Topflight clubs collectively spent £835 million over the course of this transfer window and their fans would be keenly waiting to see if that did really pay off.
Manchester United coach, Louis van Gaal, is still under pressure, following a stuttering start that belies the pomp and fanfare that followed his off-season arrival to take over the Red Devils, left fractured by David Moyes.
Van Gaal had just led his homeland Dutch national team to a third-place finish at the FIFA World Cup in Brazil and many believed the former Barcelona coach would prove himself within matches of arriving at Old Trafford.
Two unconvincing draws and a loss is the record that has preambled the Dutchman’s first three games in the league and spread fear that the executive could have been harsh on former manager Moyes, fired without being given as big a purse as his heir.
After a busy close-of-window action, Van Gaal will now be stacking the Red Devils with the likes of Daley Blind, Angel Di Maria and Radamel Falcao. Should all respond well to the demands, United could be among the highest-scoring outfits in the league again and well on their way up, but stars sometimes take time to gel in with the rest of the team and with Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie also in that lot, indiscipline and restlessness could be the manager’s next area of concern.
Every top player always to be in on the action and yet United cannot be a team of six top strikers at once.
Liverpool’s and Brendan Rodgers added Mario Balotelli and Alberto Moreno to his side and the response was a pre-break haul of three goals away at Tottenham.
Chelsea grabbed major additions like Diego Costa, Cesc Fabregas and Loic Remy and remain unbeaten in the league going into the fourth match, while inconsistent Arsenal accumulated big surprises to the roster as Danny Welbeck, Alexis Sanchez and Calum Chambers left their respective sides to play for Arsene Wenger.
Barclays Premiership Fixtures
Saturday: Arsenal Vs Manchester City; Chelsea Vs Swansea City;
Southampton Vs Newcastle United; Stoke City Vs Leicester City; Crystal Palace Vs Burnely; Sunderland Vs Tottenham Hotspur, West Bromwich Albion Vs Everton; Liverpool Vs Aston Villa.
Sunday: Manchester United Vs Queens Park Rangers
Monday: Hull City Vs West Ham United
Post published in: Football