Premier League

It was a big day at both ends of the Premier League as Nottingham Forest beat relegation rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa boosted their UEFA Champions League chances with a win over 18th-placed West Ham United.

Spurs remain just a point above their London neighbours, after suffering a 3-0 home defeat against Forest, which ensured Igor Tudor’s side are now 13 league games without a win.

Elsewhere, Sunderland recorded an historic 2-1 win at rivals Newcastle United with a stirring second-half comeback at St James' Park.

Forest secured a big win for their hopes of avoiding relegation with a vital victory at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Tudor is still searching for his first Premier League win since taking interim charge at Spurs as their winless league run in 2026 continued.

That result, allied with Villa's 2-0 home win over West Ham, sees Forest leapfrog Spurs and move three points clear of West Ham in the battle to avoid the drop.

With Spurs boss Tudor absent from media duties for personal reasons, coach Bruno Saltor gave the post-match analysis: "It hurts us, it is painful, really painful, but the fans were outstanding today - from before the game until the end of the game," he said.

"We need to carry on because we care, we care for Spurs, we are family and want to get out of this situation. I am 100 per cent sure we can get through this situation."

Forest’s Igor Jesus had narrowly avoided an own goal when he headed against his own post early on but he struck a vital blow at the right end when he headed in Neco Williams’ corner at the far post on the stroke of half-time.

The visitors added a second through Morgan Gibbs-White’s effort after a darting run down the left from Callum Hudson-Odoi on 62 minutes.

Watch: Gibbs-White's crucial goal v Spurs

Substitute Taiwo Awoniyi capped a memorable afternoon for Vitor Pereira’s side in the 87th minute when he volleyed in a brilliant cross from Williams at the far post.

With that delivery, Williams became only the fourth defender this season to register two or more assists in a single Premier League game.

Elliot Anderson also excelled for Forest, creating the most chances (three), completing more passes (38), winning possession more often (nine) and making more tackles (six) than any of his team-mates.

Watch: Pereira's post-match celebrations

Speaking afterwards, Pereira, who claimed his first league win as Forest head coach, hailed the spirit of his team, saying: "They have the spirit to face this kind of game. It is not just about this game, it is about the next seven games and we need to have this personality.

"We are alive, we are committed and we are ready to fight."

At Villa Park, Unai Emery’s men struck early when a cleverly worked free-kick culminated in John McGinn finishing beautifully from the edge of the area.

Watch: McGinn's pinpoint finish

West Ham were fortunate not to have been further behind at the break. Konstantinos Mavropanos bravely cleared off the line from Morgan Rogers while VAR overturned Paul Tierney’s decision to award Villa a penalty after Mavropanos had challenged Ollie Watkins.

Villa's second came when Watkins seized on the rebound after Mads Hermansen had saved Rogers’ initial effort in the 68th minute.

On the result, Watkins said: “It’s massive for us with it being the last game going into the international break and all the teams around us playing before and them dropping points. We knew the job in hand and we have taken it and maximised our opportunity to try and get into the Champions League places."

Next up for West Ham in the Premier League is a huge home match against bottom side Wolverhampton Wanderers.

A second-half turnaround with goals from Chemsdine Talbi and Brian Brobbey saw the Black Cats leapfrog Eddie Howe’s side in the Premier League table.

Sunderland, who beat Newcastle in the reverse fixture earlier in the season, are now 11 matches unbeaten against the Magpies, the longest undefeated sequence by either side in the history of this fixture.

Sunday's derby started in the worst possible way for Sunderland when Melker Ellborg and Luke O’Nien gifted possession to Nick Woltemade after 10 minutes, and he found Anthony Gordon, who clinically punished the mistake.

It was Gordon's 10th goal across all competitions for Newcastle in 2026, with only Chelsea’s Joao Pedro (11) netting more among Premier League players this year.

The Magpies were made to regret not building on their lead when Sunderland levelled early in the second half. Aaron Ramsdale was unable to get enough distance on a punch from a corner and Talbi smashed in the loose ball after Dan Burn had blocked Habib Diarra’s initial effort.

Newcastle thought they had regained the lead when Malick Thiaw headed in Hall’s corner, but the goal was disallowed, with Jacob Murphy in an offside position and impeding Ellborg’s view.

Then Brobbey dramatically struck his sixth goal of the season, converting Enzo Le Fee’s cross from close range after Ramsdale had saved his initial effort.

Watch: Brobbey's dramatic LATE winner

Timed at 89 minutes and 45 seconds, it was the latest winning goal in this fixture in Premier League history, sparking wild celebrations in the stands and at the final whistle.

Tottenham Hotspur vs Nottingham Forest Match Preview & Report | 2025/2026  Premier League

Football writer Adrian Clarke identifies the key players, team tactics and where matches could be won and lost in Matchweek 31.

