Premier League talking points: Arsenal show frailties and Chelsea keep conceding

[p]City conceded three times to Sunderland's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/brobbey-brian/pfAvgQUT/"]Brian Brobbey[/a] but had enough firepower of their own [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/manchester-city-Wtn9Stg0/sunderland-WSzc94ws/summary/stats/?mid=fZCq6HE7"]to beat the Black Cats 5-3[/a].[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chelsea/4fGZN2oK/"]Chelsea[/a] were also [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/brentford-xYe7DwID/chelsea-4fGZN2oK/summary/stats/?mid=ObA4gvV1"]defeated 3-0 at Brentford[/a] to take the shine off [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alonso-xabi/hAcTWKKN/"]Xabi Alonso[/a]'s start at Stamford Bridge, while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-united/ppjDR086/"]Manchester United[/a] could only manage [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/fulham-69ZiU2Om/manchester-utd-ppjDR086/summary/stats/?mid=vq6T9aFr"]a 1-1 draw[/a] at winless [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/fulham/69ZiU2Om/"]Fulham[/a].[/p][image alt="Results" id="e1e2df06-c323-4362-9f7e-efc809243463" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="b82a6549-57b8-4a3a-b71d-51c968b8bd48" original-width="2160" original-height="3840" /][p][i]AFP Sport[/i] looks at three talking points from the Premier League weekend:[/p][h2]Arsenal aura undone[/h2][p]The champions had been tipped to romp to the title after another summer of smart recruitment and a dominant start to the campaign.[/p][p]But [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brighton/2XrRecc3/"]Brighton[/a] showed the rest of the Premier League that the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/arsenal/hA1Zm19f/"]Gunners[/a] do have flaws by inflicting their heaviest defeat in over three years.[/p][embed guid="75f3497f-ea12-40cc-8e03-be7d9f70a94a" url="https://x.com/Flashscorecom/status/2101348864275927381" social-type="twitter" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/arteta-mikel/lAbHYaQM/"]Mikel Arteta[/a]'s men arrived on the south coast in formidable form, having won all seven games in all competitions this season.[/p][p]Arsenal, though, struggled to cope with the Seagulls' high press and were even uncharacteristically exposed defensively from a corner when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/chema/dGwvkF1K/"]Chema Andres[/a] headed in Brighton's third.[/p][embed guid="e8318810-59b0-4840-a21c-ed523d843526" url="https://x.com/Flashscorecom/status/2101339335446409603" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]"The way we have competed, the way we have played, the way we have dominated. It's been really good," [/b]said Arteta on his side's start to the season.[/p][p][b]"But today we need to take this lesson very, very seriously because it's going to happen."[/b][/p][h2]Carrick defiant as Man Utd feel heat[/h2][p]Assailed by stinging criticism of Manchester United's abject performance in their 1-1 draw against lowly Fulham on Sunday, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/carrick-michael/phM8NElP/"]Michael Carrick[/a] mounted an unconvincing defence of his spluttering side as the pressure mounted.[/p][p]United have won just once in five league games, equalling their worst start to the season in the Premier League era.[/p][p]It would have been even worse for Carrick but for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/matheus-cunha/bq5QzRdb/"]Matheus Cunha[/a]'s last-gasp equaliser at Craven Cottage.[/p][embed guid="4985e5e3-4aa8-48a5-b18b-5826460fa5ab" url="https://x.com/Flashscorecom/status/2101723115831148792" social-type="twitter" /][p]United trailed to a farcical second-half goal that summed up their malaise as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/martinez-lisandro/GIzJAqQs/"]Lisandro Martinez[/a] made a hash of clearing from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lammens-senne/UFssg7X4/"]Senne Lammens[/a]'s save and scuffed the ball into his own net via a deflection off his keeper.[/p][p]Giving away possession carelessly time and again, while lacking the basic defensive solidity to contain a previously moribund Fulham attack, United looked no better than the lethargic group that struggled under Carrick's predecessor [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/amorim-ruben/EiIHi8vU/"]Ruben Amorim[/a].[/p][p]Carrick proved a stabilising force after replacing the sacked Amorim last season, but the positive vibes created by that third-place finish are quickly fading.[/p][p]Piling on the misery for Carrick, his former teammate [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/neville-gary/KlssnEc6/"]Gary Neville[/a] issued a damning indictment.[/p][p][b]"I've watched Manchester United since the age of five, and that's the worst 15 minutes I've ever seen," [/b]said Neville of United's start to the second half.[/p][p][b]"Absolutely pathetic. I've never seen such a lack of effort. What must Carrick be thinking?"[/b][/p][h2]Chelsea 'bullied' by Brentford[/h2][p]The dazzling start made by Chelsea's front three of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/joao-pedro/CAmJERl2/"]Joao Pedro[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/palmer-cole/h8agbDt7/"]Cole Palmer[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rogers-morgan/lp4jm80n/"]Morgan Rogers[/a] papered over the cracks of the Blues' defensive problems.[/p][p]Chelsea have now gone three games without a win as their inability to keep a clean sheet goes on.[/p][embed guid="5d1df8f3-21bb-4b20-9b9b-6a5a9454d065" url="https://x.com/Flashscorecom/status/2101052246548942926" social-type="twitter" /][p]It is now 21 league games since they did not concede, the club's longest run since 1965.[/p][p]That run predates Alonso's time in charge, but he knows a major change is needed after becoming only the sixth manager to concede at least twice in his first five Premier League games.[/p][p][b]"Not good enough,"[/b] said Chelsea defender [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/colwill-levi/CQXNItIG/"]Levi Colwill[/a]. [b]"At times we have been bullied in the box and we definitely need to improve."[/b][/p][infobox id="02b45e73-9abc-454d-882a-650a1a621f7d" /]