⚽ Premier League 2025/2026 Discussion Thread ⚽

[SmartCharpa]

Ekitike was a joy to watch yesterday. I don’t know why Arteta didn’t sign him last season. I have said a lot of times that Viktor Gyökeres was Arteta’s missing piece but that was before I saw Ekitike’s magic. Arsenal really missed out on that one.

Ekitike is the best signing Liverpool will make this season, he scored a brace for Liverpool to secure three points against Brighton in their most recent match. If it’s not for injuries and we don’t know what will happen, I don't think Liverpool should sign Isak in the first place because Eketike is far better than him and has adapted to the new environment faster than Isak, who has been in the Premier League for a long time.

I was also among of those who wanted Arteta to sign Gyokeres during the transfer window because he was having  a wonderful season at Sporting, but the player is not doing as well as we expected in the Premier League. If I am not wrong, he has only scored three goals in the Premier League this season. Arteta, on the other hand, might also regret not signing Eketike last season.

[Not your key not your BTC]

If Arteta can’t win the premier league title this season, then most Arsenal fans will request for his sack, what Arsenal fans are after now is for him to win the premier league title, he has been in Arsenal for years, and he hasn’t been able to win any major trophy for Arsenal.

It would be ironic if Arteta fails to deliver the Premier League title to Arsenal this season. There's no reason for Arteta to deny Arsenal the title this season, and if he fails, he'll surely be sacked. After six years as Arsenal manager and spending a fortune on signing the players he's been looking for, Arsenal should be able to win a major trophy, especially the Premier League title, which fans have long dreamed of.

[Sandra_hakeem]

Nottingham Forest beat Tottenham 3–0 at home. The managerial change at Nottingham Forest seems to have paid off—they are showing improved form and look likely to move away from the relegation zone.

Spurs were not even trying to win at all, neither were they trying to defend for the most part. How do you just select those type of players against a team like Nottingham forest, who has been on fire the whole season? Take a look at the first goal,.... What can you see? A very good pass from the keeper to defender in front, in the box instead of clearing it out?? Defender loses possession quickly and boom, it's a goal. Disgraceful!
Then there came a volley by Hudson from such an angle of the pitch, but somehow, the keeper wasn't able to put that away. They played so sluggishly like they all got up from a nap. This is not the spurs I use to know.

[shinratensei_]

It's really beautiful to see City back again to the what they used. This is the City that i know. They scored three goals against Palace at Selhurst Park with cleansheet. Pep is truly building a new legacy by having Foden - Haaland - Cherki as his new trio.
They played so calmly, though a bit struggle during the first 35 minutes, but can break it down in the end. All of them are balling in this game. Importantly, they finally revenged all of team that gave them lost last season. It should be marked as a Champion performance. 

Cherki is the next best thing to KDB. Pep will be patting himself on the back for that signing. What a player! Manchester City wasn’t that great in the first half, and Crystal Palace missed a lot of chances to score but City in the second half was electric. I must confess that after watching this Manchester City, I’m kinda worried for Arsenal. They always seem to slip during Christmas while City get mojo in January. If Arsenal drop points, City will close on the opportunity for sure.

That excellent performance from City is really pressuring Arsenal that's topping the league. So they have no choice other than keep bagging three points in the upcoming game. If they're lucky enough, City will drop points considering how hard the fixture will be facing by Pep's squad.
That's the biggest test that must be passed by Arsenal to lift the title. Winning any remaining game until the end of season is a must.

[TelolettOm]

Ekitike is the best signing Liverpool will make this season, he scored a brace for Liverpool to secure three points against Brighton in their most recent match. If it’s not for injuries and we don’t know what will happen, I don't think Liverpool should sign Isak in the first place because Eketike is far better than him and has adapted to the new environment faster than Isak, who has been in the Premier League for a long time.

Indeed, among Liverpool's new signings this season, Ekitike has emerged as a goal-scoring player capable of competing with the top players in the Premier League so far. This is especially encouraging, given that initially, Ekitike was only expected to be a backup to Isak, their most expensive signing. However, his performance has been very poor, and Ekitike has been the most profitable of the new signings so far.


