English Premier League Highlights and Lowlights

Tottenham made history, and so did the Deuce. The usual suspects kept scoring, and a familiar face headed back to the treatment table.

Meanwhile, Fergie fumed, a referee goofed, and both halves of Liverpool went home happy.

It was another busy weekend in the English Premier League, and we've got all the highlights and lowlights for you right here.

Keep reading for all the details.

Highlights: History for Spurs and Dempsey, a Fist-Pump for AVB

Tottenham Hotspur started strongly and held on for a 3-2 victory at Manchester United on Saturday. It was Spurs' first win at Old Trafford since October 1989—a span of nearly 23 years.

The history didn't end there. Clint Dempsey, who bagged Tottenham's third during a deranged three-minute spell in the second half, became only the second American (after Brian McBride, coincidentally a former teammate of Dempsey's at Fulham) to score at the venerable old stadium.

All the above hardly begins to describe the match. Deranged comes close to describing it, but schizophrenic might be the more appropriate term.

United backed into the match and found themselves behind in only the second minute after Jan Vertonghen's debut Premier League strike—a goal that owed plenty to a wicked deflection.

The midfield fell asleep again 30 minutes later, as Gareth Bale was allowed to barnstorm 40 yards through the center of the pitch unchallenged. As if to say thanks, he coolly deposited his low shot, again largely unchallenged, into the far corner.

United trailed 2-0, and though Wayne Rooney's halftime introduction injected new life into the team, the deficit was too much to overcome.

Nani and Shinji Kagawa scored during that ridiculous three-minute spell, but Robin van Persie missed a sitter later in the half, and despite holding nearly 90 percent of second-half possession, United never found the equalizer.

After the final whistle, Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas pumped a fist, hugged his players and beamed his million-dollar smile into the upper deck of Old Trafford.

Sir Alex Ferguson was left to ponder how he's let the midfield go without the necessary upgrade for quite so long. Or if not, perhaps he should.

Lowlight: Sir Alex Ferguson on Stoppage Time

After his side's second defeat of the season, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson took responsibility in his post-match press conference complained about stoppage time.

From BBC Sport: "They gave us four minutes [injury time], that's an insult to the game. It denies you a proper chance to win a football match."

And it gets better. Ferguson continued:

"

There were six substitutions, the trainer came on, so that's four minutes right away and the goalkeeper must have wasted about two or three minutes and they took their time at every goal kick.

That's obvious to everyone today and it's a flaw in the game that the referee is responsible for time keeping. It's ridiculous that it's 2012 and the referee still has control of that.

"

Actually, what's obvious is that Ferguson and United have thrived in stoppage time for decades. And what's ridiculous is that Ferguson would have the brass to complain about what's generally become known as "Fergie Time" because of all that success.

Ferguson is, of course, a legend. In this situation, though, he's flat wrong.

Highlight and Lowlight: Demba Ba Scores Twice More, Once with His Hand

Demba Ba scored two more goals for Newcastle this weekend. The first was a sick volley, and the second was a late equalizer as the Magpies drew 2-2 at Reading.

The Senegalese striker now leads the Premier League with six strikes.

That's all pleasant news, but the bad part is that Ba used his hand for the equalizer, and it really shouldn't have counted.

In fairness to Ba, he reportedly apologized to Reading's players during the match.

"He said himself [it was a handball] and apologised to our keeper that he had handled the ball," said Reading's Kaspars Gorkss (via Daily Mail).

Lowlights: Diaby's Injury, Arsenal's Defense and Giroud's Latest Miss

Abou Diaby departed Arsenal's 2-1 home loss to Chelsea early in the first half Saturday. The French international is apparently injured again—this time it's a thigh, and the layoff is expected to be three weeks—and Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has already admitted that his decision not to buy another midfielder was risky (via Metro).

Not that it helps Arsenal now.

Considering Diaby's extensive injury history—and considering the amount of money brought in by the sales of Alex Song and Robin van Persie—"risky" doesn't quite fully describe it. With Song gone, money freed up and competent candidates available, "willfully and needlessly cheap" is more like it.

And on Saturday, it contributed to a loss when victory was more than possible. Upon Diaby's departure, Chelsea immediately began exploiting holes in Arsenal's midfield.

Other culprits included Arsenal's inability to defend set pieces and Olivier Giroud's latest miss, but the Diaby debacle was perhaps the most galling—and avoidable—problem of the day.

Highlight: Edin Dzeko's Super-Sub Routine

It's becoming almost an inside joke, the meaning of which is only understood by Roberto Mancini himself.

Edin Dzeko, left on the bench again on Saturday, came off said bench again and scored yet another crucial goal, again, for Manchester City late in a match.

This time, Dzeko's 87th-minute goal—after just 66 seconds on the pitch—gave City a 2-1 victory at Fulham, but the names, dates and scoring times might as well be movable options in a recurring script.

Dzeko has done the same twice already this season, scoring second-half winners against Queens Park Rangers and Southampton, and we all remember his dramatic equalizer against QPR on the final day of last season.

So why, again, does Dzeko struggle to get matches at City?

Lowlight: Fulham's Penalty

Manchester City needed Edin Dzeko's latest heroics because of Fulham's first-half goal. Fulham's first-half goal came courtesy of Mladen Petric from the penalty spot because referee Mark Halsey made a poor decision.

If that name—Halsey, not Petric—sounds familiar, it's because the same referee found himself at the heart of controversy last week as well. But while he was just about justified in his decisions a week ago, Halsey was dead wrong this time.

What's more, he missed the mark again in failing to award City a spot kick when John-Arne Riise later felled Carlos Tevez in the box.

Highlights: Liverpool's Finest

Both of Liverpool's teams won this weekend, but that's where the two clubs' fortunes take wildly differing directions.

For Liverpool, the 5-2 thumping of Norwich was the first league victory of Brendan Rodgers' sputtering revolution. Five goals—including Luis Suarez's hat trick—were nice, but the Reds still sit in 14th place with a goal differential of minus-three.

As for Everton, a fourth league win in six tries—this time a convincing beating of Southampton at home—means second place and the distinction of being the toast of England.

Just three points off Chelsea's pace, Everton are defying expectations and showing that this start is no fluke.

Lowlight: Swansea Stopped Again

Swansea City started the season with back-to-back wins by a combined score of 8-0. After Saturday's 2-0 loss at draw kings Stoke City, the Swans have now collected only one point from the last 12 available.

More troubling is the fact that, in their three most recent league matches, Michael Laudrup's formerly free scorers have failed to find the net a single time.

With league matches against Reading and Wigan approaching, Swansea will have the opportunity to rediscover their form. If they don't, a relegation fight might be in store.

Highlight and Lowlight: Steven Fletcher Scores Yet Again for Sunderland

Steven Fletcher scored yet again for Sunderland this weekend, as the Black Cats beat Wigan, 1-0, for their first league victory of the season.

That's five league goals now for Fletcher, who's looking more and more like one of the best signings of the summer transfer window.

So, what's wrong with that? Nothing really, except that through five matches, Sunderland have scored five goals, and all of them belong to Fletcher.

Heaven help Martin O'Neill if Fletcher ever pulls a Diaby on him.

Follow @MikeCummings37