Zinchenko must balance risk and reward
Oleksandr Zinchenko’s mixed bag of a performance showed the full-back’s qualities in attack but once more highlighted his defensive deficiencies. While Zinchenko was instrumental in the brilliant team goal scored by Martin Ødegaard that gave Arsenal a 2-0 lead over Wolves, a series of errors culminated with him giving the ball away cheaply to allow Matheus Cunha’s late strike that threatened what could have been a comfortable victory for the league leaders. While Mikel Arteta brushed aside concerns about the 26-year-old, he did admit that “in those areas it’s a big no to play, especially after certain things in the previous phase”. With Kieran Tierney reportedly to be sold in January, Zinchenko appears to be vying with the versatile Takehiro Tomiyasu to start at left-back. Arsenal fans will hope his mistakes do not end up costing them dear. Ed Aarons
Match report: Arsenal 2-1 Wolves
Character lacking in Ten Hag’s side
Erik ten Hag has still to choreograph an away league win against a club occupying the division’s top eight places. Tellingly, Manchester United’s last such victory arrived more than two years ago in October 2021. If only the visitors had demonstrated a fraction of an injury-ravaged Newcastle’s indomitable determination, things might not have been quite so one-sided on a snowy, icy Tyneside. A game decided by the excellent Anthony Gordon’s 55th-minute winner threatened to redefine the term “1-0 thrashing” and it spoke volumes about Manchester United’s lack of character that Ten Hag’s sidekick, Steve McClaren, stood in the tunnel at the final whistle, struggling to shepherd visiting players back on to the pitch to applaud their fans. With, among several stellar home performances, the outstanding Tino Livramento utterly suppressing Marcus Rashford, Newcastle’s sole concern was Nick Pope’s shoulder injury. Louise Taylor
Match report: Newcastle 1-0 Manchester United
Cooper quandary for faltering Forest
The strains of Mull of Kintyre did not, unusually, play at the start of Nottingham Forest’s defeat by Everton, their third in a row, but some boos did ring out at the final whistle. Are the mists rolling in over Steve Cooper’s reign at the City Ground? Yet if Forest falter again at Fulham and Wolves this week and Evangelos Marinakis, their owner, does dispense with the club’s most popular manager in three decades, will they be better off? Despite winning only once in 10 games, Cooper’s players are clearly trying for him as much as ever in the two years since they climbed off the foot of the Championship to the middle of the Premier League table. They have not won since February when Taiwo Awoniyi, out injured for two months, has not started. They have looked blunt in successive home defeats and lacking in midfield craft. Yet it is acknowledged what a good manager Cooper is, and what a good fit he is for Forest. It’s a conundrum. Peter Lansley
Match report: Nottingham Forest 0-1 Everton
Burnley mix it up to ease Kompany’s plight
After their well-documented struggles at Turf Moor, this was more like the Burnley that rampaged through the Championship last season – but with a Premier League twist. The Clarets were as clinical as Sheffield United were calamitous, cruising to a first home win of the campaign. Yet, ironically for Vincent Kompany’s ball-playing team, they turbocharged their survival bid with a dash of old-fashioned route one. That was exactly how they opened the scoring inside 15 seconds, with Jay Rodriguez heading in after the striker won a duel following a punt downfield. The second from Jacob Bruun Larsen came in much the same fashion, a direct ball over the top finding the Dane in space. Oli McBurnie’s sharp elbows gave them a helping hand from there, but Burnley’s ability to adapt is becoming clear. “We’re trying to be more solid, more aggressive,” a relieved Kompany said. “If those performances keep up, I’m going to keep believing in what these guys can do.” Dominic Booth
Match report: Burnley 5-0 Sheffield United
Brentford offer Luton a top-tier template
Thomas Frank has had to cope with adversity this season but continues to impress with Brentford looking well-equipped for another top 10 finish. Missing the suspended Ivan Toney for the first half of the season is a huge loss and they were also without eight players through injury for their one-sided victory over Luton. Brentford’s tally of 27 shots was the highest they have managed in a Premier League game. Neal Maupay is filling in strongly in attack on his return to the club, while Bryan Mbeumo and the substitute Keane Lewis-Potter were particularly dangerous. Luton were below par and will need to enhance their cutting edge if they are to avoid relegation. But the Premier League’s newest club can aspire to the status Brentford have achieved since their promotion in 2021. Afterwards Frank said: “I still think it is a fairytale and I still think these two clubs have the same dreams and ambitions.” Simon Mail
Match report: Brentford 3-1 Luton
Kelleher on a steep learning curve
