What a weekend. Seriously. If you thought the title race was going to tighten up after the latest round of fixtures, you’ve clearly forgotten how chaotic this league can be. We just witnessed Manchester City crumble at Old Trafford, Arsenal stumble in the East Midlands, and Liverpool look like a shadow of their former selves.
Basically, the premier league football results and table currently look like a jigsaw puzzle that someone’s tried to put together in the dark.
The biggest headline? Michael Carrick. The man just stepped into the Manchester United dugout and immediately took down Pep Guardiola. It wasn’t even a "lucky" win. United were sharp. They were clinical. City, on the other hand, looked like they were running through treacle.
The Manchester Derby Shocker and the Top of the Table
Let's talk about that Saturday clash because it changed everything. Michael Carrick’s debut as United’s permanent boss couldn't have gone better. A 2-0 win over Manchester City is a statement, especially with goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu. Mbeumo has been a revelation since returning from AFCON, and he took his goal like a man who knows exactly where the Golden Boot is kept.
City’s defeat means they stay stuck on 43 points. Now, usually, you'd expect Arsenal to pounce on that. You'd expect Mikel Arteta’s men to go to the City Ground and put Nottingham Forest to the sword.
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Nope.
Forest, under the pragmatic (and let's be honest, slightly terrifying) guidance of Sean Dyche, dug in for a 0-0 draw. Matz Sels made a save from Bukayo Saka that I’m still trying to process. It was a fingertip job that kept the Gunners at bay and kept the title race—sorta—alive.
Despite that draw, the premier league football results and table show Arsenal sitting comfortably at the summit with 50 points from 22 games. They are seven points clear. That is a massive gap in January. City and Aston Villa are tied for second on 43, though Villa has a game in hand against Everton today that could change the math.
The Champions League Scramble
Behind the top three, it’s a total mess. Liverpool are fourth, but they are in a bit of a tailspin. They drew 1-1 with Burnley at Anfield. Let that sink in. Edwards scored the equalizer for Burnley, and Liverpool have now gone four games without a win. They have 36 points.
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Right on their heels? Manchester United.
The derby win moved United up to 35 points. They are fifth. Chelsea follows with 34, and Brentford—yes, Keith Andrews’ Brentford—are sitting in seventh with 33 points. It’s genuinely wild to see Sunderland in eighth place too. Since their promotion, they’ve been nothing short of a nuisance for the "Big Six," and their 33-point tally is proof that they belong in this conversation.
Relegation Panic and the Goal King
Down at the bottom, Wolves are in deep trouble. They have 7 points. Just 7. After 21 matches, that is a terrifying statistic. They played out a 0-0 draw with Newcastle today, which is a point, sure, but they need wins, and they need them yesterday.
Burnley and West Ham are also in the red zone. Burnley has 14 points, while West Ham sits on 17. The Hammers finally got a win recently, but they are still three points behind Nottingham Forest, who moved to 22 points thanks to that gritty draw against Arsenal.
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As for the individual brilliance, Erling Haaland is still doing Erling Haaland things. He’s got 20 goals already. Igor Thiago at Brentford is the closest challenger with 16, which is an incredible return for him. Antoine Semenyo has 10 for City, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin is leading the line for Leeds with 9.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Standings
People look at the table and think Arsenal are running away with it. They are. But the nuance is in the schedule. Arsenal has a brutal February coming up. City usually goes on a 15-game winning streak around March.
Also, don't sleep on Aston Villa. Unai Emery has turned Villa Park into a fortress. They’ve won 11 straight games at home. If they beat Everton today, they move to 46 points, only four behind Arsenal. That makes them the actual primary challengers, not City.
Actionable Insights for the Next Matchday
If you're following the league closely or managing a fantasy team, keep these things in mind:
- Watch the Villa Game: Their result against Everton will dictate if we have a two-horse or three-horse race going into February.
- The Carrick Effect: Manchester United’s defensive structure looked lightyears better. They might be the "under" bet for the next few weeks.
- Mbeumo is Essential: If you play FPL, Bryan Mbeumo is the man. He’s the focal point of United's attack now.
- Fade Wolves: Until they show they can score more than once every three games, they are the safest team to bet against.
The premier league football results and table will continue to shift, but for now, London is red, Manchester is a Carrick-themed party, and the relegation scrap is becoming a desperate lunging match for survival.
Check the afternoon results for the Villa-Everton clash to see if the gap at the top shrinks to four points.