Here's Gooner Fanzine print writer Alan Alger on a trio of topics he noticed during Arsenal's stirring  3-1 victory over Manchester United on Sunday. 

Declan Rice adding goals is a great sign...

I've had the pleasure of watching Declan Rice for many seasons through work at West Ham and it always amazed me how a relatively young player seemed almost programmed to make the right decision and pass at any given moment.

His pass completion was up around the 90% region again and it was a certain kind of relief that the absence of Thomas Partey was not felt as much as usual with Rice taking up the slack. He almost singlehandedly dragged West Ham out of a relegation battle last season and also took them to glory on the continental front.

One thing he needed to add to his game were goals, and now he's at a bigger club with a more attacking mindset I had hoped that they would follow.

Well what a huge goal to open his Arsenal account. Expect him to keep up that ratio of 1 in 4 and land a huge total throughout the season.

Reiss Nelson's attitude is a great example...

Reiss Nelson is a lively addition to any line-up and he's just a perfect substitute option to have off the bench. Much the same way as Fabio Vieira, if Mikel Arteta gets the option to trust and blood these youngsters into line-ups and win matches at the same time, then it's an ideal way to build up the squad.

A squad that was classed as a little light after many departures in the transfer window added to the unfortunate injury of Thomas Partey as it closed.

Some might say it's easy to take a big wage at a huge club and be happy just to get minutes whenever you can, but Nelson (and indeed Vieira) will no doubt start pushing and giving Arteta the right kind of headaches. Both did so well off the bench to integrate and keep driving the team forward.

In a season without the luxury of squad changes in the Europa League, you would hope that both grab their chances at Brentford in the League Cup - knowing that starts will be rare.

Block out the noise and carry on...

I think most fans would concede that we've not been at our best this season as we adapt to changes in the squad and any hangover from being caught at the top in the spring.

The Fulham game was disappointing but an overall haul of 10 points from four games as we enter an 'International break' is perfectly acceptable and well on target to keep in the top four - and to be there if the juggernaut of City slip up. It was interesting to see how poor Manchester United were and to have lost to them would have been a travesty.

The time-wasting from early on in the game was a huge embarrassment to the history of a great club.

Contrast the ongoing rebuild and attitude around the Emirates with a team that have no identity and a crumbling Old Trafford stadium. Things really aren't that bad.