Monday, March 30, 2026

Premier League: Salah To Depart, Tudor Sacked

A relatively quiet international break has generated some newsworthy tidbits. First there was Mohamed Salah announcing he will be leaving Liverpool in the summer. This was less than shocking given his poor relationship with Manager Arne Slot and his decreased productivity in a poor season for the Egyptian ace. Liverpool clearly recognized the lessened contribution Salah can make at this stage and some of the diva qualities that helped make Salah great are now irritating enough that Liverpool supporters are accepting of his imminent departure.

Some are even questioning the club’s decision to make the 34-year-old Salah a free agent without compensation, cancelling the final 12 months of his current contract and thus sacrificing a potential return. The move is an act of gratitude for Salah’s service to the club over nine years where he scored more than 250 goals and helped the club to a Champions League and two Premier League titles after his arrival from Roma. Salah’s marked decline this season is a bit shocking given that it was just a year ago that the Liverpool star scored not only the most goals in the Premier League but also led the league in assists, racking up an eye popping 47 goal involvements and leading Liverpool to the Premier League title.

That production has fallen off a cliff this season with Salah accumulating just 11 Premier League goal involvements after playing in 22 of 31 league matches for Liverpool to date. Despite the finishing fizzle, Salah will finish his Liverpool career as the club’s third greatest goal scorer and only Alan Shearer, Harry Kane and Wayne Rooney have scored more Premier League goals than the Liverpool star. Uncertainty surrounds where the 34-year-old Salah will begin his next chapter, potential stops including both the Saudi League and the American MLS.

Meanwhile, a far less accomplished figure has left the Premier League more abruptly. Igor Tudor is out as Tottenham Hotspur manager after a dismal 44 day run which put the club on the brink of relegation. The club had hesitated to pull the trigger due to the passing of Tudor’s father concurrent with Spurs’ devastating loss to relegation rival Nottingham Forest. The die was cast, however, and after a brief period of bereavement, Tudor was advised of his fate.

Tudor lost five of seven matches during his six-week Tottenham career, garnering just one point from five Premier League matches. With no Premier League experience and relatively little to recommend him from 10 prior managerial postings, Tudor was always an odd choice to replace Thomas Frank in a season that was already rapidly deteriorating. The club has now moved to correct that mistake by releasing Tudor but, in typical Spurs fashion, the next move on the chessboard did not seem to be firmly planned.

Wild speculation has pointed to as many as eight possible candidates to helm the sinking ship. Things seem to be pointing to Roberto De Zerbi, the former Brighton manager who parted ways with Marseilles in February after some notably poor results. His departure from Brighton in 2024 was rancorous with the outspoken Italian going public over his differences with Brighton owner Tony Bloom.

It would seem an odd match to insert the combustible De Zerbi into the relegation tumult and pair him with Spurs CEO Vinai Venkatesham who is understandably under fire even before suffering the potshots that De Zerbi will inevitably launch. Spurs supporters, meanwhile, have already thrown up red flags concerning De Zerbi’s support at Marseilles of Mason Greenwood, the former Manchester United player exiled from the Premier League after allegations of domestic violence. Spurs, and whoever their next manager is, return to the fray on April 12th at Sunderland.

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Wednesday, March 25, 2026

Premier League Match Week 31 Results

The big dogs were off having their own party over the weekend as Manchester City claimed the EFL trophy in a 2-0 win over a stagnant Arsenal side. Nico O’Reilly headed home twice in the second half to keep Arsenal thirsting for a first trophy since 2020 while Manchester City claimed the EFL silverware for the fifth time in ten years.

With the Premier League title chase on hold, the top four race was in focus as Aston Villa defeated West Ham while Liverpool and Chelsea both lost. Manchester United drew 1-1 with Bournemouth to remain a point ahead of fourth place Villa. Liverpool is fifth, five points back of Aston Villa after the Reds were victimized by a Danny Welbeck brace in a 2-1 loss at Brighton. Welbeck has found the net 12 times in the Premier League this season, more than any English player, and is raising questions as to why he has not been chosen for the English national team. The rejuvenated Seagulls have won four of their last five league matches to revive their hopes of a possible European berth. Liverpool, which beat Galatasaray during the week, continues to struggle with the toll of its joint European and domestic schedule as the Reds have lost five of 10 league games following a midweek Champions League contest. Injuries are a contributor as Mohamed Salah and Alysson Becker were both out for the Brithon tussle, a contest which also saw Hugo Ekitike leave early with a “dead leg.”

Chelsea failed to take advantage of Liverpool’s stumble as the Blues lost for a third time in their last four Premier League matches. The bloom is most certainly off the rose of Manager Liam Rosenior’s honeymoon period after his side was thrashed 3-0 at Everton. Beto had two goals and an assist in the Toffees’ rout of a shambolic Chelsea side which appears increasingly dysfunctional under Rosenior.

