World Football's Monday Morning Hangover: The Battle of Stamford Bridge

Welcome to world football's Monday Morning Hangover, an homage to the NFL section's own Monday Morning Hangover, where we round up the key stories and important points from the last weekend in world football.

With an inevitable focus on the Premier League, let's get started.

A Heavyweight Mismatch 

It was sheer class what won it.

Chelsea beat Arsenal on Sunday thanks to three moments of individual brilliance: Eden Hazard's stellar jinking run that ended with him winning a penalty off the bamboozled Laurent Koscielny, Cesc Fabregas' sumptuous ball over the top in the second half and Diego Costa's clinical finish of that very pass.

That delivered the Blues their 2-0 win, retaining their position out ahead in the Premier League. As Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny told reporters afterward: "Sometimes you have to take your hat off to the brilliance of the opposition."

As far as post-match analysis goes, that should just about cover all bases. Unfortunately, football rarely works like that—Chelsea-Arsenal games especially.

There were so many talking points from matters at Stamford Bridge that it is hard to know where to start. The reception Fabregas received from the away fans who used to venerate him? The concussion sustained by Thibaut Courtois? The spat between Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger in the technical area?

You're right, let's start with that shoving match. Putting aside the fact it was more than a little unseemly to see a 64-year-old and a 51-year-old square up like two tanked-up teenagers, the incident seemed to be a microcosm of the match itself. Arsenal and Arsene tried to get in the face of their opponents, but Chelsea had easily enough quality in hand to fend them off.

Chelsea and Mourinho are Floyd Mayweather—you don't have to like them that much, but you have to respect their craft. They have every aspect of the game well-covered, and they know exactly what is required to win any matchup.

"I've done so many wrong things in football, sometimes due to emotion, but not this time," Mourinho said, per Dominic Fifield of The Guardian, somewhat in his element, about the impromptu shoving match. "This time I was just in my technical area and it was not my problem. Game over. Story over."

Arsenal, at least in the context of that comparison, are Manny Pacquiao. They can say and do whatever they want, but at this point, it is hard to see them ever supplanting their oldest rivals. William Hill Betting chimed in on the Wenger vs. Mourinho matchup:

One wonders if Wenger's actions were not premeditated to a certain extent, a plan to try and spark his side into action. So often over recent seasons the Gunners have been beaten mentally by the Blues before they actually went out and lost on the pitch, and this season threatened to be no different.

At this point in time, Wenger's side seem so vanilla—no enforcer and no sense they would get down and dirty in a street brawl—it undoubtedly counts against them in the biggest games.

Wenger trying to put one on Mourinho—and Welbeck later trying to wipe out Fabregas—seemed like the attempt to execute a plan, to set a tone for the rest of the team, even if it came after Gary Cahill had nearly ended Alexis Sanchez's afternoon. Of course, it did not work; Chelsea more than met them down in the trenches and then pushed them back with the same old ease.

The talk after the game was about Wenger and Mourinho, but this was business as usual. Mourinho has not lost in 11 meetings against the Frenchman. On the pitch and in the dugout, Chelsea remain far out ahead in all the aspects that really matter.

Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Results Before Form for Van Gaal and United

For the first time in over a year, Manchester United are back inside the Premier League's top four. They were not great against Everton, but a 2-1 win was their second in a row—giving Louis van Gaal much to be positive about heading into the international break.

The Dutchman told reporters (via Sky Sports):

"

I've already told my players we aren't playing good and we've already hit the top four, so what will happen when we're playing well?

I mean playing well for 90 minutes, because we've played well for half a game or 60 minutes.

That needs time—I'm afraid to say it again, but you saw it. We need to improve the organisation because we were outstanding in the first half, but then we let them have so many chances.

"

Fortunately for Van Gaal and his side, United had David de Gea in goal. The Spaniard was outstanding all afternoon, denying Leighton Baines from the penalty spot and then producing a string of great stops to deny Leon Osman (twice) and Bryan Oviedo late on.

Everton appeared to be suffering a little after flying to Russia for a Europa League match in midweek, but even so, they caused United plenty of problems. Individual quality eventually shone through—Angel Di Maria and Radamel Falcao notched the decisive goals to underline the significance of De Gea's display.