Team analysis: Tottenham Hotspur v Nottingham Forest

A huge ‘six-pointer’

When Nottingham Forest accrued 65 points to finish seventh last season, their highest position since 1995, few would have expected a nervy fight for Premier League safety less than a year on.

The same, of course, applies to UEFA Europa League holders Spurs, who have spent just one season (1977/78) outside of the top flight since 1950.

Yet, here we are.

Separated by a solitary point, and both staring down the barrel of relegation, nerves will be frayed when they face one another in Matchweek 31.

Finding a way to win this pivotal contest is absolutely imperative for both clubs.

Spurs, winless in 12 Premier League matches in 2026, have collected just two victories since 26 October – and have won on home turf just twice all season.

But they did record a morale-boosting 3-2 victory over Atletico Madrid in midweek, giving Tudor his first win as Spurs head coach.

Just a point behind them, outside the relegation zone on goal difference ahead of fast-improving West Ham United, are Nottingham Forest.

Vitor Pereira, their fourth permanent head coach of the season, is looking for his first league win at the fifth attempt.

But like Spurs, Forest will bring some confidence into this contest after beating Midtjylland 2-1 on Thursday night and qualifying for the Europa League quarter-finals following a penalty shootout triumph.

With the rejuvenated Hammers winning four of their last nine matches and in great form, this league fixture feels like a "must-win" for both teams.

Spurs and Forest's remaining PL fixtures

MW Spurs Forest 31 NFO (H) TOT (A) 32 SUN (A) AVL (H) 33 BHA (H) BUR (H) 34 WOL (A) SUN (A) 35 AVL (A) CHE (A) 36 LEE (H) NEW (H) 37 CHE (A) MUN (A) 38 EVE (H) BOU (H)

Can Richarlison save Spurs?

He has started fewer than half of Spurs’ top-flight games, yet Richarlison has still scored more than double the number of goals (nine) than any team-mate.

All non-penalty strikes, only three Premier League forwards have scored as often, at a faster rate than the Brazilian.

How Richarlison's minutes per goal rate compares*

Player Mins/goal Erling Haaland 109.91 Igor Thiago 134.95 Benjamin Sesko 145.89 Richarlison 159.67 Joao Pedro 160.36

*Minimum nine non-penalty goals

Crucially, the 28-year-old has previous experience of relegation battles.

Back in 2021/22, he scored six goals in the last nine matches to help save Everton from the drop.

His last-minute equaliser at home to Leicester City, a self-made winner against Chelsea, and his precious equaliser in the 3-2 comeback win against Crystal Palace, have assured Richarlison a place in Merseyside folklore.

With those under-pressure contributions on his CV, and two goals in his last three appearances helping matters, Tudor will surely start the Brazil international against Forest.

From a tactical perspective it will be fascinating to see if Tudor uses Richarlison as part of a front two, alongside Randal Kolo Muani. Fellow forward Dominic Solanke is an injury doubt due to a hip injury.

His 4-4-2 worked well at Anfield last time out, when 21.3 per cent of Spurs’ passes were long; a figure way above their season average of 12 per cent.

Their equaliser stemmed from a long punt forward from 'keeper Guglielmo Vicario for Kolo Muani, who set up Richarlison to score, as you can see in the image below.

They will have far more possession this weekend against counter-attacking Forest, but going direct is an option they can certainly turn to.

In a campaign where Spurs' strikers have consistently struggled to be available, Richarlison has been their chief goal threat.

Offering a physical presence, and a knack for getting on the end of big chances, the Brazilian has to be a shoo-in to start on Sunday.

Spurs attacking stats 2025/26

Shots Shots inside the box Richarlison 44 Richarlison 40 Simons 36 Tel 17 Kudus 26 Kudus 16

Big chances Chances created in open play Richarlison 12 Richarlison 94 Kolo Muani 5 Kudus 57 Odobert 4 Kolo Muani 54

Scroll across on mobile to see the full table

Why have Forest’s goals dried up?

Scoring just 28 times, Nottingham Forest have blanked in 14 of their 30 matches so far; an unwanted Premier League high.

For obvious reasons, Chris Wood’s prolonged absence has been keenly felt.

The New Zealander, who netted 20 league goals last season, scored twice early on in the campaign but has been out since mid-October.

His replacement, Igor Jesus, has netted just twice in 29 appearances.

Across their last seven, winless top-flight matches, Forest have actually peppered the opposition goal with 111 shots; the fourth-highest number during this period.

Forest attacking stats ranked this season

Stats Total (PL rank) Games played 7 Shots 11 (4th) Shots on target 26.1% (17th) Shot conversion rate 4.5% (20th) xG per shot 0.07 (20th)

Scoring from just five of those attempts, it has been a story of high volume but low quality when it comes to chance creation and finishing.

