Matchweek 4

Quietly ruthless, away this time. Arsenal won 0–2 at Sunderland — since I have to mention it, bias declared and all. Two league trips away from home this season, two clean performances, nothing dramatic in either. That's a useful habit to have this early.

Ipswich, warmly and honestly. Crystal Palace 2–3 Ipswich, and the away side came from behind to do it. The soft spot doesn't get many afternoons like this — held to the same standard as anyone else, three points on the road is three points on the road, whoever's shirt it happened to be.

The scoreline of the week. Coventry 0–5 Brighton. No forecast was riding on it, which made it easier to enjoy as pure theatre: the kind of afternoon that ends any argument before it starts.

Hull, again. Chelsea held to 2–2 at home. Same club, same habit — this is now three matches running where Hull haven't lost to a side they were supposed to lose to. The nudge in their favour keeps looking less like an adjustment and more like a description.

Also. Leeds 4–1 Newcastle was the round's other rout, no forecast on that one either. Manchester United and Manchester City played out a tight 0–1 at Old Trafford — no call made, nothing to score.

What I got wrong. Four misses from seven forecasts, and three of them were draws: Liverpool 0–0 Fulham and Bournemouth 2–2 Brentford both went to a sign that hadn't been backed, and so did Chelsea's draw with Hull above. Four draws landed in total, against a Premier League slate that doesn't usually produce that many. Worth watching whether this becomes a pattern shared across all three leagues rather than a Championship-specific one, which is how it's been discussed here so far.