EPL Weekly Wrap Gameweek 8

Manchester United’s captain spent Sunday afternoon on the bench, and his teammates were thumped 3-0 at Old Trafford without him. That was the low point of a busy Gameweek 8. Arsenal had a much better weekend, pulling level with Manchester City on 21 points after Aston Villa ended City’s perfect start. 

If you’re checking prices on New Zealand betting sites for Gameweek 9, the title race is a lot tighter than it was a week ago. Here’s a breakdown of all the Premier League news you may have missed last week.

Arsenal got their job done early. Ezri Konsa bundled in his first goal for the club from close range after a corner, just seven minutes into the 2-0 win over Everton at the Emirates.

Gabriel headed in the second from Ben White’s cross midway through the second half, on his 200th league appearance for Arsenal. They did it without Bukayo Saka.

That was enough to pull level with Manchester City, who’d lost 2-1 at Villa Park earlier the same day. Nicolas Jackson scored both Villa goals. John McGinn pounced on a loose touch from Marc Guehi and fed Jackson, who cut inside Elliot Anderson and fired into the roof of the net after six minutes. Erling Haaland headed City level early in the second half, but Jackson’s first-time finish squirmed under Gianluigi Donnarumma on the hour.

I wouldn’t panic if I were a City fan. Villa Park has been a horrible trip for them lately, and this was their fourth defeat there in as many seasons.

What surprised me more is that it was Villa’s first home league win of the season.

Liverpool are fourth, a point back from Brighton, after beating them 2-0 at Anfield. Pascal Gross turned a Florian Wirtz effort into his own net on 17 minutes, and Alexander Isak scored again four minutes later. That’s three straight league games with a goal for Isak. Brighton came in averaging more than three goals a game but managed one shot on target from 17 attempts.

Tottenham had won at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League just once before Saturday, and they went in as underdogs again.

It was goalless until the 77th minute. Mike Penders punched a Tottenham corner into his own net under pressure from Jan Paul van Hecke, and Cole Palmer was sent off for two yellow cards in the space of 10 minutes (the first red card of his senior career). Mathys Tel added the second with a brilliant solo goal on 87 minutes.

I thought Chelsea looked short of ideas going forward. Joao Pedro, their top league scorer, missed the game, and I didn’t see where else their goals were going to come from. Chelsea are fifth on 13 points.

For Tottenham, it was a second league win in a week. They beat Coventry City 3-1 in Gameweek 7’s final game on Tuesday morning NZT, with James Maddison curling one in from 22 yards on his first competitive start since May 2025. Omar Marmoush also scored, and Ben Davies struck from the edge of the area in stoppage time to seal it.

Maddison went off injured early in the second half at Chelsea, though. Given his history, I wouldn’t expect him back quickly. Tottenham are up to 14th on nine points.

Manchester United are 16th - one point clear of the relegation zone - after a 3-0 home loss to Bournemouth.

Michael Carrick dropped Bruno Fernandes for the game. The captain had criticised his tactics after a 4-1 Champions League defeat at Como, and he never came off the bench.

Rayan volleyed in Justin Kluivert’s free kick on 38 minutes, and Marcus Tavernier finished off Adrien Truffert’s delivery five minutes later after a mistake from Leny Yoro. Evanilson added the third when Senne Lammens rushed out of his area and mistimed his challenge.

United haven’t won in eight games in all competitions. I can’t see Carrick surviving many more results like this.

Crystal Palace are level with them on seven points in 17th. William Osula and Harvey Barnes both scored early in the second half as Newcastle United won 2-0 at Selhurst Park, and Palace were booed off at full-time.

Nottingham Forest and Coventry are next, on six points each. Forest drew 1-1 at Ipswich Town, while Coventry lost at home to Fulham. Sunderland are bottom on five after a goalless draw with Leeds United.

Gameweek 9 gets underway at 1:30am NZT on Sunday, when Chelsea host Manchester United, and Tottenham face Palace at 6:30am NZT the same morning. Liverpool against Arsenal at 5:30am NZT on Monday is the match I’ll be following on NZ betting apps. The best live sports betting sites will have in-play markets for the full 90 minutes.