Aston Villa was also spiraling entering the weekend. The Villans, however, put an end to a three-match losing run and tightened their hold on fourth position in the table with their 2-0 defeat of West Ham. After an early goal from John McGinn, Ollie Watkins ended a six-match goal drought with an insurance goal to send the Hammers home without a point and ensure they stay in the relegation zone at least until the end of the international break in two weeks. West Ham dearly missed the presence of injured forward Cryscencio Summerville as the Hammers have now failed to win any of the seven matches he has missed this season. Victorious Aston Villa moved to within a point of third place Manchester United which began the weekend schedule on Friday with a 2-2 draw at Bournemouth. A Junior Kroupi 81st minute penalty kick equalized for the Cherries after Manchester United’s Harry Maguire was red carded for taking down Evanilson in the box. It was a bittersweet day for Maguire who was named to the England squad earlier for the first time since 2024.

While the weekend saw some minor jostling in the race for Champions League slots, the greater drama unfolded at the bottom of the table. The most impactful match of the weekend might well have taken place at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium where the home side once again disappointed an increasingly worried supporter base. Nottingham Forest emerged as 3-0 victors in a crucial “six pointer” in the race for Premier League survival. The victory moved the Tricky Trees past Spurs who now sit one point above the drop line with West Ham the threat to yet crawl out of the relegation zone, potentially sending Tottenham Hotspur to its first ever Premier League relegation. These were not heavyweights who played in north London on Sunday. Spurs has yet to win a league match this calendar year and has the worst home record in the Premier League. Nottingham Forest had not won a league game in two months before Sunday’s statement win. And yet the Tricky Trees were clearly the superior side, defeating the home side by the same 3-0 scoreline as in the reverse fixture between the clubs. Spurs are safe for the international break only due to the West Ham loss at Aston Villa.

Leeds, meanwhile, edged ever more lightly ahead of the primary relegation contenders. The Whites moved to four points above the drop line with their goalless draw versus Brentford. Though winless in six matches, Leeds is doing just enough to steer clear so far of the morass of flawed clubs below them. Things can change quickly when one of the downtrodden clubs scores an actual win, however, with Nottingham Forest now just a point below Leeds.

Seventh place Brentford drew for a third consecutive match and is level on points with Everton after the Toffees’ win over Chelsea. Fulham is just two points behind the Bees and Toffees after the Cottagers’ straightforward 3-1 win over dismal Burnley.

The middle of the table saw the latest iteration of the Tyne-Wear derby, the heated rivalry between Newcastle and Sunderland that has been dominated by the Black Cats in recent times. Bryan Robbey’s dramatic 90th minute goal delivered a 2-1 Sunderland win and extended Newcastle’s frustration, and even embarrassment, in the regional rivalry. The Magpies are winless in their last 11 Premier League battles with the Black Cats. Sunderland leapfrogged Newcastle into 11th in the table with the victory at St. James’s Park.

The Premier League now pauses for an international break before resuming on Friday April 10th when West Ham hosts Wolverhampton with a chance for the Hammers to escape the relegation zone.

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Tuesday, March 17, 2026

Premier League Match Week 31 Preview

Arsenal and Manchester City are going head-to-head this weekend. The setting is the EFL Cup Final, however, so their Premier League title battle is on hold. Last weekend saw the Gunners increase their lead to an imposing nine points over Manchester City in the battle at the top of the Premier League table. Manchester City holds a game in hand, and the two clubs will meet again on April 19th at the Etihad. Victories by Manchester City in both those matches, the makeup versus Crystal Palace and the clash at the Etihad, would leave the theoretical gap between the teams at three points with six other matches left to determine the season.

For this weekend, the Premier League focus is on the other Champions League qualification contenders and the relegation rumble at the bottom of the table. The action near the drop line is perhaps the most impactful where Tottenham Hotspur will host Nottingham Forest on Sunday. Spurs may have caught a spark from an unexpected draw at Liverpool last week which ended a club record run of six losses across all competitions. The struggling club has wilted all season under the eyes of its home supporters, however. Tottenham Hotspur’s 10 points from its 15 home matches are the least of any Premier League team while Spurs’ nine home losses are exceeded only by cellar dwelling Wolverhampton.

Manager Igor Tudor needs to build on the Anfield performance and deliver a hammer blow to fellow relegation battler Nottingham Forest. Spurs is currently one point north of the Tricky Tees who are deadlocked on 29 points with West Ham. Only Wolverhampton and Burnley dwell in the depths below the Trees and Hammers, so it is a game of musical chairs right now between Spurs, Forest and West Ham (with marginally safer Leeds still not totally comfortable as it hosts Brentford this weekend) to determine who will be the third team to go down.

West Ham travels to Aston Villa on Sunday for a match which will be played concurrently with the Spurs and Trees skirmish. Fourth place Villa is still clinging to a Champions League place but has lost three consecutive league matches. Liverpool is tenuously clinging to the fifth and presumably final Champions League place as the Reds try to recover from their shock draw with Spurs.

The defending league champs will travel to a surging Brighton club for a tricky match on Saturday. The Seagulls have won three of their last four matches and have lost on just three occasions in their 15 matches to date at American Express Stadium.

