The marquee fixture of Liverpool versus Manchester City closed off the latest game week before we headed into the international break.
A long fortnight for those enamoured with the Premier League awaits, but seizing the opportunity, The Sportsman takes the time to look at how some of the clubs’ summer signings are getting on.
There’s certainly a good crop of hits and misses, but who makes our Summer Signing XI.
GK - Alisson (Liverpool)
Pushed close by Chelsea’s Kepa Arrizabalaga, who beat the Brazilian in the record-signing for a goalkeeper stakes this summer, the fact that Alisson is partly responsible for the joint-best defence in the league but also instills a great deal of confidence in a solid and greatly improved Liverpool back-line.
LB - Jonny Castro (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
A simply stunning loan signing from Atlético Madrid, and an acquisition - as we’ll see throughout the list - that must leave Wolves fans on Cloud 9. Has received his first call-up to the Spain national team as a result of his performances for the Midlands club. At Everton, Lucas Digne is showing signs of why the Toffees splashed out in Barcelona’s direction to bring him to Merseyside.
CB - Wily Boly (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
There’s a reason he’s been nominated for Premier League player of the month. In half the opening fixtures Wolves have managed to keep a clean-sheet, with four, the second highest in the league putting them on a par with Chelsea.
CB - Kurt Zouma (Everton)
Gets an inclusion for being a retrospectively smart signing, seeing as the expensive centre-back Yerry Mina has yet to feature this season through injury, Zouma has deputised admirably and though questions remain of his overall ability, is starting to command a bit of respect alongside Michael Keane.
RB - Ricardo Pereira (Leicester City)
Bit devoid of options here, Pereira gets the nod ahead of Stephan Lichtsteiner who, already arriving on a free at Arsenal in accordance with the tight purse strings as so far made just one substitute appearance in the league. Pereira does however need to up his game, particularly in terms of his passing success rate.
M - Andre Schurrle (Fulham)
A loan move from Borussia Dortmund, the German is rectifying the lack of impression he made during a previous spell with Chelsea. Three goals in seven appearances so far for the disappointing Cottagers. Not altogether captivating, but not at all woeful either.
M - Jorginho (Chelsea)
What a coup for Chelsea, and what a missed signing this was for Manchester City. Jorginho seems like he’s been at Stamford Bridge from years. Following his manager Maurizio Sarri from Napoli, the only criticism that could be levelled at him is that he’s forcing N’Golo Kante to operate in a slightly different role from the one that the Frenchman had already made his own.
M - James Maddison (Leicester City)
A brilliant English player the required a great £20million wedge to take him off Norwich City, Maddison might just be the standout signing of the season so far. The only downside for Leicester is, if the 21-year-old keeps attracting attention, he might be long at the King Power.
M - Felipe Anderson (West Ham United)
A stuttering start for the Hammers lead to questions about where the money had actually gone. £36million for Anderson from Lazio is a eye-watering amount for the East London club. Seems like he’s only just getting started and should continue to be a valuable fixture in Manuel Pellegrini’s apparently resurgent West Ham.
F - Raul Jiménez (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Two goals, three assists for the Portuguese for Nuno Espirito Santo’s brilliant Championship winners. Only on loan for Benfica, surely Wolves will be looking to make the move permanent should he keep this form up throughout the season. In providing the assist for Matt Doherty's goal in his team's 1–0 away victory over Crystal Palce, Jiménez’s registered his third assist of the season, and recording involvement in a goal in each of the previous four league games for Wolves, assisting in the past three after scoring in the game prior to that.
F - Aleksandar Mitrović (Fulham)
Bit of a cheat this one, but since making his loan move permanent, the 24-year-old Mitrović has carried on straight from where he left off and, with five goals in eight appearances for Fulham has consistently shown Newcastle United exactly what they’re missing.
