Are Halloween hangovers real? For Newcastle this was certainly the case. Despite the heightened expectations and champions league success of late, the Premier League is simply not treating them nicely at the moment. Eddie Howe was left bewildered as for the first time in his tenure at Newcastle, he ‘almost could have taken anyone off’ at half-time- this despite being eight games winless away from home. They suffered a 3-1 defeat at West Ham, whose Starman was 22-year-old Freddie Potts, dressed with his Essex side-parting and combover, speaking like a true East-London lad; his Dad sat proudly on the West Ham bench. Despite the victory, protests against the board continued. Signs reading ‘NO MORE BS’ and ‘SOLD OUR SOUL’ were present as David Sullivan and Karren Brady watched on.

This was West Ham’s first win under Nuno Espírito Santos, who is hoping to truly remove the 9-month curse at the London Stadium as Burnley play the role of the visitors next.

Burnley this weekend played hosts to Arsenal, who run out 2-0 victors. With seven consecutive clean sheets, their defence appears bullet-proof. Under Arsenal’s pressure, teams now routinely hesitate at corners and crosses, reacting with a Dracula-like aversion rather than authority, as they reach eight goals in ten games from corners.

At the other end of the table, Wolves lost in a frightening 3-0 defeat away at Craven Cottage as Vitor Pereira paid the price of his job, 10 games into the season without seeing a win.

Sitting just above the worrying Wolves, Nottingham Forest sit 19^th, still recovering from the horror of the Ange Postecoglou era. Up rocked Amorim’s Manchester United to the City Ground on the back of three consecutive league wins. After scoring first, Manchester United conceded 2 goals in 3 minutes after half-time, though they fought back to draw 2-2 thanks to a bullet of a volley from Amad Diallo. I guess the United Strand will have to wait five more games to get that haircut.

They will hope that run comes away at Tottenham’s 3-point-lane, or should we say Chelsea’s? With 6 wins out of 7 coming into the game, Chelsea came and conquered. Again.

Liverpool got back to winning ways in the league as Emiliano Martinez gifted Salah a treat to open the scoring whilst their Merseyside rivals’ Iliman Ndiaye produced a trick of his own to open the scoring at the Stadium of Light. Sunderland’s Granit Xhaka continued to be a key part of the club as he equalised for Sunderland, though they could not push on and get the win.

Man City face the Anfield battle next as all the top four face off next weekend. In-form Erling Haaland will hope to continue his record this season as he scored twice yet again but was denied the hat-trick by Petrovic and Guardiola taking him off for the 12^th time when on a brace at Man City as they beat a brave Bournemouth side 3-1. 

Also scoring a brace was Brighton’s Diego Gomez as they cruised past a leaky Leeds by three goals to nil.

Next up for Brighton is a trip to Selhurst Park, where the kings of throw-ins were undone by their own trick as Brentford’s Nathan Collins headed into his own goal for Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in a 2-0 win for the hosts, who welcome rivals Brighton and Hove Albion next. The main man for Palace also scored again, so is there really anyone better than Jean-Philippe Mateta?