Premier League Match Week 26 Results

Arsenal dropped points in a 1-1 draw at Brentford on Thursday to narrow the Gunners’ advantage over Manchester City in the title chase. Ironically, it was a dead ball play beginning with a long throw into the box that equalized the match and stole points from the league leaders. Set pieces are supposed to be the purview of Arsenal so the equalizer proved to be an example of “live by the sword, die by the sword.”

Questions now will be asked whether Arsenal’s attack is too dependent on set pieces. The Gunners created little in attack at Brentford and generated only two shots on target. Eberechi Eze, brought in from Crystal Palace to provide some creativity, was terrible and benched at halftime. On the season, Arsenal is 16th in the league with respect to the percentage of its goals which come from open play. That could prove a fatal flaw as Manchester City continues in hot pursuit of the Gunners.

The Citizens had rolled over Fulham 3-0 the day before and the difference between the clubs at the top is now a mere four points. The prospect of Arsenal falling short once again was loudly reminded to Arsenal and their supporters by the Brentford faithful who were thrilled with their Bees’ performance. Somewhat surprisingly, Brentford seems improved after the change-in of current Manager Keith Andrews for legendary Bees gaffer Thomas Frank last offseason.

Perhaps not all that surprising, however, given the debacle that proved to be Frank’s stay at Tottenham Hotspur. Frank alienated both players and supporters during this miserable season in north London. Finally, the higher ups could wait no longer after the club’s seventh home loss of the season on Tuesday. Only relegation bound Burley and Wolverhampton are poorer at home this season and Spurs is now just five points away from joining those two clubs in the relegation zone.

The Club has taken the decision to make a change in the Men’s Head Coach position and Thomas Frank will leave today.

Thomas was appointed in June 2025, and we have been determined to give him the time and support needed to build for the future together.

However, results and… pic.twitter.com/mo82TaAXts

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) February 11, 2026

Newcastle’s 2-1 victory over Spurs on Tuesday was followed by the sacking of the former Brentford manager who seemed out of his depth in charge of the large London club. Frank’s eight-month tenure never gained traction as horrible results were wed with clashes with players and supporters who regularly questioned Frank’s tactical decisions. Spurs are now faced with the problem of who replaces Frank. A more impressive pool of candidates will be available after this season. There remains the romantic notion that the club will be reunited with current USA coach Mauricio Pochettino.

As the club hurtles toward the relegation fight, however, reliance on an interim solution could be dangerous. While relegation might still seem an unlikely reality for Spurs, the specter of demotion has been all too real for Nottingham Forest which is now searching for its fourth manager of the season, a Premier League record. First there was current West Ham Manager Nuno Espirito Santo. Then Ange Postecoglou stopped by for a brief 39-day debacle.

Sean Dyche has now been sacked after a four-month stint following the Tricky Trees’ goalless draw with cellar dwelling Wolverhampton on Wednesday. Capturing only two points from a run of three winnable matches against Crystal Palace, Leeds and Wolverhampton was the final straw for Dyche as impulsive owner Evangelos Marinakis sacked his third manager of the season. A haul of only 25 goals in 26 Premier League matches this season has been infuriating to the Greek owner who has spent heavily on offensive weapons.

Marinakis is now rumored to be turning to former Wolves Manager Vitor Pereira who previously managed Olympiakos for the Nottingham Forest owner. Pereira is credited with saving Wolves from relegation last season and would seem a reasonable choice to address the desperate situation whereby Forest is only three points from the drop. Seven Premier League managers are now no longer with the clubs they started the season with, including Chelsea’s Enzo Maresca who purportedly left by “mutual consent.”

Oliver Glanser has told Crystal Place that he is done after this season, but supporters would be okay with an earlier parting with the irascible manager who is producing poor results while taking shots at ownership. Crystal Palace suffered disaster at Selhurst Park on Wednesday when the Eagles squandered a two-goal lead and lost 3-2 to Burnley. New Crystal Palace signing Jorgen Strand Larsen gave the Eagles a two-goal cushion before disaster struck in a seven-minute span where Burnley scored twice on its own and then saw the winner find the net on an own goal by Crystal Palace winger Jefferson Lerma.

It was the first Premier League victory in 17 matches for Burnley. Meanwhile, a Crystal Palace win over Brighton last weekend proved to be fool’s gold and more a reflection of Brighton’s incompetence than a resurgence by the Eagles. Brighton has won just one of its last 13 Premier League matches after Wednesday’s 1-0 loss to Aston Villla and pressure is building on Manager Fabian Hurzeler, the Premier League’s youngest manager whose relative inexperience has become a subject of debate.

The winning runs of managers Michael Carrick and Liam Rosenior came to an end during the week though both remained undefeated since taking over Manchester United and Chelsea, respectively. A Benjamin Sesko goal in the 96th minute salvaged a point for Manchester United against West Ham at Old Trafford. While it was perhaps the worst performance under Carrick for the Red Devils, it was West Ham which squandered a golden opportunity to make up more ground in its struggle for survival.

The one point moved the Hammers to within three points of presently safe Nottingham Forest in the relegation fight. Chelsea remained a point behind fourth place Manchester United after the Blues drew with Leeds at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea moved to a two-goal advantage on Cole Palmer’s 58th minute penalty kick but then conceded two goals in a span of six minutes to the visiting Whites. Leeds had not had a shot on target until Lukas Nmecha converted from the penalty spot in the 67th minute.

The equalizer came in a shambolic scramble in front of Chelsea’s goal in the 73rd minute. Sunderland finally lost a match at the Stadium of Light after an unbeaten run of 12 matches at their fortress in northeast England. The Black Cats were the only undefeated club at home in the Premier League until Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk put an end to that with his 61st minute goal which proved the difference in a 1-0 final.

Bournemouth executed yet another comeback to defeat Everton 2-1 on Tuesday and extend the Cherries’ current unbeaten run to six matches. Only Aston Villa and Sunderland have rescued more points from a losing position than the Cherries this season. With his goal to tie the match, Bournemouth’s Rayan became just the third teenager to register a goal or assist in each of his first three Premier League matches. After a goal by Amin Adli put the Cherries ahead in the 64th minute, Everton’s efforts to level terms were stunted by a 69th minute Jake O’Brien.

Premier League Match Week 25 Results: Manchester City Wins At Liverpool; Villa Drops Points At Bournemouth; Manchester United Wins Fourth Straight Under Carrick. Leeds Crushes Forest While West Ham Wins To Tighten Survival Race

Manchester City roared back with two late goals to defeat Liverpool 2-1 at Anfield. The tense match was scoreless until Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai broke the ice with a 74th minute goal, a swerving free kick which further solidified his growing reputation as a dead ball master. Liverpool’s goal scorer would later be disqualified for a shirt pull on a goal bound Erling Haaland late into stoppage time. The damage was already done, however, by a Manchester City comeback which began with a scrappy Bernardo Silva equalizer in the 84th minute.

Bernardo Silva pops up in the box for a crucial equalizer 😤 pic.twitter.com/MVkagwOIgI

— B/R Football (@brfootball) February 8, 2026

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson would then interfere with City’s Matheus Nunes and send Erling Haaland to the spot. The Golden Boot leader did not disappoint as he registered his 21st goal of the season which would secure all three points for the Citizens and allow them to keep pace with Arsenal in the Premier League title race. City almost lengthened its lead but for an odd occurrence 13 minutes into extra time. The Citizens’ Rayan Cherki launched a hopeful ball from midfield when seeing Alisson out of position.

