Hope for Arsenal, Cole Palmer’s rough patch, Leicester are sleepwalking towards another relegation and Man Utd find themselves short of leaders on and off the pitch

It is going to be a nail-biting finish, isn’t it? Liverpool restored their seven-point lead at the top of the table with a hard-fought win over Wolves, but boy were they made to work for it.

That’s good news for Arsenal, who left it late to beat Leicester City 2-0 at the King Power, with Mikel Merino the unlikely hero of the hour. Manchester City are back in the top four following their demolition of Eddie Howe’s Newcastle. And don’t forget little old Bournemouth…

As for Chelsea, their problems continue to worsen after another defeat at Brighton – their second in as many games. Enzo Maresca said a few months ago his side aren’t ready to compete for the title. He might well be right about this season (and the next).

Speaking of struggling clubs, Leicester City are sleepwalking their way towards relegation, while Southampton are almost certainly down at this point. Meanwhile Ipswich Town drew 1-1 away at Aston Villa as they try to claw their way out of the bottom three.

This weekend’s results

Friday 14 February

• Brighton 3-0 Chelsea

Saturday 15 February

Sunday 16 February

Liverpool

It would be easy to dedicate this section to Mo Salah every week. But a word for Luis Diaz, if you will. For all the “will-he-won’t-he” speculation over Salah’s future, Liverpool boss Arne Slot will be glad to see the Colombian back among the goals against Wolves, who had won their previous two games without conceding.

Having been criticised for his performance in the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park, he was a real nuisance throughout. Diaz scored the opener – admittedly in slightly fortunate circumstances after some clever work from Diogo Jota against his former side – and won a penalty for the second. It was his first goal of 2025, too, and a vital one at that.

The challenge for him now is to be more consistent. 13 goals this term is a respectable return by any player’s standards but he really needs to start putting some decent runs together. Diaz hasn’t scored in back-to-back games since September of last year, and Liverpool fans will hope that this can be the start of something more going forward.

League table

Arsenal

Mikel Arteta was thinking on the move.

The Arsenal managed admitted after the win over Leicester he had considered all manner of options in light of Kai Havertz’s season-ending injury, and though he eventually called on Mikel Merino to be his second half, emergency No 9 – and ultimately his hero – this was a move that had not even been practiced in training.

“It was big news for me this morning when one of the assistants told me this was an option,” Merino said after his late double.

“It’s the first time in my career that I’ve played in this position, but the good thing is that the way this team plays, everyone knows what to do.

“Mikel told me to use my strengths in the box and I was in the right place at the right time. I’ve not trained there once but I know what everyone has to do on the pitch.”

Credit to Arteta, then, for this in-game tactical switch that paid off. He read the moment, saw what wasn’t working, and adapted accordingly, hauling off the ineffective Raheem Sterling whose starting days must surely be numbered.

Sterling is only in this side because Bukayo Saka is out, but he may now lose his place because a defensive midfielder showed a greater attacking nous.

Arsenal were at their best with Merino at No 9 and Leandro Trossard taking Sterling’s place by moving out wide, and Arteta surely saw enough to start that way against West Ham on Saturday. If not, then Sterling can count himself lucky. By Michael Hincks

Nottingham Forest

There is no huge surprise about Nottingham Forest reverting to the mean a little, particularly away from home. Fulham have long been a bogey opponent for Forest, they were never going to be impeccable at defensive set pieces forever and they played 120 minutes in midweek, albeit with a much-changed team for most of that.

Also, with Chelsea, Newcastle and Aston Villa all failing to win this was not a disastrous weekend. Forest have three fixtures in which they can atone for this slip by overperforming again: Newcastle, Arsenal, Manchester City. Whenever two of the teams directly below them face each other, Forest win in their attempts to qualify for Europe next season.

But knowing Evangelos Marinakis as we do, Nuno Espirito Santo and his players would do well to rectify this situation quickly. Well-connected journalist John Percy wrote a detailed piece about Forest ten days ago, and a line jumped out:

“After the 1-1 draw with league leaders Liverpool last month, Marinakis and other senior figures in the hierarchy were disappointed. They are driving a mindset of winning at all costs, and want the players to always remember that Forest is a big club who should be frequently battling at the top of the table.”

