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3 things we learned in the Premier League this weekend

Reuters / Paul Childs

As we wait patiently for Monday's meeting between Leicester City and West Bromwich Albion, theScore takes a look back at what happened in the English top flight's nine other matches this weekend.

De Bruyne firmly among league's best

Of the 10 outfield players selected for Saturday's visit from Stoke City, eight of them recorded at least a goal or an assist. John Stones was the only starter in front of goalkeeper Ederson Moraes to not create a chance. Even Bernardo Silva emerged from the bench the score the last in the 7-2 rout.

But one player stood out above everybody else: Kevin De Bruyne.

Related - By the numbers: De Bruyne sparkles in 100th Manchester City appearance

He isn't just playing deeper for Manchester City: He's the chief space invader in Pep Guardiola's squad, not restricted to playing a strict position, rather slotting into pockets and hounding opponents. In little over a year, Guardiola seems to have polished the Belgian into a complete midfielder: tactically expert, tenacious, and capable of an incredible array of passes.

His second assist against Stoke was the most stunning. He managed to latch onto a loose ball from Gabriel Jesus and then, after settling the ball with another touch, played a forensic, perfectly weighted pass through four Stoke players for Leroy Sane. -Daniel Rouse

Koeman's running out of chances

Wayne Rooney's late equaliser shouldn't distract from the nagging reality that Everton has regressed under Ronald Koeman. The Toffees were once again uninspiring in Sunday's 1-1 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion, not simply "unlucky" as Koeman insisted afterward.

After spending more than £100 million on new players, the Dutchman still doesn't know what his best lineup is. He's continued to shoehorn Rooney into different positions when he shouldn't be playing at all - especially in a side with a severe lack of pace.

The stats read horribly. Everton is in 16th with just two wins from eight matches and a woeful minus-8 goal differential.

Questions must be asked of Koeman's dire tactics. Why is Nikola Vlasic - the one summer arrival who's offered something in front of goal - forced to play so deep? Why play two defensive midfielders in Idrissa Gueye and Morgan Schneiderlin against a Brighton side that's struggling to score? And how can Rooney and Gylfi Sigurdsson co-exist if they occupy the same spaces on the pitch?

To no one's surprise, Koeman is now on 1/3 odds to be the next Premier League manager sacked. Even the mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, piled on the criticism:

Tough matches against Lyon and Arsenal await over the next week, leaving Koeman with little time to mastermind a big turnaround. -Anthony Lopopolo

Time for stability in Watford

There's never anything new about Arsenal. Arsene Wenger's side will be bashed again in the media after surrendering a 1-0 scoreline in Watford. In injury time, the oft-maligned Granit Xhaka wore the body language of a pensioner who's forgotten why they went upstairs, gifting Tom Cleverley the yards to smash a winner.

It feels as if we've seen all of this before.

Credit is due for Marco Silva's Watford, though. The disciplined and busy Abdoulaye Doucoure has already played over half the minutes he mustered last season under Walter Mazzarri in just eight league matches, forging an industrious midfield with Cleverley. Richarlison was a signing that blind-sided everyone - finding an untapped talent is quite a feat in the modern era of YouTube highlight reels and overblown Twitter hype. And there is wonderful variety in the attributes of forwards Andre Gray and Troy Deeney.

Victory over Arsenal vaulted Watford into fourth place. If there was a time for the Pozzo family to introduce a new era of stability in Hertfordshire, this is it. Silva is an extremely talented tactician, and should be retained for as long as possible. -DR

Related - 'This geezer': Marco Silva is the perfect fit for Watford

Around the grounds

The Premier League's answer to El Clasico was a dud. Liverpool couldn't make the most of its chances, and Manchester United was wholly uninterested in chasing the three points. It was a carbon copy of last year's contest at Anfield, but United didn't even defend particularly well. Had the home side been more ruthless, it could've won by several goals.

Crystal Palace ended its curse in the most emphatic way possible. Not content with scoring its first goal in 731 minutes of Premier League action, Roy Hodgson's side dealt Chelsea an embarrassing defeat. It's no coincidence that Palace found its feet just as Wilfried Zaha returned from injury. The 24-year-old's dribbling ability and direct play put the visiting Blues under pressure. -AL

Elsewhere:

  • Burnley 1-1 West Ham United
  • Swansea City 2-0 Huddersfield Town
  • Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Bournemouth
  • Southampton 2-2 Newcastle

Monday: Leicester City vs. West Bromwich Albion

The squeak and swish of a shiny tracksuit will foreshadow what's to come at Leicester City's King Power Stadium. Tony Pulis is in town, so Jamie Vardy will have to try and slip between a narrow back-four and a host of defensive midfielders to secure a home win over West Bromwich Albion. The Baggies stole three points in the East Midlands last season, with James Morrison and Matt Phillips scoring in the second half to drop Claudio Ranieri's title-holding throng into 14th place. -DR

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)

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