Chelsea is currently on the outside looking in at Champions League qualification, trailing Liverpool by a point in the table as the Blues prepare to visit Everton on Saturday. The Blues’ swoon in performance and their comical team huddle routine have riddled Manager Liam Rosenior’s credibility. Even a strong run-in may not be enough to save the manager’s job for next season.

Manchester United, meanwhile, holds the strongest hand for a Champions League spot beyond the top two clubs in the table. The third place Red Devils are six points above currently sixth place Chelsea in the table. Manchester United kicks off the weekend slate with a match at Bournemouth on Friday.

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Monday, March 16, 2026

Premier League Match Week 30 Results

Arsenal may have a chokehold on the title chase after Week 30 saw the Gunners increase their lead over Manchester City to an imposing nine points. Arsenal’s win was more difficult than the 2-0 score versus Everton would indicate. The clubs were locked in a goalless draw at the Emirates on Saturday until Viktor Gyokeres scored in the 89th minute for what would be sufficient to capture the three points. The Gunners added a bit of history to their important win, however, when 16-year-old Max Dowman scored the second goal to become the youngest scorer in Premier League history.

Manchester City were then unable to keep pace with the league leaders when the Citizens were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw at West Ham. West Ham needed only one shot to capture a crucial point in its relegation battle. Manchester City, comparatively, launched 21 shots, six on target, in a failed attempt to stay in title contention. The Hammers negated an earlier Bernardo Silva goal for Manchester City when Konstantinos Mavropanos headed home his first goal in three years. It would be West Ham’s only shot of the game, and it was enough to move the Hammers temporarily out of the relegation places pending the Sunday results.

Manchester City has now dropped 10 points from winning positions in the last 18 games, allowing Arsenal to take command of the title race with its far more consistent play, ugly at times but more often than not delivering the needed result. The Gunners have kept 15 clean sheets and conceded but 22 goals in their 31 matches. Manchester City is now closer to Manchester United than to Arsenal in the Premier League table.

Manchester United solidified its hold on third place and moved to six points behind Manchester City by smashing Aston Villa 3-1 at Old Trafford. Bruno Fernandes made a bit of history when his contributions on the first two goals edged him past David Beckham as Manchester United’s all-time assists leader. Benjamin Sesko, meanwhile, bagged the third Manchester United goal, marking his eighth goal in his last 10 matches. And yet the most instrumental player on the pitch may well have been Casemiro who bagged the match’s first goal and calmly controlled the middle of the field, thwarting Aston Villa’s attack aspirations throughout the match. Casemiro is slated to make his exit from Manchester when his contract expires at the end of the season, but appreciative Old Trafford supporters recognized his recent performance for the badge with chants of “one more year” on Sunday.

Manchester United moved three points ahead of fourth place Villa and, importantly, six points ahead of sixth place Chelsea in the battle for the expected five Champions League places. Chelsea embarrassed themselves on Saturday, though they barely seemed to realize it. The Blues gathered pregame in the center of the field in a seeming attempt at unity and motivation, a demonstration which has irked other teams in recent weeks and done little for actual results. This time, however, referee Paul Tierney was encircled in the midst of the team huddle in a comical scenario which saw Cole Palmer giving a big hug to the English referee.

The game at Stamford Bridge was not all fun and games, however, as the Blues lost for a fourth time at the Bridge this season against only six home victories. An unmarked Anthony Gordon scored the first half winner for Newcastle. Manager Liam Rosenior, however, spoke at greater lengths after the match about the pre-match faux pax than he did about his club’s poor performance which damaged their Champions League hopes. The Blues have won just once in their last five league outings and collapsed to PSG in Champions League competition this past week. The Rosenior honeymoon may be fast approaching its freshness date.

Luckily for Chelsea, fifth place Liverpool also dropped points in a 1-1 draw with beleaguered Tottenham Hotspur. The Reds were stunned when Richarlison scored an equalizing goal in the 90th minute to end a club record six match losing run for Spurs and just maybe save the job, for the time being, of Manager Igor Tudor. It was the eighth time this season that Liverpool has conceded in the 90th minute or later, the most ever for the club in a Premier League season. The defending Premier League champions have won just four of their 12 league matches in 2026 to jeopardize Liverpool’s qualification for next season’s Champions League competition.

Spurs, meanwhile, matched fellow relegation battlers West Ham and Nottingham Forest by taking a point away from the weekend. While West Ham and Spurs grabbed points from top six opponents, Nottingham Forest needs to be more than a little disappointed with just a draw at home versus Fulham. The Tricky Trees failed to score for the 14th time in 30 league matches in their goalless draw with the Cottagers. Regardless, Forest remains safe on goal differential with West Ham headed down on present standings. Tottenham Hotspur is one point above the Trees and Hammers. Leeds, after its own goalless draw with Crystal Palace, is three points north of the drop line.

Burnley also failed to score in a third Premier League goalless match on the weekend. The dreary struggle and outcome meant little for the Clarets, however, whose relegation fate is essentially sealed. The outcome was more damaging for opponent Bournemouth, whose waning hopes for a lesser European berth are heavily damaged by the dropped points. The Cherries are tenth in the Premier League table after a mind numbing fourth consecutive draw, three of those four matches ending with neither side scoring a goal.