Source: Hugo Ekitike

[GiftedMAN]

Ekitike is the best signing Liverpool will make this season, he scored a brace for Liverpool to secure three points against Brighton in their most recent match. If it’s not for injuries and we don’t know what will happen, I don't think Liverpool should sign Isak in the first place because Eketike is far better than him and has adapted to the new environment faster than Isak, who has been in the Premier League for a long time.

Indeed, among Liverpool's new signings this season, Ekitike has emerged as a goal-scoring player capable of competing with the top players in the Premier League so far. This is especially encouraging, given that initially, Ekitike was only expected to be a backup to Isak, their most expensive signing. However, his performance has been very poor, and Ekitike has been the most profitable of the new signings so far.


Source: Hugo Ekitike

After he scored in his first English Premier League game for Liverpool with calm and composure, I knew that Hugo Ekitike will make a great signing for the Reds. He's not started too many games this season but at the moment, he's Liverpool's top scorer in the English Premier league. Alexander Isak who many thought will outperform Ekitike is still struggling in front of goal and with Arne Slot knowing fully well that his job as Liverpool's manager isn't secured at the moment, I expect him start Ekitike in Liverpool's games and probably let Isak come in from the bench. Ekitike is hungry to cement his place in the Liverpool team and secure a place to represent France in next year's FIFA World Cup, Slot should give him all the backing to achieve his aim since he's already delivering.

[rachael9385]

Nottingham Forest beat Tottenham 3–0 at home. The managerial change at Nottingham Forest seems to have paid off—they are showing improved form and look likely to move away from the relegation zone.

Spurs were not even trying to win at all, neither were they trying to defend for the most part. How do you just select those type of players against a team like Nottingham forest, who has been on fire the whole season? Take a look at the first goal,.... What can you see? A very good pass from the keeper to defender in front, in the box instead of clearing it out?? Defender loses possession quickly and boom, it's a goal. Disgraceful!
Then there came a volley by Hudson from such an angle of the pitch, but somehow, the keeper wasn't able to put that away. They played so sluggishly like they all got up from a nap. This is not the spurs I use to know.

it was indeed a very poor performance from Tottenham, their defense and everything about them currently is poor, Even though they didn't make any effort they also lost some of the chances that they had. Nottingham Forest really took football fans by surprise because no one expected then to win with such a goal difference. Tottenhams loss was unexpected, they have really lost their form

[Sandra_hakeem]

Aston Villa wins yet again, making a discontinued winning streak for them. I'm wondering what I'd look like if they had a more formidable defense and they don't get to conceive so many goals. Exactly, they'll be at top of the league! 10 wins out of 16 games is no joke.

Morgan gets the equaliser, no massive celebration as Ollie goes to grab the ball so play can resume quickly to try and get the win, because one point is not enough. Great mentality there! Good performance from Aston Villa. They played West Ham off the park. Aston Villa are potential contenders for the Premier League title this season if they continue with this impressive performance.

[fuguebtc]

Isak, just wait and see. Isak's goal instinct is amazing. Just look at when Isak scored against West Ham United. Isak's instinctive speed is extraordinary.
I don't think Isak is bad, it's just that the situation hasn't been right for him since he arrived at Anfield from Newcastle.
Liverpool and players like Isak will gradually return to a positive trend, and Isak's contributions will become evident. If he stays injury-free, he'll always be a fan favorite. Don't doubt it.

Liverpool have bought some gems like Isak and Wirtz this season. But the problem is that Arne Slot is not able to use these players properly. Liverpool have spent a lot of money on players. And every player is very talented. But even then Liverpool's performance is very irregular and weak.

Isak scored his only goal against West Ham. Isak was able to score from a great pass from Gakpo. Isak has the ability to perform well. But he also misses many easy chances. Arne Slot is responsible for solving these problems. The coach is probably not able to do his job properly. That is why Liverpool's performance has not yet stabilized despite having such a strong squad.

[Fivestar4everMVP]

Nottingham Forest beat Tottenham 3–0 at home. The managerial change at Nottingham Forest seems to have paid off—they are showing improved form and look likely to move away from the relegation zone.

