The Premier League is less than three weeks away from an enforced break caused by the World Cup in Qatar.
Yet it is hard to escape the feeling that there will be some pivotal moments in the 2022-23 campaign before then.
For example, will Jesse Marsch be able to survive at Leeds?
Can Erling Braut Haaland reach 23 goals (the amount scored by the top marksmen – Son Heung Min and Mohamed Salah – last season) in record time? He’s already on 17!
Can Arsenal stay out in front at the summit?
Will Wolves bring back fans’ favourite Nuno Espirito Santo?
And can Cristiano Ronaldo bounce back to provide more Premier League 2022 highlights for Manchester United?
Let’s start in Yorkshire.
Leeds have had some moments to remember this term, not least when they put Chelsea to the sword at an ecstatic Elland Road in August.
Fast forward two months and Marsch’s men have failed to win in the league since and fans appear to be losing patience with the American.
After their 3-2 defeat at home to Fulham on Sunday, Marsch went onto the pitch to applaud fans for their backing. What he received in response was more than a smattering of boos as the home faithful also vented their frustration at the club’s board.
From one club in trouble to another in rude health and a seemingly unstoppable scoring machine. We are not yet three months into the campaign but it is hard to know what more superlatives can be used to describe the exploits of the Manchester City number 9.
As well as the staggering Premier League tally, the Norwegian’s count is 22 in all competitions – 22 goals which have spearheaded the champions to the last 16 of the Champions League and within two points of the top of the Premier League – they are favourites for both tournaments with the SBOTOP Premier League 2022 betting odds. To be just six off the mark set by last season’s leading scorers in October is incredible.
It is to Mikel Arteta’s credit that the Gunners remain the Premier League pacesetters at a time when Haaland and City have largely blown away all before them.
Arsenal have won all but two games and seem to have developed more character and resilience than they have had for some time.
That seemed set to continue at struggling Southampton on Sunday but then something changed and they were pegged back.
If there is an overarching concern for Arteta it may be the sense that some of his regulars are beginning to feel the strain of an unforgiving schedule with a rapid turnaround after Thursday night Europa League action every week.
In the heart of the ‘Black Country’, and for the first time in many a year, there is unhappiness.
Bruno Lage was dismissed at the start of the month but the real low point was the scoreline on Sunday as fellow strugglers Leicester arrived at Molyneux and promptly scored four without reply. Now let’s put this in perspective for this was a game when Leicester scored four from all their efforts on target while Wolves drew a blank from 21, six of which were on target.
A season of struggle clearly lies ahead and one man who may be able to bring them some momentum and, critically, some breathing space, is the favourite who masterminded their promotion to the Premier League in 2018 and took them from strength to strength, including a Europa League quarter-final two years ago.
Nuno Espirito Santo is very respected in the area where he still lives and would be a popular choice.
After his brief experience at Spurs which was topsy turvy to put it mildly – he was given little time to put his stamp on a club in difficulty – his return would be a natural fit.
Do not be surprised to see him return, if only to steady the ship until next summer as one suspects there needs to be considerable investment if longer-term progress is to be made at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The final word goes to arguably the greatest player of all time.
There is little doubt that it is the drive, hunger and ego of Cristiano Ronaldo which has led him to enjoy a career most mere mortals can only dream of.
There’s also little doubt that his manager, Erik ten Hag, had to act after CR7’S show of frustration and petulance last week.
Either way, despite media hysteria which has followed in recent days, there is no reason why the episode can now not be put to bed and Ronaldo play a key part in the season.
Even at the age of 37, he still can offer more than most and, if he can put aside his frustration at not starting every match, the player who recently notched his 700th club goal should be a potent weapon for the Red Devils.
Channelled correctly, that winning arrogance can be invaluable to a club which has been starved of success in recent years.
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