Premier League
Premier League Talking Points: Slot Returns To Basics As Haaland Breaks More Records
Arsenal extended their dominance, Liverpool rediscovered their spark under Arne Slot, and Manchester City’s unstoppable Erling Haaland continued to rewrite the record books.
Here’s a detailed breakdown of the three biggest storylines from England’s top flight.
Arsenal Extend Their Lead
Arsenal’s 2-0 victory made it five Premier League wins in a row, opening up a six-point cushion at the top of the table.
Mikel Arteta’s side showed the composure and maturity of champions in waiting, blending defensive solidity with attacking efficiency. The Gunners’ consistency contrasts sharply with the turbulence elsewhere among their title rivals a crucial edge as the festive fixture congestion looms.
Their high pressing and sharp transitions once again proved decisive, while the squad’s depth has allowed Arteta to rotate without losing rhythm.
Slot Returns to Winning Formula
After a bruising four-match losing run in the Premier League, Arne Slot desperately needed a response. The Dutchman, whose expansive football philosophy had initially energized Liverpool, opted for pragmatism against a dangerous Aston Villa side.
His back-to-basics approach paid off handsomely in a 2-0 victory that restored belief at Anfield.
Interestingly, Slot resisted the temptation to field many of his big summer signings a bold decision considering the club’s £450 million outlay.
Only Hugo Ekitike started among the new arrivals, while stars like Florian Wirtz and Milos Kerkez watched from the bench. Injuries ruled out Jeremie Frimpong, and Alexander Isak continues to search for his first league goal in red.
Instead, Slot turned to trusted Andy Robertson and Conor Bradley at full-back and the move paid dividends. Liverpool kept their first clean sheet in 11 matches across all competitions.
Mohamed Salah, inevitably, made the difference again, capitalizing on a rare Emiliano Martinez blunder to notch his 250th goal for the club.
It wasn’t a vintage performance, but it was exactly what Liverpool needed control, composure, and confidence restored. Slot will now prepare for an acid test against Manchester City, knowing his tactical balance will again be under scrutiny.
Haaland The Fantasy Goal Machine
If consistency had a face, it would look a lot like Erling Haaland. The Norwegian powerhouse once again showed his freakish finishing ability with two goals against Bournemouth, taking his season tally to 26 goals in 16 games for club and country.
The stats speak for themselves Haaland is now only the third player in Premier League history to score two or more goals in four consecutive home games, joining Liverpool icons Robbie Fowler and Luis Suárez.
Bournemouth’s David Brooks summed it up perfectly post-match, “It’s almost impossible to come up with a plan to deal with him.”
Pep Guardiola’s side may still be seeking rhythm, but with Haaland in this kind of ruthless form, City remain firmly in the title hunt.
Even Haaland himself joked about his early substitution, quipping, “There were probably a few fantasy managers who were not so happy.”
For the millions who captain him each week in fantasy football, that remark hit a little too close to home.
Tottenham’s Quiet Crisis
Despite sitting fifth in the Premier League and remaining unbeaten in the Champions League, Tottenham Hotspur is showing signs of unrest. A limp 1-0 defeat to Chelsea, their 10th loss in 12 meetings with their London rivals, has reopened questions about the team’s mentality and direction under Thomas Frank.
Footage showed Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence apparently ignoring a handshake from their manager as they left the pitch, a moment that did not go unnoticed by fans.
Spurs’ performance only deepened the unease: one shot on target all game, and their lowest-ever expected goals (xG) figure of 0.05 since records began in 2012/13.
Frank dismissed the post-match tension as “one of the small issues,” emphasizing his belief in the squad’s spirit.
“They perform very well so far this season and everyone is frustrated,” he said.
“We do things differently, so I don’t think it’s a big problem.”
Still, with performances lagging behind results, the Spurs may need more than calm words to avoid an internal rift.
