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Three Talking Points From The Premier League Weekend

Arsenal’s 5-1 victory over Manchester City on Sunday made it possible for the Gunners to win the Premier League title, while Nottingham Forest made a huge step forward toward the Champions League next year.

Mohamed Salah’s double on Saturday gave Liverpool the edge over Bournemouth, ending their 12-game unbeaten run. Only Arsenal could recover from the disorganized and dethroned defending champions with a statement win.

As Everton and Tottenham fought their way out of the bottom four, the battle to avoid relegation seems to be getting worse.

Three Premier League weekend talking points are examined by AFP Sports.

Arsenal’s teen stars

On February 2, 2025, during the English Premier League game between Arsenal and Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium in London, English midfielder #53 Ethan Nwaneri (R) celebrates with teammates after scoring their fifth goal. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)

The goals from academy graduates Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri lit up a day to remember for Arsenal when they face a team that has denied them the title in each of the last two seasons.

Since Wayne Rooney announced his arrival for Everton against Arsenal in 2003, the teenagers have scored against the reigning champions for the first time.

Lewis-Skelly would have been expelled if not for his contentious red card from last weekend’s game against Wolves.

His first goal for the club was the most impressive result of that reprieve, which capped off his incredible performance.

He completed the performance with a cocked celebration while imitating City striker Erling Haaland’s signature meditation pose.

Nwaneri, who has seven goals this season, is enjoying the extra time Bukayo Saka’s injury layoff has given him.

Arsenal’s youth was starkly different from an aging City side whose best days are clearly over and need a makeover if Pep Guardiola wants to make them contenders once more next season.

Liverpool’s six-point lead, with a game in hand to come, may prove too much for Arsenal to usurp by May.

However, two potential homegrown stars will hold plenty of promise for Mikel Arteta’s men in the future.

READ ALSO: &nbsp, Aston Villa Won’t Sell Watkins To Arsenal, Insists Emery

Forest’s magnificent seven

On February 1, 2025, Nottingham Forest’s New Zealand striker #11 Chris Wood (C) celebrates with teammates after scoring his fifth goal of the English Premier League against Brighton and Hove Albion at The City Ground in Nottingham, central England. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)

With a stunning 7-0 thrashing of Brighton on Saturday, Forest answered any questions about their top-four standings.

Chris Wood scored a hat-trick, and Morgan Gibbs-White and Anthony Elanga both excelled in a devastating comeback against Bournemouth a week prior.

They watched as the entire chasing pack for a place in the Champions League lost in a nice few days for Nuno Espirito Santo’s men.

On top of defeats for City and Bournemouth, Newcastle fell 2-1 to Fulham and Aston Villa 2-0 at Wolves.

Forest’s lead over fifth-placed Newcastle now stands at six points.

Due to English teams’ strong start in the European competitions, even a top-five finish should be sufficient to secure Champions League this year.

Everton’s ‘ Moyesiah ‘

Since taking overt control of Everton last month, David Moyes has made a comeback at Goodison Park.

The Scot, who became famous with the Toffees for 11 years between 2002 and 2013, returned with the expectation of a club-record 71-year top flight relegation fight.

However, Everton won their third straight game to move them nine points clear of the bottom three and three points clear of Manchester United in the 13th place with a 4-0 victory over Leicester.

“Our job is to ensure that we are a Premier League team,” he said. The final three outcomes will significantly influence that development, according to Moyes.

“I found the noise incredible. I can recall how it was always. We started by giving them something to talk about, and we did that right away.

By contrast, Leicester’s eighth defeat in nine dropped them back behind Wolves into the bottom three.

Ipswich’s hopes of survival also took a huge hit as bottom-of-the-table Southampton won for the first time since November at Portman Road.

Aston Villa Sign Rashford On Loan From Man Utd

Marcus Rashford’s exile at Old Trafford was ended by Aston Villa on Sunday by Ruben Amorim, who had previously signed him on loan from Manchester United for the rest of the season.

Rashford, who was once a hero for United fans, hasn’t played for his boyhood club since December 12 and earlier this year stated he was ready for a “new challenge.”

The 27-year-old had been linked with a move to AC Milan and Barcelona, but the European giants were put off by his reported £300, 000-a-week ($372, 000) wages.

In the upcoming months, Villa will receive at least 75% of that pay, rising to 90% based on performance-related bonuses, and have the option to make the agreement permanent for the duration of the season for £40 million.

In a Villa statement, Rashford said, “I was fortunate to have a few clubs approach me, but Aston Villa was an easy decision. I really admire the way Aston Villa have been playing this season and the manager’s ambitions.”

“I’m excited to start playing football,” I simply state. I wish Manchester United’s staff the best of luck for the remainder of the season.