Haaland set chase after the ball only to be grabbed by Szoboszlai. Haaland would then grab Szoboszlai, preventing the Liverpool man from clearing the ball as Cherki’s prayer rolled into the net for what appeared to be Manchester City’s third goal. VAR intervened, however, and the referee agreed that the goal should be disallowed because of Haaland’s interference. Szoboszlai’s earlier infraction, however, was deemed a clear prevention of a goal scoring opportunity by Haaland.

The result of the adjudication was no goal, a direct free kick to Manchester City, and a red card for Szoboszlai who will now be suspended for the Reds’ midweek clash with Sunderland. Manchester City remains six points behind Arsenal which dispatched Sunderland 3-1 on Saturday. 

Arsenal is a deep and powerful squad that is much improved over the version which has fallen short in recent title races. Manager Mikel Arterta was missing both Bukayo Saka and Maritn Odegaard for the match with the Black Cats, a situation which would have been perilous in recent seasons. This season, however, summer signing Viktor Gyokeres stepped up with a brace after fellow transfer Martin Zubimendi opened the scoring to help the undermanned Gunners to victory. Gyokeres has scored six goals in his last eight appearances across all competitions, and his eight Premier League goals lead the squad. Zubimendi, meanwhile, has proved a reliable option for Arteta and has played more minutes than any other Arsenal outfield player this season, adding five goals in league play.

The title battle is beginning to look like a two-horse race after Arsenal’s emphatic victory and Manchester City’s dramatic win at Anfield while Aston Villa dropped points once again in a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth. The Villans have won but one of their last five matches to now trail Arsenal by nine points. Nineteen-year-old Brazilian Rayan scored his first Premier League goal to salvage a point for the Cherries and damage Villa’s title dreams.

Assuming five clubs qualify for Champions League, Aston Villa should still be in that mix with Liverpool now sitting in sixth position, a full eight points back of third place Villa. Manchester United and Chelsea, the current fourth and fifth place clubs, continue to surge under new management. Michael Carrick remained perfect as Manchester United manager as the Red Devils downed Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 for a fourth straight victory under the interim manager.

Tottenham Hotspur center back Cristian Romero was disqualified after a rash tackle in the 29th minute to take the wind out of a Spurs side which is now winless in its last seven Premier League matches. Carrick, meanwhile, has won his first four matches in charge whereas predecessor Ruben Amroim never won four games in a row during his entire disappointing tenure.

Liam Rosenior has also won his first four league matches since taking over in charge of Chelsea and joins former Leicester manager Craig Shakespeare as the only English managers to win their first four Premier League matches. The English born Carrick has not technically been appointed permanent manager and is in his second interim stint for Manchester United.

Chelsea’s 3-1 win over Wolverhampton on Saturday featured a hat trick by Cole Palmer, the first two coming by penalty after teammate Joao Pedro was fouled in the box by Wolves defenders. All of Palmer’s goals came in the first half as Chelsea sprinted to a three-goal halftime lead before a second half consolation goal by woeful Wolves. For Wolverhampton, it was a third consecutive league loss in a season which has seen only one win in 25 matches to date.

Burnley will be joining Wolves in the second-tier next season. The third team to go down, however, remains a question mark after West Ham took care of business by winning 2-0 at Burnley on Saturday, one day after Nottingham Forest was defeated 3-1 by Leeds on Friday night. Crysencio Summerville registered his fifth goal in as many matches across all competitions in West Ham’s win.

The victory moved the Hammers to within three points of Forest for the final ticket to next year’s Premier League. Leeds victory over Nottingham Forest, meanwhile, moved the Whites six points clear of the drop line with Friday’s win. The relegation battle could take another turn during the week, however, as West Ham will need to play red hot Manchester United while Forest will face cellar dwelling Wolverhampton.

Crystal Palace supporters have feared their own club might join the relegation fight. Some of that anxiety was relieved on Sunday when the Eagles defeated rival Brighton 1-0, ending a nine-match winless run in the Premier League. Ismaila Sarr scored his tenth goal of the season to capture all three points for Crystal Palace winner. Brighton supporters understandably voiced their anger with the loss to rival Palace in the contrived “M23 derby.” Manager Fabian Hurzeler is feeling enormous pressure as his club has won only one of its last 12 Premier League matches.

A 2-1 home loss to Brentford did nothing to improve Newcastle Manager Eddie Howe’s popularity. The Magpies lost their third consecutive league outing and are floundering in 12th position in the table. Brentford’s Dango Ouattara scored the 85th minute winner which gave the Bees their first victory at St. James’s Park since 1934.

Fulham was also a home loser when Cottager goalkeeper Bernd Leno bundled a corner kick from Everton’s Kieran Dewsbury-Hall into his own net for the winning Toffee goal in a 2-1 victory at Craven Cottage. Dewsbury-Hall had knotted the match earlier with his 75th minute equalizer. Everton has now won five times and drawn twice in their last eight away games. Match week 26 will be played out midweek and conclude with a potentially tricky match for Arsenal at Brentford on Thursday. Brentford is seventh in the table after back-to-back league victories.

Premier League Match Week 25 Preview

The feature game at the top of the table this weekend sees Manchester City going to Anfield to face Liverpool on Sunday. The Citizens are still in the title race despite some damaging recent results. The deficit is now six points to catch Arsenal and win yet another trophy which no one, but Manchester City supporters, wants to see. Liverpool, the only side to interrupt Manchester City’s monopoly on titles over the past eight years, will be particularly keen to spoil the hopes of opposing Manager Pep Guardiola. Self-interest is also at play for Liverpool which, despite dashed title hopes, is still vying for the Champions League from its present sixth place position in the table.

Manchester United and Chelsea are immediately above the Reds, and both are within two points of the Reds in a lively scramble to secure participation in Europe’s premier tournament. Manchester United is home to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday attempting to extend Manager Michael Carrick’s perfect run of three Premier League victories so far, including massive wins over Arsenal and Manchester City.

League leading Arsenal, meanwhile, is home to Sunderland on Saturday. The Black Cats have surprised the league with their current eighth place standing in the table after a nine-year absence from the league. Home results have powered the Black Cats’ success, however, and the road has been far less friendly. Sunderland visits the Emirates on Saturday with the fourth worst away record in the Premier League. Arsenal, meanwhile, has lost only to Manchester United at home this season.

Aston Villa could fall 10 points back of the Gunners, essentially ending their title hopes, should Arsenal handle Sunderland and Aston Villa falter at Bournemouth this weekend. Manager Unai Emery has seen his lineup ravaged by injury in recent weeks as new transfers such as Douglas Luiz and Tammy Abraham have been rushed into the lineup to help keep hope alive. Abraham had a goal reversed on VAR review last week in his debut performance as he stands in for the injured Ollie Watkins.

Bournemouth, meanwhile, has found form in recent weeks, winning three times in a four-match unbeaten run. The Cherries have displayed a penchant for dramatic stoppage time goals which includes a late winner at Liverpool two weeks ago.

Two consecutive losses, including last week’s demoralizing 4-1 defeat at Liverpool, have dropped Newcastle into the bottom half of the table. In the congested Premier League table, however, Newcastle is only three points south of seventh place Brentford, the Magpies’ Saturday opponent. Brentford stopped a two-match losing run of its own with a hard-earned win at Aston Villa last week where the Bees were obliged to play with ten men for the entire second half of a 1-0 victory.

