EPL Review: Gritty Arsenal, wasteful Spurs, unstoppable Haaland

Following every weekend of Premier League action, theScore examines the most important developments and biggest talking points to emerge from the slate of matches. Below, we dissect Matchweek 4 of the 2024-25 season.

Arsenal grind out ‘ugly’ win 💪

Mikel Arteta knew it would be a grind. He knew it wouldn’t be pretty.

Missing several key players, including star midfielders Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard, Arsenal had to adapt going into Sunday’s north London derby against bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur. Long spells of possession would be limited. There would be few opportunities for intricate passing through the midfield. Indeed, Arsenal finished the match with only 36% of the ball and completed fewer passes (128) than they have in the first half of any Premier League game in the last two years.

And yet, come the final whistle, the title contenders still emerged with a gritty 1-0 win to stay on the heels of leaders Manchester City.

“There were no excuses, no crying. The players have thick skin. They love the game,” Arteta said after the match. “Sometimes to win you have to do the ugly things and they love to do that.”

The hosts certainly played their part. Spurs, once again, were wasteful in the final third, continuing their worrying early-season trend of profligacy. They accommodated Arsenal’s defense-first approach, allowing Arteta’s side to stay in the game long enough to deliver a sucker punch from a set piece.

It was all very familiar.

Since esteemed set-piece coach Nicolas Jover joined Arteta’s staff in 2021, Arsenal have scored more goals from those situations than any club in Europe’s top five leagues. They have 23 tallies from dead-ball situations since the start of last season, and Gabriel’s thunderous header from a corner kick made the difference Sunday, giving Arsenal their third straight away win over Spurs in the Premier League.

“We believed we could hurt them (from set pieces),” Arteta explained.

He was right. Unlike last season, where Arsenal profited over and over by using clever screens and picks inside the penalty area to free up players for uncontested headers, Sunday’s goal was simply a matter of Gabriel giving Cristian Romero a little nudge to create space for himself. Romero, one of the league’s most physical players, was oddly nonchalant on the play and allowed himself to be easily moved aside without providing much resistance.

Arsenal’s set-piece prowess will be critical as they look to withstand their injury issues and keep pace with Manchester City, whom they meet next weekend in what will be another riveting battle.

Quick free-kicks 📝

Some respite for ETH: Despite the flattering scoreline, this wasn’t exactly the response Erik ten Hag was looking for. Manchester United, under intense scrutiny on the back of two straight losses prior to the international break, were lucky not to be down at least one goal to Southampton in the first half of Saturday’s eventual 3-0 win. Andre Onana’s penalty save in the 33rd minute swung the game. Can it help swing the season, too? Ten Hag, more than anything, needed three points to take some of the heat off. He’ll be encouraged by the solid debut of Manuel Ugarte, but much stiffer tests than the Saints will determine if he’s the manager to get the club back to the top.

Liverpool adjustments: Arne Slot’s honeymoon phase came to an abrupt end Saturday as Liverpool suffered their first defeat under the Dutchman, losing a league match against Nottingham Forest at Anfield for the first time since 1969. Some of that can be attributed to sluggish performances from key players; Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Dominik Szoboszlai were not at their best. But Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo implemented a good tactical scheme, clogging the middle of the pitch with an additional body and narrow formation that made it difficult for Liverpool to play through the center. Will others try to emulate that approach? And can Slot adapt?

Tale as old as time: Missed opportunities come back to bite you. This weekend provided another harsh reminder. Southampton, as mentioned, blew a glorious chance to take the lead against Manchester United from the penalty spot and lost. Similarly, Bournemouth lost after failing to convert a spot-kick when their match with Chelsea was still goalless. In perhaps the most extreme example, Brentford actually did score, taking the lead after 22 seconds against Manchester City. But, with City still rocking, Thomas Frank’s team couldn’t capitalize on additional chances to take a stranglehold on the contest. Erling Haaland made them pay with a brace in the reigning champions’ win.

Sancho’s encouraging debut: Enzo Maresca and Chelsea got away with one on Saturday, snatching a late 1-0 victory despite being outplayed by Bournemouth. The home side had more shots and chances, but Chelsea’s squad depth, assembled at great expense, made the difference, as substitutes Jadon Sancho and Christopher Nkunku combined for the winning goal. Nkunku feels like something of the forgotten man after Chelsea’s continued spending spree, but on pure talent, he’s arguably the team’s best attacking player. Sancho, meanwhile, looked lively on his debut, getting an assist after a spirited 45 minutes in which he did a bit of everything.

Something’s gotta give: Everton, who blew a two-goal lead for the second successive game this weekend, are off to their worst-ever start to a Premier League season, sitting last with four defeats from as many matches. Leicester, meanwhile, also built a two-goal advantage before throwing it away and settling for a draw with fellow early-season strugglers Crystal Palace. The Foxes remain winless on the campaign. Both sides look destined to be mired in the relegation battle all season long. Points could be at a premium. That gives next weekend’s meeting between the two extra significance, even if it’s still only September.

Star performer 🌟

Erling Haaland (Manchester City)

Feels familiar, right? How could we not?

Haaland is on the kind of tear literally never seen before through the opening four matches of a Premier League campaign, becoming the first player to find the net nine times in that stretch with his brace against Brentford. He’s so automatic in front of goal that it was actually a little bit of a surprise he didn’t complete a hat-trick. One more goal on Saturday would have made him the first player since 1946 to score a hat-trick in three consecutive games in the English top flight. It wasn’t for a lack of trying, either, as the insatiable striker smacked the post and had another fierce effort saved in the second half while chasing another treble.

The variation in his game is what’s most frightening. He pounced on a deflected pass inside the penalty area for his first goal, quickly swiveling and firing a shot into the far corner with his right foot before anyone else could react. He then showcased his intelligence and physical strength for the second, placing his body in exactly the right place and awaiting contact to knock his defender off balance before racing through on goal and deftly clipping the ball home. There’s simply no stopping him.

Best XI 😎

(Courtesy: FotMob)

Highlight of the weekend 🎥

Following a week where social media reminisced about the days of the “Barclaysman,” Aston Villa super sub Jhon Duran paid homage to that bygone Premier League era with a sensational long-range strike against Everton.

The goal was sensational. Emi Martinez’s bewildered reaction to it was equally entertaining.

Stat of the weekend 🔢

Ben Brereton Diaz is the new holder of an unwanted Premier League record. Just how long will this run continue?

Social media moment 📱

This keen Premier League observer knew exactly what was coming when Everton took a 2-0 lead over Aston Villa. You have the lottery numbers, mate?

Where we stand 👀

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