An xG per shot of just 0.07 (ranked 20th) highlights a dearth of clear-cut opportunities, so their 4.5 per cent conversion rate - also a division-wide low during the last seven matches – is no surprise.

Taking too many hopeful shots from outside the box has been an issue.

Across 2025/26, Forest’s 155 attempts from 18+ yards ranks them fourth in the division, but just 2.58 per cent of those have found the back of the net (four).

Recently, at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers and Liverpool, they attempted a combined 30 shots from long distance, failing to score in either match.

With attacking midfielders, wingers and full-backs creating very little in terms of big chances, there has been an air of desperation.

Forest's average shots outside the box

Matchweeks Shots outside the box/match 1-23 4.34 24-30 7.85

Looking at it a different way, shooting from long range could bear fruit, for both sides, at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Vicario has conceded 11 times from outside the box, and has the second-worst save percentage in that department of the 33 goalkeepers used this season.

Forest stoppers Matz Sels, and John Victor, have also struggled to keep out long shots this season.

Goalkeepers in the PL long-shot saves compared

Goals conceded outside box Lowest save % shots outside box Vicario (TOT) 11 Victor (NFO) 0% Sels (NFO) 7 Vicario (TOT) 64.52% Donnarumma (MCI) 7 Bayindir (MUN) 66.67% Verbruggen (BHA) 7 Raya (ARS) 68.42% Petrovic (BOU) 7 Johnstone (WOL) 68.42%

What tactics will the managers deploy?

Vitor Pereira’s pre-match preparations will be difficult, as he cannot be sure which formation Spurs will deploy.

Tudor has used three shapes in four Premier League games in charge; which becomes five differing systems in six matches when you add the 3-4-3 and 4-2-3-1 used across the two legs against Atletico Madrid.

Tudor’s formations

Match Formation Spurs 1-4 Arsenal 3-5-2 Fulham 2-1 Spurs 4-4-2 Spurs 1-3 Crystal Palace 3-4-2-1 Liverpool 1-1 Spurs 4-4-2

Having lost all three matches when starting with a three-man rearguard, four at the back is the likely choice.

With Richarlison and Kolo Muani available, 4-4-2 is the front runner, especially on the back of an encouraging 1-1 draw at Liverpool.

After impressing in a 3-2 success against Atletico Madrid in midweek, Xavi Simons will also come under consideration as a No 10.

If he is included in the starting XI in his favoured role, Tudor will opt for 4-2-3-1.

Pereira has mixed up his tactical approach since taking over at the City Ground too, switching to a back three against Manchester City and Midtjylland.

Yet 4-2-3-1 is his go-to formation, and that will effectively match up with their opponents’ style.

Forest will certainly encounter a fitter, more industrious side than the one they swept aside 3-0 in December on home turf.

Under Thomas Frank, Spurs ran 105.36km that day, but since Tudor came in their athleticism has increased greatly.

Three of Spurs’ top five distances covered have come under the Croat, with the other match impacted by a 38th-minute red card.

Spurs' distance covered in four Premier League matches under Tudor

Opponent Distance ran (km) Liverpool 117.82 Fulham 116.10 Arsenal 113.34 Crystal Palace* 105.33 Average under Frank 108.63

*Played with 10 men from 38th minute

Can Gibbs-White galvanise Forest?

Whenever talismanic No 10 Morgan Gibbs-White ticks, Forest look a significantly better side.

Likely to sit behind Igor Jesus as a central attacking midfielder, Pereira’s side will look to get the 26-year-old onto the ball as often as possible.

Creatively, Gibbs-White has been disappointing this season, creating just three big chances and managing only two assists.

In 2024/25, he laid on 10 big chances and produced eight assists.

That said, the England international still tops the Forest rankings in all the attacking metrics.

Forest attacking stats 2025/26

Shots Goals Morgan Gibbs-White 64 Morgan Gibbs-White 8 Igor Jesus 53 Callum Hudson-Odoi 3 Elliot Anderson 36 Five players 2

Big chances Chances created in open play Morgan Gibbs-White 11 Morgan Gibbs-White 41 Chris Wood 4 Callum Hudson-Odoi 37 Igor Jesus 4 Neco Williams 27

Scroll across on mobile to see the full table

Scoring two headers, one strike from outside the box, from a superb forward run against Aston Villa, and a brilliant back heel at Man City, the attacking midfielder’s range of finishing has been impressive.

Scoring one more goal than he did last season, with eight matches left, Gibbs-White delivered for his side when they needed goals from him.

The question is, will he be Forest’s matchwinner on Sunday afternoon?

With the stakes incredibly high, and the pressure mounting for both clubs, it will be an afternoon where key players on both sides will be expected to step up.

Football writer Alex Keble analyses where this weekend's fixtures could be won and lost, including:

- Can Nuno mastermind another victory against Guardiola?

- Can Timber and Saka find a way past a stubborn Everton defence?

