upsfootball examines the most important developments and discusses the biggest talking points from another thrilling weekend in England’s top flight.

Gabriel, Saliba come through for scrappy Arsenal

It was a cagey affair at Stamford Bridge. But, as has been the case so often this season, Arsenal emerged victorious, further cementing their credentials as Premier League title contenders with a dominant performance in Sunday’s London derby against Chelsea.

Facing yet another acid test, the partnership of Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba proved instrumental as Arsenal trudged their way to a scrappy 1-0 victory. The center-backs were pivotal in helping Arsenal win their third straight away match at Chelsea – a feat the Gunners hadn’t achieved against their London rival since 1974.

Gabriel’s second-half goal was the difference, as the Brazilian international got on the end of Bukayo Saka’s corner to poke in his seventh goal since the start of last season – the most by a Premier League defender.

All nine of Gabriel’s #PL goals for @Arsenal have come from corners! @biel_m04 | #CHEARS pic.twitter.com/YLqAedRfoe

— Premier League (@premierleague) November 6, 2022

The go-ahead goal was a reward for an Arsenal side that deserved to be in front after controlling large portions of the match up until that point. From there, Saliba was immense in maintaining the advantage with another solid defensive display that will boost his case to possibly feature in Didier Deschamps’ starting team at the World Cup in Qatar.

At just 21, the France defender was virtually impenetrable and looked very much at ease in a deeper role behind Gabriel to help Arsenal register their third straight clean sheet in all competitions. He finished the game with three interceptions, three clearances, and one block on his way to winning the Man of the Match award.

Nightmare reunion for Aubameyang

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s message before facing his former club for the first time was simple: “Arsenal, nothing personal. I’m back, I’m blue, I’m ready.”

The problem was that only two-thirds of the Chelsea striker’s “warning” rang true. Yes, he’s back. Yes, he’s a Blue. But the 32-year-old was anything but “ready” to derail Arsenal’s title hopes. And when the full-time whistle sounded at Stamford Bridge, Arsenal fans and Sunday’s goal hero threw the message back in Aubameyang’s face:

NOTHING PERSONAL .. LONDON IS RED

— Gabriel Magalhaes (@biel_m04) November 6, 2022

Instead of making the Gunners regret their decision to tear up his contract almost a year ago, Aubameyang further justified the move with a shockingly ineffective performance. He managed just eight touches before he was mercifully replaced after the hour mark by Armando Broja, who fared much better and was far more threatening in attack. Aubameyang has just three goals in 12 matches in all competitions since joining Chelsea in the summer.

Overall, Chelsea were woeful throughout Saturday’s contest, as Graham Potter’s side limped to a second Premier League defeat in a row. The Blues now sit 13 points back of table-topping Arsenal.

Final straw for Ralph Hasenhuttl

The sun is setting on the Ralph Hasenhuttl era at Southampton.

It appears that Southampton’s latest dip in form will cost the Austrian manager his job after almost four years at the helm. A resounding 4-1 defeat to resurgent Newcastle United on Sunday could be the final straw for the relegation-threatened Saints, with reports suggesting his dismissal is imminent.

Earlier this season, the tide appeared to be turning in Hasenhuttl’s favor after a surprise home victory over Chelsea. But Southampton failed to build off the early-season success, winning just one of their nine Premier League matches since.

With the Saints’ slide down the table showing no signs of slowing through 13 games with Hasenhuttl – who famously retained his job after suffering 9-0 defeats with Southampton on two separate occasions – in charge, club officials will be desperate to appoint an experienced successor capable of helping a team in the throes of a relegation battle.

Emery can unlock Villa’s potential

Aston Villa have scored seven goals and recorded consecutive home wins in the weeks since Steven Gerrard left the club. That’s no coincidence: Gerrard seemed to suck the enthusiasm out of Villa Park in his final months as manager.

Unai Emery, who officially began work at the club this week, promises to bring it back. In his first match Sunday against Manchester United, the Spanish manager lined up his new team to attack the visitors from the get-go, and his charges delivered, scoring in quick succession to build a lead they’d never relinquish.

Emery’s 4-4-2 formation seemed to get the best out of Villa’s wide array of talent. Ollie Watkins, a playmaker masquerading as a striker, did the things he loves to do, dropping deep to link up with teammates and facilitate play. Leon Bailey, a more direct player by nature, took on defenders with confidence and scored the goal that sent Villa on their merry way. Jacob Ramsey made lung-bursting runs into the 18-yard box, and Douglas Luiz threaded the ball through narrow passing lanes.