Nobody can fault Marinakis for the ambition, but that seems an extraordinary assessment of the club’s seven-game winning run coming to an end with a draw against the league leaders. Having paid for a warm-weather training camp in Dubai following the 7-0 win over Brighton, Forest’s owner is unlikely to be accepting of anything less than their best.

Man City

Don’t call it a comeback but this was most certainly a warning shot for those ready to read the last rites on Manchester City.

Such has been the breakneck speed of their decline that it has been tempting to wonder if the aura of invincibility around Pep Guardiola has permanently burst.

The alternative suggestion is that injuries, loss of form and a dimming of focus from both manager and players have dovetailed to make this a season of relative struggle.

We have been here before in recent weeks, of course. Calling it a renaissance feels premature but it was certainly their most significant win since the defeat at Bournemouth. Since then they have beaten Nottingham Forest, Leicester, West Ham, Ipswich Town, Chelsea, Club Bruges and Leyton Orient, but none in a manner quite as convincing as this.

Before the game, as if to temper expectations, it was pointed out that City’s xG at the Etihad was better than anyone else’s home expected goals in the Premier League. The point being made was that they had perhaps been a shade unfortunate not to have got more wins on their own turf and remain a potent force. Here they proved that, taking a huge stride towards securing a top five place in the process.

On early evidence this new version of City might end up setting the standard once more. By Mark Douglas

Bournemouth

What a weekend for a team that might even eclipse Nottingham Forest for overperformance by the end of May. Forest lost, Chelsea lost, Newcastle lost, Aston Villa drew and Bournemouth just keep brushing teams aside. They have lost once in all competitions since 9 November and that was to Liverpool.

We are approaching half a season of Bournemouth being the third best team in the league. Only Arsenal and Liverpool have taken more points over the last three months and Bournemouth have beaten one of those at home this season anyway.

Moreover, Andoni Iraola’s side are a real problem to anyone hoping to sneak into the Champions League places ahead of them because they don’t play anyone in the current top seven until 3 May.

Chelsea

At what point do we start to worry about Enzo Maresca’s hold on this Chelsea season? Defeat at Brighton, the second in succession against the same opposition, makes it three wins from 11 games since the manager played down any talk of a title challenge (and one of those was against Morecambe in the FA Cup). It looks like he was right; the timing of the downturn is awkward for Maresca.

It also coincides with a reduction in the productivity of Cole Palmer. Maresca’s critics amongst Chelsea supporters have accused him of freezing out other players (Joao Felix, most notably) in favour of building the entire team around Palmer. That seemed logical while Palmer was producing every game. Now he has three goals and no assists in his last 11 matches in all competitions.

And the suspicions of those critics have been proven true: when Palmer doesn’t produce, this team is too piecemeal for anyone else to step up (and particularly now Nicolas Jackson is injured). They concede too many goals – not helped by the farcical goalkeeping situation at a club that has spent this much – to allow for such attacking inefficiency.

More bad news: it’s getting worse. Against Brighton on Friday evening, Chelsea had 77 per cent of the ball and failed to have a single shot on target. They look like a team that has been spooked by the form tailing off and unable to account for Palmer’s rough patch, and spooked too by the need to protect an uncertain goalkeeper and changing central defensive picture.

What that provokes is risk-averse, possession-heavy football that itself gets frightened at the first sign of an opponent pressing high up the pitch to win the ball. Maresca needs to find a way to change this quickly, otherwise it will be the Europa League at best next season.

Newcastle

Eddie Howe spoke about the risk of “staleness” a few weeks ago when addressing a lack of recruitment in recent months. They may yet prove prescient quotes.

Those words were forgotten in the euphoria at reaching Wembley last week but Manchester City’s infusion of new blood in January has allowed them to address some of their issues.

Newcastle’s anaemia here was a reminder that they need to hit sixth gear every time to get results.

