The Good, The Bad
The tops and flops from the Premier League weekend.
Manchester City and Arsenal slipped up in the title race this past weekend, allowing Liverpool to go top after they came from behind to beat Brighton.
There was a first league win of the season for Southampton, while Nottingham Forest are the story of the season so far.
Here, we look at the good, and the bad, from this weekend’s Premier League action.
THE GOOD
Nuno Espirito Santo has Nottingham Forest dreaming. Nobody expected this, but after three straight wins, the Tricky Trees are in the top three, and the focus of this season has already turned from stability and solidity to just how far this team can go. Nuno, of course, will be keen to keep a lid on expectations, but he has got full buy-in at Forest, who are the story of the season so far. They were brilliant against West Ham, as Chris Wood notched his 23rd Premier League goal for the club — he is now just one short of the club record, held by Bryan Roy, for goals in the competition — and for Nuno to have transformed the same side that hardly scraped away from relegation last term (albeit, after a points deduction) into a team that looks capable of challenging for Europe, is miraculous.
Alexander Isak has had a stuttering start to the season, but three goals in as many games in the space of a week has seen the Newcastle star get firmly back on track. His winner against Arsenal — a towering header from the centre of the area — was the finish of a forward who is back in form, even if Anthony Gordon’s pinpoint cross did most of the heavy lifting. Saturday’s victory was a big one for the Magpies, and with Isak back in scoring form, Eddie Howe will be hopeful of a swift rise up the table.
Bournemouth pulled off their second scalp in the space of two weeks as they downed Man City 2-1. Andoni Iraola’s team have now defeated both of last season’s top two in their last two home matches, with a draw at Aston Villa sandwiched in between. Antoine Semenyo — who is proving week in, week out, just how good he is — was a menace throughout, and Evanilson is getting up to speed in the Premier League too. Sure, City had players out injured, but this is still the four-time reigning champions we’re talking about, and Andoni Iraola’s team deserve all the plaudits coming their way. Any thoughts of a relegation battle can probably already be cast to one side: Bournemouth are a team firmly on the up.
THE BAD
Sean Dyche does himself few favours at times. Everton might have been on a five-game unbeaten run heading into Saturday’s trip to lowly Southampton, but such has been the poor nature of their performances, any confidence was fragile. Dyche’s decisions from the off were just, well, bad, at St Mary’s. His persistence with leaving a fit-again Jarrad Branthwaite on the bench; the dour style of football; sticking with Dwight McNeil in a central role, which isn’t benefiting the team structure, and baffling substitutions. Everton may have been unlucky when it came to Beto missing a glorious chance just prior to what proved to be Adam Armstrong’s winner, with the Toffees substitute then seeing an excellent goal disallowed for a marginal offside, but Dyche does not deserve any slack. The squad are better than what they are showing, and as Everton head into the final stages of the year, have still only won five league matches in 2024.
Arsenal have dropped down to fifth, and seven points behind league leaders Liverpool, after Saturday’s 1-0 loss to Newcastle. Mikel Arteta accepted his team were not good enough at St James’ Park, and a flat performance saw the Gunners create only one real chance of note — Declan Rice heading wide late on. Arsenal had plenty of the ball, but mustered only 1.0 xG, and it already feels like a long way back in the title race. There is plenty of time, of course, but up against teams of the quality of Manchester City and Liverpool, Arsenal really couldn’t afford to pick up just one point from three games. On Monday, it was confirmed Sporting Director was leaving the club, too. While there’s certainly not cause for too much panic, Arsenal need some wins to get them back on course.
Julen Lopetegui hoped he had turned a corner with last week’s win over Manchester United, but the disjointed performance against Forest on Saturday painted a grimmer picture for West Ham, and patience in the fanbase appears to be wearing thin with the former Wolves and Spain boss. He was given plenty of backing in the summer, but that support has only translated into three league wins, while only Ipswich Town and bottom-placed Wolves have conceded more goals than the Hammers. Reports suggest Lopetegui’s head is not immediately on the chopping block, though the upcoming game against Everton feels like a big one, for both managers.
By Patric Ridge