Premier League

Eberechi Eze scored a sensational hat-trick as Arsenal thrashed north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur 4-1 to move six points clear at the top of the Premier League.

Eze, who was linked with a move to Spurs before swapping Crystal Palace for the Emirates Stadium in August, got his first two goals in quick succession either side of half-time.

Leandro Trossard had earlier put Arsenal ahead following an excellent pass from makeshift centre-forward Mikel Merino, with Spurs not attempting a shot until the 55th minute.

Their first effort, from Richarlison, sailed into the net from 40 yards out to give the away fans something to cheer, but Eze had the final say, completing his first Premier League hat-trick with a confident finish 14 minutes from the end.

The result leaves Arsenal six points clear of Chelsea and seven ahead of Manchester City, while Spurs are down in ninth, 11 points behind the Gunners.

How the match unfolded

Spurs needed Guglielmo Vicario to block Declan Rice's volley inside the first three minutes, while Bukayo Saka saw a curling free-kick punched clear by the Italian.

Arsenal finally broke through in the 36th minute as Merino picked out Trossard, and the Belgian took an excellent first touch before his shot struck Micky van de Ven on the way in.

Spurs could not escape their own half, and it was 2-0 five minutes later as Eze squirmed between Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur before firing home with the aid of another slight deflection off Van de Ven.

Eze had his second goal just 35 seconds into the second half, finding the far corner on his left foot, though Spurs pulled one back out of nowhere when Richarlison spotted David Raya off his line and lobbed the Spaniard from distance.

But the day belonged to Eze, who applied a powerful finish after being found by Trossard for his hat-trick and almost got a fourth late on, stinging Vicario's wrists from range.

Eze the headliner as Arsenal put on a show

Arsenal emerged from the international break arguably more bruised than they were previously, with a thigh injury to Gabriel Magalhaes viewed as a major blow to Mikel Arteta's men.

Gabriel's absence ensured there would be a baptism of fire for Bayer Leverkusen loanee Piero Hincapie, who made his first Premier League start in one of England's most fabled derby matches.

But Hincapie was hardly tested as Arsenal produced one of their most electric performances of the season, moving the ball at a relentless tempo and suffocating Spurs with their press.

Merino and Trossard again showed their value in the absence of injured striker Viktor Gyokeres as they combined for the opener, but from then on, it was all about Eze.

The England international has previously admitted to rejecting interest from Spurs to rejoin his boyhood club, who released him at the age of 13.

His first taste of the north London derby could hardly have gone any better, as he became the first player to score a treble in the fixture in the Premier League.

Arsenal went into the international break disappointed following a late draw with Sunderland, but ahead of a big week in which they face Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League and Chelsea in the Premier League, their swagger is back.

No style or substance for Spurs

Spurs' start to life under Thomas Frank has been up-and-down, with the former Brentford boss facing criticism from some quarters for not adopting a more adventurous approach.

However, few supporters were likely to care about Spurs' style if it yielded a rare north London derby victory.

Kevin Danso was one of five players introduced to their starting XI as Frank used three centre-backs, and the visitors took their time over every restart from the first whistle, prompting fury from the Arsenal fans.

A wall of white shirts stood between Arsenal and Vicario's goal in the early stages, but with none of Richarlison, Wilson Odobert or Mohammed Kudus offering an outlet on the counter-attack, Spurs could not escape and ultimately saw their resistance broken.

Frank's displeasure was made clear by the half-time withdrawal of Danso, with Xavi Simons his replacement as Spurs reverted to a back four, but conceding a third goal straight after the restart left their hopes of a comeback in tatters.

Rather than begin a fightback, Richarlison's goal only served to provoke Arsenal into further action, and Eze's hat-trick will sting his former suitors.

Spurs face a daunting trip to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League before another London derby against Fulham next weekend, with Frank under pressure to oversee an improvement.

Club reports

Arsenal report | Spurs report

What the managers said

Mikel Arteta: "I enjoyed every minute of it. The preparation since they came back from the international break, the enthusiasm, the joy, the hunger. And then when you are able to play in the manner we played and perform in the manner we did and to win with the goals that we scored against our rivals always leaves a very special day."

Thomas Frank: "It's extremely painful to stand here after an extremely bad performance. It was the perfect storm. I think especially in the first half we lacked the ability to have pressure and get close to them and be aggressive enough in the duels. We had to absorb too much pressure throughout the first half. In the second half, we got a little bit better, but nowhere near the level we want."

Next PL fixtures

Key facts

Eze is just the fourth player to score a hat-trick in competitive meetings between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur after Ted Drake (October 1934), Terry Dyson (August 1961) and Alan Sunderland (December 1978).

Spurs have recorded the two lowest expected goals totals in a Premier League game this season, 0.07 against Arsenal and 0.1 against Chelsea at the start of November.

In 2025, only Erling Haaland (25), Mohamed Salah (23), Bryan Mbeumo (21) and Antoine Semenyo (18) have been involved in more Premier League goals than Arsenal’s Eze (18 – 10 goals, 8 assists).

Richarlison’s goal for Spurs (35.3 yards) is the furthest in the Premier League this season, and is also the furthest scored in a north London derby in the Premier League since David Bentley’s goal for Spurs in October 2008 (35.7 yards).

Ahead of Sunday's north London derby between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, we want you to pick a COMBINED XI of players from both clubs.

Will you pick Declan Rice or Joao Palhinha in midfield? Will you choose William Saliba over Cristian Romero or Micky van de Ven at the back? What about Bukayo Saka or Mohammed Kudus on the wing?

Pick YOUR combined line-up above and choose from five different formations to tailor your team. Once you're happy, hit submit and share your Arsenal v Spurs combined XI.

More north London derby reading

Mikel Arteta has confirmed that centre-back Gabriel is injured and will be out for "weeks" ahead of the north London derby against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

The Brazilian was forced off in his country's match against Senegal last Saturday just after the hour mark, where he was pictured holding his thigh.

Watch: Arteta's update on Gabriel's injury

What did Arteta say?

"Gabi is unfortunately picked up an injury with the national team. He will be out for weeks," Arteta said in his pre-match press conference.

"We need to have another scan next Wednesday. We will have the timeline much more clearly than we have at the moment.

"It's clearly a blow. It's our leader in our backline. To miss him is never a positive thing. The good thing is we have some very good options. They need to stand up now."

How many matches could Gabriel miss?

The Brazilian may be absent for as many as 11 matches until the end of December.

This includes a hectic week where Arsenal play Spurs, followed by Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League, before a trip to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea.

Gabriel could also miss huge tricky away matches at Aston Villa (6 December) and Everton (20 December).

