WEEK 5 of the Premier League season was reassuringly entertaining and even offered up interesting clues as to how the season could develop.

Preseason predictions mainly argued for a two-horse races between Manchester City and Liverpool but this weekend suggests there could be more to it than that.

Depending on your perspective, it was either a thrilling display from the game’s biggest names setting the scene for a multi-pronged title fight — or a depressing validation of the competition’s unbreakable class system, where the rich get rich and the poor get relegated.

But the week’s only just started, so let’s be positive …

Liverpool were too good for Tottenham in the early kick-off, with only misplaced passes and some errant finishing stopping Jurgen Klopp’s men from running riot at White Hart Lane. Prematch concerns about Spurs’ sluggishness were confirmed, particularly with Harry Kane. The World Cup Golden Boot winner only managed 22 touches throughout the 90 minutes, and the support offered to the striker was just as worrisome.

Mauricio Pochettino’s choice to play a back four instead of three ended up creating more space for the visitors in midfield, which was duly exploited. With five wins to start the season without hitting their explosive best, Liverpool look serious this season — but with two consecutive defeats already, Spurs could already be out of it — and it’s not even October.

Down in London, Maurizio Sarri appeared to continue his fairy tale start to life in Chelsea. If the World Cup really is behind Harry Kane’s troubles, perhaps he should talk to Eden Hazard. The Belgian bagged a classy hat-trick in an almost unplayable performance against Cardiff — but the headlines put a gloss on a team performance that was not quite as dominant. Neil Warnock’s visitors were unsurprisingly direct and intense, pressuring the hosts into early mistakes and some sloppy defending for Bamba’s fine volley to open the scoring.

Of course, a player like Hazard always has the capacity to tear a hole but stronger opposition won’t give him the time or space. It has been an exceptional start by Chelsea but the real test comes at the end of the month when they face Liverpool twice in a row.

Elsewhere in London, Watford’s perfect start came to an end against a Manchester United side that again showed glimpses of what they could be. Jose Mourinho unleashed a towering midfield of Pogba, Fellini and Matic, all over six foot — with Lukaku, Lingard and Sanchez leading the line. There was 15 minutes before half-time when United buzzed and threatened at every touch of the ball, with Pogba in one of his good moods. It was almost heartwarming to watch United like this again, like seeing your grandad dancing at a family wedding.

There once was a time a Mourinho side 2-0 would mean job done, feet up, put the kettle on. But they couldn’t keep it up and Watford proved their class by fighting their way back into the competition. The hosts will take heart from that display, just as United can be happy with back-to-back wins. It wasn’t title-winning stuff — but it was the same kind of performance that took them to second place last season.

Champions Manchester City enjoyed an afternoon stroll against an otherwise promising Fulham side who were just simply not at the races. Pep Guardiola’s team are like a steamroller attached to the front of an F1 car — there is simply no escape. As early as the second minute Fernandino seized on an errant pass and delivered a pass that Leroy Sane only had to touch to score.

With Fulham having to chase the game already, they could have pretty much called it a day then. Perhaps that was the reason for some of City’s uncharacteristic errors — a misplaced pass here, a wasted opportunity there. Guardiola pointed to Bernardo Silva’s miss as a reason for frustration on a day when City were on another planet to their opposition. But mark your calendar for October 8 — the day City visit Anfield.

HIGHLIGHTS
Bournemouth’s 4-2 rout of Leicester — Eddie Howe’s team have made a very promising start to the season, with 10 points from five games. That’s the kind of platform the Cherries need to maintain their place as the smallest side in the Premier League.

Relief at last for West Ham — Having spent roughly $200 million on new players, four defeats to start the season wasn’t what Manuel Pellegrini had in mind. But West Ham got off the mark against Everton and showed some signs that things could turn around. Although, that might come after they’ve played Man United and Chelsea …

LOWLIGHTS
Come on Burnley! The Clarets are bottom of the table, without a win and having conceded 10 goals. Last season’s surprise package look like this season’s unwanted delivery.

In fact, the whole bottom three makes for unpleasant viewing. Rafa Benitez’s Newcastle and David Wagner’s Huddersfield have both sunk like stones. All three are teams that, in one way or another, are fighting to escape the limitations of their stature.