How they missed the injured Joelinton and Sven Botman here, while Anthony Gordon – who appeared off it throughout – didn’t look fit. Help in January? The club’s balance sheet did not allow it, we are told. By Mark Douglas

Fulham

Who wants to see a list of every player in the Premier League since 2017 who has created five chances in a match and also completed every single one of his passes in the game?

Good, here’s the list: Sasa Lukic vs Nottingham Forest (15 February, 2025).

Lukic has become a dependable central midfielder this season, not quite the Joao Palhinha replacement but instead a deeper-lying playmaker. On Saturday, he dominated one of the most effective central midfield units in the Premier League this season. It was genuinely one of the best individual displays of this season.

Aston Villa

One of those days more than a reason to be fearful for what the rest of the season may bring, but Unai Emery really could have done with beating Ipswich before the Champions League restarts and his team play midweek-weekend again. They have proven themselves incapable of juggling the two. That is why the players were signed in January.

But one thing that I think is worth pointing out is how Villa are having to score at least twice to win every game. It wasn’t their failure to score more against Ipswich that cost them; not really. It was allowing a team in the bottom three to take the lead with ten men.

Across their last 15 matches in all competitions, Villa have kept a single clean sheet (away at Everton). They have conceded twice or more in seven of those 15 games – twice against Celtic, once against Leicester and West Ham, twice against RB Leipzig, twice against Forest, twice against Wolves and three times against Newcastle. It is just all a little too sloppy for Emery’s liking.

Brighton

You can clearly make a case that Brighton probably should have sold Kaoru Mitoma to whichever Saudi Pro League club was offering the most squillions in January. Their model is based around buying low and selling high, they have oodles of wingers and Mitoma’s form has been patchy ever since a semi-serious injury.

But can I just say: I’m really glad he didn’t go. Not just because the sight of state-sponsored clubs in a state-sponsored league attempting to overpay just for shiny toys in a bid to deflect from their human rights abuses and legitimise their World Cup hosting makes me feel glum.

Mitoma is piping hot fun. His inconsistencies are part of the charm, as is the ludicrous range between his best and worse. But that touch for Brighton’s first goal, let alone the composure to then beat his defender and curl a shot into the corner, makes it my favourite goal of this Premier League season so far.

The best bit: it’s like it was nothing. Bart Verbruggen launched the ball 80 yards up the pitch and Mitoma didn’t just control it with one touch, the ball coming over his shoulder and with a defender close to him, he did so without the ball ever moving more than six inches away from his boot. Insane.

Brentford

For most of this season, Brentford have had a left-back problem. The long-term injuries suffered by Aaron Hickey and Rico Henry left Thomas Frank scratching around for options. Vitaly Janelt, Kristoffer Ajer and Sepp van den Berg all filled in there before Keane Lewis-Potter was tried in the role.

Now Frank has a different left-back problem. Hickey is back in training and Henry won’t be far away either, but it’s hard to work out how either of them are going to displace Lewis-Potter, who has been fantastic of late. A young man has learnt an entirely new position and is thriving in it.

He does his defensive duties. He flies down the wing, unsurprising given that he’s a wide forward by trade. He crosses and dribbles. He chips really clever passes down the line for an onrushing wide player. He plays cross-field passes to Bryan Mbeumo. Lewis-Potter is effectively playing as a wing-back in a back four formation and he’s making it work.

Tottenham

Minutes after Diogo Dalot had spurned a chance to put Manchester United in front from a goalkeeper parry, James Maddison converted a similar opportunity for the hosts.

Andre Onana dived to his left to prevent Lucas Bergvall’s low strike from trundling into his bottom corner but succeeded only in pushing it into the returning Maddison’s path to tap into an empty net.

The playmaker pulled out his imaginary dart in celebration, before bringing his index finger to his lips and making a chatting motion with his hands. Roy Keane was presumably the focus of Maddison’s attention after he made disparaging comments about him on The Overlap last week.

“People say, “Maddison’s the man”, but when is he going to step up to the plate?” Keane questioned exasperatedly.

