Premier League

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

Micky van de Ven scored one of the most extraordinary goals in UEFA Champions League history during Tottenham Hotspur’s 4-0 victory over FC Copenhagen on Tuesday evening, so remarkable that Spurs manager Thomas Frank joked, "Lionel Messi had turned into a centre-back".

Here we take a look at incredible goals scored by Premier League players in the Champions League.

Micky van de Ven v Copenhagen – November 2025

The defender demonstrated incredible power, pace and lastly composure as he surged forward with the ball, running almost the full length of the pitch, to score Spurs' third goal of their 4-0 win over Copenhagen. It drew comparison with Son Heung-min's famous solo strike for Spurs in the Premier League, against Burnley, which won FIFA's prestigious Puskas Award.

Declan Rice v Real Madrid – April 2025

The second of Declan Rice’s two jaw-dropping free-kicks for Arsenal against the 15-time European champions stamped his authority on the biggest stage on a memorable night at the Emirates.

Jhon Duran v Bayern Munich – October 2024

Jhon Duran’s stunning lob over Manuel Neuer sealed a famous victory in Villa Park's first European Cup or Champions League match since 1983, announcing Aston Villa's return to the continent’s elite competition.

Fabian Schar v Paris Saint-Germain – October 2023

The demolition of French champions PSG on Newcastle United’s return to the Champions League was made all the more sweet by Fabian Schar’s stoppage-time strike from distance.

Rodri v Bayern Munich – April 2023

Rodri registered his first Champions League goal in style, producing a stunning curling effort with his "weaker" left foot to open the scoring in Manchester City's quarter-final win against Bayern.

Erling Haaland v Borussia Dortmund – September 2022

Facing his former club, Man City's goal machine Erling Haaland defied physics with an acrobatic finish at the back post, in an incredible display of athleticism and instinct.

Thiago v Porto – November 2021

Thiago’s half-volley skimmed inches above the grass before slicing into the corner to give Liverpool the lead in a group-stage match at Anfield. A moment of technical purity.

Kevin De Bruyne v Shakhtar Donetsk – September 2017

Kevin De Bruyne took the time and space from outside the area as an invitation to unleash a wicked strike for Man City in the Champions League.

Mesut Ozil v Ludogorets – November 2016

Mesut Ozil teased the goalkeeper and two defenders with a dink and a shimmy, producing an Arsenal goal that encapsulated his elegance.

Aaron Ramsey v Galatasaray – December 2014

A goal of outrageous technique. A 30-yard volley hit on the run, flying into the top corner during an impressive 4-1 away win for Arsenal.

Yaya Toure v Viktoria Plzen – September 2013

A trademark Yaya Toure thunderbolt for Man City, finding the net from range with power and pace.

Ramires v Barcelona – April 2012

A cool finish in a high-pressure semi-final, Ramires produced an exquisite chip for Chelsea to stun the Camp Nou.

Gareth Bale v Inter Milan – October 2010

The night Gareth Bale announced himself to the world. His hat-trick for Spurs at San Siro included a blistering solo run and finish.

Cristiano Ronaldo v Porto – April 2009

Forty yards from goal with only one thing in mind, Cristiano Ronaldo unleashed a rocket that arrowed into the top corner as Manchester United won the away leg of their 2008/09 quarter-final.

Cristiano Ronaldo v Arsenal – May 2009

Ronaldo followed his effort against Porto with another screamer against Arsenal in the second-leg of the semi-final, when he hit a wobbling free-kick past Manuel Almunia from 40 yards.

Michael Essien v Barcelona – May 2009

Michael Essien’s left-footed volley cannoned in off the bar in a frantic Champions League semi-final at Stamford Bridge.

Paul Scholes v Barcelona – April 2008

A vintage Paul Scholes strike containing power and accuracy. A moment of magic which sent Man Utd into the 2008 final in Moscow.

