Premier League Appraisal: Mourinho's Reality Check and is Ramsey Better than Bale?

Effortless Eriksen Impresses on Debut

Having broken their transfer record on three occasions to sign Paulinho, Roberto Soldao and Erik Lamela, Tottenham fans could have been forgiven for overlooking the addition of Christian Eriksen. The Dane was snapped up for just £11.5m having won three consecutive titles in Holland, and having garnered a reputation as one of the most talented young central midfielders in Europe.

Yet, there was little fanfare when he arrived at White Hart Lane. That may now change after a wonderful debut that saw him effortlessly take to life in the Premier League. The 21 year old provided some much needed spark to Tottenham's midfield as he linked the play with a mix of perfectly weight passes, skilful touches and an acute awareness of where his teammates where at all times.

A superb pass to Gylfi Sigurdsson helped Tottenham take the lead against Norwich and it seems Andre Villas-Boas may well have found a player who can finally fill the void left by the departure of Raphael van der Vaart,

Rooney Smiles Again After 'Miraculous' Recovery

Wayne Rooney was ruled out for three weeks a fortnight ago thanks to a nasty three-inch gash after a collision with Phil Jones. After missing England's two World Cup qualifiers there was no way he would be risked for Manchester United's seemingly easy home game against newly-promoted Crystal Palace. But as the game got underway there was the striker sporting a rather fetching new piece of head gear, leaving Roy Hodgson to come to the realisation that clubs really do hold all the power.

But there was much more to Rooney's return to action for Manchester United than just the club vs country debate. After a turbulent summer in which he was repeatedly linked with a move away from Old Trafford, the 27 year old could finally break out into a big smile after curling home a wonderful free-kick to make sure of United's victory. It was good to see Rooney enjoying his football and United will surely profit from having a hungry player eager to prove a point.

Mourinho Receives Premier League Reality Check

Joe Mourinho suffered his first Premier League defeat since his return to Chelsea and immediately responded by saying: "No, it is not 2004 all over again. We are not unbeatable." The 'Happy One' was left wondering how his new-look Chelsea side failed to make the most of their opportunities as they spurned numerous chances and were eventually beaten thanks to a Steven Naismith header.

Back in 2004 Mourinho's Chelsea side would lose just one game all season but times have changed and the Premier League appears more competitive than ever. After a bore draw against Manchester United, this loss will have hurt Mourinho, especially after his side failed to convert any of their 21 shots on goal. Despite having a wealth of creative midfielders it may be the Portuguese tactician suddenly realises the size of the task at hand. Without a clinical forward - like Didier Drogba - there could yet be more frustration this season.

Ramsey Reinvigorated as Competition Hot's Up in Midfield

Forget Mesut Ozil, it was Aaron Ramsey who stole the show against Sunderland thanks to another comprehensive performance in the heart of midfield. The Welshman would complete seven tackles, have 11 touches, make 88 passes - with a 92% completion rate - and score two outstanding goals. After the game a fan told him that he was better than Gareth Bale, Ramsey would just smile politely and laugh but his performances this season have been a revelation for Arsenal.

His five goals this season is already his best ever return in front of goal and he is finally starting to fulfil the promise that Arsene Wenger saw when he was playing for Cardiff as a teenager. With fierce competition for places in the Arsenal midfield, it will be extremely pleasing for supporters to finally witness the best form from the 22 year old who could go on to be a major force in the Gunners' midfield for many years to come.

Southampton and West Ham Produce Another Dull Stalemate

Another dire 0-0 was played out at St. Mary's as West Ham struggled to produce a single shot, but at least Jussi Jaaskelainen's brilliance kept us mildly entertained. Watching this one was about as interesting as watching paint dry - or England play Ukraine - and Sam Allardyce must be concerned about the Hammers' lack of cutting edge. Who'd have thought we'd miss Andy Carroll so much.