READ ALSO: Aston Villa Won’t Sell Watkins To Arsenal, Insists Emery

After selling Colombia international Jhon Duran to Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr for a rumored £64 million, Villa made an offensive move to bolster their attacking options.

The Champions League final 16 is where Unai Emery’s men qualified, and they still hope to do so once more next year.

Villa sit eighth in the Premier League, eight points above 13th-placed United.

Since joining United in 2004, Rashford has won the Europa League, two FA Cups, and two League Cups in 426 appearances. He has also won 138 goals in 426 starts.

However, his attitude and work ethic in training has been questioned by Amorim, since he took charge in November.

After last weekend’s 1-0 win at Fulham, the Portuguese coach sensationally claimed he would rather put the club’s 63-year-old goalkeeping coach, Jorge Vital, in the squad than Rashford.

“Our team should be so much better with Rashford, but he has to change”, Amorim said last week.

We are more than welcome to bring in a talent like Rashford, and we need it, if he does.

However, I believe it’s very clear that we must set some standards at this very moment. That’s all. “

After his astonishing fall from grace, Rashford can rehabilitate his tarnished reputation with a temporary move to Villa.

He was part of England’s World Cup squad just over two years ago and scored a career-best 30 goals in the 2022/23 campaign.

But he only scored eight goals in his previous campaign and has seven in his last 24 starts.

Alexandrova Wins Fifth WTA Title In Linz

Ekaterina Alexandrova, ranked 30th in the world, collected her fifth WTA Tour title with a hard-fought 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 win over Dayana Yastremska in the Linz final on Sunday.

The 30-year-old Russian, who had twice lost in the final at Linz in the last six years, prevailed over the Ukrainian, ranked 72 in 2 hours 13 minutes.

“This tournament was always special for me, I really love playing here every time, and now, finally, I can make it to the end at the third time”, Alexandrova said on court.

“This place will be special and magical for me all the time,” declares one of the women.

Alexandrova quickly won the first set, beating her 24-year-old opponent, 6-2, to set up the decisive decision.

Yastremska, who sensationally reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open last year as a qualifier, kept up her momentum and broke early on.

However, as the two players fought back until 5-5, when the Russian turned up the pressure and won the title.

Man Utd Lose To Palace, Spurs Ease Pressure On Postecoglou

As Crystal Palace won 2-0 at Old Trafford on Sunday, Manchester United suffered yet another miserable home defeat, while Tottenham put a stop to Ange Postecoglou by beating Brentford 2-0.

With both goals in the second half, Jean Philippe-Mateta gave Palace their fifth straight defeat away from home.

As Oliver Glasner’s side climbs to 12th place, Victory elevates the Eagles above the Red Devils in the table.

After another defensively weak and uninspired home display, United had three straight victories that had boosted the atmosphere at Old Trafford, but Ruben Amorim was back at square one.

On February 2, 2025, during Manchester United’s and Crystal Palace’s English Premier League game against Manchester United at Old Trafford in north-west England, Jean-Philippe Mateta (L) celebrates with his team’s first goal. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP) /

Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee were both benched, which reversed Amorim’s decision to start without a natural striker.

Kobbie Mainoo made his debut in the center-forward role after conceding a goal against Romanian side FCSB with a 2-0 win in midweek.

United’s best effort was a bright opening, but their attacking threat ran out as a result of the England international’s scuffed strike coming back off the post.

After a disappointing start to the season, Palace have only lost one of their last seven league games.

Due to an injury that limited Eberechi Eze’s ability to make a cameo appearance off the bench, the visitors missed his creative spark for the first hour.

However, Eze made an immediate impact when Mateta’s header from his free kick, Maxence Lacroix, sailed backwards.

For United, the worst was coming as a result, with Lisandro Martinez having an apparent knee injury that required stretchering off.

When Daniel Munoz volleyed in from the middle of Mateta’s defense and unselfishly squared for the home side to score his sixth goal in five games, Palace had no mercy to give up the final three points.

Spurs lessen fears of relegation.

After Brentford and Tottenham Hotspur’s English Premier League football game at the Gtech Community Stadium in London on February 2, 2025, Greek-Australian Head Coach Ange Postecoglou (L) embraces Senegalese striker #29 Pape Matar Sarr (R). The Spurs won the game with a 2-0 lead. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP) //

Spurs eased fears they could be dragged into a relegation battle as Postecoglou’s injury-ravaged side kept a rare clean sheet to see off Brentford.

With Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero both missing, the Bees were left to regret a number of misplaced chances against Tottenham’s home defense.

With the opening goal, Brentford also offered a helping hand to the visitors.