“He got relegated with Leicester [City] and [looks like] with Spurs! Maddison isn’t bad but if you think he’s going to come back and get Spurs top six, you’re in cuckoo land.”

If a rebuke from Keane is all it takes to ignite some fire in bellies, perhaps Postecoglou should try and tempt the boyhood Spurs fan onto his coaching staff.

“People will have their opinions,” Maddison said after. “Nobody is more critical of me than myself.” By Oliver Young-Myles

Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace are a club that develops talent and provides a pathway to the first team, so they are always popular with visiting scouts. Michael Olise has settled in ludicrously easily at Bayern Munich and Marc Guehi may well be the next to fit snugly into a Champions League XI.

So here’s what I don’t understand. Arsenal haven’t bought a striker. Chelsea bought Joao Felix for £45m, then loaned him out six months later and are playing with the aggressively underwhelming Christopher Nkunku up front. Manchester United buy young strikers and then seem to want them to hit the ground running and be immediately fit for the first team.

Why has nobody knocked down Palace’s door to sign Jean-Philippe Mateta? They did trigger a contract extension in December, but that still expires in June 2027. He has scored 33 goals since the start of last season. He is absolutely brilliant in the air and at bringing other players into the move, but he’s also fantastic at finding space in the penalty area.

I get that Mateta turns 28 this summer – resale value and amortisation etc – but I don’t understand why multiple clubs didn’t seriously try to get him out of Selhurst Park last summer or in January. Because he’s absolutely brilliant.

Everton

Beto for Everton under Sean Dyche: 42 games, 10 starts, four goals.

Beto for Everton under David Moyes: Five games, three starts, four goals.

The most remarkable turnaround of any player this season and the key reason for Moyes’ fantastic start to life back at Goodison Park. These last four games have been absolutely damning to the pronounced funk that Dyche had overseen at Goodison. Despite not being a universally popular appointment, Moyes has now won over everyone.

“He has done a lot for me, just saying: ‘Play your game, run in behind’,” Beto said after the 4-0 win over Leicester at the start of the month. “To be aggressive, to try to bully the defenders. Jump, even if I don’t mean to get something. And that gave me a little bit of confidence – no, a boost of confidence – because I can play my game, and I know he trusts me. Even if I’m on the bench, I know he will trust me to come in, to do my game.”

You hardly need to read between the lines to understand that Beto wasn’t exactly enamoured with life as a bit-part striker under Dyche. Moyes is starting him, providing him with service, speaking to him and getting the best out of him. Sometimes it’s that simple.

Man Utd

A few yards away from where Manchester United’s youthful substitutes were warming up sat two giants of the club’s history in every sense, Jaap Stam and Peter Schmeichel.

What Ruben Amorim would have given to have even one player of such experience and gravitas in his dressing room. If either had brought his boots, Amorim might even have picked him, given the bare bones of the squad on show for United’s 1-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.

The Red Devils bench featured only one recognised first-teamer, Victor Lindelof, as the club’s injury crisis forced Amorim to name eight teenagers on the bench alongside him. It could have undermined the Portuguese boss’s recent plea to improve United’s academy, but this crop were picked on the grounds that they were warm bodies in the building, rather than any prodigious talent.

There is ability there: Chido Obi-Martin scored a hat-trick for the under-18s this week against the mighty Chelsea and bagged 32 goals in 18 age-group league games last season for Arsenal; Ayden Heaven, also a former Gunner, was worth cash-strapped (see Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s insistence) United spending £1.5m on. But thrown into a game away from home where 15th-place United are in need of a footballing defibrillator is not how anyone would want to blood them. By James Gray

West Ham

West Ham has long been a club that has excelled in dragging players down, stymieing their joy when seasons turn and wane. Over the first half of this miserable campaign, it was Lucas Paqueta who looked lost at sea. Mohammed Kudus has since taken on that mantle.

It’s now nine games without a goal or assist for Kudus, but the problems run deeper than that. He completes lots of dribbles and loves having the ball at his feet. Increasingly, he’s holding onto the ball for too long and getting crowded out or picking the wrong option. He’s only created one chance in his last five games combined.