The matches Gabriel could miss

Date Opponent Competition 23 Nov Spurs (H) Premier League 26 Nov Bayern Munich (H) Champions League 30 Nov Chelsea (A) Premier League 3 Dec Brentford (H) Premier League 6 Dec Aston Villa (A) Premier League 10 Dec Club Brugge (A) Champions League 13 Dec Wolves (H) Premier League 20 Dec Everton (A) Premier League 23 Dec Crystal Palace (H) EFL Cup 27 Dec Brighton (H) Premier League 30 Dec Aston Villa (H) Premier League

Who else is injured for Arsenal?

The Gunners are dealing with a number of absences at the moment, with as many as eight players sidelined with various injuries.

This includes captain Martin Odegaard, forwards Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus, along with wingers Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli.

See: Latest Premier League injuries

Who could replace Gabriel?

Summer signings Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie are two who could fill the void in central defence.

Mosquera has settled in well since joining from LaLiga side Valencia in the summer, making 12 appearances in all competitions and helping the Gunners keep eight clean sheets in those matches.

Hincapie, who joined from Bayer Leverkusen on deadline day this summer, has made five appearances in various competitions after recovering from a groin injury.

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

- Spurs potentially opening up the title race?

- Chelsea starting a journey that could see them top at Christmas?

- If Dyche's football will stump Liverpool?

- Howe overcoming historical issues to revive Newcastle's season?

- If Man Utd can launch another winning streak?

- Fulham looking over their shoulders by the end of the weekend?

- Brighton v Brentford being the start of the separation of the table?

- If Rob Edwards can get the winning start he needs?

- Can Villa improve in the final third?

- If the international break came at a right time for Bournemouth?

Spurs potentially opening up the title race?

Until Arsenal end their two-decade wait for a Premier League title, doubts will linger and the prospect of a wobble will never be too far away, no matter how well they are playing.

The 2-2 draw with Sunderland prior to the international break was a perfectly reasonable result that ought not to change perceptions of Mikel Arteta’s side.

However, the timing was unfortunate, because immediately after Regis Le Bris discovered a possible flaw – two goals from long punts into the box and second-balls won – Arsenal face Tottenham Hotspur at home, followed by Chelsea away.

Thomas Frank is an adaptable tactician who will no doubt have studied Sunderland’s methods in the hope of replicating them. As he showed as Brentford head coach – and, notably, in Spurs’ 2-0 win at Manchester City back in August – he can mastermind a direct, defensive, counter-attacking performance away from home.

Spurs are the only side still unbeaten away from home (W4, D1), boasting the joint-most points, the joint-most goals and the fewest goals conceded.

Spurs' league away record, 25/26

Statistic Total PL rank Points 13 =1st Goals 12 =1st Goals conceded 3 1st

On the other hand, should Arsenal get three points in such a highly-pressurised north London derby, it would provide an enormous psychological lift, reassert their position at the top and make sure the draw at Sunderland was as unremarkable as it felt at the time.

Chelsea starting a journey that could see them top at Christmas?

All of the statistics point to a Chelsea win at Turf Moor.

Burnley have conceded two or more goals in five of their last six Premier League matches and across the season, Scott Parker’s side have had the fewest shots, lowest Expected Goals (xG) figure, lowest possession, faced the most shots and have the highest Expected Goals Against (xGA).

Burnley's season statistics, 25/26

Statistic Total PL rank Shots 90 20th Expected Goals 8.3 20th Possession 38.6% 20th Shots faced 192 1st Expected Goals Against 24.0 1st

Chelsea, meanwhile, are on the up, winning four of their last five in the league, including each of their last two away from home.

Enzo Maresca’s side ought to get the job done, in the process beginning a journey that, as implausible as it might sound to some, could see Chelsea go top of the table at Christmas.

The gap to Arsenal is currently six points, but if Spurs take something from Emirates Stadium on Sunday, it could be cut to three or four before Chelsea host Arteta’s side next weekend.

Over the following fortnight, Arsenal have to play at Villa Park, while Chelsea’s toughest game is away at AFC Bournemouth, who appear to be on the slide.

The fixture list is about to hand Chelsea an exciting opportunity. But in order to capitalise, they need to make sure they make light work of Burnley.

If Dyche's football will stump Liverpool?

Following the 3-0 defeat at Man City, Liverpool cannot afford to lose yet more ground in the title race. They are eight points behind Arsenal and falling fast; to drop points against a relegation candidate, and at Anfield too, would be disastrous.

And yet it could easily happen. This one looks like another difficult game for Arne Slot.

It is now common knowledge that long balls, aerial challenges, speed to the second ball and fast attacks down Liverpool’s right flank cause the champions all sorts of problems. Sean Dyche’s side will be more than happy to target these flaws.

Callum Hudson-Odoi, returning from injury, should threaten behind Mohamed Salah, especially if the long balls upfield see Chris Wood beat Ibrahima Konate in the air and the second balls drop to Elliot Anderson.

Where teams attack v Liverpool

That it is so easy to visualise the tactical battle speaks volumes. Liverpool have been consistently vulnerable to teams in precisely the mould of Dyche’s Nottingham Forest.

Howe overcoming historical issues to revive Newcastle's season?

Following an international break that was supposed to be a chance to reset, Newcastle United could hardly have been given a more difficult match.

Newcastle have lost their last two Premier League games and haven’t lost three in a row since January 2024, almost two years ago. They are 14th in the table, just two points above the bottom three, and in danger of getting cut off from the race for UEFA Champions League football.

None of that is good preparation for facing Pep Guardiola’s side, especially given that Newcastle have won just one of their last 35 Premier League meetings with Man City (D6 L28).

Nevertheless, Eddie Howe needs to see this game as an opportunity.

St James' Park always creates an intimidating atmosphere for games of this magnitude and the Newcastle players need to channel that energy into a major performance; into the sort of result that could kickstart their season.

History tells us Man City will win, compound Newcastle’s misery and put pressure on Arsenal at the top. It’s up to Howe to show that Newcastle made good use of the international break.

If Man Utd can launch another winning streak?

Some of the momentum has been lost over the last few weeks after Manchester United drew back-to-back Premier League matches 2-2, although Ruben Amorim’s side are nevertheless on a five-match unbeaten run in the competition – and have won their last four Premier League home games.

Better still for United, who are just one point outside the top four, their next four games reads: Everton (H), Crystal Palace (A), West Ham United (H) and Wolverhampton Wanderers (A), four very winnable matches.

Monday’s fixture is a huge opportunity, then, for Amorim’s side to begin a sequence of victories that would take them up to the hectic festive period - and show they are very much in the running for a Champions League qualification.

Everton have won just one away game so far this season and appear to be sliding back down the table after a strong start. The stars are aligning for United to show, beyond doubt, that Amorim is on the road to recovery.

Fulham looking over their shoulders by the end of the weekend?

Marco Silva has reportedly been offered a new contract this week but all is not well at Fulham, or at least that’s the impression left by a league table that has them looking over their shoulders.

Fears of relegation will undoubtedly mount if Fulham lose this weekend and though unlikely, Silva’s side could even fall into the bottom three in defeat.

