The Premier League title race is far from run, but let’s just say it plainly — Liverpool are in the driver’s seat and simply need to avoid potholes to reclaim the Premier League Trophy and end Man City’s dynastic hold on that piece of silverware.
Liverpool’s table lead carried an asterisk for much of this early season, a star that denoted the six points Man City could still take from Liverpool.
[ MORE: Liverpool-Man City player ratings | 3 things | Pep reaction | Slot reaction ]
Well, Arne Slot’s Reds wore that asterisk out on Sunday at Anfield, ensuring that City will at best take three points from the rivalry this season while growing its table lead to nine points Arsenal and Chelsea and 11 points over Man City.
Wow. Yes, we’re here already. After 13 weeks, Liverpool look as strong under Arne Slot as they have under Jurgen Klopp. And everyone else is playing a daunting game of catch-up.
And to think — Liverpool vs Manchester City was just the end of a fantastic Sunday of entertainment in the PL, one that followed a Saturday that shook up the bottom half of the table.
Here are 10 thoughts about Week 13 from our writers, as Joe Prince-Wright, Andy Edwards, and Nick Mendola share their observations from the latest 10 games of the 2024-25 Premier League season.
10 things we learned from Week 13 of the 2024-25 Premier League season
Statement Sunday: Statement win for Slot, loss for Pep
- JPW’s Liverpool vs Man City player ratings
- Three things learned from Liverpool 2-0 Man City
- Pep Guardiola post-game reaction
- Arne Slot post-game reaction
Arne Slot has improved already-strong Liverpool significantly and his Reds are absolutely, indubitably the favorites to win the Premier League in his first season in charge, while Pep Guardiola can no longer imagine his Manchester City side’s slump is a fluke. Both of this things, if not certain before the match, were etched into cement following these 90 minutes at Anfield. Liverpool ran City wild in the first half, and Virgil van Dijk’s Man of the Match performance — aside from a silly late giveaway — headlined a Reds side that controlled the game despite the late-arriving absence of Ibrahima Konate. That winning mentality did not leave Liverpool along with Jurgen Klopp, and so they’ve adopted the new ways of Slot in victorious fashion. Guardiola’s City, on the other hand, may not be able to rescue their season because January is so far off, and Pep Guardiola’s lack of answers for Rodri’s season-ending injury and Mateo Kovacic’s shorter-term absence have to sting the legendary boss. Ilkay Gundogan could only do so much, Rico Lewis was pretty one-dimensional, and Kevin De Bruyne didn’t have the fitness to enter the game prior to it being, essentially, lost. Guardiola has earned the reputation of an answer man, but his answer likely requiring a new purchase is certainly a disappointment.— NM
Forget the concessions — no one beats this Arsenal
It feels like each week of Premier League match recaps has been singing the praises of Bukayo Saka, so we’re going to skip past his incredible day aside from noting he did require trainer help at one point in the second half before continuing his match. Arsenal were lethal in building their 4-0 lead, and having five different goal scorers further sings from Mikel Arteta’s hymnal. Yes, they have their peers — Liverpool have a winners’ mentality and a good lead on the table, plus Man City is pound-for-pound a deeper team with a megastar center forward. But when the Gunners are playing with the commitment and joy they displayed Saturday at West Ham, there’s no one superior. And Arteta will make sure they continue playing one game at a time as they bid to chase down their rivals. — NM
Amorim (and Everton) feed Old Trafford’s imagination ahead of tough week
Bruno Fernandes racking up the assists, Marcus Rashford bagging a brace, and United emptying the bench early in a clean sheet win? Yeah, Ruben Amorim’s home Premier League debut went really well, as it’s difficult to select a player who did not perform well in the blowout victory. Amorim’s men tortured Everton down the right, as Amad Diallo forced a pair of turnovers. Yes, both Jarrad Branthwaite and James Tarkowski were caught on the ball, but United fans will be thrilled to see more industry and hunger from its right flank. This could’ve been a different game with better finishing from Everton, who had a solid 20-minute period in the first half before it all fell apart, but United fans will only be concerned with themselves, and they could be buzzing through the roof with good performances against Arsenal and Nottingham Forest — two rivals ahead of them on the Premier League table — this week. — NM
Justin Kluivert’s penalty hat trick makes Premier League history
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-4 Bournemouth
All three of Bournemouth’s penalties in this win were won by Evanilson, and all three scored by Kluivert. It was a bit strange watching nearly identical sequences play out again and again, but Wolves couldn’t stop fouling the 25-year-old Brazilian forward and Kluivert couldn’t miss from the spot. Bournemouth put the opposing defense under intense pressure as soon as they get they ball, creating lots of 1-v-1 situations where defenders and goalkeepers have to make perfectly timed plays, and they don’t always get them right. Any other day, it could have been Evanilson’s hat trick from open play. Instead it’s the first time a player has scored three penalties in a single Premier League game. — AE
Chelsea find a way to start their three central midfielders