Brentford is one of six teams separated by only three points in place 7-12 in the Premier League table, all of those clubs hoping to emerge from the gaggle and secure a spot in Europe next season. Two of those clubs, Fulham and Everton, will clash at Craven Cottage on Saturday. Everton may boast a four-match unbeaten run but three of those outcomes were draws with the Toffees scoring exactly one goal in each of the four matches.

Low scoring matches are Everton’s forte, not so much for Fulham. The two clubs have exactly the same goal differential, but Cottager matches have seen 69 goals scored in aggregate compared to just 53 balls finding the net in Everton matches. While Marco Silva and David Moyes are well regarded by Fulham and Everton faithful, respectively, a slew of dropped points in recent weeks has increased the heat on Brighton Manager Fabian Hurzeler.

The Seagulls are floundering far from the European places which supporters have now become accustomed to contending for. Brighton will be playing for its coach and trying to defeat a hated rival when Crystal Palace visits American Express Stadium on Sunday. The Eagles are trying to fly clear of the relegation zone and calm the disharmony between Manager Oliver Glasner and Chairman Steve Parrish over transfer policy. Alarmingly, the Eagles have not replaced center back Marc Guehi after the club captain’s transfer to Manchester City.

The relegation fight sees an important matchup on Friday when the Premier League weekend begins with a contest at Elland Road between Leeds and Nottingham Forest. The Whites and the Tricky Trees are both six points clear of the relegation zone as they fend off a suddenly threatening West Ham side and former Nottingham Forest Manager Nuno Espirito Santo. Leeds has joined the relegation battle after winning just two of its last ten Premier League matches, punctuated by a 4-0 home defeat to Arsenal last week.

Nottingham Forest has flirted with the drop zone throughout the season, Manager Sean Dyche having been brought in to replace Santo and ensure survival for the Tricky Trees. Santo meanwhile finds himself below the drop line with his Hammers currently one of the three clubs in the relegation places. Back-to-back victories had raised some optimism before the Hammers squandered a two-goal lead in a crushing 3-2 loss to Chelsea last Saturday.

West Ham faces lesser opposition this week, however, when it travels to Burnley. The Clarets are buried in the relegation zone after going winless in their last 15 Premier League matches. Only Wolverhampton, which hosts Chelsea on Saturday, has accumulated fewer points this season. 

Premier League Match Week 24 Results: Arsenal Wins, City Draws, Villa Loses As Gunners Widen Their Lead; Manchester United Stays Perfect Under Carrick; Chelsea Lowers Second Half Hammer On West Ham; Liverpool Drills Newcastle; Sunderland Stays Undefeated At Home

Arsenal’s lead is six points over Manchester City after a weekend when the Gunners romped to a 4-0 win at Leeds while Manchester City and Aston Villa both dropped points. The depth of Arsenal was again on full display Saturday. Bukayo Saka suffered a hip issue in warmups. No immediate problem for Manager Mikel Arteta who turned to Noni Madueke as next man up. The former Chelsea player responded with a goal and an assist in the annihilation of a Leeds side which had played well at Elland Road this season but was clearly overmatched versus the league leaders. Madueke’s goal from a corner kick was originally booked as an own goal as a cluster of Leeds players failed to clear with no Arsenal players in sight and managed to bumble the ball into their own net. Madueke had earlier executed a beautifully placed cross to set up Martin Zubimendi for his opening goal header. Viktor Gyokeres and Gabriel Jesus would add second half goals to complete the rout.

All signs pointed to an easy victory for Manchester City on Sunday after a dominant first half and resultant two-goal advantage at the break. After the customary halftime booing by the home fans at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Manager Thomas Frank’s side turned on a dime and exhibited the kind of grit which had been missing in its six previous home losses. The defense stiffened after Frank changed the formation to a back four for the second interval. Dominic Solanke took care of the goalscoring. The forward halved the margin with a controversial 53rd minute goal where he may or may not have fouled Manchester City center back Marc Guehi on the play.

The equalizer for Spurs was a thing of beauty. The newly acquired Conor Gallagher launched a cross which was off the mark for a flying Solanke attempt. The Spurs forward, however, was able to accommodate and proceeded to score what could be the goal of the season. The airborne and horizontal Solanke flicked the ball with his trailing back heel from a flying scorpion position. The ball floated beyond understandably flatfooted Gianlugi Donnarumma to cap an unforgettable moment. Solanke’s skill and acrobatics recalled a similar scorpion kick goal by then Arsenal forward Olivier Giroud back in 2017.

That Xavi pass 🤌

Finished off by Solanke 💪 pic.twitter.com/wWpCFoXDmb

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) February 3, 2026

The equalizer was heartening for the under-fire Frank and his players. It was not only disheartening but highly damaging to Manchester City’s title hopes as the dropped points left the Citizens six points behind victorious Arsenal. Doubt was seeded once again for this Manchester City side which has now drawn four times and lost once in its last six Premier League matches. Manager Pep Guardiola has seen his side drop seven points since the turn of the year by conceding second half goals.

If possible, Aston Villa had an even worse day. At home versus Brentford, Manager Unai Emery and his charges suffered a 1-0 defeat despite the Bees’ Kevin Scahde being red carded in the 42nd minute, leaving Brentford to play with 10 men for the duration of the match. Just minutes after Schade’s red card, Dango Ouattara scored the only goal of the match in first half stoppage time for the Bees. Villa failed to capitalize on its man advantage and lost a second consecutive home match. Aston Villa is now seven points adrift of the top. The gritty defensive effort by the Bees ended a two-match losing run for Brentford.

The steadfast second half defensive performance by Brentford contrasted dramatically with what happened to West Ham at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. Chelsea Manager Liam Rosenior chose to make six changes to his lineup to balance workloads after a midweek European match and an upcoming Carabao Cup semifinal this Wednesday versus Arsenal. West Ham capitalized by going up two goals against an opponent lineup peppered with reserves. Chelsea benchwarmers Alejandro Garnacho and Jorrel Hato made Chelsea’s left flank particularly vulnerable with Garnacho adding little up front and doing a poor job in tracking back.

Rosenior swung the game by bringing in the cavalry for the second half. Garnacho and Hato were benched. Replacements Joao Pedro and Marc Cucrella scored second half goals. An Enzo Fernandez stoppage time goal completed Chelsea’s 3-2 comeback win, leaving West Ham Manager Nuno Espirito Santo to rue the second half collapse by his defense.

Chelsea’s win kept them one point behind fourth place Manchester United which stayed perfect under interim Manager Michael Carrick with the Red Devils’ 3-2 win over Fulham at Old Trafford. Carrick’s third consecutive victory since his recent appointment became nervy when Manchester United surrendered a two-goal halftime advantage late in the match. Following a Raul Jimenez penalty kick which pulled Fulham close in the 85th minute, a stoppage time equalizer by Fulham’s Kevin seemed to dictate a sharing of points. Benjamin Sesko, however, had other ideas and scored the winner for the homestanding Red Devils just minutes later to conclude the dramatic late match fireworks. The summer signing from RB Leipzig has had a rough first season in England but Carrick applauded the extra work in training that has shown in improved form for the Slovenian striker.

Hugo Ekiteke now has 10 goals in his debut season for Liverpool. The Frenchman scored a brace in an easy Liverpool 4-1 win over Newcastle at Anfield which also saw fellow summer signing Florian Wirtz deliver a goal and an assist. It was the first Premier League win of 2026 for Liverpool while Newcastle is reeling after back-to-back losses.

Bournemouth, victors over Liverpool last weekend, won for a third time in four league matches with a 2-0 victory over Wolves. Eli Juniour Kroupi and Adam Scott found the net for the Cherries who are managing to overcome the departure of former top scorer Antoine Semenyo to Manchester City.