Fulham have only won three Premier League matches this season and all three were against struggling teams at home: Brentford, Leeds United, and Wolves.

If they can only beat the relegation candidates on home soil, and nobody else, then they will struggle to get towards 40 points.

Sunderland are formidable opponents, having won three of their five away games in the Premier League already this season, although Regis Le Bris’ side have now drawn their last two.

A win at Craven Cottage would be significant, ensuring Sunderland stay in the top four ahead of a trickier set of games: they face Bournemouth, Liverpool, and Man City in their next three.

But a fast start means there is no pressure on the Black Cats. The same cannot be said of Fulham. Nerves will increase substantially if they lose again on Saturday.

Brighton v Brentford being the start of the separation of the table?

The Premier League table is unusually compressed after 11 matches: just four points separates fourth from 13th.

If the table is going to split into distinct sections then it seems most likely to occur between Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford, two sides currently locked on 16 points in 11th and 12th respectively, the former beginning the campaign with hopes of Europa League qualification and the latter merely wishing to avoid a relegation battle.

Below Brentford are teams one might expect to be in the bottom half (Newcastle aside), and above Brighton are those who were always the bookies’ favourites to occupy the European spots.

Brighton are unbeaten in their last nine Premier League matches at Amex Stadium, and since the start of last season have lost fewer home games (three) than anyone aside from Arsenal, Aston Villa and Liverpool (all two).

Meanwhile Brentford have lost four of their five away fixtures in the Premier League this season.

The split could start this weekend.

If Rob Edwards can get the winning start he needs?

Rob Edwards has a mountain to climb. No Premier League team has ever prevented relegation after earning just two points from the opening 11 matches of a season.

It goes without saying he simply has to get off to a winning start but Palace are thorny opponents who might just catch Wolves in transition.

Playing in a 3-4-2-1 formation, Edwards' teams tend to want to press high and hard, but as Luton Town manager he was forced into a more conservative set-up.

For his debut, there is a good chance Edwards will be proactive in his approach and encourage Wolves to be as adventurous as his Middlesbrough team, which opens up the possibility of Oliver Glasner’s rapid counter-attacks exposing the league’s leakiest defence.

But Edwards is savvy, and happy to adapt his tactics depending on the opposition.

However Wolves line up, however Edwards chooses to play, his new team simply have to win.

Can Villa improve in the final third?

Aston Villa have won eight of their last ten matches in all competitions and are only two points off third, indicating that Unai Emery’s side have fully recovered from their early wobbles and are now back to their best.

But the underlying numbers say something else. Defensively Villa are looking good, and their possession has become a lot more fluid since Pau Torres came back into the team, but goalscoring remains a serious issue.

Only Burnley have a lower xG tally than Villa’s 9.36 this season. Seven of their 13 goals, or 54 per cent, have been scored from outside the penalty area, including the crucial first two in the 4-0 victory over Bournemouth a fortnight ago.

Villa cannot continue to rely on spectacular goals, nor can they maintain a push for Champions League football if Ollie Watkins – with one Premier League goal in 11 games – does not pick up soon; Emery’s side are also bottom of the charts for big chance conversion, with 20 per cent (3/15).

Sunday’s game could be their chance to set that right. Leeds have lost four of their last five Premier League games and conceded three times in each of their last two, against Forest and Brighton.

If the international break came at a right time for Bournemouth?

The break came at a good time for Bournemouth, who lost back-to-back Premier League games and appeared tired in each.

Fears that they are regressing the mean could intensify if the fortnight off has not seen energy levels restored.

It certainly feels like an unfortunate time to be playing West Ham, who have won two consecutive Premier League games under Nuno Espirito Santo.

Nuno’s reactive counter-attacking football feels perfect, too, to frustrate Bournemouth and catch them on the break, or at least it will be if Andoni Iraola’s side look as drained as they did in defeats to Man City and Aston Villa.

But trips to the Etihad Stadium and Villa Park are notoriously difficult.

Perhaps the Cherries will be improved on home soil, where they have won four out of five Premier League matches this season.

Football writer Alex Keble looks at key fixtures ahead of a busy couple of months for teams at both ends of the table in the Premier League.

When the Premier League returns next weekend, we begin to gear up for the busiest time of the season.

The table will change considerably over the coming weeks and months as good starts wilt, faltering clubs recover, and the league begins to form a lasting shape.

You might think it’s the hectic festive period, beginning in late December, when the Premier League table shakes out. Not quite.

Before then we have five rounds squeezed into four weeks; 40 matches in 24 days, an extremely busy autumn period that – with a full midweek round and Friday/Monday matches – sees Premier League football played on 14 of those 24 days.

Those fixture include Newcastle United v Manchester City and Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur in Matchweek 12, Chelsea v Arsenal in Matchweek 13, and a Matchweek 16 that looks full of title-race banana skins: Crystal Palace v Man City and Liverpool v Brighton & Hove Albion among them.

History tells us it’s a crucial period. This time last year the gap from third to 12th was just four points, but by the end of Matchweek 16 that had grown to seven.

Meanwhile, Chelsea rose rapidly and Palace shook off relegation concerns while Newcastle began their descent.

If it’s anything like last year, then the next five weeks will be hugely significant. Arsenal’s very tough set of games could let Man City, Chelsea, and Liverpool in.

Arsenal’s tough run could let in chasing pack

The title race could shift dramatically.

Arsenal have an extremely difficult run of matches coming up, with no banker until the final match in the sequence of five, which includes Spurs (H), Chelsea (A), Brentford (H), Aston Villa (A), and Wolverhampton Wanderers (H).

The north London derby and the derby at Stamford Bridge will bring blood and thunder, potentially disrupting the calm rhythm of Mikel Arteta’s side so far this season.

Then comes Brentford, whose low block has already taken points from Chelsea, Man City, Manchester United, and Newcastle this season, before Arsenal play Villa, a side they’ve beaten just once in the last four attempts.

All of this is excellent news for Man City, Chelsea, and Liverpool, who will each expect to win more points than the Gunners in this period.

Man City travel to St James Park at the perfect time, with Newcastle in poor form, and following three matches against Leeds, Fulham and Sunderland, travel to Selhurst Park, by which time Palace’s unbeaten run will surely have ended.

Chelsea will see hosting Arsenal as a chance to reel them in, and otherwise are only truly challenged by a trip to AFC Bournemouth, suggesting Enzo Maresca has a real opportunity to close the gap to zero in time for Christmas.

Liverpool are much further behind and struggling for form, of course, which is why their next five fixtures will come as such a relief to Arne Slot.

He needs 15 points from these games. Liverpool are surely good enough to get them.

In summary, the fixture schedule presents the possibility that any of the three chasers could be at least level on points with Arsenal by the end of MW16.

It makes for a fascinating few weeks.