Things are going better for Brighton as the Seagulls nipped Sunderland 1-0 for a third win in the Seagulls’ last four Premier League matches. An intended cross from Yankuba Minteh found its way inside the near post in the 58th minute past blindsided Sunderland goalkeeper Melker Ellborg. A downward trend continues for Sunderland as the Black Cats, undefeated at home in league play until February, lost for a third consecutive time at the Stadium of Light.

Monday action will see bottom of the table Wolverhampton try to win a third consecutive match when Manager Keith Andrews takes his suddenly dangerous squad to Brentford. The homestanding Bees, however, are still making noise in the top half of the table. A win by the seventh place Bees would bring them within a point of Chelsea, just two points behind Liverpool and the Champions League places. 

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Friday, March 6, 2026

Premier League Match Week 29 Results: Arsenal Increases Lead With Win And Manchester City Draw; Chelsea Embarrasses Aston Villa; Wolves Shock Liverpool; West Ham Defeats Fulham To Move Closer To Safety; 10 Man Newcastle Hands Manchester United First Loss Under Carrick; Spurs In Relegation Jeopardy After Latest Loss To Crystal Palace

Arsenal has extended its lead over Manchester City to seven points in the Premier League title chase. The Gunners narrowly edged Brighton 1-0 on a Bukayo Saka goal while Manchester City could only manage a point in a 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest at the Etihad. Arsenal enjoyed a piece of luck in further bolstering its title hunt when Saka’s ninth-minute goal resulted from a deflection off a Brighton player which dribbled through the legs of flat-footed Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen. The Gunners proceeded to preserve their lead in ugly fashion, their blatant time-wasting infuriating Brighton Manager Fabian Hurzeler. Arsenal, however, has little interest in style points as it grounds out results in pursuit of a long-sought title.

That title hope got a boost when Manchester City could only manage a draw versus a desperate Nottingham Forest side which is fighting for Premier League survival. The result was clearly damaging to Manchester City’s title prospects. Assessing the outcome for Nottingham Forest is a bit more complicated. West Ham’s victory over Fulham puts the Hammers level with the Tricky Trees in the dangerous nether regions of the table. The away point by Forest against a top opponent, however, keeps them out of the relegation zone for now based on a superior goal differential to that of West Ham. Elliot Anderson, ironically rumored to be moving to Manchester City in the summer, scored the 76th minute equalizer to keep the Tricky Trees safe for the time being. The dropped points by Manchester City came despite January addition Antoine Semenyo scoring his seventh goal for his new club.

Chelsea striker Joao Pedro has now found the net 17 times in his debut season with the London club after his hat trick keyed Chelsea’s 4-1 demolition of Aston Villa at Villa Park. 

The victory moved Chelsea past Liverpool into fifth place with five spots expected to be available for Premier League clubs in next season’s Champions League. Chelsea is also just three points removed from third place Manchester United and struggling Villa which is level on points but deficient in goal differential to the Red Devils. Aston Villa lost a second consecutive match and has won just one of its last six Premier League matches.

Liverpool, meanwhile, was a 1-0 loser to suddenly dangerous Wolves. Wolverhampton, which has won just three matches all season, secured a second win in five days when Andre scored in the 94th minute, the fifth time that Liverpool has conceded a stoppage time winner this season. Wolves also relied on a stoppage time goal last weekend in a win over Aston Villa as Manager Rob Edwards has his men displaying grit despite their inevitable relegation plight. Liverpool could ill afford the dropped points as it now has fallen out of the presumed Champions League places in the table. The Champions League race is far from finished, however, as the four clubs in spots 3-6 in the Premier League table are separated by just three points.

Manchester United, third in the table, lost its first league match under interim manager Michael Carrick. The good feeling of Carrick’s seven match unbeaten run gave way to incredulity as the Red Devils fell to a 10-man Newcastle side. The Magpies had lost three of their past four Premier League matches entering Wednesday’s match at St. James’ Park. Things looked dark for the home side when Jacob Ramsey was dismissed with a red card in a wild first half stoppage period. Following Ramsey’s 46th minute red card, Anthony Gordon gave the shorthanded Magpies a short-lived lead, converting a penalty kick after the Newcastle speedster was fouled in the Manchester United box by Bruno Fernandes.

Three minutes later, a Casemiro header would equalize things for the Red Devils off a Fernandes corner. Following all that late first half excitement, the two clubs then slogged through almost an entire second half where Manchester United failed to take advantage of its extra man. Frustration turned to disappointment for the Red Devils when Newcastle substitute William Osula struck the winner on the 90-minute mark.

The relegation race is also heating up with West Ham’s win at Fulham, the Nottingham Forest draw and another loss by Tottenham Hotspur. West Ham drew level on points with 17th place Nottingham Forest when Crysencio Summerville scored in the 65th minute of a 1-0 Hammer win at Craven Cottage. Tottenham Hotspur, meanwhile, is now just a point better than the Trees and Hammers after Spurs were defeated 3-1 at home by Crystal Palace, a fifth consecutive Premier League loss for the north London club. There are already calls for the sacking of Spurs Manager Igor Tudor who has lost all three of his matches in charge.