On 29 minutes, Vitaly Janelt headed into Son Heung-min’s own net after Hakon Valdimarsson snuck into his corner.

Yoane Wissa’s header came off the bar as Brentford pushed for an equaliser.

But Spurs picked them off on the counter-attack when Pape Sarr prodded through Valdimarsson’s legs from Son’s pass.

Tottenham moves up to 14th place and is now 10 points clear of the drop zone with a victory.

Ajax Loan Forward Chuba Akpom To Lille

French Ligue 1 side Lille has announced that English international Chuba Akpom has an option to buy from Ajax.

The northern French outfit stated that the versatile English striker “signed up today as part of a loan (with option to buy) until the end of the 24-25 season.”

Jonathan David, a Canadian striker, has scored 20 goals and added eight more goals this season, and Akpom, 29, replaces him.

READ ALSO: &nbsp, Man Utd Sign Dorgu From Lecce

Described as a “technical, hard-working, powerful and an impactful striker (1m83)” by the club, the Londoner started his career at Arsenal without making his mark on the Gunners, who loaned him to several English clubs including Hull City and Brighton.

He also played for PAOK Salonika and Middlesbrough.

His arrival comes as Lille, which is fourth in the league, has been hit by injuries, including winger Matias Fernandez-Pardo and midfielder Edon Zhegrova, despite coach Bruno Genesio having been focusing more on a winger profile.

“The worst thing is to buy for the sake of buying”, Genesio had said. It really needs to be a player who adheres to the rules of the game and shares this group’s spirit.

Kolo Muani Double Helps Juve To Empoli Win, Inter Set For Key Milan Derby

As champions Inter Milan prepare for a crucial derby with AC Milan, Randal Kolo Muani continued his excellent start at Juventus with a 4-1 victory over Juventus on Sunday.

As Juve rallied from falling behind early and moved into Italy’s Champions League positions, Kolo Muani scored twice in three minutes in the second half, with Dusan Vlahovic and Francisco Conceicao scoring late on.

If Lazio defeat Cagliari, who are currently in trouble, on Monday night, they will move one point clear of Juve.

On February 2, 2025, during the Italian Serie A football match between Juventus and Empoli at the “Allianz Stadium” in Turin, Portugal’s #7 Francisco Conceicao (L) celebrates with teammate #12 Renato Veiga (C) after scoring their team’s fourth goal. (Photo by MARCO BERTORELLO / AFP)

After half-time and trailing to a fourth-minute header from old boy Mattia De Sciglio, Thiago Motta’s inconsistent side had been greeted with boos and whistles.

READ ALSO: &nbsp, Man Utd Sign Dorgu From Lecce

Kolo Muani, who made his Juve debut against league leaders Napoli last weekend, equalized the score with a 61st minute finish.

The 26-year-old then unexpectedly took the hosts’ lead three minutes later by diverting Timothy Weah’s hapless long-range effort past Devis Vasquez’s despairing grasp.

On February 2, 2025, during the Italian Serie A football match between Juventus and Empoli at the “Allianz Stadium” in Turin, Serbia’s #9 Dusan Vlahovic (R) and #35 Luca Marianucci’s Italian defender #35 Luca Marianucci fight for the ball. (Photo by MARCO BERTORELLO / AFP)

With six minutes left, Empoli was reduced to 10 when Youssef Maleh received two bookings, the second for a wild challenge on Nicolas Gonzalez.

Vlahovic, who was traded for Kolo Muani and is expected to leave Juve in the summer, scored his first goal since mid-December in the 90th minute before Conceicao put stoppage time on the board.

Empoli are now one point clear of the relegation zone and have now collected two points from their previous eight matches, so Sunday’s display was not particularly convincing and at the final whistle was met with muted celebrations.

Later, when Inter face a disorganized Milan team, Simone Inzaghi’s in-form side is attempting to win the first derby of the season on three occasions, Inter can put pressure on Napoli.

On February 2, 2025, during the Italian Serie A football match between Juventus and Empoli at the “Allianz Stadium” in Turin, France’s #20 Randal Kolo Muani (R) and Empoli’s #02 Saba Goglichidze fight for the ball. (Photo by MARCO BERTORELLO / AFP)

A victory at a packed San Siro, which will have some of its color lost as a result of the police’s ban on pre-game fan displays, would lift Inter to 53 points and Napoli to fierce rivals Roma in the late game.

The Italian police’s serious crime unit DIGOS has ordered the stand-covering displays as part of a crackdown against the two clubs’ hardcore ultra supporters.

In connection with a probe into illegal profits arising from matches and the annexation of mafia gangs into supporters groups, 19 prominent ultras from Milan and Inter were detained in September.