Burnley joined Wolves and West Ham in settling deeper into the relegation zone when the Clarets were spanked 3-0 at the Stadium of Light by Sunderland, extending Burnley’s winless run in the league to 15 matches. The Black Cats, meanwhile, remain the only undefeated Premier League team at home this season. Sunderland’s unbeaten run of 12 home matches is the longest streak by a team newly promoted to the topflight since Nottingham Forest in 1977/78. After waiting nine years to see Premier League football back at the Stadium of Light, Sunderland supporters are yet to witness a league defeat this season at their seemingly invulnerable fortress.

Nottingham Forest pulled further away from the relegation zone by salvaging a point in a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace. The Tricky Trees got off to a 1-0 lead in just the fifth minute of play when Morgan Gibbs-White scored from close range. Disaster then almost felled the Trees. Neco Williams received a red card and gave Crystal Palace a penalty try when he handled a goal bound header from Crystal Palace’s Jefferson Lerma. Ismaila Sarr converted to knot the match as time ran out on the first half. Ten-man Forest battled on and appeared the more likely side to score in a second half where the Eagles were unable to put a shot on target despite their man advantage.

The hard-won point by Nottingham Forest increased their distance from the relegation sides. Crystal Palace ended a three-match losing run but remains without a win for twelve matches across all competitions. A deal to sell disgruntled striker JP Mateta fell though for the Eagles when a knee injury did not survive a medical by AC Milan. The Frenchman may now require surgery while still pulling a paycheck from the club he wants away from. To cover their bets, Crystal Palace has signed underperforming Jorgen Strand Larsen from Wolves. The Norwegian scored 14 times last season but has just a single goal in the Premier League this season.

After losing on a stoppage time goal last week, Brighton was again victimized in extra time when Everton striker Beto scored in the 97th minute of a 1-1 draw at American Express Stadium. Home supporters booed their Seagulls at the final whistle as dissatisfaction is heating up the seat of Manager Fabian Hurzeler whose side has won just one of its last ten Premier League matches. The road warrior Toffees, meanwhile, have lost but one of their last seven away matches after snatching their late point on Saturday.

Premier League Match Week 24 Preview

Tottenham Hotspur has been poorer at home than any other Premier League team save for one, that being Wolverhampton which is buried at the bottom of the league table. The heat has been on Thomas Frank for some time now and his club’s home form is going to have to rise several levels to meet the challenge this weekend. Manchester City visits Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with renewed title hopes after Arsenal proved vulnerable in a loss to Manchester United last week. Manchester City has also shown some flaws recently, but the Citizens have loaded up this transfer window to make a stretch run for the title. Striker Antoine Semenyo, third in the Premier League Golden Boot chase, was added from Bournemouth to juice the attack. Marc Guehi has been brought in from Crystal Palace to shore up the defense.

The former Crystal Palace captain left a dumpster fire behind him, one that Eagles striker Jean-Philippe Mateta is anxious to leave as well. Crystal Palace, however, continues to put a high valuation on its striker, a price which has torpedoed efforts by several clubs to court the Eagles’ leading scorer. Nottingham Forest is a club still pursuing a deal for Mateta and that only adds fuel to the bad blood between the clubs. Forest took over the Europa League spot Crystal Palace earned with their FA Cup win when the Eagles tripped over a multi-club ownership regulation. Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis was believed to be one whom politicked for Palace’s disqualification to the benefit of his own club. Forest later filed a complaint when Crystal Palace supporters unfurled a banner disparaging the Greek owner when the clubs met at Selhurst Park earlier this season. The two clubs meet again, this time at  the City Ground on Sunday, with Mateta being the latest point of disagreement between the parties.

The 17th place Tricky Trees are trying to fend off rejuvenated West Ham in the battle for Premier League survival. The Hammers have won two matches in a row, 40% of their season long victory total, heading into their London derby at Chelsea on Saturday.

Leeds, meanwhile, is trying to avoid making it a three-team relegation fight as it hovers six points above the drop, one point above Nottingham Forest. Visiting Elland Road on Saturday will be an Arsenal squad eager to reassert its league dominance after a humbling loss to Bournemouth last week.

Aston Villa will try to stay on Arsenal’s heels when Brentford comes to Villa Park on Sunday. Manager Unai Emery has puzzles to solve for Aston Villa because of a string of injuries to his midfield. The Spanish manager revealed this week that Youri Tielemans will be out 8-10 weeks, John McGinn 6-8 weeks and Boubacar Kamara appears done for the season. Villa has reached a loan deal for former player Douglas Luiz to help plug the hole in the center of the club’s midfield.

Despite the two wins by interim manager Michale Carrick, Manchester United supporters are moving forward with a planned protest of ownership incompetence when the Red Devils host Fulham on Sunday. Carrick’s success has distracted from the underlying dissatisfaction, but the incompetence of the club’s ownership cannot be masked by the success of an individual that ownership feels is only worthy of a short-term contract.

A nefarious piece of history is on the line for Liverpool on Saturday when the Reds host Newcastle. Arne Slot’s side, the defending Premier League champion, is yet to win a Premier League match this calendar year. Failure to deliver all three points on Saturday would mark the first time since 1954 that Liverpool will have started a calendar year with a six-match league winless streak.

Bournemouth was a dramatic winner over Liverpool last week. Now the Cherries travel to Wolverhampton for what could be a more competitive match than would have been expected just a few weeks ago from the Premier League’s bottom team. Manager Rob Edwrds has the Wolves playing with an energy that was absent much of this season. The cellar dwellers, playing out a schedule which will assuredly end in relegation, had a five-match unbeaten run across all competitions before Wolves were taken down by Manchester City last week.

Sunderland and Burley are the other two clubs promoted for this season along with Wolves. Sunderland, thirteen points removed from the relegation zone, appears intent to stay around for another season. Burnley, however, looks to be making a U-turn back to the Championship along with Wolves. The Clarets are buried a discouraging ten points from safety as they travel to the Stadium of Light to face Sunderland on Monday. The Black Cats are the only club in the Premier League not to have lost a match at their home fortress this season.

Brighton is one of three clubs, along with Arsenal and Manchester City, to have stumbled but once at home this season. The Seagulls will try to maintain their own superlative home form when Everton visits the South coast on Saturday.

Premier League Match Week 23 Results: Manchester United Defeats Arsenal As Interim Manager Carrick Delivers Another Shocker; Gunners Lead Down To Four Points Over Manchester City and Aston Villa; Liverpool Nicked By Bournemouth; Crystal Palace Swoon Continues In Loss To Chelsea; Forest and West Ham Both Win In Their Battle for Premier League Survival

He may not be the permanent solution, but Michael Carrick is delivering results in the short term as Manchester United’s interim manager. One week after knocking off rival Manchester City, Carrick’s Red Devils toppled league leading Arsenal 3-2 at the Emirates. Including his prior 2021 interim stint in charge of the team, Carrick is now an unbeaten 4-1-0 managing Manchester United. It was not just the Red Devil fans who were thrilled with Sunday’s results. Both Manchester City and Aston Villa won their matches over the weekend so the lead in the Premier League title chase is now down to four points, far too narrow for the nerves of Arsenal supporters who thought this to be their year after three consecutive second place finishes in the league. Goals by summer signings Bryan Mbuemo and Matheus Cunha bookended a goal by Patrick Dorgu to provide the firepower for Manchester United which took advantage of an uncharacteristically lax Arsenal defense. Cunha was unmarked for his dramatic winner in the 87th minute. The goal by the former Wolves player came three minutes after Arsenal’s Mikel Merino had tied the score and seemingly salvaged a point for the league leaders. It was not to be, and the three-way title chase is on after Arsenal lost at home for the first time this season.