Thursday’s debacle saw Mickey van de Ven exit via red card in the 38th minute. Crystal Palace proceeded to score all three of its goals, two from the foot of Ismaila Sarr, in what was then left of the first half. Only Burnley has been worse at home than Tottenham Hotspur this season, making Tottenham Hotspur Stadium a cauldron of catcalls, dissent and early exits.

Leeds is still not free of relegation concern after the Whites’ 1-0 loss to Sunderland; Habib Diarra scoring a second half penalty to give Sunderland its 10th victory of the Premier League season and end a four-match winless run for the Black Cats. The week’s Premier League results now reflect Leeds just two points above Tottenham Hotspur and three points clear of Nottingham Forest and West Ham in the accelerating relegation race with Burnley, a 2-0 loser to Everton on Tuesday, and Wolverhampton still seeming assured of the drop.

Brentford still hopes for a Conference League bid but those prospects for the league’s seventh place club were not overly helped by the Bees’ goalless draw at Bournemouth on Tuesday. The Premier League races, from top to bottom, resume March 14th after a FIFA international break.

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Monday, March 2, 2026

Premier League Match Week 28 Results: Arsenal Defeats 10-man Chelsea; Semenyo Keys Manchester City Win; Villa Ravaged By Wolves; Liverpool Hammers West Ham; Carrick Led Manchester United Wins Again

Arsenal won its London derby over Chelsea 2-1 with both Gunner goals generated from Arsenal’s patented corner kick mastery. The goals by William Saliba and Justin Timber were the 15th and 16th scores from corner kicks this season, matching a Premier League record. While Arsenal was characteristically deadly from set pieces, Chelsea was its normal undisciplined self. Pedro Neto was dismissed with a red card in the 70th minute, taking the steam out of a Chelsea comeback just four minutes after Timber’s goal staked Arsenal to the lead. It was a league leading and club record seventh red card for Chelsea in league play and increased such the number of such infractions across all competitions to an eyepopping nine red cards. The Blues are now sixth in the table after failing to win any of their last three Premier League matches.

Arsenal maintains a five-point advantage over second place Manchester City which edged Leeds on Saturday 1-0 on a goal by former Bournemouth striker Antoine Semenyo who now has six goals for the Citizens since joining the club in the January window. His presence was crucial on Saturday when Erling Haaland, who was born in Leeds, was inactive due to an unspecified training injury.

Manchester United moved to third in the Premier League table for the first time since 2023 after the Red Devils triumphed 2-1 over Crystal Palace. Manchester United moved past Aston Villa to now trail only Arsenal and Manchester City as Manager Michael Carrick continued his unbeaten run with a sixth victory in an unbeaten seven match run since his interim appointment. Benjamin Sesko scored the winner with his third goal in as many recent matches as he begins to hint that he may be the impactful Number Nine long sought by the club. Sesko’s 65th minute goal came after Crystal Palace was reduced to 10 men in the 56th minute via a red card assessed against Crystal Palace defender Maxence Lacroix.

The Red Devils leapfrogged past Aston Villa, which lost 2-0 at Wolverhampton on Friday. Villa falls to fourth in the Premier League table with a downward pointing arrow after winning just two of its last seven league outings. Wolverhampton, last in the Premier League table, was a winner for just the second time this season as the league’s doormat got up off the floor and outplayed an Aston Villa side which was part of the title chase just a few weeks ago. The 2-0 victory for Wolverhampton moved the club to 13 points for the season, ensuring that Wolves will not displace Derby County for the worst Premier League season ever. Goals by Joao Gomes and Rodrigo Gomes came on Wolverhampton’s only two shots on target, the second goal coming in the 98th minute to put an end to any Villa comeback hopes.

Liverpool, meanwhile, moved to within three points of Aston Villa with its 5-2 demolition of West Ham. The goal fest at Anfield saw Hugo Ekitike score his 11th goal of the season for the Reds and defender Virgil van Dijk score for the third time in his last six Premier League appearances. While the hammering was embarrassing, West Ham did not lose any ground in its fight for survival as the seven clubs directly above cellar dwelling Wolverhampton at the bottom of the table all lost this weekend.

Nottingham Forest remained just two points clear of the drop line after a 2-1 loss at Brighton which saw all three goals scored in the first 15 minutes of play. New Nottingham Forest Manager Vitor Pereira has lost both of his two Premier League matches in charge though he was on the touchline for Nottingham Forest’s Europa League win over Fenerbahce on Thursday.

Rumors are already circulating around a possible quick sacking of Tottenham Forest interim Manager Igor Tudor who has also lost his first two league matches in charge. Tottenham Hotspur is the only Premier League still seeking a 2026 win after another poor effort in a 2-1 defeat to Fulham. Tudor exploded after the match, casting blame on referees and “cheating” opponents as the pressure mounts on the manager and his listless charges who had just one shot on target in the match, a goal by Richarlison. Spurs have gone 10 matches without a victory, tying the club record, and have drifted to within four points of the relegation zone.