- Will Villa exorcise their demons – or is this the weekend they drop out of the top five?

- Can Tudor’s Spurs react positively after midweek defeat?

- Will explosive Newcastle bring out Chelsea’s more chaotic side?

- Will Palace’s improving form leave Leeds looking over their shoulder again?

- Can Brentford take advantage of a kind run to consolidate seventh?

- Can Pereira finally get a league win before crunch match at Spurs?

- Can Sunderland stay “humble” and put Port Vale defeat behind them?

- Will Bournemouth end up regretting their promoted-club record?

Can Nuno mastermind another victory against Guardiola?

Pep Guardiola will be wary of the threat a Nuno Espirito Santo team can cause. He’s been burnt before.

Nuno has won four of his 13 matches against Guardiola, with only Jurgen Klopp (five) winning more league games against Guardiola in his top-flight career.

That statistic ought to embolden the West Ham United team, who will hope for another Nuno masterclass: a deep block and a counter-attacking set-up that can do a number on Manchester City again.

Most recently, Nuno’s Nottingham Forest won 1-0 in March 2025 with a smash-and-grab result at the City Ground. He also did the double over City as Wolverhampton Wanderers manager in 2019/20, and won 1-0 with Tottenham Hotspur in north London in August 2021.

Forest 1-0 Man City, March 2025 - xG map

Every game was similar in tone, so we know how the pattern of Saturday’s encounter will go. If the result is familiar it will go down as one of the biggest results of the season – at both ends of the table.

Can Timber and Saka find a way past a stubborn Everton defence?

This looks like exactly the kind of fixture that will make fans nervous; that could drag on for a while at 0-0 and prove another big test of Arsenal’s mettle.

Only Arsenal (nine) have won more Premier League away games this season than Everton (seven), who have won four of their last five on the road, at least partly because David Moyes prefers playing the kind of defensive football that could slow Arsenal down and make them reliant on corners.

The trouble is, only three Premier League teams have conceded fewer set-piece goals this season than Everton (six). If the Toffees sit tight in their mid-block 4-4-2, create a suffocating atmosphere, and hold firm at corners, they can feed off the rising tension inside Emirates Stadium.

For Arsenal to win the match they might need to lean heavily on their right side, where the combinations between Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber have looked dangerous of late.

It was Timber’s overlapping runs that caused all the problems in the reverse fixture, and although it took a Viktor Gyokeres penalty for Arsenal to win 1-0, Timber and Saka got into good positions on many occasions.

With Eberechi Eze likely to be squeezed out centrally, this is Arsenal’s best path to victory.

Will Villa exorcise their demons – or is this the weekend they drop out of the top five?

Aston Villa supporters never look forward to this fixture. The club’s record at Old Trafford reads two wins in 37 league games.

Their record runs so deep that the vast majority of Villa supporters were not at all surprised by the final-day defeat last May, when Villa lost out on a place in the UEFA Champions League despite Manchester United’s poor form and UEFA Europa League final defeat days earlier.

It would not surprise them, either, if Man Utd were once again the obstacle that gets in the way of Champions League football.

Defeat on Sunday could mean Villa drop out of the Premier League top five for the first time since late November, signalling, perhaps, that their slide (making it two wins in 10) is set to go on for a while yet.

Of course, a more optimistic angle is to say Villa have a rare opportunity to exorcise their demons. The pain of that 2-0 defeat at Old Trafford still lingers, but it won’t if Villa get their first win on this ground since September 2021, jumping three points above Michael Carrick’s side in the process.

Can Tudor’s Spurs react positively after midweek defeat?

Spurs' 5-2 defeat at Atletico Madrid in the Champions League made it four defeats from four under Igor Tudor and six consecutive losses in all competitions for the first time in Spurs’ entire history.

However, it’s important that Spurs focus on the positives, namely that they remain one point above the relegation zone.

They have also won 66 per cent of their Premier League points away from home (19/29) this season and could be galvanised by a trip to Anfield that allows them to focus on Tudor’s principles.

Not unlike Antonio Conte, Tudor wants his teams to press aggressively but remain defensively robust, usually with three centre-backs in the side.

Arguably that kind of football will work best against the elite clubs, especially if those teams, like Liverpool, are in patchy form.

A huge game in front of a raucous crowd could be just what Spurs need to play with fire in their bellies – and pull off a result that could radically alter the trajectory of their season.

Will explosive Newcastle bring out Chelsea’s more chaotic side?

The most entertaining game of the weekend could be at Stamford Bridge, where Chelsea often get dragged into wild end-to-end contests during this period of adaptation to Liam Rosenior’s football.

The central idea is control: since Rosenior took charge, Chelsea have had more sequences of 10+ open-play passes than any other side in the Premier League (173), and they are averaging 21.6 per game under Rosenior, compared to 14.0 before his arrival this season.