No Manchester United fan can scroll past without liking this

Matheus Cunha appreciation tweet ❤️ pic.twitter.com/O1NMRJnFJn

— Wealth (@wealth_united_) January 25, 2026

Manchester City were easy 2-0 winners over Wolves in a match that was spectated by Erling Haaland and Phil Foden as Manager Pep Guardiola rested his stars. Aston Villa won by the same 2-0 scoreline at Newcastle, the club’s first victory at St. James’s Park since 2005.

Liverpool, meanwhile, lost for the first time in 14 Premier League matches when Bournemouth’s Amine Adli scored in the final moments of stoppage time in a thriller at Vitality Stadium. Liverpool’s unbeaten run had masked some mediocre play as the Reds drew six different times during their 13-match run. The dropped points during that run had already doomed a title chase well before Adli’s heroics. Bournemouth had been on an 11-match winless run before a victory over Tottenham Hotspur two weeks ago. Saturday’s win extended a three-match unbeaten run for the rejuvenated Cherries.

New Chelsea Manager Liam Rosenior has won back-to-back Premier League matches after the Blues 3-1 victory at Crystal Palace. The Eagles are clearly in deep trouble. Crystal Palace has not won in 11 matches across all competitions and are being managed by an arsonist who has put the match to their season. Disgruntled Manager Oliver Glasner has declared he is leaving after the season and claims ownership has abandoned the manager and players with a transfer policy which has purportedly left the roster unable to compete. An unthinkable relegation battle could beckon for the Eagles who are currently eight points above the drop line.

West Ham is beginning to make some noise as the Hammers try to claw free of the relegation places. The Hammers made it two league wins in a row with their 3-1 thrashing of Sunderland on Saturday. Jarred Bowen had a goal and an assist to overtake Michail Antoinio as the all-time West Ham leader in Premier League goal involvements.

Nottingham Forest, however, has responded both last week and this past Sunday to keep the Hammers at bay. The Tricky Trees won their own second consecutive league match with a surprising 2-0 away win at Brentford, marking only the second time this season that Brentford lost a home Premier League match. Strikers Igor Jesus and Taiwo Awoniyi scored the goals which kept Nottingham Forest unbeaten in their last three matches and, most importantly, five points above West Ham in the battle for a Premier League return next season.

The reason Burnley will not be returning was evident on Saturday when the Claret defense faltered and allowed a late 90th minute equalizer in a 2-2 draw with struggling Tottenham Hotspur. With the lead in the closing minutes, Burnley repeatedly left opposing players unmarked, allowing multiple chances that included Xavi Simons’ booming blast which caromed off the top crossbar shortly before Romero’s header found the net. The Clarets are now ten points removed from safety. Tottenham Hotspur, despite Saturday’s dramatic point, is still without a  2026 Premier League victory.

Leeds are six points clear of the drop line after a 1-1 draw at Everton. Thierno Barry scored his fourth goal in his last five league games to bring the Toffees level with a 76th minute goal. The dropped points by Leeds keeps the Whites at risk of falling into a three-way battle with Nottingham Forest and West Ham for the final safe position in the league.

Everton’s Barry is not the only Premier League player on a current tear. Fulham’s Harry Wilson scored the winner in the 92nd minute of a 2-1 defeat of Brighton to continue his run of brilliant form for the Cottagers. Wilson’s Premier League goal involvements since the beginning of November are exceeded only by Erling Haaland and Saturday’s victory by Fulham has the London side up to seventh in the table.

Premier League: Match Week 23 Preview

Michael Carrick faces another formidable challenge just one week after defeating Manchester City in his interim manager role for Manchester United. Having knocked off second place Manchester City, Carrick now travels to north London for a matchup with table leading Arsenal. It may be a good time to face the Gunners who have lacked pop in their attack in their last two Premier League matches. Arsenal has failed to score a goal in two successive goalless draws, the second of which was to lowly Nottingham Forest. Gabriel Jesus revived Arsenal’s attack with two goals in a 3-1 Champions League defeat of Inter during the week. Can that spark carry over Saturday against Carrick and the Red Devils? Manchester United is riding the high of its Manchester derby conquest and still has opportunity to qualify for next year’s Champions League competition. Can Carrick lead them there or was last weekend’s victory nothing more than a new manager bounce?

Manchester City should be wary of Wolves this weekend. The Citizens added an embarrassing Champions League flop during the week to their recent spate of poor Premier League play. A 2-1 loss in Norway to Bodo/Glimt resulted in the club offering to refund the ticket cost to poor supporters who had made the icy trek to witness nothing but dreck. Wolverhampton visits the Etihad riding a four-match unbeaten run in the league and is playing much better football under Manager Rob Edwards.

Newcastle, presently eight in the Premier League table, is only three points from a top four position in the congested league table. The Magpies will have a chance to show their mettle and Champions League worthiness when Aston Villa visits St. James’ Park this weekend. Villa will be anxious to put a damaging loss to Everton last week behind them. The home loss at Villa Park ruined an opportunity for the Villans to move within four points of Arsenal in the title chase.

Liam Rosenior will be managing his second Premier League match for Chelsea on Saturday. Opposing manager Oliver Glasner seemingly cannot wait to manage his last match, whenever that may be, with Crystal Palace. The Palace manager destroyed his relationship with club ownership with scathing commentary that followed public announcement that he will not return to the club next season. Glasner is now not just the lamest of ducks but a volatile problem for the Eagles who are riding a ten-match winless run under their petulant leader. Everything would seem to point towards a Chelsea victory over an unsettled Palace squad which also sold cornerstone captain Marc Guehi to Manchester City last week and is reportedly also shopping striker JP Mateta. Rosenior’s side was impressive last week in stopping a Brentford squad which had been on a six-match  unbeaten run.

Are you enjoying this Liam Rosenior ball ? 👀 pic.twitter.com/O9H9r4VHKV

— Dennoh (@CFC_dennoh) January 21, 2026

The Bees return to their home G-Tech Community Stadium this weekend to host Nottingham Forest. The battle at the bottom of the table between Nottingham Forest and West Ham, for the final safe position ensuring a Premier League return next season, is made more interesting by Hammer Manager Nuno Espirito Santo having started the season in charge of Forest. Santo rebounded quickly from his sacking by the Tricky Trees to land the West Ham gig, at the expense of Graham Potter, in a move which looked like jumping from the frying pan into the fire.

West Ham raised some eyebrows last weekend, however, by grabbing a rare win, only its fourth of the season, at Tottenham Hotspur. To its’ credit, Nottingham Forest mitigated that body blow by drawing with Arsenal. This Saturday’s match at London Stadium could be pivotal when West Ham hosts Sunderland. Can Nuno build some momentum for the Hammers to escape the zone at the expense of his former team? The current gap to safety is now five points.

Sunderland, meanwhile, has been one of this season’s feel-good stories as the Black Cats have returned with every intention of staying for a while. The Black Cats are in the top half of the table, far from the relegation rumble.

Leeds is also surprising observers with a recent run of form which has seen the Whites lose only one of its last nine Premier League matches. The Whites go to Everton on Monday to face a Toffee side which took some of the starch out of Aston Villa with a 1-0 win at Villa Park last week.

