Three Essential Takeaways from an Exciting Premier League Weekend

Arsenal’s stunning 5-1 rout of Manchester City on Sunday keeps the Gunners firmly in the mix with Liverpool in the Premier League title chase, while Nottingham Forest took a significant step toward qualifying for next season’s Champions League.

Liverpool demonstrated their championship credentials by halting Bournemouth’s 12-game unbeaten streak with a double from Mohamed Salah on Saturday. Meanwhile, Arsenal announced their intentions with an emphatic victory over the former champions, who are currently struggling to find their form.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, the fight to avoid relegation appears increasingly focused on the bottom four, particularly as Everton and Tottenham have managed to distance themselves from the danger zone.

AFP Sports rounds up three key talking points from the weekend’s Premier League action.

Arsenal’s Phenomenal Youth

Arsenal celebrated a memorable day against a team that has thwarted their title hopes in the last two seasons, highlighted by goals from academy graduates Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri.

The duo became the youngest players to score in the Premier League against the reigning champions since Wayne Rooney made his mark at Everton against Arsenal in 2003.

Lewis-Skelly would have faced a suspension after his contentious red card against Wolves last weekend, but it was overturned.

The left-back took full advantage of that second chance with an impressive display capped off by his first goal for the club.

He concluded the day with a cheeky celebration, mimicking City striker Erling Haaland’s signature meditation pose.

Nwaneri added to the scoreline with his seventh goal of the season, flourishing in the extra minutes available due to Bukayo Saka’s injury absence.

The enthusiasm of Arsenal’s youthful squad starkly contrasted with an ageing City team, whose glory days appear to be behind them, necessitating a revamp if Pep Guardiola aims to restore their title contention next season.

Despite Liverpool’s six-point advantage and a game in hand, which could prove insurmountable for Arsenal by May, there is significant potential for the Gunners’ future, backed by two emerging homegrown talents.

Forest’s Stunning Set of Results

Nottingham Forest responded emphatically to sceptics regarding their top-four ambitions with a sensational 7-0 thrashing of Brighton on Saturday.

Chris Wood netted a hat-trick, while Morgan Gibbs-White and Anthony Elanga impressed in a remarkable turnaround following a 5-0 loss to Bournemouth the previous week.

Adding to a delightful few days for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side, they also witnessed all rivals competing for Champions League spots stumble.

Alongside defeats for both City and Bournemouth, Newcastle succumbed 2-1 to Fulham while Aston Villa fell 2-0 at Wolves.

Forest’s cushion over fifth-placed Newcastle now lies at six points.

Aiming for a top-five finish could be pivotal in securing a Champions League place this season, given the strong performances of English clubs in European competitions so far.

Everton’s ‘Moyesiah’ Returns

Since returning to Goodison Park last month, David Moyes has revitalised Everton remarkably.

The Scotsman, who carved out his reputation during an 11-year tenure with the Toffees from 2002 to 2013, returned expecting to face a relegation battle to maintain the club’s 71-year top-flight legacy.

Following a 4-0 victory over Leicester, Everton celebrated their third consecutive win, now nine points clear of the relegation zone and just three behind Manchester United in 13th place.

“The priority is to ensure we remain in the Premier League. The last three matches have significantly contributed to that goal,” Moyes stated.

“The atmosphere was extraordinary. I recall how it always was. You have to give them something to cheer about, and we did that right from the first whistle.”

In stark contrast, Leicester’s eighth loss in nine games saw them slide back below Wolves into the relegation zone.

Meanwhile, Ipswich’s survival hopes took a severe blow as bottom-placed Southampton finally secured their first win since November at Portman Road.