But dictating the tempo means Chelsea players are often spread expansively around the pitch, leaving them vulnerable to more explosive pressing sides able to pinch the ball and transition quickly into the final third. That is exactly how Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United side play.

Newcastle have avoided defeat in five of their last seven Premier League games against Chelsea (three wins, two draws and two losses), which will fill them with confidence, as will looking at Chelsea’s recent results: there have been 18 goals in their last three games, including five goals against.

Whatever the outcome it should be a lot of fun - for neutrals, at least.

Will Palace’s improving form leave Leeds looking over their shoulder again?

Crystal Palace have won three of their last five Premier League games, as many as they had in their previous 14, suggesting Oliver Glasner’s side have well and truly turned a corner.

Leeds United may rue their luck at the timing of this fixture, because not only are Palace back on their feet but Daniel Farke’s side are on a run of four league games without a win. It all points towards a result that could plunge Leeds back into trouble.

With so much focus on Spurs, Leeds’ situation has gone a little under the radar, outside the club that is. They are only three points above West Ham in 18th now, and with 40 points looking likely to be the benchmark for safety Leeds may require another three wins from their final nine matches.

In better news, the 3-0 victory against Norwich City in the FA Cup may have provided a psychological boost, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin – who has scored just one goal in his last eight in all competitions – has scored more goals against Palace (seven) than any other side, including a brace in Leeds’ 4-1 win in the reverse fixture.

Calvert-Lewin xG map

Can Brentford take advantage of a kind run to consolidate seventh?

“I think it’s right that players, to a point, and staff, to a point, but definitely fans need to be dreaming about what is possible,” Keith Andrews told Hounslow Herald last week when asked about the possibility of European football.

“We want to achieve as much as we can achieve really by just keeping going. I don’t really like to set targets.”

Andrews wants to take it one game at a time, then, but he appears to have given fans permission to dream. And why shouldn’t they?

Not only are Brentford a point clear in seventh, and four points clear in the top eight (which could be the European places this season), but they have a nice run of matches coming up, starting with the visit of bottom club Wolves.

After that they play Leeds, Everton, Fulham, Man Utd and West Ham: all very inviting, aside from the trip to Old Trafford.

Then again, Wolves have won their last two Premier League games. There are no easy matches at this level, but Brentford have a real opportunity to consolidate their place in the table.

Can Pereira finally get a Premier League win before crunch match at Spurs?

As tension mount at the bottom there is a growing sense that Vitor Pereira simply must pick up his first three points as Forest head coach this weekend.

That’s because what follows is a crunch match against Spurs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium: a six-pointer that could end up deciding which of the two clubs, both playing European competition this season, will spend next season in the Championship.

Going into that match with some momentum would help, but so too would arriving in London without a four-game winless run in the Premier League hanging over them.

Forest have to see Fulham at home as a winnable game.

Marco Silva’s side have been superb this season but they are often stumped by low blocks.

Their possession-centric philosophy (only Man City, Chelsea, and Liverpool are averaging more successful passes per game than Fulham’s 400 this season) can look a little flat when they come up against a defensive set-up that lets them hold onto the ball.

West Ham and Leeds have both beaten Fulham this calendar year. Forest will feel they have to grab this opportunity with both hands.

Can Sunderland stay “humble” and put Port Vale defeat behind them?

Sunderland will be keen to make sure the 1-0 defeat to Port Vale in the FA Cup is not a turning point in their season. They must recover as quickly as possible, as Granit Xhaka has said this week.

“We need to stay humble, we know where we’ve come from,” Xhaka told the Sunderland club website, reflecting on hitting the 40-point mark last Matchweek.

“Our target was 40 points. When you achieve the first one, you want more. In this team, we feel that we have the hunger to want more this year.”

Xhaka’s reference to staying “humble” most likely refers to the possibility that Sunderland, like so many teams before them, may find themselves declining slightly now that season targets are met and subsidiary targets, like the FA Cup, are no longer in sight.

Regis Le Bris and his captain Xhaka are clearly determined to avoid that familiar pitfall, starting with Saturday’s visit of Brighton & Hove Albion.

Will Bournemouth end up regretting their promoted-club record?

AFC Bournemouth are unbeaten in their last nine Premier League matches, a record that has reignited their hopes of European football, although Andoni Iraola’s side remain three points shy of Everton in eighth with nine games to go.

If they do miss out, then Iraola and the Bournemouth fans will know where they went wrong. The Cherries have drawn three and lost one of their four Premier League games against promoted teams this season.

That could yet haunt them, and it almost certainly will if they can’t get three points this weekend at Turf Moor, where Burnley are without a win in 10 league games.

Tottenham Hotspur striker Dominic Solanke has won the February 2026 Adobe Express Creative Moment of the Month award.