Enzo Maresca seems to have stumbled upon a way to line up with Romeo Lavia, Moises Caicedo, and Enzo Fernandez from the start of games. He has chosen two from those three for most of this season as Chelsea’s central midfielders couldn’t all start together. But on Sunday against Villa the Blues went with a slightly different approach. Caicedo play in a hybrid right back and central midfield role like John Stones has done in the past for City. He did it well. Yes, Chelsea were exposed at times when Villa played it forward quickly down the left but having three center backs back there helped stopped that threat more often than not. Caicedo would drift into central midfield when Chelsea were in possession, like Malo Gusto has done from right back in recent months, and the Ecuadorian star looked comfortable in that role. That allowed both Lavia and Fernandez to step higher up the pitch and win the ball back to impact the game. Fernandez did that with his fine touch and volley to put up Chelsea 2-0. It has taken a few months, but Maresca has found a way to prove two into three does work. — JPW
Injury-hit Spurs let off the hook by wasteful Fulham
Before kick off Tottenham would have been gutted with a point at home against Fulham. At full time Ange Postecoglou and his players looked pretty happy to grab a draw. That was because Fulham carved them open out wide time and time again, plus Spurs’ center backs were caught out positionally and dragged all over the place. Raul Jimenez and Alex Iwobi went close on multiple occasions as the Cottagers were full of energy and swarmed all over Spurs. We have to take Spurs’ injury issues into account here. Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Guglielmo Vicario, Dominic Solanke, and Richarlison were out, while Rodrigo Bentancur is suspended. That means Spurs weren’t really able to rotate from their tiring 2-2 draw with Roma in the Europa League on Thursday (just four changes to the starting lineup) and it showed. Fraser Forster made some big stops and he will be rolled out time and time again over the next few months as Vicario is out until early 2025 with an ankle injury. Fulham were excellent in their build-up play and had they had a bit more luck, or Jimenez had been more clinical with the multiple crosses which fell to him, they would have picked up a marquee win at Tottenham.— JPW
Unlucky Saints stay unlucky ahead of rough stretch
We’ve seen this a few times from this Southampton side — a decent performance that does not get the rub of the green whether it’s a bounce or a referee’s call (or three). The controversial about the call to rule out their would-be winner in the video below, but it’s getting easier and easier to make the comparisons between Vincent Kompany’s Burnley and Russell Martin’s Southampton. The football is decent and the players are talented, but there’s a lot of youthful mistakes and a lack of experienced star power. Neutrals don’t mind seeing Saints on their viewing schedule, but they need to continue to grow and fast-forward the maturation if possible. Between Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Tyler Dibling, Mateus Fernandes, and others, there’s a lot to like here. But five points after 13 games cannot be sugar-coated. With Chelsea, Villa, and Spurs next, will Martin be around to oversee the next winnable stretch? Fulham, West Ham, Palace, and Brentford are the Londoners on the docket for 12 points starting Dec. 22. — NM
Week 13 was everything we were promised from Kevin Schade
It’s been almost two years since Kevin Schade arrived at Brentford for $28 million and those two years have been a struggle for the most part. Poor finishing, injuries, lack of confidence — perhaps the 23-year-old German winger is past the worst of it and ready to contribute more consistently. It was obvious from day one that Schade was a dynamic counter-attacking weapon and that he should be a huge success in Brentford’s system. Saturday’s stat line: Three goals, one assist. It certainly helped to play Leicester (27 goals conceded, the second-most in the Premier League) and have all that time and space in the open field, but Schade looked a brand new, confident player on his own. Don’t be surprised if he goes on a goal-scoring run now. — AE
Justice served late as Glasner, Howe on alternate paths
Crystal Palace 1-1 Newcastle United
Crystal Palace’s season so far has been one of misfortune — the Eagles have scored almost nine goals fewer than their expected goals total (though they’ve got some rub of the green at the other end). So for Oliver Glasner’s men to dominate a superior team at home, limiting the Magpies to a single shot, and be trailing in stoppage time felt a bit cruel. Glasner raced down the touch line to celebrate with his team in the corner, then propping up the overjoyed crowd as he went back to his spot. He’s a good coach, and his team deserved three points.Newcastle have also been a bit unlucky in front of goals but are in the bottom third in xG anyway. Eddie Howe has struggled to fit pieces to his system and refuses to alter his system, and that should have him in a dicey position. The Magpies have weather defensive injuries like that to Sven Botman but there’s a measure of luck in that as they’ve conceded more than seven xGA than actual goals. Palace should be on the way up while Newcastle have walked right up to the throne room and threw away a chance to enter the top four by taking one of six points from West Ham and Palace. — NM
Forest can stay in European hunt
Nottingham Forest 1-0 Ipswich Town
They may not be the most creative or swashbuckling team to watch but Forest are well equipped to keep their unlikely push for European qualification going. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side were supposed to be in a relegation scrap this season. But savvy recruitment this summer has made them sturdier and more durable. Nikola Milenkovic and Elliot Anderson have added solidity to midfield and defense and there is a clear identity and plan. Forest are comfortable playing direct, sitting in to defend when they have to and then launching counters, and they are also very dangerous from set pieces. In Chris Wood they have a man in form and his efficiency sums up Forest nicely. With 22 points already on the board they’re getting it done with minimum fuss and fanfare. The fact they aren’t overcomplicating things suggests there won’t be a huge dip in form and if they stay solid at the back they can push for a top seven finish. There’s something very “West Ham under David Moyes” about what Nuno has created at Forest. — JPW