It increasingly looks like a three-team race between Spurs, Forest and currently relegation bound West Ham for Premier League survival. Fulham hosts another London derby on Wednesday versus West Ham which could well influence that relegation battle. The Cottagers, Bournemouth, Everton and Brentford are in a scrap for a possible Europa Conference League berth with four points separating seventh place Brentford from 10th place Bournemouth.

The Bees were 4-3 winners over Burnley when Mikkel Damsgaard scored his second goal of the match in the 93rd minute to foil a Burnley comeback which had seen the visiting Clarets recover from a three-goal early deficit. Everton’s Thierno Barry scored the winner for the Toffees in the 83rd minute of a 3-2 victory over Newcastle. The homestanding Magpies lost for a fifth time in their last six league matches. Bournemouth dropped points in a 1-1 home draw with Sunderland.

All the Premier League clubs will be back in action for Match Week 29 contests to be played Tuesday through Thursday this week. Chelsea will try to re-energize its Champions League qualification quest when the Blues visit Aston Villa on Wednesday for one of the week’s feature matches.

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Thursday, February 26, 2026

Premier League Match Week 28 Preview: London Derby Could Impact Title and Champions League Races

Arsenal hosts Chelsea on Sunday in the feature match this weekend. The Gunners are presently five points clear of Manchester City in the title chase but have also played one additional match than the Citizens. A loss to Chelsea coupled with a Manchester City win at Leeds would reduce the margin to only a two-point advantage with Manchester City holding a game in hand as the top two teams hurtle towards a mid-April clash at the Etihad.

The Gunners made short work of another London rival last weekend in dismantling dysfunctional Spurs by a 4-1 margin. The Gunners have lost only once at home this season, a surprising defeat to Michael Carrick led Manchester United, while winning 10 of their 13 Premier League matches at the Emirates.

Chelsea, meanwhile, has squandered leads in successive home matches to promoted sides, a lack of discipline which has seen the Blues drop 19 points from winning positions. The disappointment of the last two weeks makes the task even more daunting for Chelsea than its usual painful visits to the Emirates. The Blues have not won at Arsenal since August of 2021 and have won but one of the last 13 contests between the clubs staged anywhere in any competition.

Chelsea, still locked in a battle with Manchester United and Liverpool to secure Champions League qualification, has performed better this season when away from the not quite friendly confines of Stamford Bridge. Only Arsenal has a better away record than Chelsea this season.

Manchester City will be trying to keep the pressure on Arsenal when the Citizens visit Leeds. The Whites have much to play for as well with Leeds still sitting only six points above the drop line. The surprisingly game promoted side has grabbed valuable points against quality opponents in draws with Aston Villa and Chelsea in its last two league outings.

Manchester United, meanwhile, will try to remain undefeated under Manager Michael Carrick and preserve its current top four standing when the Red Devils host Crystal Palace. The performance under Carrick since the former club midfielder took the managerial reins, five wins and a draw, has lifted the Red Devils three points clear of fellow Champions League aspirants Chelsea and Liverpool.

Liverpool will be home to West Ham in a critical match for both the Reds and Hammers. Liverpool has won three of its past four matches as it tries to claw north from its sixth-place position in the table. West Ham is fighting for survival and trying to run down stragglers like Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur in the battle to see who survives to play again next season in the Premier League.

Spurs will be the visitor in a London derby at Fulham on Sunday. The Cottagers have prevailed in the last three meetings between the clubs across all competitions, outscoring their London rival by an aggregate 6-1. Nottingham Forest will take the pitch at the same time on Sunday, visiting Brighton where the Tricky Trees will hope to maintain, or increase, a current two-point advantage over West Ham in the relegation battle.

Aston Villa can ill afford a slip up at relegation bound Wolverhampton on Sunday. Once a title contender, Aston Villa is now only six points above sixth place Liverpool in the table and could fall into the battle to secure Champions League qualification. Three points against last place Wolverhampton, should help avoid, or at least delay, any such battle for the Villans.

Seventh place Brentford, meanwhile, has its own European hopes as the Bees visit relegation zone resident Burnley on Saturday while mid-table clashes this weekend will include Everton at Newcastle and Bournemouth playing host to Sunderland.

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Tuesday, February 24, 2026

Premier League Match Week 27 Results: Arsenal Smashes Spurs; Manchester City Continues Dominance Over Newcastle; Chelsea Wilt Once Again; Forest Creeps Closer To Relegation; Another Draw For Leeds

Spiraling Tottenham Hotspur proved just the right medicine for Arsenal to rediscover its top of the table form. The Gunners dominated at the home of their rival, winning by the same 4-1 score by which the Gunners had prevailed in the reverse fixture. For Tottenham Hotspur Manager Igor Tudor, his first Premier League match clearly conveyed the challenge he faces with a Spurs side that seems either not to recognize or to not overly care about its perilous league position. A video circulated on social media after the match showed Spurs defender Mickey van de Ven disregarding the urgent and repeated instructions of his new manager. Van de Ven also clashed with former Manager Thomas Frank, and he is just one example of the toxic brew that Tudor has now accepted.

