Premier League Roundup: Chelsea Holds Arsenal, Foden Saves Man City As Isak Breaks His Drought

‎From Chelsea’s fiery draw against leaders Arsenal to Phil Foden’s rescue act for Manchester City and Alexander Isak finally silencing his critics, this round of fixtures delivered storylines everywhere you looked.

‎Sportxparte breaks down the biggest talking points from a compelling weekend.

‎Chelsea Go Toe-to-Toe With Arsenal in Fiery Stamford Bridge Showdown

‎Chelsea slugged it out with Premier League leaders Arsenal in a tense, high-tempo 1-1 draw that showcased the Blues’ growing resilience under Enzo Maresca.

‎The game turned on a dramatic first-half moment when Moises Caicedo was sent off for a dangerous challenge on Mikel Merino, leaving Chelsea with a mountain to climb.

‎Yet even with 10 men, the Londoners struck first. Trevoh Chalobah rose highest to power home a header in the 48th minute, sending Stamford Bridge into delirium.

‎Arsenal pushed back and equalised through Merino’s composed finish in the 59th minute, but they could not capitalise on their numerical advantage.

‎The result leaves Arsenal five points above Manchester City, with Chelsea one point further back in third. For Maresca, the performance, especially at 10 vs 11, was a sign of real progress.

‎“I think that we showed that we are in the right direction,” Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca told Sky Sports.

‎“We were a much, much better team than them when we were 11 v. 11. Then with 10 players it’s more difficult, but the way they dealt with that situation was outstanding.”

‎For Arsenal, it was a missed opportunity, and their second consecutive away draw in the league, despite an impressive midweek Champions League win over Bayern Munich.

‎Phil Foden Saves Manchester City as Haaland’s Goal Drought Continues

‎Manchester City stayed firmly in the title race thanks to Phil Foden, who delivered both early and late to seal a dramatic 3-2 victory over a spirited Leeds United side.

‎Foden opened the scoring after just 59 seconds, momentarily the fastest Premier League goal of the season, before curling in a stoppage-time winner to secure all three points for Pep Guardiola’s side.

‎Between those strikes, City showed more defensive frailties, reminiscent of their recent defeats to Newcastle and Bayer Leverkusen.

‎Leeds fought back from 2-0 down through Dominic Calvert-Lewin and academy graduate Lukas Nmecha, turning the match into a nail-biting contest.

‎Erling Haaland, meanwhile, is experiencing an unfamiliar dry spell. The Norwegian has now gone three games without scoring, leaving him on 99 Premier League goals.

‎Born in Leeds, this would have been the perfect stage to hit the milestone but Guardiola remains calm.

‎“He’ll do it next game,” Guardiola said after an animated post-match conversation with the striker.

‎City’s win pushed them above Chelsea into second a huge psychological boost as the season heats up.

‎Malick Thiaw Scores Premier League’s Fastest Goal of the Season

‎Foden’s early strike didn’t last long as the quickest of the season. Just hours later, Newcastle defender Malick Thiaw glanced home a header at the 55-second mark to spark a dominant 4-1 win over Everton.

‎Thiaw added a second after halftime, while Lewis Miley and Nick Woltemade joined the scoresheet for a Newcastle side that looked clinical from start to finish.

‎Everton, who remain stuck near the relegation zone, could only manage a consolation through Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

‎The win lifts pressure off Eddie Howe and reignites Newcastle’s push for European places.

‎Alexander Isak Finally Off the Mark for Liverpool

‎Liverpool’s dramatic mid-season collapse had heaped pressure on new signing Alexander Isak brought in for a club-record £125 million. But at last, on a cold afternoon at West Ham, the Sweden striker delivered.

‎Isak swept home a low first-time finish from Cody Gakpo’s pass to score his first Premier League goal for Liverpool. The celebration, sliding to his knees as teammates flooded around him, said everything.

‎Both Isak and manager Arne Slot had been facing intense criticism after nine defeats in 12 matches. This 2-0 win at West Ham won’t silence the doubters entirely, but it felt like a turning point.

‎”It’s very important for us as a team that we went 1-0 up, but I think it was also important for him because I think it was his third or fourth chance of this game,” Liverpool coach Arne Slot said.

‎Liverpool remains well off the pace in the title race but finally found a performance to build on.

‎Thomas Frank Under Fire as Spurs’ Home Woes Worsen

‎Things are going from bad to worse for Tottenham. A dismal 2-1 home defeat to Fulham extended their miserable run in 2025 and raised louder questions about boss Thomas Frank.

‎Spurs conceded twice in the opening six minutes, catastrophic at home, before Mohammed Kudus pulled one back. But it wasn’t enough to avoid their fourth defeat in six league games.

‎Adding to the gloom, this capped off an ugly week following a 4-1 loss to Arsenal and a 5-3 Champions League humbling by PSG.

‎”Of course, the game plan was definitely way more difficult after the 2-0. We were going in behind when we shouldn’t go in behind, we were playing in the middle when we shouldn’t play in the middle,” Frank said.

‎”All those bits because we were rushing too much. But I’m not worried, because I think we have seen clearly other times it has worked much better.”

‎Tottenham fans, however, are increasingly concerned, with only 3 wins in their last 13 fixtures.

‎Manchester United Rally as Joshua Zirkzee Ends Long Goal Drought

‎Another long-awaited breakthrough came at Selhurst Park, where Joshua Zirkzee ended nearly a year without a Premier League goal. His superb spin-and-finish from a tight angle inspired Manchester United’s comeback in a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace.

‎Mateta opened the scoring for Palace from a twice-taken penalty, after VAR spotted a double touch, but United responded strongly in the second half.

‎Mason Mount drilled home the winner in the 63rd minute, securing a morale-boosting victory for Ruben Amorim and breaking Palace’s impressive 12-game home unbeaten streak.

‎Wins for Villa and Brighton Keep European Race Tight

‎Aston Villa stayed firmly in the Champions League hunt with a narrow 1-0 win over bottom-placed Wolves, courtesy of Boubacar Kamara’s precise finish. Wolves remain winless and nine points adrift of safety, with relegation now looking increasingly inevitable.

‎Brighton kept pace, securing a controlled 2-0 victory away at Nottingham Forest thanks to goals from Maxim De Cuyper and Stefanos Tzimas. The Seagulls’ push for another European qualification spot remains on track.