Things look grim for Burnley, but the relegation side has not yet rolled over, drawing three of its past five league matches. The Clarets are home to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday. Spurs Manager Thomas Frank may have bought some time with a Champions League win over Borussia Dortmund during the week but his chair heats up again if he falters versus relegation bound Burnley.

Liverpool, out of the running for a Premier League title, remains a threat in the Champions League after a 3-0 win at Marseilles. The Reds are currently fourth out of 36 Champions League clubs, having secured their place in the tournament’s playoff phase. The Reds are also fourth in the Premier League standings but trail Arsenal by an insurmountable14 points. Liverpool heads to the south coast o face Bournemouth Saturday.

A tasty mid table match features Brighton on the road at Fulham. The two clubs are separated by just one point as they try to keep hope alive for a European place. The congested table sees ninth place Fulham just three points below sixth place Chelsea, though four clubs reside between the two. Everything is still on the table for a Conference League or even a Europa League spot for all those clubs.

Premier League Match Week 22 Results: Red Devils Prevail In Derby Shocker; Toffees Defeat Aston Villa; Arsenal Draws At Forest; Frank Assessment Required After Another Spurs Home Loss; Glasner Explodes At Crystal Palace Ownership; Liverpool Bumbles To Home Point; Chelsea Wins Rosenior Prem Debut

Manchester United overwhelmed Manchester City in Michael Carrick’s latest turn as interim manager. The Red Devils scored twice and had three other goals disallowed for offside in an aggressive performance seldom seen under former manager Ruben Amorim. Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu had the goals that counted in the 2-0 victory which extended Manchester City’s winless run in the Premier League to four matches. A drab performance by the visitors did damage to City’s title hopes and brought attention to the drought which continues for Golden Boot leader Erling Haaland. Haaland has but one goal in his last seven matches after finding the net 24 times in his first 23 contests this season. Fatigue could be showing as Haaland has logged more than 200 minutes more than any other Manchester City player. Helping to stymie the Norwegian striker on Sunday were outstanding performances by Manchester United center backs Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez. Defensive midfielder Kobbie Maino, freed from Amorim’s doghouse, aligned alongside Casemiro to provide further protection in delivering the team’s third clean sheet of the season.

While the loss was far from helpful, the damage to Manchester City’s title chances was mitigated somewhat when Arsenal was held to a goalless draw at Nottingham Forest. Additional pressure was levelled on the Tricky trees when West Ham grabbed a surprise victory at Tottenham Hotspur, narrowing the distance to Nottingham Forest and the final safe space in the table. Forest responded with a defensive focus which left the Trees without a shot on goal but enabled them to shut down the Gunners.

Aston Villa had a golden opportunity to make strides in the three-team title race but failed its test at Villa Park versus Everton. Victory would have brought Villa to within four points of Arsenal. The 1-0 defeat, however, leaves both Aston Villa and Manchester City seven points behind the Gunners. Thierno Barry capitalized on a fumbled save by Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez to deposit the game’s winner in the 59th minute for the Toffees.

Liverpool drew for a fourth consecutive league match as Anfield supporters saw their hometown heroes drop more points in a 1-1 draw with Burnley. Liverpool is unbeaten in 12 matches across all competitions but the inability to claim all three points in their league matches has become maddening. Thirty-two shots and 11 shots on target were unable to deliver a winning result for wasteful Liverpool versus a team headed for relegation. Saturday’s draw means that Liverpool were unable to defeat any of the newly promoted sides at Anfield this season, the first time that has ever happened to Liverpool in a Premier League season.

Happier home supporters could be found at Stamford Bridge where Liam Rosenior led Chelsea to a 2-0 victory over Brentford in his Premier League managerial debut. Joao Pedro scored the first half opener and Cole Palmer’s second half penalty kick sealed the deal as Chelsea put an end to Brentford’s six-match unbeaten run in the league.

A different London derby made headlines as Tottenham Hotspur Manager Thomas Frank would seem all but done after Spurs were 2-1 home losers to wretched West Ham. The Hammers had been unable to defeat any other Premier League foes in their last ten attempts before ruining Frank’s day on Saturday. It was the sixth home defeat for Spurs this season against only two wins in 11 Premier League matches contested at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Overall, the club has lost eight of its last 14 matches and the Danish manager has lost the supporters and likely his locker room. While he is expected to remain in charge for Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund, the former Brentford manager is on the thinnest of ice.

There is no uncertainty regarding the future of Oliver Glasner at Crystal Palace. The Austrian manager ripped his team’s ownership after Saturday’s loss to Sunderland, claiming that it “abandoned” him and the players by selling off key players such as Eberechi Eze and, most recently, Marc Guehi. The sale of Guehi to Manchester City during the week seemed to be the final straw leading to Glasner’s eruption. In a seeming demonstrative act to accentuate his points, Glasner refused to make a substitution in his club’s 2-1 loss to Sunderland, highlighting the lack of depth allotted him by financially conservative ownership. Glasner also exited his last job at Eintracht Frankfurt after developing a similar caustic relationship with the German club’s ownership. The talented manager has won silverware for both clubs, but his public disparagement of employers may enter the calculus of his next hiring. In fairness to Crystal Palace and Eintracht Frankfurt, they are not financial behemoths like Manchester City and Bayern Munch and Glasner seems to expect more than he can reasonably expect from mid table clubs. Larger clubs, meanwhile, may think twice before taking a chance on the volatile Austrian. For the time being, Crystal Palace Chairman Steve Parish has indicated he wants Glasner to finish his contract which expires in June. Glasner has already indicated he will not renew and, uncomfortably, he seems disposed to an earlier exit. While the soap opera plays out between Glasner and Parish, on pitch performance has nosedived during a ten-match winless run for the Eagles.

Leeds Manager Daniel Farke was under immense pressure earlier this season as his promoted club struggled in its initial return to the Premier League. Pundits pointed to Farke’s lack of Premier League success with Norwich City after guiding that club to promotion. A new respect has developed for the German manager. Farke adapted his tactics in November to employ a back three which was instrumental in a season turning seven match unbeaten run. The streak ended in a loss at Newcastle, but Farke’s heroes captured all three points at Elland road on Saturday when substitute Lukas Nmecha scored in stoppage time to defeat Fulham 1-0. The dramatic finish, which ended the Cottagers’ five match unbeaten run, enabled Leeds to stay eight points above the drop line.

Wolverhampton, of course, has already punched its ticket for relegation with historically bad football for much of this season. Manager Rob Edwards, however, has reintroduced respectability in recent weeks. Supporters no longer fear embarrassment at Molineux Stadium where Wolves held Newcastle to a scoreless draw on Saturday. Wolverhampton now has a four-match unbeaten run in the Premier League, five unbeaten across all competitions including a 6-1 drubbing of Shrewsbury in the FA Cup. Six of Wolves eight Premier League points this season have come from its recent four match run in the league.

Bournemouth, meanwhile, was tumbling down the table before ending an 11-match winless run versus Spurs last week. Adding to the worries for Bournemouth fans was the departure of star Antoine Semenyo to Manchester City in the January window. The Cherries were close to a morale boosting win at Brig
hton Monday but fell short when the Seagulls’ Charalampos Kostoulas executed an overhead kick in stoppage time to salvage a point for Brighton in a1-1 draw at American Express Stadium. The dramatic goal by the 18-year-old teenager extended the Seagulls’ four match unbeaten run.