Spurs were not even trying to win at all, neither were they trying to defend for the most part. How do you just select those type of players against a team like Nottingham forest, who has been on fire the whole season? Take a look at the first goal,.... What can you see? A very good pass from the keeper to defender in front, in the box instead of clearing it out?? Defender loses possession quickly and boom, it's a goal. Disgraceful!
Then there came a volley by Hudson from such an angle of the pitch, but somehow, the keeper wasn't able to put that away. They played so sluggishly like they all got up from a nap. This is not the spurs I use to know.

it was indeed a very poor performance from Tottenham, their defense and everything about them currently is poor, Even though they didn't make any effort they also lost some of the chances that they had. Nottingham Forest really took football fans by surprise because no one expected then to win with such a goal difference. Tottenhams loss was unexpected, they have really lost their form

I actually had a good laugh reading the other users post about the whole Tottenham performance in their last match with Nottingham forest, the most funny part was where he said the Tottenham players all played sluggishly like they all just got up from a nap 🤣, and I was thinking, some one or person who just got up from a healthy nap should be stronger and not weaker based on medical science - well I am not a medic any way, just saying what I usually read online.

On a more serious note now, it's quite unfortunate for Tottenham though, they way they played in that match showed nothing but lack of interest, more like there was something the players don't like they are protesting about and don't mind allowing any team no matter how weak; to beat them as a way of showing the management they aren't happy, anyways, this is me just speculating because I do not understand how a team will willfully allow another supposed lesser team beat them like we saw with this two clubs.

[justinlamode]

Ekitike was a joy to watch yesterday. I don’t know why Arteta didn’t sign him last season. I have said a lot of times that Viktor Gyökeres was Arteta’s missing piece but that was before I saw Ekitike’s magic. Arsenal really missed out on that one.

I'm not comparing but if I'm in Arteta's shoes I will still chose Viktor Gyökeres over Ekiyike. Both are good players but by choice I will go with Viktor Gyökeres who is a better player for me. Ekitike is yet to really prove himself in Liverpool judging by the available records, it will be wrong to use few performance of his to draw conclusion. On the other hand, Viktor Gyökeres have proven himself and his worth over the years even in Sporting where he was signed from.

[Volgastallion]

One thing i was not expecting at all was seeing Manchester City scoring 3 goals against Crystal Palace in Palace home i mean they were super strong at defense and Manchester City is not longer the super team they were two or 3 seasons back.

The other mega surprise was Sunderland taking the derby against Newcastle.

[SquallLeonhart]

It is normal for Ekitike to work really hard to be the best, because he does deserve to play and if you look at the season as a whole, we could say that Isak is the bench player now, and Ekitike should be the starter.

Yes, it is going to be a big trouble for Liverpool to have a bench player that they paid so much money for, but there is reality and there is money management. If they insist on using Isak, just because they paid a lot of money to get him, then in return they are not going to get the best results, so they have to realize while it will be waste of money and a terrible financial situation, they have to get the results and that is more important because winning makes you more money and Isak should be benched all the time.

[Cryptmuster]

It is normal for Ekitike to work really hard to be the best, because he does deserve to play and if you look at the season as a whole, we could say that Isak is the bench player now, and Ekitike should be the starter.

Yes, it is going to be a big trouble for Liverpool to have a bench player that they paid so much money for, but there is reality and there is money management. If they insist on using Isak, just because they paid a lot of money to get him, then in return they are not going to get the best results, so they have to realize while it will be waste of money and a terrible financial situation, they have to get the results and that is more important because winning makes you more money and Isak should be benched all the time.

Salah also spent a few games on the bench, perhaps this is Slot's way of motivating players to perform better. For now, it's clear that Isak isn't living up to the price Liverpool paid for him. Sometimes, such a move can motivate a player to work harder, as Isak's performance didn't click right away, he looks different at Liverpool. But not all transfers are created equal, sometimes a player struggles to connect with the rest of the squad, or needs a lot of time to adapt, much longer than usual. I think he shouldn't be on the bench for long; if his performance doesn't improve, he'll be sold.

[dezoel]

To date, Ekitike is our most successful signing made by Arne Slot. He came from Frankfurt, and we believe that not many people were aware of his potential, which is why other teams did not seriously pursue him.
His transfer process was also not as complicated as Isak or Gyokeres, who only wanted to join Arsenal.
His debut with Liverpool in the Community Shield saw him score a goal, and he continued his goal-scoring form in the two Premier League matches that followed the Community Shield.

Ekitike will continue his role as a goal-hungry striker, even though Liverpool already have Isak.
Isak is working hard to return to his best form with Liverpool. He has already scored one goal for the club.

