EPL Weekly Wrap | All the Headlines – Gameweek 32

I thought the title race was done. Arsenal had a nine-point cushion and the look of a team coasting towards a first league title since 2004.

Then Bournemouth stunned the Emirates and City hammered Chelsea hours later. That gap is suddenly six points with a game in hand, and the dynamic of this season has shifted in 48 hours.

Here’s a breakdown of all the Premier League news you may have missed last week.

Arsenal’s 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday was, I think, the worst performance I’ve seen from them this season. 

Eli Junior Kroupi gave the visitors an early lead in the 17th minute, finishing at the back post after a deflection off William Saliba. Viktor Gyokeres levelled from the penalty spot on 35 minutes but Arsenal created almost nothing from open play. Their open-play xG was 0.19. At home. Against Bournemouth.

Alex Scott restored Bournemouth’s lead in the 74th minute, and Arsenal never looked like responding. It’s now three consecutive domestic defeats for Mikel Arteta’s team, including the Carabao Cup final loss to City and the FA Cup exit to Southampton. For anyone following football betting tips this season, that’s a trend worth watching ahead of next Sunday’s trip to the Etihad.

Manchester City tore Chelsea apart at Stamford Bridge. After a quiet first half, they scored three in 17 second-half minutes. Nico O’Reilly headed in a Rayan Cherki cross on 51 minutes. Marc Guehi slotted his first league goal for the club six minutes later, before Jeremy Doku capitalised on a terrible Moises Caicedo error to seal it. I don’t think Chelsea had an answer after the break.

The gap is six points. City have a game in hand. Next Sunday at the Etihad could define the season.

Away from the title picture, Liverpool gave themselves some breathing room in the top-five race with a 2-0 win over Fulham at Anfield.

Teenager Rio Ngumoha curled in a brilliant opener before Mohamed Salah added his first goal since announcing he’ll leave this summer. It was a subdued atmosphere given recent form and a fan protest over ticket prices, but the result was exactly what Arne Slot needed. Liverpool are now fifth on 52 points.

I’ve not given Bournemouth enough credit this season. Their victory at Arsenal extended an unbeaten league streak to 12 matches, their longest ever in the top flight. Kroupi, still only 19, now has 10 league goals this campaign. He’s the youngest player to score that many in a debut Premier League season since Robbie Keane in 1999-00. Andoni Iraola now has three league wins against Arteta. Only Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp have more.

Crystal Palace beat Newcastle United 2-1 at Selhurst Park, which is four defeats in five league games for Newcastle now. Brentford and Everton drew 2-2, with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall rescuing a point late on for Everton. Both are level on 47 points.

Roberto De Zerbi’s first game as Tottenham manager ended 1-0 at Sunderland. A deflected Nordi Mukiele strike in the 61st minute looped off Micky van de Ven and past Antonin Kinsky. I felt for De Zerbi, to an extent. Tottenham had a penalty awarded then overturned by VAR in the first half, and Cristian Romero went off in tears with an injury late on. None of it helped.

But the bigger picture is dire. Tottenham are 18th on 30 points, two adrift of safety with six games to go. They’ve not won a league game since December 28. Only three teams have endured longer winless calendar-year starts in Premier League history, and all three went down. Opta’s supercomputer puts their relegation probability at 44.9%.

West Ham United gave themselves a lifeline with a 4-0 demolition of Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday, climbing to 17th on 32 points. That’s the result that pushed Tottenham into the bottom three. Wolves, still last on 17 points, are done.

Nottingham Forest drew 1-1 with Aston Villa to move to 33, three above Tottenham. A Murillo own goal had put Villa ahead before Neco Williams equalised. Burnley lost 2-0 at home to Brighton, with Mats Wieffer scoring twice, and are 19th on 20 points.

For NZ punters checking the best betting sites ahead of Gameweek 33, there’s a loaded weekend coming. Manchester City host Arsenal at 3:30am NZST on Monday April 20, with the Merseyside derby between Everton and Liverpool at 1:00am NZST. If you’re after the best live betting sites to follow both in real time, it’s a weekend I’d plan around.