Premier League: 10 talking points from the weekend’s action
Story By Staff Reporter
1. City’s Win at Anfield Raises Tough Questions
Manchester City beat Liverpool 3-0 at Anfield. The result brought both vindication and criticism. Fans in the away end waved inflatable bananas. City’s players could finally focus on football rather than legal arguments and uncertain futures.
However, many found the sight of a club found guilty of more than 100 charges beating Liverpool uncomfortable. Home fans chanted “cheat” whenever City passed the ball around after the game was won. Those chants will likely follow City to other grounds. Enzo Maresca calls his club’s plight “noise.” The victory did nothing to turn that noise down. The league needs a resolution fast.
2. Iraola’s Liverpool Revolution Needs Time
Andoni Iraola’s Liverpool reboot will require patience. His side showed plenty of drive and determination against City. Their play still looked rough around the edges. Iraola wanted his players in City’s faces, and they managed that for most of the first half.
Early in the second half, a flurry of chances had City rocking. Then Ryan Gravenberch was sent off, and the momentum vanished. Liverpool also missed Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo. Lewis Koumas impressed as an emergency centre-forward, and Víctor Muñoz brought energy. Bradley Barcola and Florian Wirtz cost more than £100m each, though. They must supply the cutting edge. Barcola is new, so he gets some leniency. Wirtz will draw more criticism.
3. Sage Gets Lucky Against Glasner
Crystal Palace beat Nottingham Forest 3-1 at Selhurst Park. It was the second time this season that Palace won without playing their best. Pierre Sage admitted his side were slightly fortunate. Forest created plenty of chances in the first 40 minutes. Walter Benítez made a string of fine saves.
Sage knows Palace must improve defensively. He called the number of chances they conceded “not normal.” Axel Disasi returns from suspension. However, he will miss next weekend’s trip to rivals Brighton. Before that, Palace face Sage’s old club Lyon in the Europa League on Thursday.
4. Maitland-Niles Makes a Costly Mess
Everton drew 2-2 at Hull City. Ainsley Maitland-Niles made two errors that cost them a first away league win since February. First, he botched an easy interception. That gifted Sorba Thomas the chance to set up Joe Gelhardt for Hull’s opener.
Everton then turned the game around to lead. Later, Maitland-Niles defended poorly against Elliot Stroud at a corner. Stroud found Mohamed Belloumi for the equaliser. Everton are short on attacking options. As a result, they cannot afford to score twice away from home and take only one point.
5. Spurs Show Hope Under De Zerbi
Tottenham drew 1-1 at Old Trafford. Manchester United looked sluggish and shapeless, so they were hardly a fair test of Spurs’ progress. Still, Tottenham can take positives from a contest full of mistakes. Roberto De Zerbi said he wants the blood and character his side has lacked for a long time.
Dominic Solanke wore the captain’s armband. He scored a late equaliser after Spurs had pushed hard with 10 men. Their finishing was poor in the first half, though. Their energy also silenced United fans who had mocked Manchester City. Those fans soon went back to worrying about Michael Carrick’s team. De Zerbi’s plan is simple: work together, stay together and have dinner together. Progress is slow, but Old Trafford offered hope.
6. Madueke Shines as Arteta Takes a Gamble
Arsenal beat Leeds United 2-1. Fans wondered who Mikel Arteta would pick on the left without the injured Christos Tzolis. Noni Madueke got the nod. The England winger had been dropped from the latest national squad, and he proved a point. Arteta said he deserved the chance and took it.
Madueke played out of position, yet his pace troubled James Justin and Jayden Bogle. He created three chances, the most in the game. He also had eight touches in the box, again the most. This was good news for a player who had been fading from view. However, it also exposed Arsenal’s thin attacking options. Tzolis was their only forward signing in the summer. The gamble worked here, but how many more will they need?
7. Fast Starts Fuel Chelsea
Chelsea beat Bournemouth 5-1. They have now scored in the first 10 minutes in five of their six games this season. Xabi Alonso says the quick starts have nothing to do with him. Morgan Rogers disagreed.
Rogers credited the manager’s team talks for getting the players firing. He said Chelsea always want to start on the front foot. Early goals have helped them win many games, especially at home. Rogers called it a good trait to have and said the team must keep going.
8. Is Villa Park Losing Its Edge?
Aston Villa drew 2-2 with Brentford. Strong home form has been central to Unai Emery’s success, yet Villa are still waiting for a home win this season. Wednesday’s Champions League game against Fenerbahce offers another chance to get off the mark.
The stadium looks different this season. Villa are rebuilding the North Stand, which will lift capacity above 50,000. For now, the ground has only three sides. Brentford head coach Keith Andrews hated playing at such grounds. He said it feels wrong, and that a missing stand changes the place. His side remain unbeaten this season.
9. Ipswich Show Their Steel
Ipswich beat Fulham 2-1. After six games, they are well ahead of the points pace needed for survival. Gary O’Neil has brought a doggedness that the team lacked under Kieran McKenna two years ago. He has also been ruthless. He dropped summer signing Kjell Scherpen for the experienced Christian Walton. Walton looks more assured.
Ipswich have still not kept a league clean sheet. Only two sides have conceded more goals, and that will concern O’Neil. On the other hand, his players have plenty of stamina. They have now scored three winners after the 90-minute mark. That is not a sustainable strategy. Even so, it shows a team with the stomach for a fight.
10. Sunderland Lack a Cutting Edge
Brighton beat Sunderland 2-0 on Saturday. The home defeat was deserved. Sunderland’s main summer priority was a specialist right winger, but they failed to sign one. That gap is now costing Régis Le Bris’s team.
They started with two natural right-backs on the pitch. Thomas Meunier played in an advanced role. When he injured a hamstring, Nilson Angulo moved over from his preferred left wing. Without the injured Brian Brobbey, Sunderland barely threatened. Le Bris should consider starting Chris Rigg or Chemsdine Talbi at Bournemouth next Sunday. Before that, Sunderland visit Torreense in Europa League on Thursday. They have only four league points so far, and the fixtures ahead look tricky.
English Premier League table for the 2026/27 season:
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Manchester City | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 5 | +11 | 18 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 5 | +5 | 15 |
| 3 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 18 | 5 | +13 | 13 |
| 4 | Brentford | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 6 | +6 | 10 |
| 5 | Everton | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 5 | +3 | 10 |
| 6 | Chelsea | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 15 | 13 | +2 | 10 |
| 7 | Leeds United | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 5 | +3 | 9 |
| 8 | Hull City | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 6 | +2 | 9 |
| 9 | Liverpool | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 9 |
| 10 | Ipswich Town | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 12 | -3 | 9 |
| 11 | Newcastle United | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 8 |
| 12 | Crystal Palace | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 12 | -3 | 7 |
| 13 | Manchester United | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 6 |
| 14 | Nottingham Forest | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 8 | -3 | 5 |
| 15 | Aston Villa | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 11 | -5 | 5 |
| 16 | Sunderland | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 12 | -6 | 4 |
| 17 | AFC Bournemouth | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 13 | -6 | 3 |
| 18 | Tottenham Hotspur | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 | -6 | 3 |
| 19 | Coventry City | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 10 | -9 | 3 |
| 20 | Fulham | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 10 | -4 | 2 |
