English Premier League Week 4: 10 Things Nobody Saw Coming in EPL Week 4

We all like to think that we know what will transpire every weekend in the English Premier League, but every week, without fail, we are surprised and stunned by something that takes place.

Be it spectacular goals, incredible upset results or managerial decisions that leave us scratching our heads in wonder, every weekend provides us with moments and performances that we simply didn't see coming.

Here's 10 things that we didn't see coming from Week 4 of the 2012-13 English Premier League season. 

1. Arsenal Hit Southampton for Six

After struggling to find the back of the net in their two opening Premier League matches against Stoke City and Sunderland, Arsenal got the goal scoring going in a big way as the put six goals past a rather poor Southampton side. Southampton really only got into the match once the Gunners took their foot off the gas.

Two own goals helped their cause even further—not that the Gunners needed it, really—as they continued their unbeaten start to the season and moved up into third on the Premier League ladder.

Now all they need is for Olivier Giroud to find the back of the net and they'll be all set.

2. Fulham Bounce Back Strong vs. WBA

The sale of Moussa Dembele and Clint Dempsey over the summer transfer window was promptly followed by a 3-0 drubbing by West Ham and it seemed like the Cottagers were a club heading in the wrong direction this season. 

West Bromwich Albion were a club heading in the right one, and with a solid defense and good attacking midfield, the Baggies were definitely thought of as having a chance against Martin Jol's men, despite the match being played at Craven Cottage.

A 3-0 victory to Fulham sure ended that idea.

3. Chelsea Held Scoreless by QPR

Chelsea's attacking talent almost doesn't need to be mentioned here—it's simply that deep and that strong. We all know what options Roberto di Matteo has at his disposal when required.

And despite the fact that they were resting players for their upcoming Champions League match, this was still a strong team that took on Queens Park Rangers, a team who hadn't done anything to write home about so far this year.

Chelsea simply couldn't find a goal all match and whilst they weren't so poor that they conceded one at the other end of the pitch, they were very wasteful in front of goal and should have done more with the opportunities they had.

Simply put, they should have won the game and they should have scored some goals. The fact they did neither was one of the biggest upsets of the week.

4. Aston Villa Stun Swansea City

Yet as big as an upset as it was, Aston Villa triumphing over Swansea City was, for me, the biggest upset result of the entire week. The Swans were turning out to be revelation this season whilst the Villians, well, they were looking like being another also-ran this year.

Yet in Week 4 of the EPL, the tides turned for both teams and an early goal for Matthew Lowton was enough for the home side to hang on to for most of the match before Christian Benteke's late gift of a goal made the result—and the three points—certain.

Whilst Aston Villa were very good and cohesive throughout midfield, Swansea should have done more in this match, particularly given the attacking talent that we know they currently have in their side. To be held scoreless by the Villians is not something that anybody saw coming this week.

5. Gervinho Bags Himself a Double

In amongst Arsenal's 6-1 drubbing of Southampton was a brace for Gunners midfielder Gervinho—the man who seems to master the preseason and fail to carry that form over to the regular season.

Every year, it seems that Gervinho is impressive early but cannot show similar form when the North London club need it most during the season. And whilst his goals did come during an offensive display that didn't really require his input, few Gunners fans are going to argue against the return to form from their midfielder.

Now all they need is for that form to continue. If so, Arsenal must definitely be considered a genuine contender in the Premier League this year.

6. Winless Sides Stay Winless

So many clubs entered Week 4 without a win to their name but with the perfect opportunity to get their season going and get away from draws and losses every week.

But despite all the clubs, most of them remain winless in the English Premier League, with only Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur snapping their streak.

That's Sunderland, Stoke City, Norwich City, Liverpool, Queens Park Rangers, Reading and Southampton all without a win to their name. If you had predicted that neither of these clubs would have a win by the end of Week 4, you're either a freak or, no, you're just a freak.

7. Debutants Get the Goals Flowing Early

Several debutants started their first Premier League match on the weekend and, surprisingly, most of them finished with a goal next to their name.

Nick Powell and Alexander Buttner scored in their debuts for Manchester United against Wigan, whilst Javi Garcia scored in his first match since transferring to Manchester City over the summer transfer window. 

Former Red Devil Dimitar Berbatov also netted in his debut for Fulham, as did Christian Benteke for his new club Aston Villa to wrap up a lovely weekend for the debutants.

8. Referees Miss the Hand of Crouch

I'll be honest, I didn't think it was possible to miss Peter Crouch in the Premier League.

The dude simply stands out from everybody else. He's without doubt Stoke's main factor in attack, so referees should have no trouble picking him out, anyway—even when it's in a crowded penalty box.

How the officials then missed Crouch's handball to control his shot that would open the scoring for the Potters is simply beyond me. Accidental or intentional aside, it was handball and the officials should have picked it up.

If we're going to be really specific, I think there was even two handballs in that same play. How they missed one is poor; how they missed two is just ridiculous.

9. Brendan Rodgers' Horrible Streak Continues

Brendan Rodgers was supposed to usher in a new wave of football and class to Liverpool—one that was always going to take time, but one that also would put the Reds back in contention as a Premier League force once more.

It's now four games in to the new season and the Reds' manager has not had the most ideal impact at Anfield. He has failed to win a single game, even losing two matches and barely sitting outside the relegation zone.

For me, with the Hillsborough disaster fresh in their minds, Liverpool should have been able to pump themselves up and find enough passion to pick up the three points. I know they were away to Sunderland—a notoriously tough fixture—but if they can't find the drive to succeed this week with Hillsborough fresh in their minds and the media, then when are they going to find the passion?

More importantly, when are they going to find a win?

10. Jermaine Defoe Leads Spurs Attack to Victory

Jermaine Defoe seemingly turned back the clock to lead Tottenham Hotspur's attack to a 3-1 victory over Reading—their first for the season and their first under new manager Andre-Villas Boas.

The striker was largely ineffective under Harry Redknapp in the 4-5-1, and was deemed by many to be simply too small and not physically dominant enough to play as the lone attacking striker. Yet with two goals under his belt for Spurs this weekend and three for the season, you get the feeling that Defoe can indeed succeed up the top this year.

With attacking talent behind him in Moussa Dembele, Gareth Bale, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Clint Dempsey, Defoe certainly has the pieces around him to shine this year, and could still become one of the biggest surprise successes of the 2012-13 English Premier League season.

What shocked you most from Week 4 of the EPL?

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