Premier League: Match Week 22 Preview

Saturday’s Manchester Derby has a strange aura about it. Manchester City has long been the more talented club in the matchup but Manchester United has at times surprised in the emotion packed encounter. Those emotions could be tamped down for this one given the state of suspended animation the Red Devils currently inhabit. The club seems to have folded the cards on its current season, preferring to seek a permanent managerial solution next summer. In the meantime, Michael Carrick has been brought in as the interim manager for the balance of this season. Oddly, Manchester United had largely gotten improved results in what was Amorim’s second season in charge. The club is, after all, only three points removed from fourth place Liverpool in the Premier League table. Amorim, however, lost his composure during a recent downturn in results and publicly criticized the ownership which had backed him through the darkness characterizing much of his tenure. Amorim is now out and Carrick is left to salvage what is left of the season. Indications that no major moves will take place in the January window further fuels discontent among a fan base which is supposedly planning a mass protest against Manchester United ownership at the February 1st match versus Fulham. Carrick is generally well liked as a former player on some of Manchester Untied’s championship teams. His managerial resume, however, is lackluster. After an interim stint for Manchester United in 2021, three matches without a defeat, he won 46% of his matches in charge of Middlesbrough from 2022-2025 before being sacked. Manchester United supporters, however, are more upset at the delay in finding a long-term manager, Carrick being contracted only until the end of the season. That, combined with a lack of ambition in the January window, conveys a perceived and inexplicable indifference to Champions League qualification by club ownership.

Michael Carrick's training sessions have blown the @ManUtd players' minds.

They are hugely impressed with his methods. The tactical meetings have everyone on high alert 🚨 pic.twitter.com/gBP6KQYDNE

— indykaila News (@indykaila) January 15, 2026

Manchester City, meanwhile, is chasing another  Premier League title under legendary manager Pep Guardiola. The Citizens have work to do as they sit six points back of table leading Arsenal. Guardiola, however, must be thrilled at the January addition of Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth. Semenyo is third in Premier League goalscoring this season and provides another formidable option for a Manchester City attack which already includes Golden Boot leader Erling Haaland. Manchester City should be poised to boost their title aspirations at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Arsenal, however, shows no signs of  stumbling in trying to end a three-year run as Premier League bridesmaid. The Gunners, 3-2 winners over Chelsea in the EFL Cup semifinals on Wednesday, have lost only twice in the Premier League this season, piecing together an earlier 18 and current 11 game unbeaten runs. Arsenal is on a five-match winning run on the road as they travel to Nottingham Forest for a Saturday match at the City Ground. Nottingham Forest is in a battle of its own at the bottom of the table, currently winning that battle with a seven-point cushion against the relegation places.

West Ham has made life more comfortable for Nottingham Forest with the Hammers’ dreadful performance under Manager Nuno Espirito Santo who risks being sacked by a second Premier League club in the same 2025/26 season. Santo will face off against Thomas Frank and Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday in both a London derby and Battle of the Embattled Managers. Frank is under fire for not just poor results but also an unappealing playing stye devoid of creativity and his crusty comments directed at his own supporters. Frank has Spurs positioned just six points above 17th place Nottingham Forest. That final safe position in the table is where spurs landed season under subsequently sacked manger Ange Postecoglou. A loss to visiting West Ham could spell the end for Frank on Saturday.

Another London derby will be drawing eyes as Liam Rosenior makes his Premier League when Chelsea hosts an in-form Brentford side. The new Blues manager suffered defeat at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday in the first leg of an EFL Cup tie with Arsenal. A competitive loss to the Premier League leader does not constitute a black mark. A second consecutive loss at home could raise eyebrows as to whether the inexperienced manager is truly ready to turn around Chelsea’s poor run of form. Chelsea has won just one of its last nine Premier League matches, a rough patch which has seen them drop from title contention to eighth in the league table. Brentford, meanwhile, has been climbing the table to its current fifth place perch. Only Arsenal has gathered more points in the last six matches than the Bees. Forward Igor Thiago has a hat trick and a brace in his last two matches for the streaking Bees. His 16 goals on the season have taken the league by surprise and provided the Bees with firepower they feared lost when Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa left the club last summer. Brentford could have to deal with returning Chelsea stars Cole Palmer and Reese James who missed the midweek Arsenal loss due to injury.

Sunderland is at a critical juncture to its season. The Black Cats have outperformed expectations by spending this season in the top half of the table, far from the relegation fight expected for the newly promoted club. A win, however, has eluded Sunderland in its last five matches. Manger Regis Le Bris will be hoping to get back in the win column this weekend when the club returns to its home fortress to host Crystal Palace at the Stadium of Light where the Black Cats are undefeated and have won five of their ten home matches. Crystal Palace has not won any of its last six league matches. Any encouragement from a draw with Aston Villa in its last league contest was short lived for the Eagles who suffered a shocking FA Cup loss to measly Macclesfield in a historic upset last Saturday. It will be interesting to see how Manager Oliver Glasner is able to put the pieces back together again at Sunderland this week.

Fulham and Liverpool have been two of the most in-form Premier League sides in recent weeks. Liverpool has warts but also the type of talent that makes it far from surprising that they are back in the Champions League places despite a disappointing campaign which had warmed the seat of Manager Arne Slot. The Reds should not have much trouble this weekend when they host an overmatched Burnley side which is second bottom in the table on merit. Unlike Liverpool, the recent run of success by Fulham is less expected. The Cottagers roster is not imposing but Manager Marco Silva is highly respected and former Liverpool property Harry Wilson has caught fire. Wilson spent much of his Liverpool time on loan at various clubs but seems to have found a home at Craven Cottage. Since the beginning of November, only Erling Haaland has had more goal involvements than the  28-year-old Wilson. The Wilson led Cottagers will put their five match Premier League unbeaten run on the line at Leeds on Saturday.

Aston Villa is still in the title picture, level on points with Manchester City, both clubs six points shy of Arsenal. The Villans have hit some bumps in recent weeks, being whacked soundly by Arsenal and then suffering a frustrating draw with Crystal Palace. The Villans are home to Everton this weekend.

The Semenyo era is over at Bournemouth as the club’s leading goalscorer is now wearing a Manchester City shirt. Manger Andoni Iraola thus needs to find new answers for the Cherries’ attack when they journey to Brighton on Monday. Wolverhampton has had a poor attack all season, netting just 15 goals in its 21 league contests. Cellar dwelling Wolves has shown some life recently, however, going undefeated in its last three matches. Newcastle visits Molineux Stadium on Sunday.

FA Cup Makes Headlines

The David and Goliath aspect of the FA Cup always grabs attention even as most mismatches play out as one would expect. The competition pits clubs from all levels of English football against each other. Thus, you see outcomes such as Manchester City’s 10-1 demolition of Exeter City, a romp which featured Manchester City’s newest weapon Antoine Semenyo both scoring and assisting a goal. The competition also provides opportunities for top tier sides having a rough season to flex versus lower tier sides. Premier League doormat Wolverhampton pounded League Two side Shrewsbury 6-1 on Saturday. Relegation bound Burnley was a 5-1 winner over second tier Millwall.

You also have random matchups of Premier League clubs which provide an expected high level of play and competitiveness. Such was the case when Sunderland came back to eliminate Everton in penalty kicks. Newcastle also knocked off a Premier League rival in penalty kicks, requiring seven players to find the net in a shootout before sending Bournemouth packing. Manchester United was a 2-1 loser to Brighton as former Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck bagged the winner for the Seagulls. So heated was the match between Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur that a full out brawl erupted between players after Villa’s 2-1 win.

