6 Truths: Arsene Wenger has priorities all wrong, don't ever celebrate prematurely

ByEurosport

Published 17/09/2017 at 18:55 GMT

After a pulsating day of action, here are 6 Truths to digest following Manchester United's victory over Everton and Arsenal taking a point away at Chelsea.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger at Stamford Bridge

Image credit: Reuters

Wenger has his priorities all wrong

Regardless of the fact that his side claimed a perfectly creditable draw at Chelsea on Sunday, Arsene Wenger's priorities were highlighted as being hopelessly out of whack. After starting Alexis Sanchez against FC Koln at home in the Europa League on Thursday, the star forward was confined to the bench against the champions in what represented a huge Premier League clash. After the match Wenger explained that Sanchez is "nearly ready to start", but that sounded absurd coming just days after he did play in midweek.

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It may be argued that, by taking a point from Stamford Bridge, Wenger's starting XI was vindicated. However, the message it sent to everyone was that Arsenal already do not believe they can win the title and, by resting their best player against the champions, are taking the Europa League more seriously. Sanchez eventually came on in the 66th minute, but by reducing his side's chances of claiming what would have been a hugely significant away win, Wenger made a very poor decision. After years of domestic underachievement, the Premier League should be taken much more seriously than the second-tier European competition.

[Best Tweets: Arsenal fans react with horror as Sanchez benched]

Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez waits to come on as a substitute against Chelsea

Image credit: Reuters

Don't ever celebrate prematurely

Just don't. Ever.

In an eventful goalless draw there was a sending off, the controversial benching of Alexis Sanchez... oh, and a marauding fan who celebrated an Arsenal goal on the pitch before it was swiftly ruled offside. Shkodran Mustafi thought he had scored a potential winner in the 76th minute and one fan was sufficiently convinced to unleash a Marco Tardelli-esque celebration down the touchline.

Arsenal fan sprints down the touchline in a premature celebration at Stamford Bridge

Image credit: Getty Images

Needless to say, not only was the man left red-faced as a result of celebrating a goal that didn’t count, but his embarrassment swiftly turned to outright humiliation as he was carted away by stewards with the majority of Stamford Bridge giving him a piece of their minds. It was entertaining in a tragic kind of way, but also utterly cringeworthy. Fans, please learn from this hapless man's very public fail: don't ever celebrate before you know if a goal is offside or not. It's just not worth the risk.

[PHOTOS: Arsenal fan prematurely celebrates offside goal, reaction absolutely brutal]

Arsenal fan sprints down the touchline in a premature celebration at Stamford Bridge

Image credit: Getty Images

United can definitely win the title

There is something about the way Jose Mourinho's side have started the Premier League season that smells of a potential title win. Emphatic wins, both home and away, plenty of clean sheets and no paucity of threat in the final third all help to make Manchester United look the real deal at this very early stage in the campaign. The comfortable win over Everton further reinforced that as they continued their very bright start with a late onslaught.

Manchester United's Antonio Valencia celebrates scoring their first goal with Nemanja Matic

Image credit: Reuters

While United's problems last season were painfully obvious, the team - and indeed the squad - that Mourinho now has at his disposal looks very strong indeed without gaping holes. Mourinho is renowned for succeeding in his second season at a club and the way things have started for United look very promising for fans after yet another summer of big spending at Old Trafford. With Manchester City also making a flying start, it all appears set for both sides to enjoy resurgent campaigns. When Antonio Valencia is lashing them in from nowhere, it's time to get excited.

[PHOTOS: Valencia scores outrageous goal that no one saw coming]

Manchester United's Antonio Valencia celebrates scoring with team-mates including Romelu Lukaku

Image credit: Reuters

Hazard the bright spark for Chelsea to build on

For Chelsea there will be a feeling of two points dropped after the goalless draw with Arsenal at Stamford Bridge. Despite David Luiz's deserved red card and a much-improved Arsenal performance they will feel they should have won this. If there is a bright point, it is surely the welcome return of Eden Hazard. The Belgian has been working his way back following injury and, after cameos against Leicester and Qarabag, this was the first time he had a real influence on Chelsea's play.

With Pedro and Alvaro Morata struggling, Hazard was the source of inspiration for Chelsea with his slaloming runs and ability to break with pace. Chelsea now have 10 points from five tricky opening matches. A good return and, with Hazard back, Antonio Conte's side have cause for optimism moving forward.

Chelsea's Eden Hazard with manager Antonio Conte as he waits to come on as a substitute

Image credit: Reuters

Dybala is the real deal

It's not often that a hat-trick includes a long-range strike, an outrageous toe-poke finish and an exquisite free-kick. A hat-trick is sufficient, but Paulo Dybala's treble against Sassuolo was absolutely incredible. It marked back-to-back hat-tricks away from home for the player following his hat-trick at Genoa, who continues to delight fans with his very special ability in the final third.

At the age of just 23, Dybala is already the finished article as a striker and continues to impress in Serie A and in European competition. Having scored 52 goals in three seasons for Palermo and Juventus, his latest efforts were enough to take him over the 50-goal mark. With Juventus top of the Serie A table and Dybala in this form, it's hard to see Massimiliano Allegri's side being stopped.

Paulo Dybala (Juventus)

Image credit: Getty Images

Spending a load of cash is no guarantee of success

The consensus coming into the season suggested that Everton had had a decent transfer window. They spent in the region of £160 million on players including Gylfi Sigurdsson, Michael Keane, Davy Klaassen, Nikola Vlasic and Henry Onyekuru. All fine players. Some fine, if overpriced, players in there but that was the market. Add Wayne Rooney to the mix though and Everton have inexplicably managed to go through a summer transfer window without adding the Premier League’s most prized commodity: pace.

Somehow, they went to Old Trafford with a back three that contained the slow Ashley Williams, the slow Phil Jagielka and the slow Michael Keane. It was little better throughout the rest of the team. The slow Wayne Rooney led the line. With the hardly rapid Gylfi Sigurdsson and Tom Davies in wide positions. There is nothing wrong with the aforementioned players in a coherent system but the issue Everton have is they signed so badly this summer that they are left with a one-paced side. And in the Premier League that is bad news.