From incredible assists to moments of magic, the Creative Moment of the Month award celebrates the best moments of creativity in the Premier League.

Solanke wins the award for his spectacular “scorpion kick” goal in Spurs’ 2-2 draw against Manchester City on 1 February, his second goal of the game.

Watch: Solanke's Adobe Express Creative Moment of the Month

The move takes its name from the way the player’s leg resembles a scorpion’s tail when striking the ball.

A feat of acrobatic intuition, the rarity of scorpion-kick goals makes them all the more memorable. Examples such as Olivier Giroud for Arsenal against Crystal Palace and Henrikh Mkhitaryan for Manchester United against Sunderland are regarded as stand-out instances in the Premier League.

It was one of five moments of creativity from February shortlisted for the award, which was voted for by Premier League fans.

Now, we're inviting you to show your own creativity. Start by checking out the Premier League Templates in Adobe Express.

Alex Keble reviews Tuesday night's UEFA Champions League last-16, first-leg ties featuring Liverpool, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur.

Newcastle United 1-1 Barcelona

Lamine Yamal’s last-gasp penalty for Barcelona broke Newcastle United hearts at St James’ Park, denying the home side a famous victory.

For so long Newcastle looked set to pull it off, following a battling performance led by the brilliant Lewis Hall, who kept Yamal quiet and led a flurry of late pressure that eventually told when a superb cross from Jacob Murphy found Harvey Barnes, who guided the ball into the corner to send the home fans into delirium.

Yamal cancelled it out with the last kick of the game, but when the dust settles Newcastle will feel quietly confident they can finish the job at Camp Nou next week.

After a chaotic early period the match settled into a pattern of Barcelona probing with the ball and Newcastle counter-attacking at every opportunity down both flanks – a strategy that bodes well for the second leg.

Barcelona will push even further forward on home ground, leaving even more space behind their high line.

They had plenty of encouragement this evening. That could continue next week – and could yet lead to a place in the quarter-finals.

Before they fly off to Spain they must travel to Chelsea on Saturday in the league.

See: Newcastle report

Galatasaray 1-0 Liverpool

A repeat of Liverpool’s 1-0 defeat at Galatasaray in the League Phase back in September has left Arne Slot’s side with it all to do, although they will back themselves to turn things around at Anfield next Wednesday, with the Turkish club's fans banned for the return leg.

Galatasaray always make it difficult on home turf and this was no different. The have only lost two of their 22 home matches in the knockout stages of the European Cup/UEFA Champions League, last tasting defeat in 1973.

It was a deserved win for the hosts in an end-to-end 90 minutes filled with chances – the majority for Galatasaray – and two disallowed goals, one for each side.

Former Southampton and Fulham midfielder Mario Lemina scored the only goal in the seventh minute, meeting a Victor Osimhen header from a corner to stun the Premier League side. It was the 12th time this season in all competitions that Liverpool had lost after conceding the opener, matching their 2015/16 total.

It will have left Slot disappointed, but he will back his players to get the job done in front of only Liverpool fans. After all, Anfield under the lights has provided some of the greatest Champions League nights in the competition’s history.

"I don't think it's possible that if I look at the last two games that so many things can go against us as happened in the last two games, although sometimes I question that if I look at this season," Slot said. "But things will be more normal in a home game for us. And I also think we can improve our performance and that, with the help of our fans, has to lead to a big game in a week."

Before then, they have a chance to return to winning ways at home to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

See: Liverpool report

Atletico Madrid 5-2 Tottenham Hotspur

Igor Tudor’s difficult start at Tottenham Hotspur continued as his team fell to a 5-2 defeat at Atletico Madrid.

Spurs suffered a horror opening quarter of an hour, conceding three goals in the space of nine minutes.

Antonin Kinsky, selected in goal in place of Guglielmo Vicario, was at fault for the first and third goals and was replaced by Vicario in the 17th minute. In between, Micky Van de Ven suffered an unfortunate slip to allow Antoine Griezmann to make it 2-0.

Vicario was unable to stop a fourth goal from Atletico in the 22nd minute but Spurs pulled one back four minutes later through Pedro Porro.

The youngest-ever Spurs XI in their Champions League knockout history, at 25 years and 24 days, recovered well and almost scored the first goal after the break, only for Atleti’s Julian Alvarez to add the fifth mere seconds after Richarlison’s header had been saved.

Dominic Solanke scored late on to keep Spurs in the tie. They will require a comeback akin to that famous night at Ajax in the semi-final in 2019, when a three-goal deficit was overturned.

See: Spurs report

Arsenal, Chelsea and City in action

Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City will hope for more success in the last 16 on Wednesday night.

Arsenal travel to Bayer Leverkusen in the early 17:30 GMT kick-off, before Paris Saint-Germain host Chelsea and Real Madrid entertain City, both at 20:00.