Spurs, Villa and Man Utd hunt down UCL

There are conceivably 10 Premier League clubs currently thinking about the one or two UEFA Champions League places up for grabs. In all likelihood, that number will come down a bit over the next four weeks.

The most likely contenders, based on current points and pre-season expectations, are Man Utd, Villa, and Spurs.

Of those three Villa and United look best placed to sprint clear this autumn.

Next five fixtures

Villa play four teams currently in the bottom half and host Arsenal, a fixture they historically do well in, while Man Utd don’t play a single team higher than ninth.

If Ruben Amorim can continue their rhythm, he can well and truly put a gap between United and the outsiders.

Spurs, however have a difficult set of away trips as they go to Emirates Stadium, St James Park and the City Ground.

Palace and Newcastle have a chance to climb

Next five fixtures

Sunderland, too, may regress. Their brilliant start is partly thanks to a quirk of the fixture list, which is why their matches now look so tough: Liverpool (A), Man City (A) and Newcastle (H), all in a row, will take a massive psychological toll.

Bournemouth, Brighton, and Palace also harbour ambitions of playing in Europe next season and of the three, Palace are likeliest to rise.

Andoni Iraola’s team have a potentially favourable fixtures between Matchweek 12-14, but their back-to-back defeats suggest tiredness is creeping in, which could help sides beneath them happy to sit deep and frustrate.

Matches against Chelsea and Man Utd end a sequence that is tougher than it might at first seem.

Brighton have a mixed set of fixtures, with Villa and Liverpool stumbling blocks, whereas Palace face three of the current bottom six and both Manchester clubs at home.

Oliver Glasner tends to do well at Selhurst Park against the ‘Big Six’, suggesting Palace could put a run together that separates them from Bournemouth, Brighton, and Sunderland.

Newcastle, too, have a chance to get back into the running. Aside from the Tyne-Wear derby, their only blockbuster matches (Man City and Spurs) are at home.

If Eddie Howe can transfer some of that fighting spirit over from the Champions League, this could be a fruitful time.

Tough fixtures for the bottom six

Bottom six's next five fixtures

After the first 11 Matchweeks, it looks as though three of the current bottom six will get relegated, and judging by their respective fixture lists, that perspective is not going to change before the festive period begins.

In fact, with Everton and Brentford looking stable and Newcastle surely already at their lowest, the extremely tough matches facing the bottom clubs means a mini-league might develop that cuts them adrift.

Wolves have four matches against the current top 10, West Ham United do not play anyone lower than 11th, and Leeds United face four of the top eight.

These three in particular might struggle, and it certainly paints a bleak picture for new managers Nuno Espirito Santo and Rob Edwards.

Things are slightly better for the other three. Nottingham Forest’s momentum could be halted at Anfield, and they still have Brighton and Spurs after that, although two six-pointers might be all Sean Dyche needs to continue the recovery.

Burnley will be looking at Brentford (A) and Fulham (A) as their chance for points in a difficult spell, while Fulham will also be looking at that MW16 game, as well as a home meeting against Sunderland.

So, Forest, Burnley, and Fulham all have two out of five matches against fellow bottom-half clubs; games they will earmark as winnable, and want four points from at least.

If they hit that target, it could leave Wolves, West Ham, and Leeds in serious trouble.

But these are all very much hypothetical.

The sheer congestion of the fixture list adds a layer of unpredictability, as does European football played alongside it.

Whatever happens, we can safely say the next five rounds will be pivotal.

Football writer Alex Keble takes a look back at the Premier League’s summer signings and picks out the best 12 performers so far.

We want YOU to tell us which signing has performed best in the campaign to date.

Gianluigi Donnarumma (Manchester City)

When Man City signed another goalkeeper, so soon after James Trafford’s mistake on his home debut, some thought Pep Guardiola – fearing a repeat of the Claudio Bravo debacle that plagued his first year at the Etihad - had been hasty.

It only took one world-class save, from an Bryan Mbeumo volley, for that critique to dissolve on Donnarumma’s debut against Manchester United, and for pundits to put to one side the Italian’s supposedly inferior ball-playing ability.

Donnarumma's save v Man Utd

Like Erling Haaland, Donnarumma represents Guardiola’s evolution towards brute force over delicate positional play. It’s working. Since his debut, the Man City goalkeeper has conceded just seven goals in 12 games in all competitions, keeping six clean sheets.

Martin Dubravka (Burnley)

Burnley have made a far sturdier start than many had expected, and although they have conceded 22 goals in 11 Premier League games (only West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers have let in more), their new goalkeeper Dubravka has made the most saves in the division (46).

Dubravka's shot-stopping success is arguably the biggest factor that has kept Burnley above the dotted line of the relegation zone in 17th place. Opta's "expected points" table has them on just 5.7 points and rock bottom in 20th.

Most saves made in Premier League 2025/26

Goalkeeper Total Dubravka 46 Roefs 39 Sels 37 Pope 36 Petrovic 35 Vicario 34

Estevao (Chelsea)

Chelsea have unearthed a gem in teenager Estevao, who looks the finished product already. The Brazilian is a quick dribbler and intelligent passer and might already be the Blues' best winger.

Enzo Maresca is understandably integrating Estevao slowly into the team, with the 18-year-old only having started four of Chelsea’s 11 matches, but his explosiveness is useful from the bench against tired legs.

Estevao has one goal and one assist so far this season. There will be plenty more of both.

Watch: Estevao's best moments for Chelsea so far

Jack Grealish (Everton)

Having spent several years tied to Guardiola's rigid positional instructions at Man City, most of us had forgotten what it was like to see Grealish in full flow.

Grealish is back playing with style and charisma, although that wouldn’t count for much if he didn’t back it up with a final ball.

Back to his silky (and consistent) best, Grealish already has four Premier League assists for Everton. He leads the Premier League in open-play chances created and is second, only behind Bruno Fernandes, in overall chances created.

Most open-play chances created 25/26

Player Total Grealish 23 Doku 23 Fernandes 19 Gakpo 19 Salah 18

Jordan Henderson (Brentford)

Eyebrows were raised when Brentford brought Henderson back from the Netherlands to the Premier League but the 35-year-old former Liverpool captain has proved how much he has left to give.

Leadership in the dressing room and central midfield was missing following the departure of Christian Norgaard to Arsenal and Henderson has more than filled that gap.

He has performed well on the pitch, too, assisting twice already and making more progressive passes (46) than any other Brentford player.

Michael Kayode, who played for Brentford on loan from Fiorentina last season, also deserves a mention for his performances since signing for the Bees on a permanent deal in the summer.

The full-back has been solid defensively but more importantly, he has been a potent weapon with those long throws, creating more chances (15) than anyone else in the team.

Mohammed Kudus (Tottenham Hotspur)

So far, life at Spurs hasn't gone quite as smoothly as Thomas Frank will have hoped but results have been considerably better than performances, and for that he can thank Kudus for hitting the ground running.

