10 big questions from a busy New Year's Day in the Premier League

theScore examines the most important Premier League developments from a packed New Year's Day slate.

Jahanbakhsh ready to soar?

Alireza Jahanbakhsh has a taste for goals. The Iranian attacker has struggled mightily to adapt to life in the Premier League since his £17-million move from AZ Alkmaar in 2018, but after breaking his Brighton duck on the weekend, he kept the good times rolling with a spectacular bicycle kick against Chelsea on Wednesday.

His acrobatic 84th-minute strike, which earned the Seagulls their first-ever league point against the Blues, is the (hilariously early) front-runner for goal of the year. We're only one day in, of course, but Jahanbakhsh's tally will take some beating.

"When I saw the ball, I just tried to hit it as hard as I could and the bicycle kick was the only option," he said post-match, according to the BBC. "I'm going to watch it a couple more times ... 2019 didn't go as well as I wanted. I tried to end the year as well as I could and I've started 2020 in the best way possible."

For a side that has 25 goals in 21 league outings this season, a hot Jahanbakhsh would prove a massive boost in 2020.

New center-backs for Chelsea?

If Chelsea aren't already making calls and scouring the market for help in central defense, they should be.

The Blues are free to make January signings after the Court of Arbitration for Sport reduced their FIFA-imposed transfer ban upon appeal. For a team that's conceded a worrying number of goals this season, the backline should be the focal point for Frank Lampard.

Defenders aren't solely responsible for a team's ability to keep clean sheets. Far from it. But simply having better players obviously helps. Aside from Antonio Rudiger, who himself is far from a bona fide star, Chelsea's center-backs are either too error-prone or too young to be considered foundational pieces right now.

Time to splash some cash, Frank.

Will Southampton and Watford survive?

Yes?

Ralph Hasenhuttl and Southampton seem to have righted the ship after a horrendous start to the campaign, shutting down Tottenham on Wednesday to record their third win in four matches - a stretch that also includes a victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Watford, meanwhile, are enjoying a purple patch of their own under Nigel Pearson. The Hornets are also unbeaten in four games, with a 2-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers lifting the relegation-threatened club to within one point of safety.

At the moment, Norwich City, Bournemouth, and Aston Villa all arguably look more likely to go down than either of these two resurgent sides.

Mourinho going 'full Jose' already?

It took just over a month, but the era of the cozier, more refined Jose Mourinho is already over.

After being cautioned during Wednesday's defeat to Southampton for leaving his technical area and appearing to sneak a peek at a coach's notes on the opposition bench, the Portuguese gaffer couldn't help but chime in with a pointed remark during his post-match interview.

He also openly voiced his annoyance with Tanguy Ndombele's injury issues after the French midfielder was forced off early at St Mary's Stadium. That will surely help a player who has thus far been unable to find a groove at his new club ...

Is Kane still a superstar?

Harry Kane's body appears to be breaking down.

Since making his Premier League debut with Spurs, the England captain has never recorded fewer than 3.8 shots per 90 minutes over a full domestic season; he topped out at a mammoth 5.4 shots during the 2017-18 campaign. But he's only managing 2.8 shots per 90 minutes this season, a rate matched by the likes of Lys Mousset and Jay Rodriguez. Not ideal.

Yes, the upheaval and general malaise at Tottenham has played a big role in his dip in production this season, but he just looks less explosive than ever before.

A series of ankle injuries has clearly taken its toll, and Kane could again be slated for an extended spell on the sidelines after limping out of Wednesday's contest with a hamstring issue. He's only 26 years old, but we might have to accept that the best years of Kane's career may already be behind him.

Could Howe be next to go?

Bournemouth supporters may deem this sacrilege, but it might be time for the Cherries to move on from long-serving manager Eddie Howe.

Wednesday's 4-0 hammering at the hands of David Moyes and West Ham marked Bournemouth's eighth loss in their last 10 matches, a run that includes just a single win. Incredibly, Howe and Co. have dropped into the relegation zone and now find themselves just a point above surging Watford.

When Howe assumed control at Bournemouth in 2008, the club was in financial disarray and staring down relegation from League Two. He's become a beloved figure at Dean Court after overseeing the subsequent rise up the ladder, which truly kicked off when he returned the club in 2012 following a brief interlude at Burnley.

But Howe, who not so long ago was heralded as England's next great manager, has failed to overcome an ungodly rash of injuries this season and hasn't gotten the best out a genuinely talented squad. After everything he's meant to Bournemouth over the last decade, how much leeway does he have if things continue to go south?

Remember Connor Wickham?

Fun fact of the day: The Crystal Palace striker scored his first Premier League goal since November 2016 on Wednesday, earning the Eagles a point against Norwich. His 85th-minute tally ended a run of 1,138 days without finding the net in England's top flight. It's been a while.

In fairness, he missed a large chunk of time after suffering a serious ACL injury in 2016 - not long after that aforementioned goal - and has seldom featured in the Premier League since. Still, it was a shock to see the 26-year-old's name on the scoresheet.

Where was United's New Year's Eve party?

Manchester United laid an egg in Wednesday's 2-0 loss to Arsenal, turning in an abysmal performance that lacked any semblance of intensity or creativity. If you didn't know any better, you'd think Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's players were coming off a late night ringing in the new decade.

After conceding in the eighth minute at the Emirates, the Red Devils mustered only two shots on target for the remainder of a match they were, at least in theory, chasing for some 82 minutes.

The look on Solskjaer's face after Fred ballooned a last-minute free-kick into the night sky said it all.

A shot at Unai Emery?

You be the judge ...

It's early, but Arsenal certainly look like a completely different team under Mikel Arteta, who is now on the board with his first victory in north London.

Who blinks first in the transfer window?

Chelsea looked limp against Brighton, ultimately squandering points, while Tottenham created nearly nothing versus Southampton and saw both Kane and Ndombele exit with injuries. Manchester United's squad is still woefully lacking in several areas, and Arsenal have a new manager who likely needs new (read: better) players to properly implement his vision at the club.

Fourth place in the Premier League is absolutely up for grabs, to say nothing of this season's non-traditional contenders. With the January transfer window officially underway and teams open for business, one has to assume someone is going to make a big splash in a bid to nab that coveted Champions League spot.