United face West Brom in two weeks' time, before back-to-back meetings with Chelsea and Manchester City. Those games will offer a real yardstick of Van Gaal's current side, but for now, it is other teams playing catch-up in the race for the Champions League—just like it used to be.

Goal of the Weekend

Feast your eyes on this strike. It's lovely stuff, courtesy of Bleacher Report UK:

Goal of the Weekend: Runner-up Edition

... And these aren't that bad either! ESPN's Alex Perry and William Hill Betting provided a look at the runners-up:

Random Asides

• After losing to his former club West Ham on Sunday, QPR manager Harry Redknapp claimed some of his side were not fit. This was a decent bit of blame deflection, except for one thing—who is responsible for ensuring they are fit? The season is nearly two months old; if the manager has not gotten his team fully fit by now, whose fault is it if not his? Redknapp might be taking a difficult call from Tony Fernandes this week.

• On a similar note, Louis van Gaal expressed his annoyance at how the international break robs him of his players at a key time, preventing him from spending a solid week on the training ground refining his team's tactics. We are not sure this is something the Dutchman can complain about—when you buy international players, that all kind of comes with the territory!

• A much-needed win for Liverpool over West Brom, with Jordan Henderson underlining just how much it meant to him and everyone at the club with his ebullient celebration of his match-winning strike. The young midfielder is quickly growing into a dominant presence for his club—great news for both Liverpool and England going forward. What was Sir Alex Ferguson's criticism again?

• After a month out of favour, Steven Fletcher returned to Sunderland action with two goals and an assist in a 3-1 win over Stoke. The Scot was given a chance to make amends for a poor start to the campaign, and he certainly took it. But can he continue in a similar vein?

• We must stress that we are not saying this will happen, but Burnley's late equaliser against Leicester City felt like it could be one to change the course of the season. A draw is not as good as a win, but avoiding defeat against a fellow promoted side gives Sean Dyche and his beleaguered side something to build on heading into the international break.

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

Good Week, Bad Week

Good Week

David de Gea: the hero of the hour

Luke Shaw: solid display, despite penalty mistake

Diafra Sakho: five goals already for the West Ham new boy

Mohamed Diame: continues to impress since Hull move

Papiss Cisse: from thorn in Alan Pardew's side to the one saving his job

Bad Week

Mario Balotelli: benched, even with Daniel Sturridge injured

Tim Howard: poor by comparison with his opposite number

Nigel Pearson: negative comments about Burnley to the BBC struck the wrong note

Mesut Ozil: outshone by Fabregas—while both were on the same pitch

Harry Redknapp: Has he an answer for QPR's problems?

Other Points of Note 

Concussion Protocol

Sunday saw the first high-profile concussion incident since the introduction of new FIFA guidelines to deal with the issue, as Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois went down after a clash with Alexis Sanchez.

After a 56-second evaluation, the Belgian was permitted to continue, but minutes later he was taken off with fluid running from his right ear—as the effects of the impact continued to impair him.

The new FIFA guidelines—a three-minute break in play to properly assess the player in question—do not technically apply for the Premier League this season. Mourinho insisted after the game that his goalkeeper would be fine, but it was a reminder that the protocols for dealing with head injuries remain limited at best.

Ian Walton/Getty Images

Time to Silence the Boo Boys?

Both Mauricio Pochettino and Cesc Fabregas were on the end of some aggressive chanting this weekend, as they came up against former clubs.

Pochettino, whose Spurs side hosted Southampton, was roundly abused by the away fans who were cheering his name less than six months ago. Fabregas suffered a similar barracking at the hands of Arsenal fans who once revered him.

The desire to abuse former stars is understandable—the mixture of emotions involved, united with football's natural penchant for animosity and drama, pushes everything in that direction. But it is sad that grown men and women cannot accept what is now a common element of modern football, to just be thankful for what an individual once did while at their club and move on.

In the meantime, the best thing is that the individuals at the heart of the matter do not take it to heart.

"I have huge respect, and I take it in a positive way," Fabregas said (via Sky Sports). "I know they love me, and it is all because we were together once.

"Sometimes, circumstances mean these things can happen. But I have always said it—I am not scared. They will always be in my heart forever."

If only the fans could be similarly magnanimous.