Watch Kudus' best moments of 2025/26 so far

The winger was a notable absentee in the 2-2 draw with Man Utd recently, showing just how much Spurs have already come to rely upon his creativity since the departure of Son Heung-min.

Kudus has created 14 chances in the Premier League and contributed five goal involvements (one goal, four assists), on both counts more than any other Spurs player. More impressively, he is top of the Premier League charts for take-ons attempted (71) and completed (34).

Most take-ons attempted Most dribbles completed Kudus 71 Kudus 34 Doku 58 Doku 34 Ndiaye 51 Minteh 27 Minteh 47 Ndiaye 27 Semenyo 46 Semenyo 21

Bryan Mbeumo (Man Utd)

Plenty of footballers over the last few years have arrived at Old Trafford off the back of a superb season, only to see themselves sucked into the vortex of Man Utd.

Mbeumo has avoided that trap, picking up from where he left off with Brentford to score five goals and assist another in 11 Premier League games for his new club.

And it’s more than just the numbers. Mbeumo has been superb as one of Ruben Amorim’s two No 10s, playing intelligently in a hybrid winger/No 9 role.

Watch: How Mbeumo won October's Player of the Month award

Joao Pedro (Chelsea)

Pedro instantly repaid his fee with three goals in three knockout games in the FIFA Club World Cup and has continued that form into the new season, already contributing seven goal involvements in the Premier League, putting him fourth among all players and first among those signed in the summer.

The former Brighton & Hove Albion forward's ability to play as a No 10 and as a No 9 has helped Chelsea cover for the loss of Cole Palmer, but more importantly his work as a "false nine" is creating space for wingers such as Estevao.

Malick Thiaw (Newcastle United)

Eddie Howe’s defence was transformed once Thiaw, signed for a reported £35 million from AC Milan, made his full Newcastle debut.

The club conceded just six goals in the first nine matches in all competitions with Thiaw in the side, and at that point they were second in the Premier League for clean sheets, with five.

The Magpies, and Thiaw, have suffered a little more of late, losing 3-1 to both West Ham and Brentford in November. Nevertheless, Thiaw has been an important, powerful centre-back; Newcastle have won seven of the 12 games he has started in all competitions.

Adrien Truffert (AFC Bournemouth)

The way Bournemouth have seamlessly continued their good work under Andoni Iraola, despite losing Milos Kerkez, Dean Huijsen, and Illia Zabarnyi to three of Europe’s biggest clubs, is astounding.

Every member of the Bournemouth defence has performed well above expectations, including new goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic, but none quite as well as Truffert – the all-action left-back who, in the space of just a few games, has shown he is Kerkez’s equal.

Both defensively (23 tackles, 54 ball recoveries) and offensively (eight chances created, 47 crosses attempted) he is out-performing Liverpool's new left-back.

Granit Xhaka (Sunderland)

Sunderland have enjoyed an incredible start to the season and there are numerous new signings who have played a key part in that - including Nordi Mukiele, Robin Roefs, and Brian Brobbey to name but three – and yet there is still no question who has been their biggest star.

Xhaka is a leader in the dressing room and on the pitch, in defending the box and in controlling the tempo with his metronomic passing. His over-sized influence is captured in the numbers because in so many of the major metrics, Xhaka isn’t just Sunderland’s best performer – he’s out on his own:

How Xhaka compares to Sunderland team-mates

Category Xhaka's total Next-best team-mate Touches 741 558 Passes completed 505 333 Chances created 16 9 Recoveries 50 38

Martin Zubimendi (Arsenal)

It is easy to overlook the influence Zubimendi has had on Mikel Arteta’s midfield, so quickly has the Spaniard adapted to life in England.

He has completed more passes (627) than any other player in the Premier League aside from Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson, and among Arsenal players, only Jurrien Timber (40) has made more combined tackles and interceptions than Zubimendi’s 33.

A smart threader of passes through the lines and a neat-and-tidy screener in the Rodri mould, Zubimendi is the main reason Arsenal’s defensive record has gone to a whole new level in 2025/26.

Watch Zubimendi's double against Nottingham Forest

With nearly a third of the 2025/26 season gone, some clear patterns are emerging. Here, we take a look at how the home and away form of Premier League teams compare, revealing some surprising trends.

Home sweet home - or not?

Tottenham Hotspur kicked off the 2025/26 campaign with a comprehensive 3-0 home victory over Burnley, but have failed to win in four Premier League home matches since.

Spurs, who sit fifth in the Premier League table, owe their current league placing to their extraordinary away form, averaging a competition-high 2.60 points per game, with four wins and a draw from their five matches on the road.

Since that victory against Burnley, Spurs have lost three and drawn two at home in the Premier League - averaging just 0.83 points per game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this season.

Only bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers, the lone team without a win across the opening 11 Matchweeks, have a worse average, with 0.20 points per home game.

Arsenal, who host north London rivals Spurs in Matchweek 12, boast an average of 2.60 points per game at home, the joint-best in the division, along with AFC Bournemouth.

Most home/away points per game, 25/26

Home Away Arsenal 2.60 Spurs 2.60 Bournemouth 2.60 Arsenal 2.17 Man City 2.50 Chelsea 2.00 Liverpool 2.40 Man City 1.40 Man Utd 2.40 Crystal Palace 1.40 Brighton 2.20 Sunderland 1.40

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Manchester City have taken 15 points at the Etihad Stadium in 2025/26 - two more than the 13 of Arsenal and Bournemouth - but have played a match more at home, averaging 2.50 points per game.

Brentford and Aston Villa have also collected 13 points from home matches, albeit having also played one match more, while Liverpool, Manchester United and Brighton & Hove Albion have all averaged at least twice as many points at home than away.

Away wins at a premium

Unsurprisingly the four teams currently above Spurs in the Premier League table - Arsenal, Man City, Chelsea and Sunderland - have all been consistent both at home and away.

However, while Spurs are the standout side on the road, Newcastle United are one of four teams yet to claim an away league victory this season.

Eddie Howe's team sit in 15th place in the away table, level with Burnley and Leeds United with an average of 0.50 points per game, but ahead of Nottingham Forest, Fulham and Wolves, who are the other three teams without a win on their travels in 2025/26, and occupy the three spots in the relegation zone.

Newcastle have taken just three points from their six away matches compared to eight points from their first half-dozen contests on the road last season.

The table makes pretty miserable reading for Wolves and Fulham especially, with the lowest points per game return of 0.17 from their six away matches.

Fewest home/away points per game, 25/26

Home Away Wolves 0.20 Wolves 0.17 Spurs 0.83 Fulham 0.17 West Ham 1.00 Nottingham Forest 0.40 Nottingham Forest 1.17 Leeds 0.50 Burnley 1.40 Burnley 0.50 Leeds 1.60 Newcastle 0.50

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Overall clubs appear to be enjoying less success on the road, and currently only seven Premier League teams have tasted away success on more than one occasion this season.

