNEDD
Toney is 26 years old, and like Graham Potter, there is an expectation that one of the bigger Premier League clubs will come calling for him. Teams will always need strikers, and Toney is proving he is more than capable in a progressive team like Brentford. For now, Toney will be looking to hit double figures this season, and five goals in six games is a good start.
#3 Erik ten Hag - Demanding respect
Erik ten Hag and Manchester United began the season in poor fashion with defeats to Brighton and Brentford. After the loss to Brentford, people were drawing parallels to Frank de Boer and his brief stint at Crystal Palace. Four games on and four wins later, it is safe to say that this won't be a De Boer situation. Ten Hag is bringing the winning mentality back to the red half of Manchester.
Before the game against Arsenal, all the talk was about Mikel Arteta and his 100% winning start to the season. Ten Hag had beaten Liverpool earlier in the season, but many were ignoring the feat in favor of Arsenal sitting top of the table. 90 minutes later, the narrative changed, and ten Hag had inflicted upon Arsenal their first defeat of the season. Marcus Rashford is back amongst the goals.
Patience is 🔑
All 1️⃣1️⃣ Reds were involved in @Antony00's goal on Sunday 👏
#MUFC https://t.co/4xSg47ozAX
Manchester United have a long way to go in the league and are far away from playing the football that Ajax produced under Ten Hag. United at the weekend showed unity and resilience which seemed lost in recent months. The confidence and belief in the players and club is returning amongst their fanbase, and that is the first step for any successful team.