The Premier League has been back in action for a month already, so I've decided to do a monthly review where I will be picking out three 'Winners' and three 'Losers' each month. Here is my take on the first month of the season.
It's been a good month for...
Manchester United
Jose Mourinho's men are the only side in the league with a 100% win record from their opening three games. They have started the season in explosive form, scoring ten goals without reply, and Romelu Lukaku has adapted very quickly to life at Old Trafford, scoring three in his opening three games. Fellow arrival Nemanja Matic has also settled comfortably into United's midfield and has allowed Paul Pogba to flourish - The Red Devils' record signing already has two goals this season, 40% of his total for the entire of the 2016-17 campaign. United look to have more favourable fixtures approaching in September, and Mourinho will be hoping his team's impressive start continues.
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Sadio Mane
Liverpool's number 19 enjoyed an exciting debut season at Anfield, but his start to 2017-18 has got everybody talking. Mane has scored in all three of the Reds' Premier League matches so far, including the winner against Crystal Palace, and has become Jurgen Klopp's star man in the absence of Philippe Coutinho, who was involved in a transfer saga with Barcelona. If the Senegalese international can keep up his early season form, Klopp will be hoping he can be the spearhead of a potential title challenge.
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Huddersfield Town
The Premier League new boys have surprised everybody, collecting seven points from their opening three games and keeping three clean sheets in the process. David Wagner's Terriers were outstanding on the opening day, winning 3-0 at Crystal Palace, and also put in a dogged performance to beat Newcastle 1-0. A respectable 0-0 draw with Southampton followed, and the rest of the league now know that a trip to the John Smith's Stadium will be no easy task.
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But a bad one for...
West Ham United
The Hammers have lost all three of their Premier League matches so far, shipping ten goals and scoring just two. That defensive record sees them sit rock bottom of the table, and Slaven Bilic is a man under pressure. Although it could be argued that West Ham have been a little unlucky to play all of their matches away from home so far due to World Championship athletics being held at the London Stadium, better performances are expected than their 3-0 defeat at newly-promoted Newcastle. They also conceded a 93rd-minute penalty at Southampton which saw them lose 3-2, and were poor in a 4-0 loss at Old Trafford on the opening weekend. New boy Chicharito has scored their only two goals so far, and he needs help quickly in order for West Ham to turn their form around.
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Harry Kane
It may be a bit harsh to single out Kane with Tottenham enduring a mediocre start to the season, but the fact is that Spurs' number 10 has still never scored a Premier League goal in August. He is the man Mauricio Pochettino relies on for goals, and Kane himself will have been hoping to dispel the myth that he is a slow starter. Ironically, Kane scored twice for England on September the first, so will be hoping to get off and running domestically when Spurs face Everton in their next league fixture.
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Frank de Boer
Crystal Palace's new manager has lost all three of his opening league games, and is the bookies' favourite to be the first Premier League manager to lose his job. Defeat at Anfield was perhaps expected, but a 3-0 home loss to Huddersfield on the opening day was a massive shock, and de Boer himself admitted that his side needed to show more courage after their most recent league outing, another home defeat (2-0 to Swansea). Palace bought in Mamadou Sakho from Liverpool on Deadline Day, and the Palace gaffer will be hoping that he can tighten up a struggling back-line, despite visits to both Manchester City and Manchester United in late September.
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