Another weekend of Premier League football has passed and it was yet another massive week at both ends of the table.
Heavy defeats, debut draws and a managerial sacking, gameweek 12 provided plenty of actions for all. The league is getting tighter with every passing week, with second placed Manchester City down to 13th placed Bournemouth separated by just eight points.
Here are some of the winners and losers from this weekend’s football…
Winners
Wolves
It took until the eleventh match to secure a first win of the league season, but Wolves won yet again, trouncing Fulham 4-1. Victory for Gary O’Neil’s side saw them lift themselves up from 19th to 17th place and out of the relegation zone. Matheus Cunha was the architect for the Black Country outfit, with the Brazilian scoring two outstanding goals as well as supplying an assist to Joao Gomes as well. The former Atletico Madrid player has been a constant bright light for O’Neils men.
Liverpool
Arne Slot’s men are on a roll. Liverpool came from behind to beat bottom side Southampton after a Mohamed Salah double extended the Reds’ advantage at the top of the Premier League to eight points. Slot’s side showed signs of nervousness early on and after a couple of defensive mishaps, they proved too strong for their hosts. They face Manchester City next Sunday in a match that could already decide the destination of the league title.
Brighton
Another new manager who has taken their side to new heights is Brighton’s Fabian Hurzeler. The German has guided the Seagulls to fifth place in the league, as well as having the same points as far superior opposition in Chelsea and Arsenal who are third and fourth respectively. Joao Pedro was the mastermind behind the win, scoring in the first half before assisting Kaoru Mitoma in the second period for what turned out to be the winner.
Losers
Manchester City
What is going on with Pep Guardiola and Manchester City? After what should have been confidence boosting news with the announcement of the Catalan’s contract renewal, the Citizen’s fell apart at the hands of Tottenham. Two from James Maddison and a goal a piece from Pedro Porro and Brennan Johnson consigned Guardiola’s men to a humiliating home defeat. They are now eight points off leaders Liverpool and one ahead of the chasing pack.
Leicester City
A terrible performance from Leicester in their own backyard against their former manager Enzo Maresca has cost Steve Cooper his job. A slightly controversial appointment due to his ties to Nottingham Forest, but the football under the Welshman was not pretty nor effective. A couple of late salvages in games have helped their survival hopes but the lethargic, passive approach to playing the west Londoners was the nail on the coffin, with the Foxes now one point off the drop zone.
Aston Villa
It is going slightly pear shaped at the moment for Unai Emery and Aston Villa. Their draw to relegation threatened Crystal Palace sure the Villains record their sixth winless match in a row in all competitions, and fourth in a row in the league. After such a positive start in the league and Europe, Emery’s men look to be running out of ideas, lingering in eighth place with a visit to Chelsea this coming weekend.