The Ruben Amorim replacement derby was absurdly entertaining, while Daniel Farke made a quick move to take Ange Postecoglou’s place in the sack race.
Postecoglou received his cards in double-quick time after Forest were beaten 3-0 by Chelsea at lunchtime.
It could be worse for Forest: at least they have won, unlike Wolves. Even if Burnley’s victory over Leeds pulled the not-so- Tricky Trees down into the bottom three.
Here’s how the 3pm fixtures panned out…
Brighton 2-1 Newcastle: The England Clamour starts here
There must be one. Thomas Tuchel has navigated a great many obstacles which have snared previous England managers, but he cannot escape the major tournament clamour.
And sod it, our entire weight is being chucked behind getting Danny Welbeck on the plane. Or at least adjacent to the departure lounge.
There was no place for the Brighton forward on our England ladder, nor the supplementary 50-100 names in supposed World Cup contention.
He will be 35 when the tournament rolls around, has not played for England since late 2018 and might have simply retired from international duty without bothering to tell anyone. And honestly, fair enough if that’s the case.
But sod it, he’s been to two World Cups and a Euros and has scored seven goals in his last 15 Premier League games. The two to vanquish Newcastle after Nick Woltemade’s glorious flicked equaliser were finished exquisitely.
If Harry Kane maintains this sort of form it’s not as if anyone else will get a look in anyway. And Brighton continue to show the power of just having Welbeck around.
Crystal Palace 3-3 Bournemouth: Chaos in the Amorim replacement derby
Andoni Iraola and Oliver Glasner could hardly be more in vogue if their names were listed alongside Greta Garbo and Monroe, Dietrich and DiMaggio. Premier League chairmen with itchy trigger fingers will have watched proceedings unfold at Selhurst Park with lustful eyes and bated breath.
Both might expect to be doorstepped by Evangelos Marinakis in the late hours of this evening.
But it was Iraola who initially emerged as the clear winner, the coach destined to inherit the perennial poisoned chalice of being linked with replacing Ruben Amorim while going about his business quietly and brilliantly.
Bournemouth’s nefarious ploy to top pre-season Premier League tables by sticking ‘AFC’ at the start of their name never fully caught on and they realistically ought to have been demoted because of it.
Yet for a while there the Cherries sat at the summit of English football, looking down at all those who told them that replacing Gary O’Neil with Iraola was madness.
Eli Kroupi rewarded the faith of the Spanish manager with a goal within seven minutes of his first Premier League start, making it 2-0 with a sublime volley shortly before half time.
But having infuriated Selhurst Park with his wayward finishing throughout, Jean-Philippe Mateta finally scored with his sixth and seventh shots of the afternoon to restore parity with a quickfire second-half double in a game both sides sensed could still be won.
After some Palace pressure, Ryan Christie converted Marcus Tavernier’s driven cross in the 89th minute to actually, genuinely, ridiculously send little old Bournemouth top after all.
Until they yet again weren’t. Bafode Diakite was perceived to have fouled Marc Guehi in the area as the centre-halves competed for a Palace corner in the fifth minute of stoppage time, with Mateta duly completing his hat-trick.
The Frenchman then reverted to ridiculous type by skying a chance when unmarked from six yards out. Make that ten shots for Mateta, who simultaneously salvaged a draw and cost his side the win.
Or thoughts are with Wilfried Zaha at this difficult time.
And so too Glasner, who must have thought that at least in defeat his name would be removed from the toxic Manchester United orbit. You don’t get away that easily, fella. Don’t forget: you’re here forever, much like Sir Jim Ratcliffe appears to have told Amorim.
Manchester City 2-0 Everton: Erling Haaland is ridiculous
Seriously. More Premier League goals than Ruud van Nistelrooy in 46 fewer games. That is daft.
Oh, and Manchester City are top of the Premier League table. That’s not ordinarily worthy of a mention but it is also the first time it’s happened beyond the opening weekend in almost a year and they have absolutely sneaked in without anyone noticing they might be quite good again.
Sunderland 2-0 Wolves: Mukiele is magic, Wolves are woeful
Granit Xhaka has been hailed by some on Wearside as one of Sunderland’s best-ever signings. But the Black Cats skipper might not even be the best they made this summer.
Nordi Mukiele is certainly a contender for that title. Xhaka’s team-mate from Bayer Leverkusen last season has been outstanding since his £9.5million move from PSG but his performance in the 2-0 win over Wolves was his most impressive yet.
Mukiele has been a rock at the heart of Regis Le Bris’ defence for the last five games which featured just a single defeat. He was similarly solid when moved to right-back against Wolves, but it was the 27-year-old’s attacking threat which demanded most attention.
He put Sunderland ahead, just reward for their first-half dominance, by playing a tidy one-two with Trai Hume before dissecting Sam Johnstone in the Wolves goal. Opening his Premier League account seemed to give Mukiele the confidence to pop up anywhere in possession while performing his defensive duties admirably when Wolves pushed for a leveller in the second half.
Not that they ever appeared likely to threaten Sunderland’s clean sheet. Wolves had more possession and double the number of shots their hosts managed but not one of them a big chance. Burnley at home next week already looks like a six-pointer for Vitor Pereira’s winless side if they are to avoid being cut adrift.
Burnley 2-0 Leeds: Farke failed by Leeds impotence at start of crucial run
Ange Postecoglou’s axing saw Daniel Farke move up to second in the sack race before kick-off at Turf Moor and a defeat featuring many of Leeds United’s familiar failings will do nothing for the manager’s job security at the start of a run that could decide his fate.
Leeds dominated possession and won the xG battle at Turf Moor but for the most part, the visitors were flinging sh*t at the Burnley wall with little real belief that anything might stick.
Farke’s men created four big chances from their 69 per cent possession but failed to take one. Jack Harrison went closest when Martin Dubravka turned his meek effort on to the post before the break, but after it, the Burnley keeper never felt under threat despite Leeds attempting 14 shots on his goal.
In response, Burnley managed just one shot while sitting in. But it was a thunderb*stard of a strike from substitute Loum Tchaouna, showing Farke’s three attackers despatched from the Leeds bench what ruthlessness looks like.
For their part, Burnley are doing exactly what they must to give themselves a hope of survival: making Turf Moor a fortress.
Their only home defeat in four came to Liverpool in added time due to Hannibal’s brain fart. Seven points have been gained despite having the ball for an average of 33 per cent of their matches on their own patch.
Parker’s side took stinginess to record-breaking levels in the Championship, especially at home, but the Clarets deserve huge credit for retaining their defensive solidity in the top-flight. Though sterner tests will come than an impotent Leeds side that could get Farke sacked prior to a perilous run of fixtures after the next international break.
