Kickoff chronicles

Brighton Hove & Albion vs Leeds United

The opening fixture in Matchweek 10 saw Fabian Hurzeler’s Brighton host Daniel Farke’s Leeds at the Amex Stadium with both sides looking for three points. Brighton made a brilliant start to the game and scored in the 11th minute after Yankuba Minteh played a cheeky ball over the Leeds defence and into the path of Mats Wieffer in the penalty area. Wieffer squared the ball for Danny Welbeck who slotted the ball into an empty net for his 6th of the season, with Minteh’s intelligent ball drawing Leeds keeper Lucas Perri away from his goal. Brighton were unfortunate not to be up 2-0 at the break, with Welbeck and Minteh both shooting wide from outside the penalty area. The half-time score stood at 1-0, with Brighton hoping to hold onto a win which would see them move into the top half of the table.

Just after the hour mark in the 2nd half, Brighton made it 2-0 thanks to Minteh yet again. The Gambian made an electric run down the right wing before drilling the ball across the Leeds penalty area. Diego Gomez tapped the ball in from close range to score his first league goal of the season. Brighton scored minutes later to seal all three points after ex-Leeds striker, Georginio Rutter, made a wicked run down the left wing. He played the ball to the penalty spot where Gomez was yet again left with another easy finish, slotting the ball into the bottom corner to make it 3-0. The full-time score finished 3-0, with Brighton putting on a dominant display at home which saw them move into 10th on the table with 15 points, just three points away from 2nd. Leeds drop to 16th on the table with 11 points, still five points clear of the bottom three.

Burnley vs Arsenal

The following game in Matchweek 10 saw Scott Parker’s Burnley host Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal at Turf Moor, with Arsenal hoping to extend their perfect record in October (six games, six wins, zero goals conceded). Once again, Arsenal took an early lead thanks to a corner. Declan Rice whipped the ball in from the left flag where the ball deflected off an array of players at the back post and sat up kindly for Viktor Gyokeres. The Swede nodded the ball past Martin Dubravka from a yard out, his 4th league goal of the season. Arsenal were by far the better side with Buyako Saka having two shots saved by Dubravka before Leandro Trossard saw his effort cleared off the line. The Gunners finally found their 2nd in the 35th minute after Trossard made a brilliant run down the left wing before crossing a ball in. Rice rose higher than everyone else in the Burnley penalty area and perfectly directed his header into the top left corner, his 2nd goal of the season. The half-time score stood at 0-2, with Arsenal looking to go seven points clear at the top of the table.

Areta’s side took their foot off the pedal in the 2nd half, coasting towards a hard fought 0-2 away win. Burnley had a few chances to break Arsenal’s perfect defensive record but were unsuccessful, with the full time score finishing 0-2. Arsenal remain 1st on the table with 25 points and only three goals conceded (on track to beat Chelsea’s record of just 15 goals conceded in the 2004/05 season). Burnley still sit 17th, just four points clear of the drop zone on 10 points.

Crystal Palace vs Brentford

The next fixture in Matchweek 10 saw Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace host Keith Andrews’ Brentford at Selhurst Park, with Palace hoping they could get back to their winning ways at home. Despite beating Liverpool in a 3-2 thriller at the Gtech last weekend, Brentford made a poor start to the game and conceded right on the half hour mark. Yeremy Pino crossed Palace’s latest free kick over to the back post where Jefferson Lerma headed the ball across the area. Jean-Philippe Mateta then headed the ball again, with his effort looping over Brentford keeper Caoimhin Kelleher and into the top left corner. The Eagles came so close to a second just before the break, with Ismaila Sarr’s volley flashing just wide of the Brentford goal. The half-time score stood at 1-0, with Palace hoping to claim their first win in the league since Matchweek 6.

The hosts scored a second goal just minutes into the 2nd half after Lerma catapulted a long throw into the Bees’ penalty area which caused confusion. The ball was eventually flicked into his own net by Brentford centre half Nathan Collins, all but gifting the points to Palace. Sarr had a big chance saved by Kelleher for Palace before Reiss Nelson was denied a first Brentford goal by Dean Henderson. The full-time score finished 2-0, with Palace claiming a huge three points, taking them to 9th on the table with 16 points. Brentford drop to 12th with 13 points, proving their inconsistency and topsy-turvy form this season.

Fulham vs Wolverhampton Wanderers

The following game in Matchweek 10 saw Marco Silva’s Fulham host Vitor Pereira’s Wolves at Craven Cottage, with Wolves still in search of their first league win. Fulham made an electric start to the game, scoring inside 10 minutes to further depress the Wolves fans. Striker Raul Jimenez played an intelligent quick-fire pass into the path of Ryan Sessegnon who was through on goal and free to slot the ball underneath Sam Johnstone to give the Cottagers the lead. Wolves then made the game even more difficult for themselves after main centre half, Emmanuel Agbadou, got himself sent off. Josh King knocked the ball around Agbadou and looked to be through on goal where the big centre back stepped across him and fouled the young Fulham star, a clear denial of a goalscoring opportunity and a definite red card. The half-time score finished 1-0, with Wolves showing no attacking intent after being reduced to 10 men.