Frank Lampard v Barcelona – October 2006

A moment of ingenuity and poise. Chelsea icon Frank Lampard improvised with a deft chip from an impossible angle, and left Victor Valdes rooted. Vision and execution fused in one motion.

Thierry Henry v Real Madrid – February 2006

Thierry Henry brushed past three defenders and finished coolly to give Arsenal a historic away win. Solo excellence at the Bernabeu.

Luis Garcia v Juventus – April 2005

Latching onto a loose ball, Luis Garcia’s glorious volley is one of Anfield’s finest Champions League goals.

Steven Gerrard v Olympiacos – December 2004

Matchweek 10 of the 2025/26 Premier League season featured some superb individual performances.

We have picked out eight of the best and invite you to vote for your Premier League Player of the Matchweek.

You have until 12:00 GMT on Wednesday 5 November to cast your vote. The result will be announced later in the day.

Moises Caicedo (Spurs 0-1 Chelsea)

Caicedo produced a standout performance as Chelsea claimed a commanding away victory over London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

The Ecuadorian midfielder created the decisive goal with a moment of brilliance, winning the ball twice in one passage of play. He dispossessed Djed Spence and then Micky van de Ven before setting up Joao Pedro to finish from close range.

Caicedo created two goalscoring chances and ranked second in the match for passes in the final third. He was also very effective defensively, making two tackles, four interceptions and seven recoveries in a dominant midfield display.

Watch Caicedo's Matchweek 10 highlights

Diego Gomez (Brighton 3-0 Leeds)

The Paraguayan midfielder showcased his goalscoring prowess as Brighton & Hove Albion eased to victory over Leeds United.

Gomez netted twice in a six-minute spell during the second half and went close to scoring a hat-trick when Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri denied him with an excellent save.

As well as his two goals, Gomez's impressive all-round performance also featured two key passes, and he won nine of his 12 duels.

Watch Gomez's Matchweek 10 highlights

Erling Haaland (Man City 3-1 Bournemouth)

Haaland maintained his remarkable scoring run with another ruthless display at Etihad Stadium, as Manchester City overcame an AFC Bournemouth side who started the day in second place.

The striker produced two clinical finishes in the first half — his fourth consecutive brace at home in the Premier League — to take his tally to 13 league goals this season.

Haaland's second strike was the seventh consecutive Man City goal he had scored, a streak that ended when team-mate Nico O’Reilly netted in the second half to make the final score 3-1.

Pep Guardiola praised Haaland after the match, stating he is currently playing at the level of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Watch Haaland's Matchweek 10 highlights

Jefferson Lerma (Crystal Palace 2-0 Brentford)

Lerma made a decisive impact in only his second Premier League start of the season, setting up both goals in Crystal Palace’s victory at Selhurst Park.

The Colombian headed Yeremy Pino’s free-kick back across goal for Jean-Philippe Mateta to open the scoring, before his trademark long throw led to Brentford captain Nathan Collins diverting the ball into his own net.

Watch Lerma's Matchweek 10 highlights

Freddie Potts (West Ham 3-1 Newcastle)

Potts marked his first Premier League start with a mature and composed display as West Ham United secured a deserved home win over Newcastle United.

The 22-year-old midfielder made six clearances and four tackles, and won five duels. He also created two chances going forward and almost capped his first start with a goal, only for his effort to be ruled out for offside.

Watch Potts' Matchweek 10 highlights

Declan Rice (Burnley 0-2 Arsenal)

Rice delivered yet another dominant all-round performance in midfield as he helped Arsenal to secure a 2-0 win which extended their lead at the top of the table.

The England international was involved in both goals at Turf Moor. His deep corner was knocked back by Gabriel Magalhaes and nodded in on the goalline by Viktor Gyokeres, before Rice doubled Arsenal's lead himself with a powerful header.

Rice ranked first in several key areas against Burnley, with 94 touches and five tackles, as well as winning 100 per cent of his duels (9/9).