See: How results affected England's coefficient standings

See also

Spurs team news: Porro returns, Solanke starts  Premier League

Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur | 2025/2026 | Premier League | Overview  Premier League

Football writer Alex Keble analyses where this weekend's fixtures could be won and lost, including:

- Will set-pieces help Arsenal breathe easier?

- Will Pep's narrow front three struggle against Leeds' midfield?

- Can Nuno get another Anfield result to alter the relegation battle?

- What will happen to Spurs if Tudor loses his second match?

- Can Howe turn Newcastle's form around before a crucial run of tough games?

- Do Burnley need to beat Brentford to keep safety hopes alive?

- Will Pereira's new tactics play into Brighton's hands?

- Can Carrick's magic touch help Man Utd best their bogey team?

- How does Le Bris raise Sunderland's energy levels for the run-in?

Will set-pieces help Arsenal breathe easier?

An emphatic victory over Tottenham Hotspur last weekend, defined by the fluency of their attacking football, was exactly what Arsenal needed to reset following the 2-2 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers. Now, after enjoying a rare midweek break, Mikel Arteta’s side will be hoping they can put some difficult results behind them.

But it’s not that straightforward. Arsenal have won just four of their nine Premier League matches in 2026, and what they enjoyed about facing Spurs – the space given to them in the second half – might not feature when Chelsea visit on Sunday.

Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior is a pragmatist - and he will know that Brentford and Wolves provided the template to follow. The tension could again return at Emirates Stadium.

However, there is a statistical mismatch that should allow Arsenal supporters to exhale.

Chelsea, whose defence will be weakened without the suspended Wesley Fofana, have a higher Expected Goals Conceded (xGC) from set-pieces (14.05) than any other Premier League team this season, while Arsenal of course top the charts for Expected Goals (xG) with 14.08 and goals scored (17) from dead-ball situations.

Notably, Arsenal have scored just two set-piece goals across the five Premier League games they have failed to win in 2026. If they can get back in their groove in this regard, Arsenal can start putting strings of wins together again.

Will Pep's narrow front three struggle against Leeds' midfield?

Should Arsenal’s set-piece prowess shine through at the Emirates, we might discover that, contrary to expectations, Manchester City have the tougher assignment this weekend. They travel to Elland Road to play a powerful and resilient Leeds United side already set up to block Man City’s new favourite route to goal.

Over the last four Premier League matches, Pep Guardiola has deployed an ultra-narrow front three who alternate dropping deep to get on the ball, a system shift that has seen Man City attack through the centre more than ever before, as the change in their average positions since Matchweek 25 shows.

Click right to compare MW1-24 with MW25-27

This could make Man City too congested for a game like this one. Leeds are very good at funnelling everything out wide, losing just two of their last 16 matches in all competitions thanks to a 3-5-2 formation that packs three centre-backs and three central midfielders into that middle column of the pitch.

Guardiola has told reporters his new formation is solely out of necessity; a reaction to having so few fit wingers in his squad. That means the system is likely to stay - no matter how well-equipped Leeds are to handle it.

Can Nuno get another Anfield result to alter the relegation battle?

West Ham United have won 11 points from their last six Premier League games and yet this doesn’t even capture the true extent of their revival.

They really should have won eight more points from their last six, given they conceded a stoppage-time equaliser against Manchester United, blew a 2-0 lead at Chelsea, and failed to score in a 0-0 draw with AFC Bournemouth despite amassing an xG of 2.82.

It goes without saying West Ham cannot keep winning fewer points than their performances deserve. It is simply too late in the season for that.

A big win at Anfield is exactly what the Hammers need to change their luck and restore the self-belief required to turn good displays into points.

Head coach Nuno Espirito Santo will be quietly confident. His tactical approach to games like these – sit deep, absorb pressure, hit the opposition high line on the counter-attack – tends to work against Liverpool.

Last season, Nuno's Nottingham Forest side beat Liverpool 1-0 at Anfield in September and then held the eventual champions 1-1 at the City Ground in January, doing so with 31 per cent and 29 per cent possession respectively.

If West Ham put in a classic Nuno performance, they can also win at Anfield, re-energising and refocusing them for the run-in.

What will happen to Spurs if Tudor loses his second match?

Igor Tudor’s arrival was meant to signal a turn towards discipline and a laser-focus on the task of safety. The man renowned for hitting the ground running, and doing so by banging heads together, said before his first game in charge that he was “100 per cent” confident Spurs would avoid the drop.

Has the 4-1 defeat to Arsenal changed things? Spurs were carved open in a second half defined by a fatigue likely brought on by Tudor’s aggressive man-to-man pressing, while tactical holes were a serious issue throughout the game as Spurs adapted to playing a hybrid 3-4-3/3-5-2 formation.

The hope for Spurs fans is that issues around fitness or tactical confusion are ironed out with a few more training sessions under their belts. If not, the unthinkable really could happen.

