A distinctly ordinary player of extraordinary dirtiness.

Is it unprecedented for two goalkeepers employed in a match comprising seven goals to be the fixture's most competent protagonists?

In comparison to the emotionally-charged axing of a striker, Ruud van Nistelrooy, who averaged 30 goals a season, even the sale of David Beckham for, in Real Madrid's opinion, "peanuts", and the never-explained departure of Jaap Stam appear to be the rational acts of a sage and far-sighted manger. To offload a player because he could not be reconciled with a role within the squad is a failing of management.

A distinctly ordinary player of extraordinary dirtiness.

Titus Bramble: The only explanation for his existence in the Premiership is that he is already here.

On Saturday morning, one of the two teams still unbeaten in the Premiership occupied a modest seventh place. It is an illustration of the relentless pace being set at the top of the league in which every stumble is a serious fall and draws usually constitute two dropped points.

Arsenal's never-improving injury list increasingly attracts curiosity rather than sympathy.