Very rarely would Gerrard’s Villa play with such clear intention. But the players always had the ability to do so. Now, with Emery at the helm, Villa finally have an identity.

Ten Hag’s United have no backup plan

When United lose, they lose big. Think of the 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Brentford in August, or the humiliating 6-3 loss to Manchester City in October. Both of the games were over by halftime. United couldn’t find a way back.

Sunday’s 3-1 defeat to Villa followed a similar blueprint. United conceded twice within the opening 10 minutes and needed a fortunate deflection off of Ramsey just to make the game competitive. But a comeback was never on the cards. United couldn’t convert 58% possession into any meaningful action.

That should come as no surprise to fans and followers of this club. How can a team that struggles to score more than a goal per game dig itself out of trouble? United only have a chance to win when their defense holds up, and without Raphael Varane, that’s a difficult proposition.

United’s attack has performed worse than even Leeds United’s unpredictable front line, and that’s on manager Erik ten Hag. He’s yet to find a winning combination up front. Marcus Rashford isn’t clinical enough to lead the line, and Cristiano Ronaldo appears completely miscast – and as miserable as he’s ever looked – in this side. Alejandro Garnacho, Anthony Elanga, and Facundo Pellistri are too raw to command significant minutes, and Jadon Sancho and Anthony Martial have been in and out of the lineup all season.

A strong defense can mitigate all of that. But United’s is still very much a work in progress. And when things go awry – as they did at Villa Park – the Red Devils don’t have the ammunition to respond.

Liverpool’s Konate proves his worth

The most compelling evidence of Liverpool’s improving form came in the final 15 minutes of Sunday’s 2-1 win at Tottenham Hotspur. As the hosts pressed for an equalizer, Jurgen Klopp’s side held firm, restricting them to a single shot on target. Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk made 11 clearances during that last manic sequence while limiting Harry Kane to just one touch in the penalty area.

In previous matches, Liverpool would collapse the moment they sensed danger. They didn’t show nearly as many nerves when Kane cut the deficit in half in the 70th minute.

“It’s not about being outstanding. … It’s about not feeling like we got punched in the face when we concede,” Klopp told reporters, including The Independent’s Miguel Delaney.

Konate shone in his third start of the season, helping Liverpool defend resolutely against an opponent that had recently fought back from two goals down to win. The 23-year-old won a game-high 11 duels, including eight in the air, and won possession nine times. Even Van Dijk, who’s looked out of sorts in the first few months of the campaign, appeared more certain of himself. He motioned for his teammates to keep a high line and seemed more aware of his surroundings.

Konate struggled with a knee injury in August and September, but now that he’s fit, he’s a clear favorite to start all of Liverpool’s remaining games, until and beyond the break.

Here are the main talking points from Saturday’s matches …

Summerville plays hero for Leeds again

Leeds United certainly don’t make it easy for themselves. But, fortunately for them, they’ve got rising star Crysencio Summerville to save the day.

A week after snatching three points with a goal at the death against Liverpool, Leeds United brought the dramatics home with them for Saturday’s seven-goal thriller against Bournemouth in a match that had as many fireworks on the pitch as there were off.

And, once again, it was Summerville who stepped up with a heroic performance, scoring late for a second successive week to lift Leeds to an unlikely victory and help reinforce manager Jesse Marsch’s job security. Because at halftime of Saturday’s contest, uncertainty over his future as Leeds’ boss had surely crept back into Marsch’s mind after the team’s first-half collapse.

It wasn’t until Bournemouth increased the lead to 3-1 shortly after the break that Leeds United finally decided to wake up. The hosts were dominant afterward, as Sam Greenwood and Liam Cooper scored to bring Leeds level before Summerville capped off the wild comeback with a goal in the 84th minute, sending supporters into a frenzy as fireworks exploded outside Elland Road.

Scenes at Elland Road

: @NBCSportsSoccer | #LEEBOU

pic.twitter.com/LPy1KGaNOg

— Premier League USA (@PLinUSA) November 5, 2022

In helping ease the pressure on Marsch and giving Leeds a three-point cushion above relegation, the 21-year-old has undoubtedly solidified his case to be a regular fixture on the left wing moving forward after scoring in his third successive match.