If Tudor was to lose his second game in charge, panic would set in among the fan base. Of that there is absolutely no doubt. Spurs are just four points above West Ham and two above Forest, two clubs who have shown significant improvements recently.

Fulham beat Spurs 2-1 in north London earlier in the season. They have beaten Spurs twice in a row at Craven Cottage by an aggregate score of 5-0. Spurs are the only side in the Premier League without a win in 2026 and on Sunday are hoping to avoid going 10 matches without victory for the first time since 1994.

A Fulham win doesn’t bear thinking about, and yet recent history suggests it is very much on the cards.

Can Howe turn Newcastle’s form around before a crucial run of tough games?

This might not be the headline fixture of the weekend but Newcastle arguably haven’t had a more important game all season.

Newcastle are averaging just 1.33 points per game in the Premier League, their lowest ratio in a season under head coach Eddie Howe. They are still only four points off seventh, however, meaning the campaign can be saved – but the rescue attempt needs to start now.

Howe’s side have lost four of their last five Premier League matches, a run that obviously has to stop, but more importantly Newcastle face a very difficult run of fixtures after this weekend’s game.

They play Man Utd (H) and Chelsea (A) next in the Premier League before the Tyne-Wear derby against Sunderland at St James' Park, and sandwiched between those games is an FA Cup tie against Man City and both legs of their UEFA Champions League round-of-16 ties.

It’s an extremely difficult set of fixtures, especially for a side that have struggled to juggle multiple competitions this season; Newcastle are winless in their last seven weekend matches following a midweek cup tie.

In other words, they simply have to beat Everton in order to start this crucial run in some kind of form.

But it won’t come easy. Everton have won the second-most away points in the Premier League since David Moyes’ first away game back in charge in January last year (38).

Do Burnley need to beat Brentford to keep safety hopes alive?

After beating Crystal Palace and drawing at Chelsea, Burnley have earned four points from their last two Premier League games, just one fewer than they had in their previous 16.

Scott Parker’s side are still eight points shy of the safety offered by 17th place. There is no doubt about it: if they are to stay up, they have to ride the momentum of those last two matches and put a serious winning streak together. This is their very last chance.

Brentford have won four of their last five Premier League away games, making them formidable opponents. However, should Burnley get a positive result at Turf Moor, they would feel the confidence flowing before a trip to Everton, who haven’t won at home since early December.

Win both games and safety is on the cards. But fall short on Saturday and Burnley fans may give up hope.

Will Pereira’s new tactics play into Brighton’s hands?

Although a late Alexis Mac Allister goal won Liverpool the points, Forest played very well in their first game under head coach Vitor Pereira, and it should excite the club's supporters that the players so quickly took to his ideas.

Comparing their season averages to the 1-0 defeat against Liverpool, we can see just how dramatically Forest changed focus, moving towards an aggressive pressing game and counter-attacks funnelled quickly down both flanks.

Forest's attacking style per 90, MW1-26 v Liverpool

Matchweeks 1-26 v Liverpool High turnovers 3.3 8.0 Switches of play 7.1 12.0 Passes per defensive action 14.3 11.9

However, Brighton are simply not the kind of opponent to press onto. In fact, Pereira’s new system could prove to be a kamikaze mission.

Only two of Brighton’s eight Premier League wins this season came in matches when Fabian Hurzeler’s side have held more than 50 per cent possession, capturing the central issue with Brighton’s football: if they face low blocks they struggle, but if teams come onto them they revel in an end-to-end game.

Can Carrick's magic touch help Man Utd beat their bogey team?

Another late winner on Monday night, and another tough game navigated, has made Michael Carrick look like a manager with a magic touch. Man Utd have won five and drawn one of Carrick’s six games in charge, a phenomenal record that has seen them climb to within three points of third place.

But a true test of Carrick’s Midas touch comes on Sunday.

Palace have won four of their last six away league meetings with Man Utd, a pretty remarkable record that highlights just how often in recent years the hosts have struggled to play against well-drilled counter-attacking sides at Old Trafford.

What’s more, Palace have won two of their last three Premier League games and could feel revived by their UEFA Conference League exploits on Thursday evening.

How does Le Bris raise Sunderland’s energy levels for the run-in?

There is a serious danger that Sunderland’s excellent season is going to end in a whimper.

Perhaps it’s fatigue, or perhaps opponents have begun to work them out, but either way Sunderland are on the slide.

They have lost their last three Premier League games, as many as in their previous 12, and if we break their campaign into two halves it looks even starker.

Sunderland's record, first 13 matches v last 13 matches

Record Points per game First 13 matches W7 D4 L2 1.9 Last 14 matches W3 D5 L6 1.0

Regis Le Bris needs to find a way to raise the team’s spirits and raise their energy levels.

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