Key thoughts and analysis from Saturday's Premier League action

theScore examines the most important developments and biggest talking points from Saturday’s slate of action in England’s top flight.

Sterling flourishing under Poch

England boss Gareth Southgate might regret his decision to overlook Raheem Sterling. Days after Sterling was left out of England’s squad for upcoming Euro qualifiers, the winger responded with an explosive performance against Burnley to help Chelsea secure three vital points and back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time since March.

He wreaked havoc all afternoon at Turf Moor during his – and Chelsea’s – best performance of the season, combining his trademark pace and dribbling to keep Burnley defenders under constant pressure in a match that was another example of his continued improvement under Blues coach Mauricio Pochettino.

The English star’s struggles during his debut campaign at Stamford Bridge were well-documented. But it’s been a completely different story so far this season for the 28-year-old.

Sterling more than vindicated Pochettino’s decision to start him over Mykhailo Mudryk, who scored his first Chelsea goal in Monday’s win over Fulham. The Ukrainian was healthy after picking up a knock in the victory but was kept out of the lineup as a precaution. The decision proved fruitful for Pochettino.

Sterling added to his bloated stats against promoted teams, scoring his 15th goal in 18 Premier League contests against clubs that have jumped up a tier. But it was his work in the build-up to Chelsea’s other three goals that best exemplifies his progression with Pochettino and what the Argentine coach expects of the former PFA Young Player of the Year winner.

Sterling’s been most dangerous this season when he’s aggressive. He showed again Saturday that defenses still struggle to contain him when he challenges defenders directly, forcing them to commit while opening up space for teammates. He can also take matters into his own hands, just as he did when he bravely drove into the box and won a penalty. He consistently created chances against Burnley with quality passing and crosses, such as the one that led to Nicolas Jackson’s goal nine minutes after Sterling scored his third Premier League goal of the season.

After the game, Pochettino was over the moon with Sterling’s response to the omission from the national team. “The performance was fantastic and we go into the break with a different feeling. … (Raheem) knows he needs to perform and show the manager of the national team he’s wrong,” he told reporters, according to CBS Sports’ Ben Jacobs.

McTominay may have saved Ten Hag’s job

Manchester United were staring at a third home defeat in just eight days when Saturday’s match against Brentford hurtled toward second-half stoppage time.

Not even their eternally optimistic manager, Erik ten Hag, could have envisioned late substitute Scott McTominay scoring the goals that may yet change the course of United’s season.

McTominay has come up clutch this year, just not for his club. Scotland’s impressive World Cup qualifying campaign – which sees a self-deprecating football nation in the unusually lofty position of first place in a group featuring Spain and Erling Haaland’s Norway – owes a lot to McTominay’s recent scoring form.

Now, he’s inspired United at a time when hope has become a rare commodity.

His brace against Brentford – converted in the second and sixth minutes of second-half injury time – gives United a reason to believe heading into the international break. Imagine if McTominay hadn’t shown the opportunistic streak that his more attacking teammates, namely Marcus Rashford, have lacked in recent weeks. The Glazers would’ve likely faced the prospect of a mid-season firing, which they’ve historically loathed doing.

That’s not to say McTominay’s goals alone will save United from further pain. That would require an entire shift in tone. The fact remains that, for at least 90 minutes on Saturday, United once again struggled to get a meaningful return from upwards of 67% of possession against a team with one-fifth of their payroll. Individual mistakes from Casemiro, Victor Lindelof, and under-fire goalkeeper Andre Onana allowed Brentford to take a lead that they could then defend, and defend they did, allowing only four shots on target before the start of second-half injury time. Three of those shots came from outside the area.

But McTominay’s uplifting cameo should remind his team that United aren’t ever ones who fold, that there’s always time to turn things around. They’re now four points off the top four and face the same deficit in their Champions League group with 12 points still up for grabs.

“Just never give up no matter the situation,” McTominay said. “At this football club, it is demanded that you never throw the towel in. For me, I have been brought up here since I was five, I know that better than anyone.”

Quick free-kicks

Spurs unrecognizable from calamitous, error-prone past

In previous campaigns, Tottenham Hotspur wouldn’t have won. After many wasted chances and Yves Bissouma’s deserved second yellow card for diving, Spurs could’ve entered halftime at Luton Town convinced things weren’t going to go their way. But Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs are a different beast. James Maddison teed up Micky van de Ven – two excellent summer signings – for the game’s only goal, meaning Tottenham are now enjoying their best start to a season since their last league title in 1960-61. “Seems to be a situation where manager and players now consider themselves fortunate to be playing for the club and all have a point to prove,” former Premier League full-back Danny Higginbotham tweeted. “Too often in recent years it seemed that it was the other way round.”

Bournemouth’s issues run deep

There are few reasons to be positive about Andoni Iraola’s start to life as Bournemouth boss – especially when you consider how his predecessor, Gary O’Neil, is overperforming at Wolverhampton Wanderers. The Cherries have scored the fewest goals this season (five), and Saturday’s 3-0 defeat at Everton went some way to justifying Iraola’s belief that the defense is his biggest concern. Considering the club’s hasty decision to let O’Neil go and its £165-million outlay over the past two transfer windows, it seems unlikely that Iraola will be afforded the time needed to try to address Bournemouth’s considerable problems in defense and attack.

Best wishes to Bash

Sheffield United favorite Chris Basham faces a tough road back to professional football after suffering a horrific injury during his side’s 3-1 loss at Fulham. The 35-year-old, who was making his 394th appearance for the Blades, was about to deliver a cross when his standing leg gave way beneath him. The footage is unbearable to watch, and the match was stopped for 10 minutes while the center-back received treatment on his lower leg. Basham worked at McDonald’s after being released by Newcastle United as a teenager, but he then trod a remarkable path from non-league to Premier League that includes three promotions with Sheffield United.

Stat of the day

It was a comeback that even Sir Alex Ferguson can’t match.

Tweet of the day

More like Kennelworth Road.