Premier League, Week 7: Manchester United move into 2nd

Seriously, you expected something other than a 0-0 draw from this fixture?

In short, a team with no strikers and no advanced playmakers drew Stoke 0-0, which is exactly what should happen. You can go to bed tonight secure in your knowledge that the world is not coming to an end, and that the Mayans were wrong.

And that miss would prove costly indeed when the Villa defence contrived to completely melt down on a corner kick just before the hour mark:

As for Villa, they seem powered by gravity more than anything else.

Liverpool injuries and suspensions

Stoke City injuries and suspensions

Nonetheless, with Newcastle in fine form and United suffering from a depleted squad, Ferguson will be aware of the difficult struggle ahead. For Alan Pardew, there is little to lose, and the Toon boss will be aware of what a huge boost to his season a victory could be.

Newcastle United injuries and suspensions

3-1 at full time looks like quite a comfortable scoreline, in the end. But did Arsenal cruise against West Ham? Not even close. For a while, in fact, it didn’t look like it was going to be their day.

They were probably certain that they’d gotten one after excellent play from Diame played in Nolan for a two-on-one against Manonne, but Carroll’s eventual shot hit the post and the offside flag was raised anyway. Then Ricardo Vaz Tê decided to get in on the action. Unlike his teammates, he decided to threaten Mannone’s person rather than his goal, going in far too hard with his leg on the unprotected goalkeeper’s face. Miraculously, Mannone emerged unscathed, and it was Vaz Tê who was forced out with an injury -- later revealed to be a dislocated right shoulder.

With Hughes’ job surely at risk, he needed his side to step it up after the break. They did, but it wasn’t enough. Constant QPR pressure failed to open the door, and eventually the visitors tired. That gave Yussuf Mulumbu time to pounce, the midfielder sweeping home after a well-worked West Brom move in the 85th minute, sealing the points with a very cool finish.

The win, which came despite a very neat stoppage-time goal by Granero and a late push from the visitors, puts the Baggies in fourth place. QPR, meanwhile... definitely not in fourth place. How much longer is Hughes going to last?

The Canaries have had a difficult start to the season, with no wins, three losses and three draws from their opening six games, and the chances of breaking that duck against top-of-the-table Chelsea will be slim, particularly with the injury problems in the Norwich squad.

Chelsea injuries and suspensions