The Premier League action continued this past weekend as matchday 7 delivered plenty of goals and drama all around. Arsenal toppled Liverpool to go top of the standings after Chelsea claimed a dramatic late win over the Reds. Pep Guardiola registered his 250th win in the English top flight as a coach, while Erling Haaland continues to chip away in the Golden Boot race. Without further ado, let’s take a quick recap of all the action.
Key Match Summaries
The biggest draw this week was Chelsea’s meeting against Liverpool, and the Blues registered a thrilling 2-1 win at home. Moises Caicedo gave the Blues an early lead, but Cody Gakpo made it 1-1 just after the hour mark. It seemed both teams would take a point each, but Estevao Willian scored a dramatic late winner to steal all three points.
With Liverpool dropping points for the second week in a row, Arsenal took control of the title race as they defeated West Ham 2-0. Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka were on target for the Gunners, as the Hammers continue to look for their first win under new coach Nuno Espirito Santo. There was some respite for Ruben Amorim as Manchester United defeated Sunderland 2-0. Mason Mount and Benjamin Sesko helped the Red Devils pick up a crucial win.
Crystal Palace’s unbeaten run in the Premier League came to an abrupt end. Everton stunned the Eagles with a late winner from summer signing Jack Grealish. Daniel Munoz had put Palace ahead, but Iliman Ndiaye revived the Toffees with a second-half penalty. Grealish scored his first goal for Everton and won all three points for David Moyes.
Manchester City continued their pursuit of the top spot as they beat Brentford 1-0. An early goal inside the first ten minutes was enough for Guardiola’s men to help their coach celebrate his 250th win in the Premier League. Only Sir Alex Ferguson, David Moyes, Guardiola and Arsene Wenger have won more than 250 matches in the English top flight.
In other results, Bournemouth beat Fulham 3-1, while Newcastle United prevailed 2-0 over Nottingham Forest. Nick Woltemade continues to shine for his new club with his third goal in just four league games. Wolves remain bottom after sharing the spoils with Brighton; however, Aston Villa edged out Burnley 2-1. Donyell Malen scored either side of half-time to cancel out Lesley Ugochukwu’s second-half strike.
Standout Players and Performances
Antoine Semenyo (9.5) was Sofascore’s highest-rated player this week after his brace and an assist against Fulham. Newcastle’s Bruno Guimaraes (9.4) was also among the highest-rated stars after his goal and 70 touches at 81% pass accuracy. Forest goalie Matz Sels (8.7) couldn’t help his side avoid the defeat, but he played his part, with a staggering 7 saves.
Chelsea wing-back Marc Cucurella (8.2) made five clearances against Liverpool, and he also registered an assist for the winning goal. James Tarkowski (8.4) continues his stellar run, he made 5 clearances and blocked 3 shots. Bukayo Saka (8.5) scored his second goal of the season, while Donyell Malen’s (8.8) brace earned him the Player of the Match award against Burnley.
League Table & Impact
Arsenal climbed to the top of the table while Liverpool dropped to second place. Tottenham continue to occupy third place, whereas Bournemouth rose to fourth. Manchester City are up to fifth after their narrow win, and Palace fell to sixth. Chelsea, Everton and Sunderland are level on 11 points while Manchester United round off the top ten.
Newcastle have risen to 11th place, just ahead of Brighton and Aston Villa. Fulham, Leeds and Brentford find themselves hovering just above the relegation berths. Forest dropped to 17th after their fourth loss in five games, while Burnley, West Ham and Wolves remain the bottom-placed sides.
Injuries and Suspension Updates
Trevor Chalobah will be available for Chelsea after serving his one-match ban. The Blues will miss several players due to their injuries. Alisson Becker could be doubtful for Liverpool, but the international break will give him time to recover from his thigh injury. Odegaard and Rice will both be assessed after sustained knocks this week. Barring Noussair Mazaraoui and Lisandro Martinez, Man United have a full-strength squad available while City have four long-term absentees.
Looking Ahead
After a short international break, Premier League action resumes on matchday 8 with Liverpool set to host Manchester United. Nottingham Forest will host Chelsea in the early evening fixture, followed by Wolves’ meeting with Sunderland. There’s a reunion on the cards for Jack Grealish as Everton will host Manchester City. A tricky clash against Brighton awaits Newcastle, meanwhile, Arsenal will make the short trip to Craven Cottage to face Fulham.
Elsewhere in North London, Spurs will host Aston Villa while West Ham will face Brentford. Burnley will hope to end their winless streak against Leeds. High-flying Bournemouth will face Crystal Palace in the battle of two teams that are consistently punching above their weight.