• Premier League Spotlight

No excuses as City face their cruellest month

Sergio Aguero is congratulated by his Manchester City team-mates after scoring against Liverpool last month © Getty Images

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Premier League Spotlight previews the weekend's topflight fixtures, highlighting the key points to keep an eye on as the action unfolds.

Weekend battle: Arsenal vs. Manchester City

As months go, Manchester City's September is a doozy. It begins with Arsenal in the Premier League at the Emirates at lunchtime on Saturday, the timing of which is hardly ideal for manager Manuel Pellegrini and his side. Lest we forget, before the faux interest in UEFA's 'Week of Football', the division's title holder suffered a shock 1-0 loss at home to Stoke City, making it one defeat in three matches; they lost just six times in 38 topflight matches last season.

After an imposing and clinical performance in their 3-1 win over Liverpool, few envisaged such a swift slip in standards. Already they have lost three points of ground on their main contenders for the title, Chelsea, which, if they resolve the defensive deficiencies demonstrated at Everton, look unlikely to drop many points this campaign. Furthermore, the international break denied Pellegrini time to address the shortcomings on show versus the Potters.

"It is not good to finish with a defeat," he said.

There will also be the sweating and nail-biting in the wait to discover the physical condition of those stars who have represented their respective nations, though at least for City they can take comfort from Arsenal being in the same potentially beleaguered boat. Also, Arsenal's signing off before the 'Fortnight of Tedium' hardly elevated their confidence, as they were lucky to draw 1-1 at Leicester in what was yet another underwhelming performance from Arsene Wenger's men this season.

Eliaquim Mangala could make his debut in the heart of City's defence against Arsenal, while Pellegrini may have a watchful eye on goalkeeper Joe Hart, with Willy Caballero waiting on the bench, after the England international hardly covered himself in glory for Mame Biram Diouf's lung-busting goal for Stoke - although it is worth mentioning Hart impressed in the recent matches for his nation versus Norway and Switzerland.

Pellegrini must weigh how best to rotate his squad in the coming weeks. As mentioned, September is not kind to City. The club will play six games in 17 days: Arsenal (away), Bayern Munich (away), Chelsea (home), Sheffield Wednesday (home), Hull City (away) and Roma (home). Regardless of such a sapping sequence, that Pellegrini arguably has one of the strongest squads in Europe at his disposal means few hiccups will be expected or tolerated.

Under pressure: Alan Pardew

Alan Pardew has presided over a terrible run of form for Newcastle © Getty Images

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Speaking after Newcastle United surrendered a lead with seconds remaining at home to Crystal Palace, manager Alan Pardew said: "We should have had three points. Perhaps we got wrapped up in the crowd trying to get a fourth, and it's frustrating to concede."

Those words sound an awful lot like an excuse. Worse, it seems as if Pardew is blaming the supporters for two points dropped, deflecting attention away from his management.

Pardew's tenure at St James' Park has rarely been without tension, as the fans have struggled to bond with the Londoner since his appointment in 2010. The Tyne toxicity is at a rolling boil now, not helped by a two-week stewing period after the 3-3 draw with Palace.

The uproar is no knee-jerk reaction. Of Newcastle's last 25 matches in all competitions, they have won a paltry six and, sharp intake of breath now, lost 16 (sixteen!) times. Against his former club Southampton on Saturday, improvement is essential.

Finding form: Aston Villa

Joe Cole's arrival at Aston Villa was hardly a thing of wonder © Getty Images

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Hands up. Who expected Aston Villa to start the season woefully and then slide from everyone's conscious, despite the appointment of Roy Keane and his terrifying beard as assistant manager? The addition of Philippe Senderos, who has all the reassurance of Eeyore, did not raise expectations, while the likes of Aly Cissokho and Joe Cole did not suggest points on the board would be forthcoming.

Yet after three matches of the 2014-15 season, Villa find themselves unbeaten, with one goal conceded and seven points in tow.

"Overall, it's been a terrific start from us, and hopefully we can keep it going," manager Paul Lambert said after their deserved 2-1 win over Hull City.

Credit where it's due, but a word of warning: So far in the Premier League they have played Stoke, Newcastle and Hull. Next up? Liverpool (away), Arsenal (home), Chelsea (away), Manchester City (home), Everton (away). To the bunker, Villans!

Statistically speaking

* Arsenal v Manchester City is a meeting of the two teams that have used short passes the most this season. City have the shortest average passing distance at 15.3 yards, followed by Arsenal at 16.7 yards. The Gunners have the lowest long-ball percentage this season, with 7.6% of passes over 35 yards. City are second at 8.2%.

* In the Premier League era, Manchester City have won one of 17 away games against Arsenal, a 2-0 victory in January 2013.

* Saturday's game at Anfield begins a brutal stretch for Aston Villa, which face last season's top-five teams over the next five games. But Villa did win 10 points against those teams a season ago, tied with Sunderland for most by any team outside the top five.

* Chelsea host Swansea City in a meeting of the Premier League's two remaining perfect teams. Diego Costa has joined Adrian Mutu as the only two players to score in their first three Premier League games for the Blues. Costa can become the first Chelsea player to score in his first four Premier League games.

* Manchester United are winless after three league games for the first time since 2007-08, and United last went winless in their opening four league games in 1986-87, when manager Ron Atkinson was fired in November and replaced by Sir Alex Ferguson.

Stats via @PCarrESPN

Any other business: The debutants: Falcao and Welbeck

Falcao moved to Old Trafford on deadline day on loan from Monaco, and Manchester United fans smiled. In turn, Danny Welbeck left the Red Devils for Arsenal. Gunners fans also grinned, but some United supporters got a bit sad.

In 28-year-old Colombia international Falcao, Louis van Gaal got an upgrade on Welbeck, but by letting Manchester-born, England international Welbeck leave, Mancunians lost one of their own.

Debate has since raged about where Falcao fits into Van Gaal's 3-5-2 system, while fury remained at a failure to invest in the central-midfield enforcer required as well as another senior centre-back. That situation was partly mirrored at Arsenal. Although their striking department certainly required an extra body, the same gaps in midfield and defence remain in Arsene Wenger's squad, which cannot be added to until January 1.

Getting worked into a social media frenzy about Falcao's suitability for United's squad kind of misses the point and is wasted energy to boot. This is a striker of proven quality, one who will sniff out a goal amid the stench of defenders. What team in the world would he not improve? Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney - one league goal between them this campaign - are hardly undroppable right now, and there will come a time when injury will strike. Plain and simple: Falcao makes United stronger ahead of Sunday's home meeting with QPR.

As for Welbeck, Arsenal have a footballer on their hands who plays in joyful fashion. The elation on his face when he does score - an aspect of his game that should become more regular when he is played more centrally, as demonstrated for England on Monday - and a willingness to try the unexpected make him a player who is easy to admire. His joining up with Theo Walcott and Alexis Sanchez makes for one of the fastest front lines in the game. More importantly for Wenger, at 23 years of age, Welbeck has in theory not yet reached anything like his potential.

Radamel Falcao, left, is likely to make his Manchester United debut along with Daley Blind this weekend © Getty Images

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