Nine teams - including sixth-placed Villa - have won just once on their travels.

Football writer Alex Keble highlights the hot topics and tactical lessons of the season so far.

We are 11 weeks into the Premier League season, with almost the first third of the campaign now completed.

As the final international break of 2025 begins, we're taking stock of what we’ve learnt from 2025/26 so far.

Set-pieces, long throws and direct football are back in fashion

The headline feature of this Premier League season is a sudden return to what might be called a more conservative or old-school way of playing the game.

Last year felt like a new peak of clubs sticking to a philosophy of playing the ball on the ground in all situations. However, the division now seems to have bounced back towards longer goal-kicks and a greater sense of pragmatism across the league table.

The most noticeable component of this has been the return of the long throw-in, an attribute that more or less disappeared for over a decade before it came back for 2025/26. Out of nowhere, almost every single Premier League team is taking their time to launch throw-ins into the penalty area.

The 2025/26 campaign so far has featured 11 goals from long throws, only just short of the 14 in the whole of last season, while set-piece goals are also up significantly: 80 so far, compared with 64 at this stage last year.

Premier League leaders Arsenal are the poster boys of the new/old approach to playing English football, yet their example has proved infectious.

What we appear to be seeing is that football tactics are entering a new era in which fashion dictates over innovation. Where once new ideas could grow, there is now little left to discover, and instead an edge is to be found in returning to principles that fell out of fashion.

One side effect of long throws and set-pieces coming back into fashion appears to be that the ball is spending less time in play, although this is part of a Europe-wide trend.

The ball has been in play 54.7 per cent of the time in the Premier League this season, down from 57.1 per cent in 2024/25 and 57.3 per cent in 2023/24, calculated at the same point (Matchweek 11) of the campaign.

We are seeing the same trend in all of the "big five leagues" and in the UEFA Champions League.

Percentage of match time with ball in play, 24/25 v 25/26

Competition 2024/25 2025/26 Premier League 57.14% 54.66% Ligue 1 57.37% 56.25% Bundesliga 57.59% 56.25% Serie A 56.55% 54.28% LaLiga 55.57% 55.40% Champions League 60.38% 57.67%

Why, then, has the ball-in-play time gone down? Perhaps players are more tired due to the congested schedule, leading to longer breaks before set-pieces.

Exhaustion might also explain the increase in late drama.

Not only has there been an increase in the overall number of late goals - scored in the 90th minute or later - after Matchweek 11 compared with the last two seasons, they now account for a larger percentage of the total goals scored (13.3 per cent).

Late goals scored in first 110 Premier League matches, last three seasons

Overachievers are showing that fast attacking football is still the future

That being said, it’s important not to overstate what’s happening.

Long throws and set-piece routines are a big shift, but those who argue the Premier League is returning to the kind of "direct" football preached by Tony Pulis or Sam Allardyce are wide of the mark.

The future is still in hard pressing, fast transitions, and the kind of electric straight-lined football we have seen from AFC Bournemouth at their best.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has been talking about this shift away from positional possession football for a while now. This season, we see it in the exhilarating football of high-flying Bournemouth, Brighton & Hove Albion and Crystal Palace in particular.

It is a million miles from the long hoofs and target men of Pulis or Big Sam.

Set-pieces aside, the Premier League is not slower or less attacking than it was.

There have been 301 goals this season, an average of 2.74 per game, which is down only ever so slightly from last year’s 2.93.

Watch the best goals of Matchweek 11

Arsenal are under pressure now to take their chance

One thing we have learnt since the last international break, with Arsenal calmly dispatching three Premier League opponents without conceding before they dropped points at Sunderland, is that Mikel Arteta’s side are now expected to go the distance.

There is a general feeling this is their title to win; that the only potential obstacle is their own mental strength.

That brings its own kind of pressure, and it is up to Arsenal to keep their heads and take it one game at a time.

This is arguably the first season under Arteta that the Gunners are favourites, that they are not seen as having a valid excuse for coming second.

Handling pressure, or buckling under it, will determine whether Arsenal end their 21-year wait for the title.

Man City are the likeliest to challenge Arsenal – but others can catch up

Suggestions that Arsenal will run away with the title have been proved wrong by Man City’s emphatic 3-0 win over Liverpool, which cut the lead at the top to just four points.

Chelsea, too, have put a set of wins together that leaves them within touching distance. Enzo Maresca's side have won four of their last five in the Premier League, reducing the gap to six points.

Also, with Liam Delap and Cole Palmer yet to make an impact this season, Chelsea might get better and better. Joao Pedro has been hugely influential in the final third and Estevao Willian is a real find.

If Maresca can stabilise Chelsea’s defence then they might just be ready to apply pressure to Arsenal.

Even Liverpool – despite being eight points behind – seem likely to get a lot better once their reported £400million of new signings settle. There is enough experience in the core of the team - Alisson Becker, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah – to find a rhythm again.

The champions are big outsiders right now, but they will take heart from Arsenal’s relative inexperience.

It is looking likely we will have at least a two-horse race this season after all.

A huge number of new signings have hit the ground running

The wealth and power of the Premier League these days means every summer brings the arrival of new superstars, but 2025 is starting to feel like a particularly golden year, especially when it comes to players who arrived without such a big name.

Estevao has lit up Stamford Bridge; Bournemouth’s Adrien Truffert and Newcastle United pair Nick Woltemade and Malick Thiaw have all been breakout stars. Brentford’s Igor Thiago, who joined last summer but largely missed the campaign due to a knee injury, is the division's second-top goalscorer with eight goals.

Top PL goalscorers this season

Player Total Haaland (MCI) 14 Igor Thiago (BRE) 8 Welbeck (BHA), Semenyo (BOU), Mateta (CRY) 6 Mbeumo (MUN) 5

Some more familiar names have also hit the ground running. Jack Grealish looks back to his best at Everton, while Granit Xhaka has a case for EA SPORTS Player of the Season, as the driving force of fourth-placed Sunderland.

Also, Man City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, Manchester United forward Bryan Mbeumo, and Brentford midfielder Jordan Henderson have been leading players in their respective teams.

Promoted clubs are stronger - but their case was slightly overstated

It wasn’t long ago that pundits were declaring with confidence that, after consecutive seasons in which all three promoted clubs went straight back down, this year all three would stay up.

But the fast starts made by Burnley and Leeds United are beginning to wear off, while manager changes at the bottom have seen under-achievers begin to climb again.

Since the opening weekend Leeds, just a point above the dotted line, have only beaten Wolverhampton Wanderers (A) and West Ham United (H), two of the three teams in the relegation zone.

It's a similar story for Burnley who, after losing to West Ham last time out, are only outside the bottom three on goal difference. Scott Parker's side have only beaten Sunderland, Leeds and Wolves this season.

