Adrian Kajumba looks at the standout players and moments from Matchweek 3.
Comeback award: AFC Bournemouth
AFC Bournemouth’s status as the Premier League’s comeback kings has previously been made official. Their turnaround of half-time deficits against Nottingham Forest, from 2-0 down in 2022/23, and Luton Town, from 3-0 down in 2023/24, saw them honoured with the Oracle Most Improbable Comeback award in each of the last two seasons. It will take an extraordinary effort from one of the division’s other 19 teams to prevent them being crowned for a third year running after their historic fightback at Everton. No team had ever been 2-0 down as late in a Premier League match as Bournemouth were at Goodison Park and then gone on to win.
Bournemouth found themselves staring at defeat in the 86th minute. Even Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola admitted it would have been a deserved outcome, such was the dominance Everton had enjoyed. But out of nowhere came a record-breaking recovery from the Cherries, who took advantage of a dramatic late drop in Everton’s energy levels. The momentum shift was underlined by the shots on target count going from 8-1 in Everton’s favour to 6-0 in Bournemouth’s after the 86th minute. And three of those late attempts were scoring ones, from Antoine Semenyo, Lewis Cook and Luis Sinisterra, transforming a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 lead during Bournemouth’s stunning nine-minute comeback. “We have done it before and had some good comebacks,” Iraola said. “The spark of the first goal made us believe we could do it again."
Best training ground routine award: Aston Villa
Aston Villa’s set-piece improvement has increased the profile of coach Austin MacPhee, with his inventiveness on show again in their 2-1 win at Leicester City. The game’s opening goal was a brilliantly-executed and pre-planned routine. While many were expecting a ball clipped into the penalty area from Youri Tielemans, Jacob Ramsey and Ollie Watkins were lurking well outside the box and proved to be the players who needed watching. With impeccable timing from all involved, and on Tielemans’ signal, the duo set off on runs into the box. Ramsey was the target for Tielemans’ forward pass, and his perfect first touch and momentum took him beyond Leicester’s defence, crossing for Amadou Onana to score.
Onana’s first goal for Villa goal was also from a set-piece, when he headed in a corner four minutes into his debut at West Ham. “We work on set-pieces a lot,” said Onana. “It’s hours and hours of repetition, so I’m pleased it paid off.”
Best pressing award: Brentford
The way Southampton play is no secret, with Russell Martin fiercely loyal to his beliefs, including passing out from the back. It is up to their opponents to exploit it, as Brentford did so effectively at the Gtech Community Stadium. The first two goals that took the game away from Southampton came after Martin’s side were hassled and hurried into errors just outside their own area. Taylor Harwood-Bellis was dispossessed before Bryan Mbeumo’s first goal and then a mix-up between Jan Bednarek and Jack Stephens led to the Brentford winger’s second.
Selflessness award: Jacob Murphy
Jacob Murphy’s eyes must have lit up when he found himself through on goal late in the game against Spurs. The game was locked at 1-1, Newcastle had been weathering a Spurs storm and suddenly he was presented with the chance to be the matchwinning hero after coming off the bench. With just Guglielmo Vicario to beat, Murphy would have been forgiven for trying to seize his moment in the spotlight by shooting. But he had the presence of mind to spot the better-positioned Isak to his left and squared for the Swede to open his account for the season instead. It was an unselfish, team-first gesture that is typical of Murphy - and did not go unnoticed by his head coach Eddie Howe.
Most important touch award: Declan Rice
One small flick of his right foot from Declan Rice, big repercussions for him and Arsenal. They were enjoying the better of their battle with Brighton & Hove Albion until Rice gently nudged the ball away as Joel Veltman attempted to take a quick free-kick. Having been booked just before half-time for a foul on Veltman, the second incident involving the Dutch defender soon after the restart earned Rice a second caution - and first red card of his career.