While it is true that Ekitike did a wonderful job, the main problem they had was getting Isak for all that money when Ekitike was already purchased. We all knew that Ekitike would be great at striker position, and he did play at that position to get the goals, dude scored so great. What was the reason getting Isak for nearly 150 million (bonuses included) when you just got Ekitike? Like if they were lacking a striker I would understand, but they already got Ekitike a month or so before, makes no sense.

[mv1986]

~

Salah also spent a few games on the bench, perhaps this is Slot's way of motivating players to perform better. For now, it's clear that Isak isn't living up to the price Liverpool paid for him. Sometimes, such a move can motivate a player to work harder, as Isak's performance didn't click right away, he looks different at Liverpool. But not all transfers are created equal, sometimes a player struggles to connect with the rest of the squad, or needs a lot of time to adapt, much longer than usual. I think he shouldn't be on the bench for long; if his performance doesn't improve, he'll be sold.

Boosting performance is an additional effect, but Slot simply realized that Salah can't really help the team, hence he has to make a decision that team performance improves. People often think sending players on the bench is a kind of strategic penalty, but in the case of Salah it was the logical consequence. Take a bad player out and bring a new player with higher potential in. This can be temporary and Salah gives this some thought, but if his competitors on that position outperform him, Salah will spend much more time on the bench. That is how it should be regardless of the player's name.

[Minor Miner]

The win over Brighton at least ended Liverpool's poor Premier League run, but overall, their performance shows that they are still far from stable and consistent. Ekitike performed well and scored, but his over-reliance on individual players highlights Liverpool's lack of collective consistency. This dip in form indicates deeper issues, ranging from a fragile defense to a struggle to create goals. Liverpool certainly want to return to the top four, but they must improve their performance and maintain consistency until the end of the season.

Liverpool have won two matches against strong opponents like Inter Milan and Brighton. And Liverpool have performed exceptionally well in both matches. We have seen in both matches that Arne Slott has been able to reduce the internal problems of the squad to a large extent.

Liverpool have played well, their performance has also improved. But I doubt whether they can continue this trend. Liverpool will play Tottenham, Wolves and Leeds United in the next three matches. And all three teams are in very bad form now. Liverpool should continue their winning streak in the next three matches. As a result, they will be able to participate in the fight to stay in the top 4 of the table. Otherwise, it will be impossible for them to qualify for the Champions League.

[Wakate]

Boosting performance is an additional effect, but Slot simply realized that Salah can't really help the team, hence he has to make a decision that team performance improves. People often think sending players on the bench is a kind of strategic penalty, but in the case of Salah it was the logical consequence. Take a bad player out and bring a new player with higher potential in. This can be temporary and Salah gives this some thought, but if his competitors on that position outperform him, Salah will spend much more time on the bench. That is how it should be regardless of the player's name.

That is a very big mistake the coach has made to bench Salah because that would not solve the problem on ground.
Manchester United did the same thing to Ronaldo that made the coach to branch him for several matches until he left before they started regretting that Ronaldo was never the problem. Liverpool will experience that soon.

[TastyChillySauce00]

One thing i was not expecting at all was seeing Manchester City scoring 3 goals against Crystal Palace in Palace home i mean they were super strong at defense and Manchester City is not longer the super team they were two or 3 seasons back.

That's the real City when they perform with the full squad. They're good in attack and defense. It's not even Palace could beat them at Selhust. It raises my expectation to see them lift EPL again after their terrible season. They will be back again as a super team. They only need time to build deeper chemistry and composure.
So far i really like their composition.

The other mega surprise was Sunderland taking the derby against Newcastle.

One of most underrated derby so far. In my opinion Sunderland vs Newcastle is even hottest than Manchester derby. You know how Sunderland even marked Newcastle as visitors in their scoreboard.  

[BABY SHOES]

One thing i was not expecting at all was seeing Manchester City scoring 3 goals against Crystal Palace in Palace home i mean they were super strong at defense and Manchester City is not longer the super team they were two or 3 seasons back.

Usually Crystal Palace always make it difficult to play at home but last night they had to fall to Manchester City who were completely helpless... I doubt City won this time Pep managed to convince many people.

The other mega surprise was Sunderland taking the derby against Newcastle.

It was a mistake from Woltemade who headed into his own net. Lol
Sunderland are still pretty good with their promotion team.