Leeds and Burnley haven’t been especially competitive when it comes to facing teams in the top 15.

Sunderland, on the other hand, are fourth in the table and show no sign of slowing down. Regis Le Bris is doing a fantastic job and his team are riding the crest of a wave.

We are virtually guaranteed to have at least one promoted club survive. But it might only be one.

Early manager changes for clubs near the bottom

There were six manager dismissals during the whole of the 2024/25 campaign. It’s early November and we have already seen four managers depart.

That increase is directly related to the strength of the promoted clubs, because last season the obvious weakness of Ipswich Town, Southampton and Leicester City meant clubs floundering in the bottom half were in no danger and had no reason to panic.

The same cannot be said for 2025/26, and it is telling that all three clubs in the relegation zone – West Ham, Nottingham Forest, and Wolves – have already parted company with at least one manager.

Nuno Espirito Santo, Ange Postecoglou, Vitor Pereira, and Graham Potter have all lost their jobs before winter. The lurking threat of relegation has changed the equation.

Champions League race looks more open than ever before

Twelve Premier League clubs – or 60 per cent of the table – currently sit within three points of the top four, with almost a third of the campaign gone. That only three points separate fourth place from 12th is highly unusual.

It means that clubs like Brentford and Brighton believe they can pip one of the big teams, and clubs who started poorly – like Aston Villa – are now back in with a shot.

Inevitably the gaps will get larger at some point, but for now it is hugely motivating for over half of the Premier League table and ensures that all matches through November and December will be loaded with potential storylines.

Even Newcastle, one of the biggest under-performers in the league this season, still have time to recover, despite currently sitting closer to the bottom three (two points) than the top four (seven points).

The 'big six' are fighting back after a difficult 2024/25

A more pessimistic reading of the situation, for Newcastle and the likes of Bournemouth or Palace, is that over the next couple of months we will see the traditional "big six" begin to pull away.

These six clubs are already positioned inside the top eight places.

Chelsea were clinging on to their Champions League spot last season but appear to be much more assured now, if anything hoping to take part in a battle for the title.

Meanwhile, there is no doubt Man Utd and Tottenham Hotspur have dramatically improved, their strong transfer windows over the summer reasserting their power.

Of course, there is plenty of time for the "big six" to slump and others to usurp them. Villa, for example, were seven points behind Spurs just six games ago but are now only below them on goal difference as Thomas Frank’s side continue to struggle in their home matches, failing to win any since beating Burnley in August.

Haaland can break every record going, including his own single-season goals tally

Erling Haaland’s incredible start to the season isn’t even his best ever. He scored 17 goals in his first 11 Premier League matches in his debut campaign of 2022/23, making this season's 14 goals only his second-best return at this stage of the competition.

Still, there was an inevitable slowdown in that debut season as opponents began to work him out. This time, Haaland looks fitter and sharper than ever before.

He is currently on track to score 58 Premier League goals, obliterating his own record of 36 set in 2022/23.

If he only plays in 33 games, in line with his average for a season in a Man City shirt, then Haaland will still – at current pace - break his record, ending with 51 goals.

In all competitions, Haaland currently has 19 goals in 15 games. This puts Lionel Messi’s record of 73 goals for Barcelona in 2011/12 in his sights.

If Haaland can reach those record numbers, it would seem highly likely that Man City will emerge as Premier League champions.

Football writer Alex Keble highlights the hot topics and tactical lessons from Matchweek 11, including:

- Man City are back to their best – and have Arsenal in their sights

- Arsenal must make sure they move on from horribly-timed Raya error

- Spurs correct tactical errors but Frank still struggling with proactive football

- Garnacho hitting form could take Chelsea to the next level

- Nuno is finding his Forest-like key players as West Ham achieve successive wins

- Newcastle’s poor form hits a new nadir

- Dyche has already made the City Ground a tough place to visit again

- Villa capitalise on emerging problem in Bournemouth's midfield

- Uneventful draw keeps Brighton and Palace firmly in UCL race

Man City are back to their best – and have Arsenal in their sights

Pep Guardiola’s 1,000th game as a manager was celebrated with an emphatic victory over rivals Liverpool, and fittingly the match was pure Pep: a tactical masterclass built through clever midfield combinations, as our analysis highlights.

Jeremy Doku was the standout performer for Manchester City, his dominance of the left flank not only capitalising on a well-known weakness in the Liverpool setup but showing the best of Guardiola’s renewed interest in direct football.

Doku became the first player with 10+ dribbles, 10+ duels won, 3+ chances created, 3+ shots on target and a goal in the same Premier League game since Eden Hazard for Chelsea v West Ham United in April 2019.

He helped Man City to a dominant win, a flexing of the muscles that shifts the balance of the Premier League table as we enter the final international break of 2025.

Arsenal’s draw, and a reduction of their lead to four points, is not the reason why the title battle was rejuvenated this weekend.

What has changed the perspective is the sheer power and confidence in the Man City performance; the energy that Guardiola says has returned to both his players and himself.

All of a sudden, Man City look as likely as Arsenal to hit 90+ points.

Arsenal must make sure they move on from horribly-timed Raya error

"It wasn’t meant to be, so we have to accept it," was Mikel Arteta’s philosophical conclusion when speaking to BBC Sport’s Match of the Day. It’s important his message is felt by the players.

The final match before the international break is a bad moment for Arsenal’s perfect form to be punctured.

Not only did they concede a goal for the first time in 812 minutes, but it was the first match this season in which they conceded twice.

Brian Brobbey's strike, which caused Arsenal to let two points slip, was the first 90th-minute goal the Gunners have conceded since September 2024. It came from a goalkeeping error, with David Raya mistakenly attempting to claim a ball that was always that of the Sunderland substitute.

Arsenal need to shrug this off and not let it fester over the break. Their greatest battle this season, as they look to win a first league title in over 20 years, is against themselves.

Mistakes like that one can happen. The trick is to forget all about it, especially with local rivals Tottenham Hotspur up next.

Spurs correct tactical errors but Frank still struggling with proactive football

Matthijs de Ligt’s 95th-minute equaliser was a huge blow to Thomas Frank, who was so close to a first home win since the opening weekend.

In the first 45 minutes, Spurs tried to play proactive football in the wrong way. They consistently attempted to play out from their own penalty area but were unable to do so because neither Pape Matar Sarr nor Joao Palhinha were able to take the ball on the half-turn and break lines.

Manchester United’s press consistently won them possession, including in the build-up to Bryan Mbeumo’s opener. Spurs were stuck, Man Utd were in control, and once again the hosts could not create chances.

Frank picked reactive/defensive-minded players and tried to play proactive football, a confused decision made worse by an attacking setup in which left-winger Richarlison moved so far infield, Spurs had no width. Trying to play through the middle, they were inevitably blocked by Man Utd’s midfield box.