For Arsenal, it was a confidence boosting three points that were critically needed following Manchester City’s win on Saturday. Victor Goyerkes scored twice for the Gunners to bring his season total to double digits, having now scored five goals in his last five Premier League matches. The other two goals for Arsenal came from Eberechi Eze, the former Crystal Palace star who has largely had a difficult time settling into Manager Mikel Arteta’s rotation. The creative form which Eze can provide could be a critical spark for Arsenal down the stretch. Ironically, Eze had been close to a deal with Spurs last summer. Not only did he dodge a toxic situation for a chance at a title, but Eze has now scored five goals against Arsenal’s north London rival this season.

Arsenal needed to respond after Manchester City pulled within two points of the Gunners with the Citizens 2-1 victory over Newcastle the day before. Nico O’Reilly scored both goals for the Citizens, his 27th minute winner assisted by none other than Erling Haaland. The Norwegian striker is joint second in the league for assists this season in addition to his league leading 22 goals. Newcastle pressed hard for a second half equalizer but once again fell short at the Etihad where they have failed to come away with a victory in their last 21 Premier League matches at the home of Manchester City. The Citizens have now won in the past 17 such encounters between the clubs.

Third place Aston Villa salvaged a point when Tammy Abraham found the net in the 88th minute of a 1-1 final versus Leeds. Title hopes are dead for Aston Villa, which now finds itself 10 points removed from league leading Arsenal. Leeds, despite the late concession, accumulated another valuable point in its effort to stay up for another season of Premier League play. Leeds stayed six points clear of West Ham and the relegation zone as the Hammers were also held to a draw in a goalless affair on Saturday versus Bournemouth. The point did pull West Ham closer to both Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest with both those clubs becoming increasingly vulnerable to a potential drop.

New Forest Manager Vitor Pereira faces the same problem as his sacked predecessor Sean Dyche had. These Trees cannot score. Only bottom of the table Wolverhampton has failed to find the net in more than the 13 matches that Nottingham Forest has been held scoreless. Twenty shots were wasted by Nottingham Forest on Sunday before Liverpool’s Alexis MacAllister scored in the 97th minute to seal a 1-0 victory for the Reds, both damaging the Trees’ survival prospects and keeping Liverpool in the thick of the Champions League qualification race. If the Trees are relegated, paltry goal production will be the reason.

Even relegation bound Burnley has scored more goals than Nottingham Forest. The Clarets’ latest goal, a stunning 93rd minute header by defender Zian Flemming, rescued a draw in front of a shocked Chelsea home crowd at Stamford Bridge. The 1-1 draw saw Chelsea’s dropped points from a winning position climb to an unfathomable 19 points this season, 17 of those points being thrown away at Stamford Bridge. A 72nd minute red card assessed to Chelsea’s Wesley’s Fofana was a club Premier League record sixth red card of the season, reflecting the self-destructive indiscipline of the young club. Home supporters watched their heroes drop points for a second consecutive home match against a promoted side.

Manchester United capitalized on Chelsea’s latest misstep to take sole possession of fourth place in the Premier League table with its 1-0 victory at Everton on Monday. Benjamin Sesko, whose stoppage time goal had saved a point against West Ham, played super sub once again, this time claiming all three points with his 71st minute strike. Manchester United Manager Michael Carrick remains unbeaten with five victories in his six matches since taking over from Ruben Amorim.

Brentford suffered a setback in its efforts to capture a European place when the Bees suffered a 2-0 home defeat to Brighton. The Seagulls won for the first time since January 3rd to lessen some of the heat on young Manager Fabian Hurzeler. Perhaps even more noteworthy in the grand scheme of things was the 654th Premier League appearance made by current Brighton midfielder James Milner. The 40-year-old former Manchester City and Liverpool player moved past Gareth Barry to set the new Premier League appearances record.

Yet another senior citizen in the league, thirty-four-year-old Raul Jimenez, had two goals to pace Fulham’s 3-1 win at Sunderland, only the Black Cats’ second defeat at the Stadium of Light this season. Sunderland has lost four out of its last five matches to fall out of the top half of the table, but the promoted side remains well clear of any relegation concern. Wolverhampton, its relegation assured, has still shown fight and was close to posting a third straight draw on Sunday. Unfortunately, Wolves fell 1-0 to a 90th minute goal by Crystal Palace substitute Evann Guessand.

Crystal Palace were poor once again under increasingly unpopular manager Oliver Glasner. Wolves, however, handed the Eagles just their second win since early December. First, there was a missed first half penalty kick by Wolverhampton’s Tolu Arokodare which would have given the visiting club the lead. Ladislav Krejci then received a red card in the 61st minute to hand a man advantage and the initiative to the homestanding Eagles. Palace relegation fears are allayed for the moment. Wolves, meanwhile, still needs two points to avoid having the worst season in Premier League history.