Watch Rice's Matchweek 10 highlights

Ryan Sessegnon (Fulham 3-0 Wolves)

Fulham ended a run of four straight Premier League defeats and this owed much to the display of left-back Sessegnon.

The 25-year-old gave the hosts a ninth-minute lead, showing great composure to slot past Sam Johnstone after being played through by Raul Jimenez.

Sessegnon also played a part in Fulham’s third goal as his low cross forced an own goal from Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Yerson Mosquera.

Watch Sessegnon's Matchweek 10 highlights

Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool 2-0 Aston Villa)

Having spent some of the season so far standing in at right-back, Szoboszlai played in a more familiar No 10 role against Aston Villa to great effect.

The Hungarian pressed relentlessly, rarely giving the visitors any rest, while he had the third-most touches of any player (72) and created the joint-most chances to help Liverpool halt a four-match losing streak.

Szoboszlai was voted Liverpool's Player of the Match by their supporters for the fourth time this season.

Watch Szoboszlai's Matchweek 10 highlights

Chelsea continued their fine record at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in Saturday's 1-0 London derby win over Spurs, with Moises Caicedo once again at the heart of their success.

The Chelsea midfielder crowned a dominant midfield performance with a big role in the decisive goal, winning possession twice on the edge of Spurs' penalty area before teeing up Joao Pedro to score.

Caicedo's all-action display impressed Alan Shearer, the Premier League's record goalscorer, who has named the Ecuadorian in his Team of the Week for Matchweek 10.

Robert Sanchez (Chelsea)

"Dominated his penalty area. Came and collected every set-piece to nullify the attacking threat of a Spurs team who have often relied on set-plays."

Jurrien Timber (Arsenal)

"Helped the Gunners to keep yet another clean sheet - their seventh in 10 Premier League matches. Timber was also superb going forward."

Maxence Lacroix (Crystal Palace)

"Another impressive display from the centre-back, who made some crucial challenges. A key figure as Palace won the set-piece battle with Brentford."

Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace)

"What a season he is having. Made it a frustrating match for Brentford’s attack. Didn’t put a foot wrong."

Marc Cucurella (Chelsea)

"Outstanding down the left from start to finish. Won every tackle and barely gave in-form Mohammed Kudus a sniff."

Amad (Manchester United)

"A constant threat throughout. Man Utd needed a moment of magic to earn a point at Forest and his stunning late strike provided it."

Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool)

"Liverpool needed a spark to reignite their season and he provided it. Made a big difference on his return from injury and scored a lovely goal."

Moises Caicedo (Chelsea)

"Caicedo was a powerhouse in midfield, running the show with his energy and aggression, most notably when he dispossessed both Djed Spence and Micky van de Ven to set up Joao Pedro's winner."

Watch Caicedo's highlights v Spurs

Declan Rice (Arsenal)

"An outstanding performance. Rice showed his class with a goal and a brilliant all-round display."

Diego Gomez (Brighton & Hove Albion)

"Announced himself on the Premier League stage, scoring a double to help Brighton see off Leeds and move into the top half of the table."

Erling Haaland (Manchester City)

"Just another two goals for the big Norwegian! He is unplayable - and unstoppable - right now. An absolute goal machine."

Football writer Alex Keble highlights the hot topics and tactical lessons from Matchweek 10 so far, including:

- Liverpool benefit from Villa’s risky tactics as the old guard rediscover their form

- Cherki-Haaland connection shows the value of Guardiola’s new tactical approach

- Pressing machine Caicedo shows the error in Spurs' approach

- Nuno gets crucial first win to crank up the pressure on Newcastle

- Familiar Man Utd issues in possession suggest lean times are not over just yet

- Gomez brace gives Hurzeler another excellent attacking option

- Pereira pays the price with Wolves as it's all-too-easy for Fulham

- Victory gives Crystal Palace a timely boost after faltering form

- Arsenal march on - but is there reason to worry about their set-piece reliance?

