Murillo was the standout as Nottingham Forest dismantled Liverpool at Anfield, but Arne Slot will be most worried by Liverpool’s senior players going missing. Mohamed Salah began brightly but faded; Federico Chiesa, introduced later, generated more expected-goals value despite far less time on the pitch. Alexander Isak struggled, losing all seven duels he contested and becoming the only Liverpool starter in the Premier League era to lose each of his first four starts. Alexis Mac Allister spurned the best chance before Forest struck, a moment that might have changed the day. Liverpool dominated possession (around 74 per cent) yet conceded three goals, a defensive display that left fans frustrated and Virgil van Dijk urging his team to “look in the mirror.” With results worsening, Laura Hunter argues Slot needs a full review and a plan to prevent this title defence turning into a calamity.
Sean Dyche’s Nottingham Forest, by contrast, enjoyed one of their finest recent days. Dyche reverted the side to a compact, deep defensive setup that presses and counter-attacks—basic principles that have paid off. Their tall centre-back pairing, led by Murillo and Nicola Milenkovic, made Forest hard to break down, piling up clearances and handling Liverpool’s set-pieces comfortably. Murillo opened the scoring from a set-piece, and Igor Jesus impressed with a strong, hardworking display up front. Forest are now unbeaten in four and out of the relegation zone, looking more like the side that chased European places last season.
Manchester City’s trip to Newcastle raised questions about whether the international break dented their momentum. After a dominant spell in the league, City looked less sharp at St James’ Park. Erling Haaland and Phil Foden missed chances they would previously have converted; Jeremy Doku was lively early but faded, and Pep Guardiola’s substitutions—most notably bringing on Savinho for Doku—didn’t have the desired impact. City have now lost four Premier League games this season, an unusually high tally for Guardiola’s side, and their recent run before Newcastle slipped from one loss in eight to two in nine. Charlotte Marsh notes the season feels like it’s starting anew for City, but they have time to rediscover form.
Newcastle, though, will take a huge confidence boost. St James’ Park has been a fortress: six straight home wins across competitions and just two home goals conceded in that run. The victory moved Eddie Howe’s side four points clear of the relegation positions and offered a marked improvement on their pre-break showing. Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento returned and impressed at full-back; Harvey Barnes has stepped up in Anthony Gordon’s absence. Newcastle’s challenge now is to replicate that form away from home—something they have historically struggled with—especially with back-to-back trips to Marseille and Everton coming up.
Chelsea’s 2-0 win at Burnley was efficient but not definitive proof of title credentials. Enzo Maresca’s side have eight wins from 10 in all competitions, but the quality of opposition varies. Andrey Santos impressed stepping in for Moises Caicedo, showing he can deputise if needed. Maresca’s rotation, including a planned half-time change for captain Reece James, suggests careful management ahead of the tough tests to come: Barcelona and Arsenal. Declan Olley argues those fixtures will reveal whether Chelsea are genuine contenders, especially if they must cope without Cole Palmer.
Wolves’ 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace exposed a scarcity of cutting quality. Despite an xG that suggested decent opportunities, Wolves remain bottom and winless in 12 league games. Rob Edwards’ side showed spirit but lacked the clinical finishing that once came from players like Yeremy Pino. Tolu Arokodare and Jorgen Strand Larsen led the line without the conviction required to convert chances, and the expected-goals numbers hint at a team creating openings but not finishing them.
At the Vitality, Bournemouth drew 2-2 with West Ham after Callum Wilson’s two early goals seemed to hand the visitors control. Nuno Espirito Santo’s decision to substitute Wilson at half-time proved costly as Bournemouth dominated the second half, registering an xG of 4.08 but thwarted by an outstanding Alphonse Areola who made ten saves. Callum Bishop suggests that removing the goalscorer weakened West Ham’s hold on the game and allowed Bournemouth back into it. Separately, Bournemouth may be able to cope without Antoine Semenyo for now: his absence didn’t prevent them producing a high-xG attacking display, with Marcus Tavernier and Enes Unal sharing significant shot-threatening contributions.
Fulham got a crucial 1-0 win over Sunderland thanks to Raul Jimenez’s instinctive finish. Marco Silva praised Jimenez’s “killer instinct” and determination, noting the striker had barely trained since returning from international duty but still produced a decisive performance. Fulham’s 24 shots showed a spark of creativity that could be a turning point if the team builds on it. Sunderland, meanwhile, were handed a dose of Premier League reality: their low shot count and manager Regis Le Bris’s disciplined approach were outmatched by Fulham’s intensity. William Bitibiri warns the promoted side must rediscover the balance that earned them points earlier in the season.
Brighton continue to evolve their attacking profile beyond Joao Pedro. Danny Welbeck is in career form, supported by Yankuba Minteh—who created four chances and led dribble and penalty-area touch charts—and Georginio Rutter, whose work-rate and pressing provided an added threat. The Welbeck-Rutter-Minteh frontline is becoming a serious proposition. Brentford’s Igor Thiago, despite missing a stoppage-time penalty that made him a late villain, has been excellent this season: his hold-up play, work rate and nine goals from 12 league games put him among the most effective new-season strikers in the division. Sam Blitz notes the penalty miss should not overshadow his otherwise outstanding contributions.
Overall, the weekend produced clear winners and losers: Liverpool and Manchester City confronting unexpected issues, while Forest and Newcastle gained momentum and confidence. Chelsea’s upcoming fixtures will be the next big litmus test for title ambitions, Wolves require a serious lift in finishing quality, and several mid-table and promoted sides have displayed signs that this season will continue to evolve unpredictably.