Gunners v Black Cats by @JTaylorSport Arsenal 3 Sunderland 0 If Arsenal, as widely anticipated, do go on to lift the Premier League title for the first time since 2004, it is likely to prove more prosaic than one would expect of champions. For all the verve of a 4-0 win at Leeds United lately, there are other outings to consider, such as this rudimentary 3-0 win over spirited Sunderland. Not that the Gunners fans will particularly care. Twenty two years is an eternity on foot

Leeds United (0) 0 v Arsenal (2) 4 Premier League Matchweek 24 Talking Points By Kaz Mochlinski at Elland Road Could an apparently innocuous hip injury have changed Arsenal from contenders into champions-elect? A very late replacement turned out to be crucial in the Gunners’ best away result of the season as they won 0-4 against Leeds United at Elland Road. There were considerable concerns when Bukayo Saka could not complete the pre-match warm-up and with negligible notice No

Pensioners v Hammers Pic by @JTaylorSport Chelsea 3 West Ham United 2 The margins between triumph and mental fatigue and failure at Premier League level were perfectly illustrated amid Chelsea’s late act of cruelty against a spirited West Ham. A thunderous London derby clash was settled when Enzo Fernandez netted from close range to cap a recovery when the Hammers took a 2-0 half time lead. Half time boos from the home support were completely transformed by the end of all thi

Crystal Palace (0) 1 v Chelsea (1) 3 Estêvão 34 João Pedro 50 Fernández (pen) 64 Richards 88 By Kaz Mochlinski at Selhurst Park Premier League Matchweek 23 An Estêvão Willian wonder goal set Chelsea on the way to a comfortable victory at Selhurst Park, with a second half penalty and then a red card contributing to Crystal Palace being comprehensively crushed. Jaydee Canvot crucially suffered a nightmare afternoon, as he gave away the ball to Estêvão for the vital opening goal

Burnley (1) 2 v Tottenham Hotspur (1) 2 van de Ven 38 Tuanzebe 45 Foster 76 Romero 90 By Kaz Mochlinski at Turf Moor Premier League Matchweek 23 Cristian Romero rescued Tottenham Hotspur from an ignominious defeat at relegation-threatened Burnley with a 90th minute equaliser, but the 2-2 draw at Turf Moor did little to ease the pressure on the beleaguered Spurs head coach Thomas Frank. In the Premier League, Tottenham have now won just once in their last eight matches. They f

Nottingham Forest 0 v Arsenal 0 By Kaz Mochlinski at the City Ground Premier League Matchweek 22 Arsenal were held to a second successive scoreless draw in the Premier League but the point gained at Nottingham Forest was still seen by Mikel Arteta as another small step towards taking the title for the first time in 22 years. Matz Sels made a series of superb saves in the second half to stop Arsenal from scoring a winning goal, with the visitors being left frustrated by Forest

Bournemouth (1) 2 v Arsenal (1) 3 Premier League Matchweek 20 Talking Points By Kaz Mochlinski at the Vitality Stadium No one with any affection for Arsenal will want to remotely tempt fate in the first week of January, but 2026 could very well be an immense year for the club. And right at the outset it already feels as if every game is going to be like a cup final. Just in January, out of a total of nine fixtures, there are five huge Premier League matches, which will be cru

Brentford 0 v Tottenham Hotspur 0 Premier League Matchweek 19 Talking Points By Kaz Mochlinski at the Brentford Community Stadium There may not have been much to watch in Brentford’s goalless draw with Tottenham Hotspur, but there was plenty nevertheless for the two head coaches, Keith Andrews and Thomas Frank, to talk about over a beer after the match. Friendly from their work together for the Bees before Frank’s move to Spurs in the summer, they still live close to each oth

Crystal Palace (0) 0 v Tottenham Hotspur (1) 1 Premier League Matchweek 18 Talking Points By Kaz Mochlinski at Selhurst Park “S**t happened again.” The articulate and eloquent Crystal Palace manager, Oliver Glasner, could not have expressed in any better phrasing the frustration felt by his team after yet another narrow and probably undeserved defeat against Tottenham Hotspur. It was an inauspicious result to end the best ever year for the club, with a first major prize in Pa

Blues v Cherries by @JTaylorSport Chelsea 2 Bournemouth 2 Chelsea’s final game of the calendar year saw some festivities in the shape of an entertaining draw at Stamford Bridge. Yet there will be little seasonal fun for embattled Enzo Maresca, who left the stadium feeling unwell at the climax. Naturally, the consequence of stalemate, disjointedly thrilling or not, will provide significantly more satisfaction for Bournemouth than it will for the Blues, who now have one win fro