Liverpool benefit from Villa’s risky tactics as the old guard rediscover their form

An unforced Emiliano Martinez error was the difference at Anfield. Aston Villa could easily have been 2-0 up at half-time and the Liverpool losing streak might well have been extended.

Unai Emery’s high-risk, high-reward strategy of passing out from the back under extreme pressure was designed to exploit the huge gaps in Liverpool’s midfield this season – and it very nearly worked.

Several times Villa got out, releasing Morgan Rogers into space, such as this example below that led to him hitting the post.

But it was a direct result of this desire to pass out under pressure that led to Martinez giving the ball straight to Mohamed Salah to score. Villa, though shooting themselves in the foot, were unlucky.

Liverpool fans won’t see it that way and neither will the players who, by ending a four-match losing streak in the Premier League, will feel the old confidence returning.

It is no coincidence the win came with the old guard back. Alexander Isak and Jeremie Frimpong were injured while Milos Kerkez and Florian Wirtz were left on the bench, with Hugo Ekitike (the only new signing to hit the ground running) being the only outfield starter who was signed in the summer.

Arne Slot may now decide to integrate the new players more slowly, starting with the trip to Manchester City next weekend. A gradual approach certainly makes sense until some stability returns.

Cherki-Haaland connection shows the value of Guardiola’s new tactical approach

Slowly but surely, Man City are putting together a run of form that ought to worry Arsenal supporters.

Pep Guardiola’s side have won nine of their last 10 Premier League home matches and have lost just one of their previous 12 in all competitions. For a team that so often finds its feet in the second half of the season, it’s an ominous sequence for their rivals.

And Man City’s subtle shift towards more direct football is coming together. On Sunday, they found themselves through one-on-one on four occasions and twice Rayan Cherki put Erling Haaland in behind to score.

*Green=successful pass; Red=failed pass; Blue=assist

The Cherki-Haaland connection is something Guardiola has been planning for a long time, but this was the first instance of it working.

Man City's No 10 is a more direct and urgent player than the man he is replacing, Kevin De Bruyne, and when coupled with Jeremy Doku, he creates by far the most vertical team of Guardiola's tenure.

If there was any concern about Man City’s title credentials, it was in the full-back positions, but Nico O’Reilly’s excellent performance at left-back was another big step in the right direction.

Man City are second and six points off top spot – and they haven’t really got started yet.

Pressing machine Caicedo shows the error in Spurs' approach

The match-winning moment at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium summed up the best of Chelsea’s approach to this game and exemplified why Thomas Frank got his approach wrong.

Moises Caicedo, outstanding again, made two tackles as Spurs attempted to play out from the back before squaring for Joao Pedro to score the winner. Or, Chelsea’s high and hard press defeated Spurs’ attempts to play through the visitors, which was the game in a nutshell.

Frank has so far taken four points from five home matches, partly because he prefers to coach the kind of reactive football that isn’t possible when Spurs are expected to be the progressive team.

But that only made it stranger that he didn’t sit deep, invite Chelsea on, and go direct.

Instead, Spurs repeatedly attempted to pass their way through the thirds despite their typically workmanlike midfield of Joao Palhinha, Rodrigo Bentancur and Pape Matar Sarr – and despite Chelsea’s excellent pressing game repeatedly winning out.

That basic mismatch explains why Spurs were so poor, recording an Expected Goals (xG) of just 0.05, their lowest on record (since 2012/13) in a Premier League match.

What’s more, Chelsea were only really dangerous when able to break quickly or win the ball high, making it all the more surprising Spurs did not hit high and long, turning this into a physical game.

If Spurs are to improve their home form, they need to do one of two things - either use more adventurous players in central midfield to enact a progressive game plan, or sit deeper and play a brand of reactive football that might not go down well with the fans.

On Saturday evening they did neither, and were lucky not to lose by more.