The storied tournament, however, also delivers the kind of special fairytale moments often hoped for but only occasionally realized. One such story was literally right out of Hollywood when Wrexham was a winner over Premier League side Nottingham Forest, in penalty shootout fashion, over the weekend. The true shocker, however, took place before roughly 5,000 amazed onlookers when non-league Macclesfield defeated defending FA Cup champion Crystal Palace. The Premier League Eagles were an underdog story themselves last season when they won the first significant silverware in the club’s long history, defeating Premier League heavyweight Manchester City in the FA final at Wembley. Now the Eagles have crash landed in perhaps the FA Cup’s greatest upset. Macclesfield plays in the sixth tier of English football. The club was in administration as recently as 2020 before reforming as a ninth-tier club in the pyramid of English football and then ascending thorough promotion to its current level, one which still often dictates that many players hold down other jobs to support themselves.

🎥 | BEHIND THE SCENES: MACCLESFIELD FC 2-1 CRYSTAL PALACE

🔍 We take you behind the curtain for a closer look at the unseen bits and angles of Saturday’s momentous occasion at the https://t.co/fL99QEEJ4D Stadium

🔗 Watch here: https://t.co/7Zs5h05ijn#AgainstAllOdds 💙 pic.twitter.com/swk7El0Lw3

— Macclesfield FC (C) (@thesilkmen) January 13, 2026

Others have vagabond type careers reflecting a star-crossed journey across the lower tier geographies of English football. Within the pyramidal hierarchy of English football, including the semiprofessional level of Macclesfield, there are currently 117 places separating Crystal Palace from “The Silkmen.” That disparity makes the Silkmen’s 2-1 victory over the Eagles on Saturday the greatest upset in FA Cup history based on comparative league position. The match had drama from the start as the first goal was scored by Macclesfield captain Paul Dawson via a header from a noggin that was heavily bandaged from a head injury sustained just seconds into the match. Those bandages were adjusted by a teammate just moments before the 43rd minute goal which broke up a scoreless match. Isaac Buckley-Ricketts would provide an insurance goal for the upstarts, a cushion which proved necessary when Crystal Palace’s Yeremy Pino brought the Eagles to within a goal with his 90th minute free kick strike. Buckley-Ricketts, who began his football journey in Manchester City’s academy, has played for seven different clubs in England, most in the lower echelons of the English league system. His goal proved the winner as Macclesfield, managed by Wayne Rooney’s brother John, held firm in the closing minutes to capture the win and dethrone the reigning FA Cup champions.

After the match, Rooney dedicated the title to Ethan McLeod a 21-year-old Macclesfield player tragically killed in a car accident just last month, further fueling the emotions surrounding a shocking result. The last time a defending FA Cup champion lost to a sixth-tier side was 1909.

Premier League Match Week 21 Results: Dark Days For West Ham; No Changes To Top Four; More Buzz About The Bees

Things grew darker for West Ham on Tuesday as the Hammers lost a proverbial “six pointer” to Nottingham Forest. Rather than cutting the distance to safety to one point, the Hammers and Manager Nuno Espirito Santo are now seven points adrift of the club which Santo began the season in charge of. A Morgan Gibbs-White penalty conversion in the 89th minute secured all three points in the Tricky Trees’ 2-1 victory. The Gibbs-White goal completed a comeback win which had seen Forest down at halftime due to a self-inflicted own goal. The victory ended a four-match winless run for Nottingham Forest and Manager Sean Dyche and provided some much-needed breathing space between the Trees and the dreaded drop line. Dyche is the third manger this season for Nottingham Forest after Ange Postecoglou failed as the immediate successor to Santo. Santo has captured only 11 points in 15 matches since replacing Graham Potter on the touchline for the Hammers and the man who led Nottingham Forest into the European places just last season is now at risk to become the first Premier League manager to be sacked by two different clubs in the same season.

Wolverhampton supporters, meanwhile, may be growing fonder of Manager Rob Edwards. After a bleak start to his tenure in charge of the relegation assured outfit, Edwards’ gang is starting to show some spunk and is on a three-match winless run after drawing 1-1 at Everton. Five of Wolves’ seven points this season have come in the club’s last three matches.

Burnley, another relegation team, also picked up a point in a 2-2 draw with unsettled Manchester United. The Clarets moved within a point of 18th place West Ham though they remain a daunting eight points below Nottingham Forest and the promise of a Premier League return next season. Darren Fletcher was the man on the touchline for Manchester United following the Ruben Amorim sacking. The confused Manchester United ownership may not appoint a permanent successor till the summer and has floated the idea of another interim solution beyond Fletcher to get the Red Devils though the balance of this season. Fletcher is only truly assured of directing the side for this weekend’s FA Cup tilt with Brighton.

The Seagulls went to the Etihad on Wednesday and extended the Citizens winless run to three matches with a 1-1 draw. Earling Haaland put Manchester City ahead with his 150th goal for the club when he converted a first half penalty kick. The Citizens’ however, squandered a lead for a second straight match when Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma equalized things with his 60th minute goal. It was only Mitoma’s second goal of an injury and illness marred season. A healthy run from the Japanese winger could alter the fortunes of a Brighton club which has underwhelmed for much of the season to date.

Manchester City, meanwhile, missed a chance to make up some ground as Arsenal was held to a goalless draw with Liverpool on Thursday. An aggravated Gabriel Martinelli let his frustration boil over at the Emirates when he attempted to shove an injured Conor Bradley off the pitch in stoppage time, thinking the seriously injured Bradley was merely time wasting. Liverpool dominated play for much of the second half action as Arsenal’s five match winning run ended.

Aston Villa was also held to a goalless draw at Crystal Palace as the entire top four garnered a point during the midweek matches.

Creeping up on fourth place Liverpool, however, is a suddenly dangerous Brentford side. The fifth place Bees are just a point behind Liverpool after winning for a fourth time in their last five Premier Legue matches. Brentford defeated Sunderland 3-0 as Igor Thiago scored twice to increase his haul to five goals in his last two matches. The Brazilian striker now has 16 goals on the season, trailing only the 20 tallies of Golden Boot leader Haaland. No Brazilian player has ever scored as many goals in a Premier League season as Thiago’s current total. Sunderland’s five-match unbeaten run ended after four consecutive draws.

Every Igor Thiago @premierleague goal from his record-breaking season so far 🇧🇷🐐 pic.twitter.com/AydbGN4WZ5

— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) January 9, 2026

Newcastle kept pace, one point behind Brentford in the table as the Magpies defeated Leeds 4-3. Newcastle’s Harvey Barnes scored his second goal of the match in second half stoppage time to give all three points to Newcastle and put an end to a seven match unbeaten run by newly promoted Leeds.

While Brentford Manager Keith Andrews ascends the table, former Bees’ manager Thomas Frank cannot be enjoying his time with Tottenham Hotspur where he is booed each match by unhappy supporters. At least the latest loss was away which reduced the number of unhappy Spurs customers. Bournemouth defeated Frank’s side 2-1 to end an 11-match winless run by the Cherries when Antoine Semenyo scored the stoppage time winner for the Cherries in what might have been his final game for the club with a move to Manchester City expected this week.

Chelsea fell all the way to eighth place in the Premier League table after a 2-2 London derby loss to Fulham. The Blues went down to 10 men on a Marc Cucarella red card in the 22nd minute to make it a tough slog for Chelsea and interim Manager Calum McFarlane. New Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior will be on the touchline for Chelsea’s FA contest versus Charlton this weekend. Harry Wilson was the hero for Fulham, striking the winner in the 81st minute for his team leading seventh goal of the season to go along with four assists.

The Premier League now steps aside for the third round of the FA Cup this weekend and will return on Saturday January 17th.