The lengthy three-week international break in the Premier League has come to an end, yet throughout that time, the footballing spotlight has focused far from the national teams. The monumental verdict against Manchester City, which arrived like a bolt from the blue, has dominated media coverage and grabbed the attention of fans. This event has proved a lifeline for several representatives of the "big six" clubs, whose own dismal starts to the season would have faced severe scrutiny.
The biggest beneficiary of this information storm is Tottenham's Roberto De Zerbi. Even if the London club's performances hadn't been so disastrous, the news surrounding the Citizens would still have been his best outcome this autumn. Tottenham's management earned praise for early activity in the transfer market over the summer, yet they fell back into their usual habit of dragging out deals, starting the season in disarray. Anxiety over last year's injury epidemic led the Londoners to tread cautiously in pre-season, limiting player minutes, but the treatment room has filled up once again — during the break, the team lost both of their main centre-backs. The uproar in Manchester has gifted the Italian three weeks of silence without the toxic pressure, allowing him to establish a connection between Savinyo, Mohammed Kudus, and Dominic Solanke in attack.
Michael Carrick also finds himself in a similar situation at Manchester United. Taking full control of the Red Devils amidst a packed fixture schedule and the weight of expectations has proven significantly tougher than during the same period last season. With just one win to show for the start of the campaign, Carrick has been pushed into a corner, with a vital clash against Tottenham looming ahead. Under different circumstances, British tabloids would have been relishing a potential managerial sacking, but instead, the chatter surrounding the Etihad has relegated the upcoming battle between these two struggling giants to the back burner.
For Florian Wirtz, the international break presented a chance to hit reset with the Germany national team under Jurgen Klopp. The young Liverpool midfielder, who is still grappling with his adjustment to life at Anfield, managed to regain his confidence and received backing from the legendary German coach. Now the Merseysiders face a Sunday home match against Manchester City, where Wirtz might appear in a completely different psychological state.
Meanwhile, Arsenal's Viktor Djerkes has also taken advantage of the media lull to distract from issues at club level. The Gunners went into the break following a painful defeat to Brighton, and the Swede had seen scant playing time in the league, mostly featuring in the League Cup against Ipswich. However, representing Sweden, the forward seemed to cast off his shackles, scoring in every one of four matches, temporarily distracting critics who had questioned the wisdom of his pricey transfer.
Finally, Xabi Alonso at Chelsea has managed to sidestep a wave of criticism over concerning results. A 3-0 defeat to Brentford and a home draw against Hull City meant the Blues only picked up a single point from their last three fixtures. While the attack can dazzle, defensive shortcomings are dragging the team back to the instability of previous years. If not for the significant investigations surrounding Manchester's financial breaches, the early part of the Spaniard's tenure at Stamford Bridge would already be under the microscope.