Manchester City survive test of character

With 25 minutes in the books, it was shaping up to be a routine day at the office for Manchester City after taking an early lead against Fulham. Seeing as Pep Guardiola’s side was beating the newly promoted Cottagers – at home, no less – victory was largely considered an inevitability.

The sense of impending celebrations was quickly wiped out at the Etihad Stadium when disaster struck before the half-hour mark. City’s hopes of sealing three points and climbing up to first place suffered a devastating blow after Joao Cancelo’s daft tackle on Harry Wilson in the City box led to a straight red card and a successful penalty taken by former Manchester United product Andreas Pereira.

But the reigning Premier League champs’ resiliency was on full display as they performed superbly in the 60 minutes after they were reduced to 10 men.

Kevin De Bruyne especially stood out, as the Belgian midfielder was fearless in doing the dirty work in addition to his tremendous presence in City’s surges into the opponent’s end. Bernardo Silva and Rodri were also instrumental in keeping City competitive, while John Stones and Nathan Ake were great at the back in snuffing out Fulham’s attempts to take the lead.

Then, of course, Erling Haaland stepped up to score the winning penalty deep into stoppage time during what he said was “one of the most nervous moments” of his life. He now has an incredible 18 goals after 12 games, while City are back atop the table before previous Premier League leader Arsenal’s trip to Chelsea on Sunday.

Wild drama to open the weekend

There was no shortage of excitement in the Premier League’s early slate of matches Saturday. All four games went down to the wire, with each match producing a winning or equalizing goal in the last 10 minutes.

Haaland may have scored the latest Premier League winner in almost five years, but Summerville’s goal for Leeds will go down as the most dramatic of the lot Saturday.

4.75 – There were 19 goals in today’s four 3pm kick-offs in the Premier League; that average of 4.75 goals/game was the highest in a single round of Saturday 3pm kick-offs in the competition (min. 4 games) since February 5th 2011 (5.50 – 33 goals in 6 games). Entertained. pic.twitter.com/thwo0PfWi4

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 5, 2022

Haaland’s penalty – one of five spot kicks in the early games – and Summerville’s strike accounted for two of the three winning goals scored in the final 10 minutes. Nottingham Forest, meanwhile, joined the late-scoring party by securing a draw off an own goal in the 96th minute of their clash with Brentford.

In total, there were an incredible 18 unique goalscorers from the 19 goals in Saturday’s wild opening round of fixtures.

Faes driving Leicester’s renaissance

And just like that, Leicester City are out of the relegation zone.

They got out of trouble almost as quickly as they fell into it. In their first seven matches of the Premier League season, the Foxes couldn’t keep the ball out of their net. They conceded a scarcely believable 22 goals in that span – more than any side in the last 57 years of the English top flight – and fell to the bottom of the table.

Fans called for the board to take action. Brendan Rodgers criticized the club’s transfer dealings. It seemed like the beginning of the end.

But in the seven matches since, Leicester have turned the worst defense in the league into one of the best. They’ve even managed to keep five clean sheets – and hold Manchester City to a single goal – without injured captain and defensive stalwart Jonny Evans.

Clubs with fewest goals allowed since Oct. 3

Club	P	W-D-L	GF	GA	Pts
Newcastle	5	4-1-0	12	2	13
Manchester United	5	3-2-0	6	2	11
Leicester City	7	4-1-2	13	3	13
Manchester City	5	4-0-1	10	3	12
Arsenal	4	3-1-0	10	3	10
West Ham	5	2-1-2	6	4	7

That’s thanks in part to Wout Faes, the £15-million deadline-day signing tasked with replacing Wesley Fofana. Arriving as the only outfield player cash-strapped Leicester could sign in the summer transfer window, the 24-year-old somehow survived his debut – a humbling 6-2 loss to Tottenham Hotspur – to become one of the Premier League’s most valuable players.

As a ball-playing center-back, Faes gave his team the option of playing more possession-based football, which Rodgers has always sought to impose. And during Saturday’s 1-0 win over Everton, the Belgian international showed many of the traits that inspired Leicester’s midseason renaissance, winning possession in key areas while playing numerous passes into the final third.

Alongside Daniel Amartey, Faes has stabilized Rodgers’ previously rickety back four and laid a foundation for Leicester to attack teams without reckless abandon.