Perhaps he has just had his creativity blunted by the glumness of the Julen Lopetegui era, but as his best Kudus expresses great joy in his football. That buzz is now entirely absent and so West Ham are effectively carrying an attacking midfielder. Maybe some time out of the team is needed.

Wolves

If Wolves are going to stay up this season, they will need to play more like they did in the second half against Liverpool.

The Wolves defence ensured Liverpool were prevented from having a single shot in the second half – the first time that has happened in a Premier League game since 2017. The trouble was, they were already two-nil down at half-time, though Matheus Cunha did grab a goal back after the break.

However, the Brazilian’s goals alone won’t be enough to beat the drop, as Vitor Pereira himself admitted in his post-match interview.

“We cannot play again like we played in the first half,” he told Sky Sports.

“I don’t care if it’s against Liverpool or another team, it’s about my team. I want to see the identity, personality, the courage to play in our way – not to come here and make it a party.

“Next time, we need to realise that we have quality and we believe in our quality. The second half was fantastic, what I remember from the second half is Liverpool had a lot of problems, a lot of difficulties to stop us. If we score the second goal, it was the fair result.”

Ipswich

Alex Palmer has had to wait for his chance in the Premier League. He had been named on the bench for West Brom in the top flight eight times, but sought first-team football on loan at Kidderminster, Lincoln City and Plymouth. It wasn’t until late 2022, at the age of 26, that Palmer even broke into West Brom’s first team in the Championship.

Ipswich signed Palmer on deadline day with the intention of making him their No 1. But even they were surprised by his excellence at Villa Park on debut. He made a string of saves – including a ridiculous stop in stoppage time and was named Man of the Match.

“Making a Premier League debut at 28, after all the loans and everything that he’s done in his journey, and then to do it back in the midlands and to perform like he did, make some of the saves that he did, and to end up helping the team get a point – it’s a great day for him and a great start for us,” said Kieran McKenna after the game. “He’s worked his way up, done the hard yards to get to the Premier League. He’s got his opportunity now and he certainly took it today.”

It also makes you wonder what might have happened if Ipswich had signed Palmer last summer rather than relying upon Arijanet Muric and his passing out from the back that has got Ipswich into trouble so many times this season.

Leicester

Belief is slipping away with every shrug of Ruud van Nistelrooy’s shoulders, with Leicester sleepwalking towards a second relegation in three years.

Their fans don’t believe, either, but who can blame them? Joy over the silverware won in the past decade has made way for apathy, a frustration with how the club are being run all while presented with little proof on the pitch that any player is really capable of digging them out of this scrap.

There were chances against Arsenal, but when your best falls for defensive midfielder Wilfred Ndidi you cannot help but feel Leicester are doomed.

They are the second-most shot shy club in the league, and if one of the most lethal strikers the Premier League has witnessed cannot inspire his forwards – including a 38-year-old Jamie Vardy whose campaign reads seven goals from 40 shots, and just one goal in his last nine games – then probably no one can.

Perhaps more crucially, Van Nistelrooy lacks the experience at this end of the table – as both a player and manager. He does not fall into the category of survival expert, although even Bear Grylls may pass on this one, and cannot draw on his own past to help Leicester’s present or future.

It’s not over, but if you can’t score and can’t keep a clean sheet (just one all season) then you’re going down. That’s why the belief has all-but vanished. By Michael Hincks

Southampton

Johannes Spors, Southampton’s new technical director, officially started his new job on Saturday. Spors’ main focus will be on a period of summer recruitment that presumably must look to make this squad Championship-ready, move out some of the fringe players who are still here from the last relegation but avoid having to buy half a new squad if they come straight back up.

It will have been a chastening afternoon for Spors. For all the glimpses of light under Ivan Juric, Southampton retain an ability to produce a cataclysmically bad half of football, as they did before the break against Bournemouth. This what happens when you have lost 20 of your 25 league games – confidence is non-existent.

It’s now seven straight home defeats in the league too, but it’s the contrast with their south coast neighbours that is most damning of Southampton’s season. For the first time in their history. Bournemouth completed the league double over them.