Nuno gets crucial first win to crank up the pressure on Newcastle

Nuno Espirito Santo has his first win as West Ham United head coach, an enormous moment in his tenure and in the club’s season.

Nuno typically makes fast starts after his managerial appointments, and although he has not achieved that with West Ham, there is a decent chance his first three points will get the ball rolling; a trip to Burnley next is a fantastic opportunity to put back-to-back victories together and move the Hammers out of the bottom three.

West Ham certainly looked a lot more organised, sitting diligently in a deep shape before attacking quickly through the impressive Crysencio Summerville. It is a template for future games.

But it must be said they had it easy. This was Newcastle’s worst performance of the campaign so far and arguably the worst of the Eddie Howe era. It left the Magpies with just 12 points from 10 league matches, the poorest start to a Premier League campaign by a Howe-led side since 2017/18.

They are creeping towards crisis point. Brentford (A), Man City (H), Everton (A) and Spurs (H) are a very tough next four fixtures, especially with two UEFA Champions League matches also crammed into that sequence.

Familiar Man Utd issues suggest lean times are not over just yet

A late goal from Amad rescued a point for Manchester United at Nottingham Forest but it could, and perhaps should, have been a lot worse.

Man Utd's first goal came from a corner that was perhaps fortuitously awarded, while Amad was fortunate to that an apparent handball in his own box went unpunished.

Man Utd struggled to create chances in open play, scoring twice from corners primarily because their hosts have difficulties in this area; Forest have conceded a competition-high 16 Premier League goals from set pieces (excluding penalties) in 2025.

The issue for Man Utd was familiar. They are able to play direct and open attacking football when the opponent comes onto them, but if asked to dominate possession, Ruben Amorim’s team slow right down.

After beating Liverpool and Brighton & Hove Albion, two very attacking teams, Man Utd were frustrated for long periods at the City Ground.

Under Amorim, Man Utd have won 1.79 points per game when holding less than 50 per cent possession and 0.83 points per game when they hold over 50 per cent.

It’s a problem, but not as big as the one facing Forest. Amad’s equaliser was a crushing blow that denied Sean Dyche his first Premier League win as their head coach and Forest their first victory in the competition since the opening weekend.

Beating Man Utd might have relaunched their season. Instead, the wait goes on.

Dyche’s side cannot afford anything less than three points when Leeds United visit next weekend.

Gomez brace gives Hurzeler another excellent attacking option

Brighton appear to have unearthed yet another gem.

Paraguay international Diego Gomez didn’t make much of an impact in 2024/25, but after scoring four goals in an EFL Cup match at Barnsley in September, he has been given more of a run in the team and he scored a brace against Leeds on Saturday.

Gomez now has seven goals in 12 appearances in all competitions this season, as the 22-year-old finds his feet in English football following his move from Inter Miami.

Watch Gomez's goals v Leeds

His influence on the team goes beyond goals, too. Brighton have won four and drawn one of the five Premier League matches Gomez has started, which includes wins against Chelsea and Man City.

With Yankuba Minteh on one side and Gomez on the other, Fabian Hurzeler’s side look more balanced in attack as they chase European football; 10 points from their last five matches has lifted Brighton back into the top 10.

Pereira pays the price with Wolves as it's all-too-easy for Fulham

Wolverhampton Wanderers have sacked Vitor Pereira, perhaps not just for the results themselves but for the manner of recent performances.

Winless Wolves, on the back of consecutive defeats to promoted clubs, had to see fixtures like this one as winnable; had to make sure they put up a good fight.

But instead Fulham eased to victory. The opener resulted from two simple passes that tore a hole in the Wolves defence, putting Ryan Sessegnon through on goal, before one straight pass was enough to again create a one-on-one, this time leading to a red card for Emmanuel Agbadou.

This is now the second year in a row that Wolves have failed to win any of their first 10 Premier League matches, but their situation looks a lot worse this time.

