EPL Review: Unwanted records, horrible misses, and depth issues

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 9 of the 2024-25 season.

Squad depth pushed to the limit

When Rodri was ruled out for the season with a torn ACL, Arsenal, in the eyes of many, jumped to the front of the queue in the title race. With Kevin De Bruyne also nursing injury issues, this looked like the most obvious chance for Arsenal – or Liverpool, perhaps – to end Manchester City’s hegemony.

But since Rodri suffered the injury in last month’s draw with Arsenal, Pep Guardiola’s team has dropped only two points, and it eked out one-goal wins in its last three league matches. The schedule has certainly been helpful – those wins came against Fulham, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and now-last-place Southampton – but City continue chugging along despite not being at their fluid best and missing various starters, with Matheus Nunes finally finding his feet and contributing in a meaningful way.

Arsenal are facing the same type of test.

Captain Martin Odegaard remains sidelined, and they finished Sunday’s 2-2 draw against Liverpool with Jakub Kiwior and teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly as part of a makeshift backline. Liverpool exploited that area of the pitch to score their late equalizer, as Kiwior hesitated while trying to intercept a pass into the channel before Mohamed Salah’s goal. With Riccardo Calafiori also sidelined, Mikel Arteta will be desperate to receive good news about the injury that forced Gabriel Magalhaes out of the contest in the second half.

William Saliba’s return from suspension, meanwhile, can’t come soon enough.

With some big tests coming over the next month, Arsenal need to grind out wins. Three points, not style points, is all that matters. On the balance of play, they were unlucky not to beat Liverpool on Sunday, conceding late to Salah, who continues to feast in north London. Those are the types of margins we’ll be dealing with all season in this title race.

Arteta, who has shown a strong willingness – bordering on desire – to play attritional football with lineups that utilize four central defenders across the backline, will have no qualms about winning ugly. If they can do that consistently, this could be the Gunners’ year after all.

Quick free-kicks 📝

Battle of the crisis clubs

Erik ten Hag has taken a lot of flak of late – including in this space – but he has genuine reason to feel aggrieved after Manchester United’s 2-1 loss against West Ham United on Sunday. The late penalty, which Jared Bowen converted in stoppage time to give Julen Lopetegui a desperately needed win of his own, was soft, at best. There was contact by Matthijs de Ligt on Danny Ings, but it looked more incidental than anything. That the on-field call (no foul) was overturned after VAR intervened, was, frankly, bewildering. Not all contact is a foul. Regardless, the result piles more pressure on Ten Hag, whose team failed to convert a host of chances and now has one win in its last eight games across all competitions. The Hammers, who were themselves the proverbial “crisis club” after getting routed last week, are now, almost inconceivably, ahead of Manchester United in the table.

Miss of the season (so far)

Diogo Dalot didn’t score here. That’s it. That’s the whole description.

Ignominious outing

Ipswich Town defender Harry Clarke’s full Premier League debut was certainly memorable – just not in the way he wanted. Clarke, 23, became only the second player in league history to score an own goal, concede a penalty, and get sent off in the same match, completing the unfortunate treble in Saturday’s chaotic 4-3 loss to Brentford. Southampton’s Jan Bednarek is the only other player in England’s top flight to manage the same feat, doing so during the Saints’ infamous 9-0 defeat to Manchester United in 2021. The Tractor Boys, who threw away a 2-0 lead and conceded a stoppage-time winner at the Gtech Community Stadium, are still winless after nine matches, their longest-ever run without a victory to start a top-flight campaign.

Dat Guy Welbz

Danny Welbeck wasn’t a prototypical Brighton & Hove Albion signing when he joined the club as a 29-year-old. The Seagulls, renowned for their ability to unearth young talent before selling for an enormous profit, took a chance on the oft-injured striker in 2019. Now they’re reaping the rewards. Welbeck, 33, is enjoying a renaissance, leading the line for Fabian Hurzeler, a manager two years his junior. Welbeck scored his sixth league goal of the season Saturday, and he’s now just three shy of matching his career-best tally; he scored nine times for Manchester United in both 2011-12 and 2013-14. Evan Ferguson, who scored his first league goal in 11 months this weekend, is the long-term answer up front – until he too is sold – but, for now, “Welbz” is the main man.

Turning point for Wolves?

If Wolves turn their season around and avoid relegation – they’re currently second last in the table and without a win after nine games – a wild sequence from Saturday’s unlikely 2-2 draw with Brighton could be the singular moment that got Gary O’Neil’s team on the road to recovery. Wolves fought back for a point after trailing 2-0 into the 88th minute, and, while down 2-1 in stoppage time and pushing for an equalizer, gave up a rare four-on-one counter. Incredibly, Tommy Doyle broke up the play and flipped the field by finding Matheus Cunha, who scored the all-important equalizer seconds later. Wolves have been hindered by the most difficult schedule in the league to start the season, but this heroic play by Doyle can be the building block to turn things around as their fixture list gets more favorable.

Star performer 🌟

Bryan Mbeumo (Brentford)

His two goals in the seesaw 4-3 win over Ipswich weren’t exactly brilliant pieces of individual quality. One was a penalty, and the other, though a 96th-minute winner, was a cross that simply evaded everyone and went into the net. But in lieu of a truly dominant individual performance across the league this weekend, this is as good an opportunity as ever to give Mbeumo the recognition he so richly deserves.

The 25-year-old, arguably the most underrated player in the Premier League, is second in scoring behind only Erling Haaland. He’s the first player to have 50 Premier League goal involvements for Brentford (29 goals, 21 assists) and has taken over as the undisputed talisman following the departure of Ivan Toney. His understanding and intermingling with Yoane Wissa is critical to Brentford’s play, and the two are quickly becoming one of the league’s most intriguing attacking duos.

Best XI 😎

(Courtesy: FotMob)

Highlight of the weekend 🎥

Crystal Palace finally picked up their first win of the season Sunday, and this spectacular assist from Eberechi Eze was the decisive moment that lifted Oliver Glasner’s team to a 1-0 home victory over Tottenham Hotspur. A special flick from a special player.

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Stat of the weekend 🔢

There’s territorial dominance, and then there’s this from Man City …

Social media moment 📱

After another outstanding performance in which he scored the winning goal against Newcastle and helped set up his team’s other tally with a defense-splitting pass from his own half, Chelsea star Cole Palmer was compared to club icon Gianfranco Zola by manager Enzo Maresca. Palmer’s hilarious response will make you feel ancient.

Where we stand 👀

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