In the second half, Frank made substitutions and moved to a far more conventional setup, with Wilson Odobert sticking wide left and the left-back Destiny Udogie making inverted runs. This simple switch gave Spurs the width they needed to put Man Utd under pressure, and Odobert and Udogie assisted goals to put the home side 2-1 ahead.

The lesson for Frank, as he tries to find a balance between his conservative instincts and the need to play more expansively at Spurs, is to go all-in on one or the other.

Here, he picked a stodgy midfield but tried to play through the thirds - the worst of both worlds – before correcting things with a more direct approach.

Nuno is finding his Forest-like key players as West Ham achieve successive wins

Consecutive Premier League wins have lifted West Ham to within goal difference of leaving the bottom three, suggesting that the Nuno Espirito Santo era has lift-off.

But it’s more than just results that tell us that. The individual pieces are beginning to come together.

Matheus Fernandes enjoyed his best performance since joining West Ham in the summer, creating three chances and completing three tackles - on both counts the most of any player on the pitch - and playing in an all-action style that complimented Lucas Paqueta.

Along with Freddie Potts (the breakout star of West Ham’s win against Newcastle the previous week) in the No 6 role, all of a sudden the Hammers have a midfield trio that looks technically good enough to play the same quick counter-attacking football enacted by Elliot Anderson and Morgan Gibbs-White at Nuno’s Forest.

In the final third, Crysencio Summerville showed an explosive quality that fits the profile of a classic Nuno winger (like Anthony Elanga), while Callum Wilson’s poacher’s goal hinted at his potential as the Chris Wood-type big No 9.

There’s a lot of hard work ahead, but things are beginning to fall into place.

Garnacho hitting form could take Chelsea to the next level

Chelsea laboured through a difficult first half on Saturday evening in which left-winger Alejandro Garnacho was the only lively attacker, and then, just when fans were beginning to worry, the Argentine’s brilliant cross gave Enzo Maresca's side the breakthrough.

Garnacho’s skill to set up the third goal was even better, and although he might be a bit too experienced for this to be called a coming-of-age performance – this was his 99th Premier League game – it is noteworthy this was the first time he has provided two assists in the same match.

Often lost amid the ongoings at Man Utd, then quickly out of favour under Ruben Amorim, we have only seen Garnacho’s talent in short bursts before. An extended run in the Chelsea first team could enable him to fulfil his potential.

Fulham’s away record is becoming a serious issue for Silva

Everton were never in any danger in this one, winning 2-0 but scoring three offside goals in a dominant performance that continued Fulham’s poor record of just one away point this season.

"We played 20 minutes of the first half, and 20 minutes of the second half, nothing more," was Marco Silva’s damning assessment on BBC Sport’s Match of the Day. "All the other moments of the game were not good enough at all."

Fulham are not in any immediate danger, but analysis of their results so far this season suggests things might not be as secure as they seem.

Their three victories, all at Craven Cottage, have been against Leeds United, Brentford and Wolverhampton Wanderers, three bottom-half clubs who have collected just seven points from a combined 17 away matches so far this season.

Fulham's next PL fixtures

In other words, the fixture list has been kind to Fulham, but from now until 24 January, they only have one home game against a team currently in the bottom half - Nottingham Forest in late December.

Fulham need to fix their away form, fast.

Newcastle’s poor form hits a new mark

The weekend could not have gone much worse for Newcastle United, whose defeat at Brentford has left them just two points above the relegation zone and cut adrift in the lower half of where the league table has split.

Remarkably, only four points separate second place from ninth and just six points separate second from 12th spot. From there, the gaps begin to widen. Newcastle, for now, are outside that compressed top half and looking nervously over their shoulder.

Eddie Howe’s team have lost three of their last four Premier League games, with UEFA Champions League action appearing to interfere with their domestic form for the second consecutive campaign in Europe’s premier competition.

But the true extent of Newcastle’s poor start to the season had perhaps gone under the radar, to outsiders at least, until this weekend.

We are approaching the one-third mark of the 2025/26 campaign and Newcastle have only beaten three teams - Wolves, Forest, and Fulham - and all of the matches were at home, against opponents who were at their lowest ebb.

Howe's team are a reminder of just how often pre-season predictions are wrong – as are Brentford, surpassing all expectations to move within a point of the top half.

For that, they can thank Igor Thiago. Brentford’s new striker has scored eight Premier League goals this season, the second-most behind Erling Haaland.

Dyche has already made the City Ground a tough place to visit again

Sean Dyche has been an instant success at Forest. After beating FC Porto and coming close to beating Manchester United in his first two matches at the City Ground, his team ended a nine-game winless run in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

And they’re doing it in a "Dychian" way: the first two goals against Leeds were both long punts into the final third, followed by crosses into the box.

What’s most impressive about Dyche’s Forest is the energy and intent they are showing at home. They took eight shots in the opening 20 minutes and, despite going 1-0 down early on, were level within two minutes.

Dyche is enjoying a classic new-manager bounce and has already won more games in charge of Forest (two) than his predecessors this season, Ange Postecoglou and Nuno, with a combined total of one victory.

Villa capitalise on emerging problem in Bournemouth's midfield

In the build-up to this game, Unai Emery had a choice to make: go long and avoid the manic AFC Bournemouth press, as he did to mastermind a 1-0 win the last time the sides met, or double down on the risky passing out from the back that walked into Liverpool’s trap last weekend.

He chose the latter – and was proved right.

Villa were by far the better team, and although a 4-0 scoreline flattered them a little, Bournemouth can have no complaints after a laboured performance and disorganised press allowed the home side to pass around them and dominate between the lines.

Note the room that Villa’s playmakers (No 10 and 27) have between the lines in this average positions graphic below.

John McGinn, Emiliano Buendia, and Morgan Rogers all looked to pick up the ball between the defensive and midfield lines and – worryingly for Bournemouth – for the second week running, this was an issue.

Just as Rayan Cherki and Phil Foden found room between the lines for Man City the previous weekend, Villa’s playmakers eased through this match. It hints at tiredness in the Bournemouth team and, perhaps, an imminent regression to the mean.

Uneventful draw keeps Brighton and Palace firmly in UCL race

On an eventful Premier League weekend that featured 33 goals – or an average of 3.3 per game – it isn’t controversial to say the grudge match between Crystal Palace and Brighton & Hove Albion was by far the least eventful.

This was a good point for both, however, with the clean sheet positive for Fabian Hurzeler and the extension of an unbeaten home run useful for Oliver Glasner.

Brighton have recorded consecutive clean sheets, as many as in their previous 22 league matches, suggesting Hurzeler is beginning to find greater defensive balance.

Palace are unbeaten in 12 Premier League matches at Selhurst Park, the longest current run of any team in the competition.

Brighton are three points off fourth and Palace are three points off third; an uneventful, but satisfying, weekend for both.

Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United | 2025/2026 | Premier League | Overview  Premier League