Wolves relied on beating the promoted sides last season – five of their 11 league wins, in fact – but those clubs are much stronger this year and Wolves have already been beaten by Leeds, Burnley and Sunderland.

In 2024/25, Wolves' 11th match was at home to Southampton, which they won, whereas this time they are away at Chelsea.

Whoever comes in as Pereira's successor has a very difficult job on their hands.

Victory gives Palace a timely boost

Three Premier League matches without a win had taken some of the wind out of their sails, but any concern Crystal Palace might fall away was cast aside at the weekend.

Oliver Glasner’s side beat Brentford 2-0 to continue an excellent record at Selhurst Park; Palace are now unbeaten in their last 11 Premier League home matches (W6 D5).

Having said that, this fixture is becoming one of the most straightforward in the competition. Brentford have lost four of their five Premier League away matches under Andrews (W1), after losing just one of their last 11 under Thomas Frank last season (W7 D3).

Andrews has made a very good start to life as a manager, but it’s obvious where he most needs to improve.

Is there reason to worry about Arsenal's set-piece reliance?

Arsenal have won seven consecutive matches to nil in all competitions for just the second time in the club’s history, last doing so in 1987.

There is nothing to worry about, although if Mikel Arteta is making plans for the international break, he might wonder how he can get his team to score more goals from open play.

Arsenal have scored 10 set-piece goals this season, which means only eight open-play goals in 10 Premier League matches. That doesn’t feel particularly sustainable.

Injuries to Martin Odegaard and Noni Madueke might explain that somewhat, but with Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka in the team, Arsenal would hope to be more ruthless in open play.

Teams have won the Premier League via a brilliant defensive record. But nobody has ever done so when relying so heavily on set-pieces.

* Sunderland host Everton at the Stadium of Light in the final fixture of Matchweek 10 on Monday 3 November. Kick off 20:00 GMT.

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

Football writer Dan Edwards reports on a majestic performance by Moises Caicedo, creator of Joao Pedro's decisive goal as Chelsea won 1-0 at Tottenham Hotspur.

Enzo Maresca said his young Chelsea squad had to “grow up” in midweek after his side received their sixth red card in the space of nine games in their EFL Cup victory at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

If their dominant display against Tottenham Hotspur is anything to go by, they appear to have taken their manager’s advice on board.

Chelsea defeated Spurs by just a single goal in the end, but their mature and purposeful performance was deserving of a multi-goal victory, and Moises Caicedo, who turns 24 on Sunday, was the star of the show.

Watch: Caicedo was EVERYWHERE against Spurs

Spurs boss Thomas Frank will have been well aware of Chelsea’s strength in the middle of the pitch, with their midfield trio of Caicedo, Reece James and Enzo Fernandez offering a high technical floor and plenty of defensive aggression to boot.

Frank’s solution was to start with Pape Matar Sarr behind the striker and ahead of Rodrigo Bentancur and Joao Palhinha, with Lucas Bergvall – typically a central midfielder – on the left, and Mohammed Kudus on the right as usual.

His hope will have been that Bergvall’s defensive aptitude would allow him to create a numerical advantage in the middle of the park out of possession to disrupt Chelsea’s build-up, but the young Swede was forced off after just seven minutes due to concussion, and his replacement, Xavi Simons, was not as suited to the task at hand.

We will never know quite how much of a difference this change made to proceedings, but Chelsea capitalised nonetheless, displaying clear authority in the battle for midfield control.

Caicedo dominant

Caicedo was no doubt central to this game within a game, and as a result, the whole match itself.

The Ecuadorian already led all Premier League players for combined tackles and interceptions (49) heading into Matchweek 10, but he made sure to build on that total with another two tackles and four interceptions against Spurs with seven ball recoveries in addition.

“I think he's showing how good he is,” Maresca said in his post-match press conference.

