Three talking points from the Premier League

Manchester City are six points behind Arsenal after a swing weekend in the Premier League, with a looming summit meeting that could determine the destination of the title.

Long-time leaders Arsenal slumped to a shock 2-1 home defeat by Bournemouth on Saturday and City took full advantage, thumping Chelsea 3-0.

At the other end of the table, Tottenham are two points from safety after a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland in Roberto De Zerbi’s first match in charge.

AFP Sport looks at three talking points from the Premier League weekend:

Will Arsenal blow title again?

Arsenal remain firm favourites to win the Premier League for the first time in 22 years, but the mood music at the Emirates has changed dramatically.

After suffering just three defeats in their opening 49 matches of the season in all competitions, the Gunners have lost three of their past four.

Just weeks ago Arsenal were on course for a unique quadruple but they were well beaten by Manchester City in the League Cup final and lost to second-tier Southampton in the FA Cup.

Arteta described Saturday’s defeat in front of their disgruntled fans as a “big punch in the face”, admitting the club’s long wait for the English title added to the pressure.

The Spaniard takes his team to face City next week knowing a defeat could spell disaster and condemn them to a fourth straight runners-up finish.

City boss Pep Guardiola will be as delighted with the manner of his team’s win at Stamford Bridge as with the result. They smell blood.

Spurs staring into the abyss

The Premier League title race between Arsenal and Manchester City is headline news, but if Tottenham go down it will be the story of the season.

Former Brighton and Marseille boss Roberto De Zerbi now has a clearer picture of the size of his task after his team’s 1-0 defeat at Sunderland.

History makes grim reading for the Italian, who is the third manager of the London club this season.

Only three sides — Derby, Sunderland and Swindon — have had longer winless runs to start a calendar year in the Premier League than Tottenham in 2026 (14) and all three were relegated.

De Zerbi believes his players have the quality but are lacking confidence.

“We have to be stronger than this moment, and positive, because we have the qualities enough to win the game, and when we win the game, we can see everything’s different,” he said.

But while Spurs flounder, relegation rivals West Ham and Nottingham Forest continue to pick up points.

Can Liverpool teen Ngumoha save Slot?

Liverpool boss Arne Slot compared Rio Ngumoha to the departing Mohamed Salah after the 17-year-old scored a brilliant opener in a priceless 2-0 victory against Fulham.

Ngumoha was already the club’s youngest goalscorer and he now holds the Liverpool record as the youngest Premier League scorer at Anfield.

The win strengthened Liverpool’s hold on fifth place after a calamitous Premier League title defence and it gave Slot some respite after heavy losses to Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain.

Slot’s position as manager has been openly questioned just a year after he led the Reds to a record-equalling 20th English title.

He must, at a bare minimum, engineer a top-five finish, which would guarantee Champions League football next season and Ngumoha could be the spark.

“He has such a special quality which you don’t see a lot in football anymore — dominating the one-v-one situation,” said Slot.

“And that’s exactly what he did when he scored his goal, making the ball free by twisting and turning and then hitting it in like a Mo Salah finish.”

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