Caoimhín Kelleher is finding out the joys of being second-choice goalkeeper with Alisson ruled out through injury. The 25-year-old made his sixth Premier League appearance in the 4-3 win over Fulham on Sunday. He looked nervous and his first involvements ended with him picking the ball out of the back of the net, even if one was disallowed, which can’t have helped. As playing is such a rarity, it will take time for Kelleher to find his rhythm, especially considering the back four in front of him keep changing positions and personnel. The Republic of Ireland international produced a couple of saves in the second half, which were crucial in the end, and he will have learned a lot from playing in the pressurised environment of the Premier League rather than deputising in the lesser competitions where most of his appearances have come. Having a packed Kop behind him for 90 minutes in a helter-skelter match is the best education for the goalkeeper and he will have to use it to his advantage before Alisson is fit again. Will Unwin
Match report: Liverpool 4-3 Fulham
Pochettino’s young guns need to wise up
Chelsea have to be more disciplined. Mauricio Pochettino argued that Conor Gallagher was unlucky to receive a second yellow card against Brighton but why was the midfielder tackling Billy Gilmour from behind on the stroke of half-time? Gallagher, who was wearing the captain’s armband, needed to read the situation. He is an England international and he needed to know that he was taking a risk given that he was already on a booking. But this was not an isolated incident. Moisés Caicedo was booked for kicking the ball away during the second half and twice went close to picking up a second yellow. Nicolas Jackson, who had a good game during the win over Brighton, has seven yellow cards this season. Chelsea have the worst disciplinary record in the league, but the weird thing is they are not a dirty side. The problem is that Pochettino’s youngsters keep doing silly things. Jacob Steinberg
Match report: Chelsea 3-2 Brighton
Richards wins deserved plaudits
Chris Richards is a 23-year USA international who joined Crystal Palace from Bayern the summer before last. This was only his sixth league start for Palace and only his 31st league start for anybody. He is a centre-back who occasionally fills in at full-back. In his professional career, he had only played in midfield for a few minutes against Nottingham Forest bar Sunday when, with Cheick Doucouré and Jeffrey Schlupp injured, he operated behind Jefferson Lerma and Will Hughes. But he seemed unfazed and, if the lack of energy and imagination from West Ham was largely a result of their own flatness, he should take some credit for restricting their threat. When crosses did flash across the box, he won six aerial duels to help protect Palace’s point. “He did well,” said Roy Hodgson. “We’d been preparing to play with a certain formation in mind, but it had to be changed when we lost Jeff Schlupp overnight. But the decision was Chris should go in there and he must be very pleased with his performance.” Jonathan Wilson
Match report: West Ham 1-1 Crystal Palace
Fallible City give rivals cause for optimism
Tottenham’s Angeball approach divided pragmatists from aesthetes. Manchester City raged at the referee, Simon Hooper, for not allowing advantage for Jack Grealish to take on Guglielmo Vicario in the dying embers. And the Premier League entertainment franchise had another classic to add to the library. Would Spurs have got back into the game without sticking to their principles? It seems doubtful. Tunnel vision won them a hugely heartening point. “Don’t think nothing, think as little as possible,” said the excellent Dejan Kulusevski. But perhaps what made this match – and by extension this season – so exciting is that City did not look all-powerful. Erling Haaland was off-beam, angry with himself. Both Rodri and Jack Grealish got themselves suspended from playing at Villa Park with unnecessary yellow cards. There is a raggedness to the champions that has crept in at times under Pep Guardiola but still comes as a surprise. Their rivals must hope to take advantage. John Brewin
Match report: Manchester City 3-3 Tottenham
Villa gallop to another goalfest
Time was of the essence in Aston Villa’s draw at Bournemouth. For Villa, the attacking triumvirate of Leon Bailey, Ollie Watkins and Moussa Diaby all exhibited moments of brilliance and, at the other end, they had to absorb waves of Bournemouth attacks. Bournemouth, meanwhile, boast a dynamic quartet capable of hurting any defence in Marcus Tavernier, Antoine Semenyo, Justin Kluivert and Dominic Solanke. It was no surprise to see another all-action contest given Premier League games involving Villa this season have featured more goals than those of any other club, bar Brighton. Bournemouth’s head coach, Andoni Iraola, acknowledged the 2-2 draw would have made thrilling fare for the neutral and suggested both teams were most dangerous in transition. Villa lived up to their reputation as entertainers. “Whenever someone lost the ball, it was: ‘Ooh, we’re in trouble,’” said Iraola. Ben Fisher
Match report: Bournemouth 2-2 Aston Villa
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | 14 | 18 | 33 |
| 2 | Liverpool | 14 | 18 | 31 |
| 3 | Man City | 14 | 20 | 30 |
| 4 | Aston Villa | 14 | 13 | 29 |
| 5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 14 | 8 | 27 |
| 6 | Newcastle | 14 | 18 | 26 |
| 7 | Man Utd | 14 | -1 | 24 |
| 8 | Brighton | 14 | 4 | 22 |
| 9 | West Ham | 14 | 0 | 21 |
| 10 | Chelsea | 14 | 3 | 19 |
| 11 | Brentford | 14 | 3 | 19 |
| 12 | Crystal Palace | 14 | -5 | 16 |
| 13 | Wolverhampton | 14 | -6 | 15 |
| 14 | Fulham | 14 | -10 | 15 |
| 15 | Nottm Forest | 14 | -6 | 13 |
| 16 | AFC Bournemouth | 14 | -14 | 13 |
| 17 | Luton | 14 | -13 | 9 |
| 18 | Everton | 14 | -5 | 7 |
| 19 | Burnley | 14 | -17 | 7 |
| 20 | Sheff Utd | 14 | -28 | 5 |