“He's top. We judge him inside the pitch, but I have said many times, the best thing from Moi for sure, is he's so humble, he's such a good guy. He's always there to help everyone.

“For me, in this moment, him and Rodri are the two best defending midfielders in the world.”

Two of Caicedo’s defensive interventions came in one sequence that encapsulated his immense quality, dispossessing both Djed Spence and Micky van de Ven before putting the ball on a plate for Joao Pedro, who smashed home from close range.

The Brazilian had not scored a goal since August against Fulham, and he was so enamoured by Caicedo’s efforts that he offered to take his team-mate out for dinner as a result!

Pressure had been building on Joao Pedro to contribute more goals. His Caicedo-assisted strike ended a 705-minute scoring drought across all competitions, and had it not been for Chelsea’s shortage of options at the top of the pitch, he may have been out of the side.

Maresca has admitted that he does not view the young forward as an out-and-out No 9, and he is perhaps more suited to playing with a striking partner, as he is likely to do in future with Liam Delap, who was suspended for the Spurs game.

The Brazilian had five shots on target in the match, having recorded only three such shots across in his prior 11 games in all competitions this season.

Joao Pedro scored with the easiest of those five attempts, but he missed three opportunities that were defined by Opta as "big chances", and had he been more clinical, the game would have been over inside an hour.

Creative concern for Frank

Spurs are fourth in the Premier League, despite losing to Chelsea for the fifth meeting in a row, but the manner of this performance will be of great concern to head coach Frank.

Their three shots, all of which came from Kudus, added up to an expected goals (xG) total of just 0.05. Since such data became available in 2012/13, that is the club’s lowest xG return in 504 games in the Premier League.

“There’s a lot of things that hurt today,” Frank said after the defeat.

“I think we created very, very little — I don’t think I’ve ever managed a team that’s created that little [in a game] — so that’s part of many, many things and sometimes you can analyse too much. I think we lacked the freshness today, unfortunately.”

His Spurs side have now failed to score in three of their last four games in all competitions, and the suspicion is that they often feel more dangerous from dead-ball situations than they do from open play.

They are missing the natural creativity of the injured James Maddison, and attempts to replace him directly with Morgan Gibbs-White or Eberechi Eze failed in the summer transfer window.

The club instead signed Simons, but the Dutchman has often been used on the left of late, and Frank’s side are therefore still missing a genuine creative presence in the middle of the park.

Admittedly, they entered Matchweek 10 with the joint-highest goal total of any side in the top flight (17), but a look under the hood shows that was unlikely to continue.

They ranked only 13th for xG, with the largest difference between xG and actual goals of any side in the division.

All the more strange is the difference between their results at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium compared to their results on the road.

Spurs would be top of the Premier League table if only away games counted, while they would be 17th if the standings were based on results at home.

“I think we just need to keep working very, very hard on it, no doubt about that,” Frank said, when his team’s poor home form was put to him.

“Clearly we are building something that needs to add a lot of things, sometimes it’s very good but unfortunately today was not good and we are very irritated and frustrated about that.”

What’s next?

Spurs will have to improve quickly if they are to avoid sliding down the table.

They face a much improved Manchester United side in next Saturday’s early kick-off, with a trip to Emirates Stadium to face league leaders and north London rivals Arsenal after the November international break.

Chelsea moved up to fifth and level on points with Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League table as Joao Pedro's goal guided the Blues to a deserved 1-0 win in Saturday's London derby, their fifth in a row at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Thomas Frank's hosts knew a victory would take them second behind Arsenal, at least until Sunday's game between Manchester City and AFC Bournemouth.

But they were punished for an error-strewn showing, as Moises Caicedo pounced on a defensive mix-up to tee up Joao Pedro's close-range finish in the 34th minute.

Frustration could be heard around the stadium throughout the second half, and Chelsea could have won by a more handsome margin if not for a string of saves by Guglielmo Vicario.

