In the week that 16-year-old Max Dowman has been thrust into the spotlight, it was another teenager who gave us a glimpse of the future in Brighton’s impressive win over Arsenal. Charalampos Kostoulas – nicknamed ‘Babis’ in his homeland, in homage to former Argentina striker Gabriel Batistuta – has already started twice as many Premier League games as he did in his first season in English football, when he was a backup for Danny Welbeck. The 19-year-old repaid Fabian Hürzeler’s faith in him against the reigning champions.
Despite his tender years, Kostoulas already possesses the physical attributes to mix it with the best. He caused Gabriel Magalhães and company problems all afternoon, capping it off with a brilliant goal from 25 yards, his third in eight days. He gets more and more professional, he understands the demands from the Premier League more, he understands our demands.” Ed Aarons Alexander Isak may have been Liverpool’s match-winner on Andoni Iraola’s return to Bournemouth, but it was an afternoon to celebrate defence rather than attack.
Liverpool’s front four, signed for a combined £400m, were shorn of fluidity and chemistry. The real stars were in defence, with Ronald Araújo strong at right-back and Jérémy Jacquet commanding at centre-back. Liverpool have kept three straight clean sheets in the league for the first time since the start of last season, and Jacquet’s partnership with Virgil van Dijk is blossoming.
Last week the 21-year-old, a £60m arrival from Rennes, was named in Zinedine Zidane’s France squad in his first senior call-up. Today [Sunday] has been a step forward.” Ben Fisher Michael Carrick is far too phlegmatic to describe anything in such terms, but Manchester United’s game at Fulham was a must-win for the head coach – and they failed to win it. Going into the extended international break, United desperately needed a positive, but instead had to settle for a draw, clinched by Matheus Cunha.
Despite the late equaliser, there were plenty of worrying signs for Carrick. One might have assumed United would come out all guns blazing at Craven Cottage in an attempt to seize control and change the narrative after a poor week, in which they had lost twice. Yet for long periods they were lethargic, lacking intensity off the ball and looking short of snap and fizz in the final third.
Of particular concern to Carrick will be United’s profligacy in attack; they managed 29 shots at Fulham, but only six were on target and their goal needed a huge deflection to beat Bernd Leno. Dominic Booth With Dean Henderson absent from the Crystal Palace net and upcoming England squad, James Trafford had a further chance to impress Thomas Tuchel. Admittedly, Trafford spent a long time being very quiet and barely had anything to do in the first half, but after the break he showed why he is so highly thought of, costing Leeds more than £40m in the summer.
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