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Friday, February 20, 2026

Premier League Match Week 27 Preview

The north London derby will again draw the full attention of Premier League followers when the hated rivals square off at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday. The Thomas Frank era is over at Tottenham Hotspur, but what comes next remains clouded in uncertainty. Igor Tudor has been signed as manager only though the balance of this season with the mandate to keep Spurs safe from the unthinkable prospect of the club’s first relegation from the Premier League. Tudor takes over a team that is only five points above the drop line after failing to win any of its last eight league matches. A thin roster has been ravaged by injuries and the challenge of this difficult season seemed only to be exacerbated by the struggles of Frank who was taking the helm of a big club for the first time. Tudor, while having no Premier League experience, is familiar with the demands of a large club with a rabid fan base, having formerly managed Italian giant Juventus in Serie A.

Arsenal, meanwhile, visits Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for Tudor’s debut with the Gunners themselves appearing a bit wobbly of late. Arsenal has dropped four points over its last two matches and has won just two of its last seven Premier League matches to bring Manchester City back into the title race. Wednesday saw the Gunners squander a two-goal lead in a draw at Molineux Stadium against Premier League worst Wolverhampton. Could another title opportunity be slipping away from the Gunners? A win at rival Spurs could provide a much-needed confidence boost.

Manchester City will try to keep the pressure on by extending its surprising Etihad invincibility versus Newcastle. The Citizens have won their last 16 Premier League matches when home to the visiting Magpies. Manchester City’s 21 match unbeaten run at home versus Newcastle is the longest such streak at a single venue in Premier League history. Magpie hopes to end their futility are dampened by the absence of Bruno Guimaraes. Newcastle has not won a Premier League match without Guimaraes in the lineup since the Brazilian midfielder joined the club in March of 2022.

There is no title chase for Liverpool this season, but the Reds are trying to qualify for Champions League play next season. Approaching Saturday’s match at Nottingham Forest, Liverpool is sixth in the table with five clubs expected to qualify for Europe’s top competition. Three points are thus critical to the Liverpool mission, but the stakes are equally high for Nottingham Forest, which is but three points above the relegation line. Sean Dyche was sacked for his inability to free the Trees from relegation peril and now Vitor Pereira makes his debut as Nottingham Forest’s fourth manager of this Premier League season. No Premier League club has ever experienced such managerial turnover in a single season. Pereira will need to find a way for the Tricky Trees to find the net with more regularity as only cellar dwelling Wolverhampton has scored fewer goals than Nottingham Forest this season.

Leeds is just three points further north of Nottingham Forest in the table with the Whites traveling to Aston Villa on Saturday. Only two Premier League sides have lost fewer matches than Leeds since the beginning of December, though the Whites have drawn more often than any league club during that same span which leaves them vulnerable to falling into the relegation mix. Chelsea was embarrassed last weekend when Leeds erased a two-goal deficit to split the points with the Blues at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea had also previously lost at Leeds earlier this season. As the Blues were also beaten by Sunderland, Saturday’s match at Stamford Bridge versus Burnley has historic potential because Chelsea has never lost to all three promoted sides in a single Premier League season.

The way Chelsea responds after last week’s disappointment could say a lot about new manager Liam Rosenior. The Blues are battling with Liverpool and Manchester United for Champions League qualification. United, like Chelsea, have not lost in the Premier League since a recent change in manager. Unlike Rosenior, however, Michael Carrick is an interim appointment with Manchester United, his second such appointment for the team he once played for. Carrick’s first four matches after replacing Ruben Amorim were all victories, including defeats of rivals Manchester City and Arsenal. The draw with West Ham last time out was less impressive but demonstrated some resilience when a 96th minute goal salvaged a point. Carrick and his men are at Everton this week.

Practically speaking, West Ham are the only club with a chance to change this season’s relegation story. The Hammers are present residents of the drop zone but trail Nottingham Forest by three points, Spurs by five and Leeds by six with 13 matches yet to be played. West Ham has rallied from a horrendous start to the season which cost Graham Potter his job. Manger Nuno Espirito Santo has led the club to 10 points in the last five matches, as many points as West Haam captured in its first 15 matches of the season. The Hammers host Bournemouth at London Stadium on Saturday with the Cherries riding a six-match unbeaten run in the league.

Crystal Palace has not joined the relegation rumble just yet, but the Eagles are descending fast under Manager Oliver Glasner who has already said he is leaving the club and has transformed from hero to zero in the eyes of supporters. The south Londoners host Wolves on Sunday looking for their first home win at Selhurst Park in nine matches. Sunderland, meanwhile, has lost just once at the Stadium of Light where the Black Cats will face Fulham on Sunday. Brentford has also performed well at home this season, losing just two home matches. Brighton will be at Gtech Community Stadium to face the Bees on Saturday. While Brentford has two wins and a draw with Arsenal in its last three matches, Brighton is a train wreck right now with no wins in its last six matches and the Seagulls netting no more than a goal in any of those winless efforts.

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Friday, February 13, 2026

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.

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.

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Tuesday, February 10, 2026

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.

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.

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Thursday, February 5, 2026

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. 

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Tuesday, February 3, 2026

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.

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.

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