The result leaves the teams fourth and fifth, respectively, in the table, with Spurs boasting a marginally better goal difference.

How the match unfolded

After a quiet opening, the game burst into life around the half-hour mark, with Vicario denying Joao Pedro following a blocked clearance from Pedro Porro, before Mohammed Kudus just fired over at the other end.

But Joao Pedro would not make the same mistake when Spurs played themselves into trouble again soon afterwards. Xavi Simons' poor pass – intended for Micky van de Ven – was intercepted by Caicedo, who squared for the Brazilian to finish.

Only a reflex save from Vicario denied Joao Pedro his brace when he met Malo Gusto's cross on the volley, before Robert Sanchez parried Kudus' shot in first-half stoppage time.

Vicario was worked on several more occasions in the second half as the Spurs supporters grew restless, with Enzo Fernandez trying his luck before Pedro Neto was denied on two occasions.

And there was to be no grandstand finish from Spurs as the best stoppage-time chances fell to Jamie Gittens and Joao Pedro, with the hosts being booed off at full-time.

Home is not where the heart is for Spurs

There has been a Jekyll and Hyde feel to Spurs' season so far. For as brilliant as Frank's men have been on their travels - they have the best away record - they have mostly been disappointing at home.

Last week, Spurs produced a streetwise, efficient performance to become the first away victors at Hill Dickinson Stadium, scoring two of their three goals from corners and producing a resolute defensive display when Everton got on top in the second half.

But their start to Saturday's game could hardly have been more different. Spurs got a major reprieve when Porro's blocked clearance did not result in a goal, but they would not be so lucky when Caicedo profited from the mix-up between Simons and Van de Ven.

Spurs had a half-chance early in the second period as Rodrigo Bentancur almost pounced on a long Kevin Danso throw, but that brief moment of hope aside, the hosts were fortunate to avoid further damage on the counter-attack.

The defeat capped a disappointing day for Spurs, which started with Lucas Bergvall being substituted with a head injury in the seventh minute and ended with them eight points adrift of Arsenal.

They are at home again on Tuesday, against FC Copenhagen in the UEFA Champions League, before Manchester United come to town next weekend.

Caicedo leads much-improved Chelsea to victory

Discontent never seems to be too far away at Stamford Bridge, and a nervy 4-3 EFL Cup win over Wolverhampton Wanderers – in which the Blues were almost pegged back from 3-0 up – did little to atone for last weekend's 2-1 defeat at home to Sunderland.

There was some pressure on Enzo Maresca coming into Saturday's game, but he oversaw a strong first-half performance, which set Chelsea on their way to three points.

The Italian fielded captain Reece James as a central midfielder, and his physicality in the challenge and crisp passing through the thirds helped the Blues control the engine room.

Caicedo was busy alongside him and played a key role in the game's telling moment, showing great awareness to dispossess Van de Ven, maintain his balance under pressure in the area, then pick out Joao Pedro.

Maresca would have been braced for a Spurs onslaught after the interval, but that pressure never came as the Blues' back line stood up to a series of hopeful set-piece deliveries and Neto led several blistering counter-attacks.

Chelsea will now look to rest up ahead of a mammoth trip to Azerbaijan, to face Qarabag in the Champions League on Wednesday, before winless Wolves visit Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

Club reports

Spurs report | Chelsea report

Next PL fixtures

Key facts

Chelsea have lost just one of their last 18 games against Spurs in all competitions (W14 D3), winning each of the last five in a row since a 2-0 loss in February 2023.

Spurs have won just three of their last 19 home Premier League games (D4 L12), with no ever-present side winning fewer home matches during this period (since 10 November 2024 - level with West Ham).

Joao Pedro’s goal for Chelsea ended his goalless run of 705 minutes across all competitions, netting for the first time since August against Fulham.

Only Wolves (four) have made more errors leading to opposition goals than Spurs in the Premier League this season (three – level with Man Utd, Nottingham Forest and Fulham).