Premier League Week 12 Preview

The Premier League returns from international break with a London derby between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur. The Gunners are poised at the top of the table, now closely pursued by Manchester City. Their historic rival, Tottenham Hotspur, has stumbled of late after an encouraging start to the season under new manager Thomas Frank. Spurs still stands fifth in the table despite injured stars James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski remaining sidelined. Arsenal suffered an injury blow of its own when Gabriel Magalhaes sustained a thigh injury on international duty. The center back, who has played every Premier League minute for the club this season, could be missing until January, leaving a hole in the Gunner defense. Mikel Arteta has options on a deep bench but the cohesive partnership between Gabriel and William Saliba will be disrupted for the time being. In addition to defensive solidity, Gabriel’s proficiency in scoring off set pieces will be missed. Arsenal has scored more set piece goals than any other Premier League side this season. Tottenham Hotspur, however, is the club that has conceded the fewest set piece goals and now will not have to deal with Gabriel’s aerial presence in the box.

Arsenal’s season of injuries is officially underway 😭🔴🚑

Gabriel Magalhães is set to miss up to TWO months after picking up an injury while on international duty with Brazil, per @DavidOrnsttein 😟 pic.twitter.com/KaEuCez8EF

— OneFootball (@OneFootball) November 18, 2025

Manchester City has now become Arsenal’s primary title combatant after the startling swoon by early table leaders Liverpool. The Citizens are four points behind the Gunners with Erling Haaland having already shredded Premier League defenses for thirteen goals this season. Manchester City travels to St. James’ Park this weekend to face a struggling Newcastle side which has been unable to overcome the loss of Alexander Isak’s goal production of last season. Newcastle has scored only 11 goals in accumulating just 12 points in its 11 Premier League matches this season. Another title duel between Arsenal and Manchester City seems destined.

The rest of the table, however, is populated with questions. Third place Chelsea, which visits Burnley on Saturday, is just five points removed from 14th place Everton in the Premier League table. The Toffees, who visit Old Trafford to face Manchester United on Monday, are in turn only five points removed from the relegation line.

Wolverhampton provides perhaps the only certainty with respect to how the Premier League season will unfold. Woeful Wolves has accumulated only two points, fired its manager and failed to win a single match. Oddsmakers point to a roughly 90% probability that Wolverhampton, which hosts Crystal Palace on Saturday, will be relegated.

Nottingham Forest still has hope for survival despite its current 19th place position. The Tricky Trees won for the first time under new manager Sean Dyche just before the break. That momentum, however, could be short lived with a visit to Liverpool on the cards for this weekend.

Bournemouth is coming off back-to-back losses as the Cherries prepare to host West Ham this weekend. Perhaps more daunting than the recent losses by the Cherries are the transfer rumors surrounding Antoine Semenyo. A release clause in the forward’s contract leaves the Cherries at risk for their leading scorer to depart in the January window. Liverpool is supposedly one of the suitors for Semenyo despite the Reds’ heavy, and to this point unproductive, investment in Alexander Isak last window.

Sunderland has made the most of modest goal production this season. The Black Cats have scored only 14 goals in their 11 matches but are in the top four with five wins and two draws. One of those draws was with table leader Arsenal in Sunderland’s last match before the break. The Black Cats travel to Craven Cottage this weekend to face Fulham.

Aston Villa will be on the road to face Leeds this weekend in a match between clubs headed in opposite directions. Villa has won four of its last five league matches while Leeds has lost four of five. Aston Villa is in a  gaggle of five clubs all sitting on 18 points this season. Newly promoted Leeds is just a point above the drop line and looks like a candidate for a lower tier return.

Solidly, and perhaps uninterestingly, in the middle of the Premier League table are Brighton and Brentford which will face off at Brighton’s American Express Stadium on Saturday. Brentford does deserve a nod for maintaining its status as a mid-table club despite the departure of its manager, captain and key scoring threats from last season.