Fulham finally sealed all three points just after the hour mark when Harry Wilson netted his first of the season. The young Welshman smashed the ball into the bottom left corner from 20 yards out after Sander Berge’s deflected shot sat up nicely for him. Fulham then made it three in the 75th minute after Sessegnon’s cut back from the left wing was bundled into his own net by Wolves’ substitute Yerson Mosquera. The full-time score finished 3-0, with Fulham putting on a dominant display at home which sees them move out of the bottom five in the table and into 14th on 11 points. Wolves still sit winless and bottom of the Premier League table on two points, with head coach Vitor Pereira sacked not long after the full-time whistle.

Nottingham Forest vs Manchester United

The next tie in Matchweek 10 saw Sean Dyche’s Nottingham Forest host Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United at the City Ground, with Dyche hoping he could claim a win which would see them jump out of the relegation zone while Amorim was searching for three points that would see United move into the top four. The game got off to a back and forth start, with United keeper Senne Lammens forced into an early save from Dan Ndoye before Forest keeper Matz Sels threw out a strong hand to deny Amad Diallo. Manchester United finally broke the deadlock in the 34th minute after Casemiro powerfully headed Bruno Fernandes’ corner into the bottom left corner, with Forest fans left fuming with the corner wrongfully awarded. The half-time score stood at 0-1, with United hoping for a 4th win on the bounce.

Forest made a perfect start to the 2nd half, with Morgan Gibbs-White finally putting an end to his goal drought in the 48th minute. Ryan Yates whipped the ball in from the right wing where Gibbs-White brilliantly got his head to the ball, watching it fly into the far right of Lammens’ goal. Forest then completed a two minute turnaround after Nicolo Savona scored his first goal in the Premier League. Ndoye crossed the ball in from the right wing where Igor Jesus rose high to head the ball towards goal. Savona was quickest to react, taking a touch before slotting it past Lammens to make it 2-1. Just as it looked like Forest were going to claim their first win since Matchweek 1, Amad scored an absolute screamer in the 81st minute to tie the game. Fernandes’ corner was cleared only as far as Amad who hit the ball on the fall from outside the penalty area, watching as his volley flew through a crowd of players before nestling perfectly into the bottom left corner. United’s star boy was inches away from winning the game for the Red Devils in stoppage time, with Sels coming off his line to parry the ball away, leaving his goal unguarded. Amad’s shot was then cleared off the line by Murillo, the Brazilian centre back very lucky who didn’t know a great deal about it. The full-time score finished 2-2, with Forest fortunate to get a point in the end. They drop to 19th on six points, four points adrift from safety. United miss out on a chance to really climb up the table as they drop to 8th on 17 points.

Tottenham Hotspur vs Chelsea

The following game in Matchweek 10 was the most anticipated, with Thomas Frank’s Tottenham hosting Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, one of the fiercest London derbies in recent decades. The derby got off to a cagey start, with the first big chances not coming until the 30th minute. A deflected pass from Tottenham’s Pedro Porro fell kindly to Joao Pedro who should have scored with the goal gaping, smashing his shot into the foot of Guglielmo Vicario. Chelsea finally broke the deadlock in the 34th minute after Moises Caidedo dispossessed Micky van de Ven inside the Spurs’ penalty area. Caidedo then squared the ball to Pedro who made no mistake with his finish this time, thrashing the ball into the top left corner. Pedro then had his 3rd big chance inside 15 minutes after Malo Gusto whipped the ball in from the right wing just before half-time. Pedro’s effort on the half volley was tipped over the bar by Vicario, with Spurs so fortunate Chelsea had not gone into the break brandishing a two or three goal lead. The half-time score finished 0-1, with Chelsea hoping to hold onto a huge away win against their biggest rivals.

The second half was almost a mirror image of the first, Chelsea dominating but failing to score a 2nd goal which would surely seal all three points. Pedro Neto saw his chance saved by Vicario in the 74th minute after a good Chelsea move before Jamie Gittens blasted the ball over the bar from point blank range with the goal gaping late in stoppage time, missing an absolute sitter and the perfect chance to score his first Premier League goal. Chelsea should have then scored yet again in stoppage time after Pedro saw another 1v1 chance against Vicario saved by the Italian, with Pedro unlucky not to have a hat-trick to his name. The full-time score finished 1-0, but the result was not reflective of the game, with Chelsea truly smashing their North London rivals to claim their 3rd win on the bounce at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Chelsea shoot up into 6th on the table with 17 points, one place below Spurs who sit 5th with 17 points also, another luckluster performance at home from Frank’s men.

Liverpool vs Aston Villa

The final game played on Saturday night in Matchweek 10 saw Arne Slot’s Liverpool host Unai Emery’s Aston Villa at Anfield, with Liverpool losing six out of their last seven in all competitions while Villa had won six from their last seven. Villa almost silenced the Anfield crowd inside just four minutes after Morgan Rogers rattled the woodwork with a powerful strike from outside the penalty area. Matty Cash, fresh from scoring the winner against Manchester City last week, then forced a brilliant save from Liverpool keeper Giorgi Mamardashvili after his deflected strike was tipped onto the crossbar by the Georgian. After a shaky start, Liverpool started to dominate and thought they’d scored just before half-time when Dominik Szoboszlai’s cross from the right wing was brilliantly headed into the bottom corner by Hugo Ekitike, only for the assistant referee to rule the goal out as the French striker was offside. Liverpool then took the lead with one of the last kicks of the half in quite bizarre fashion. Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez played a sloppy pass to his centre half Pau Torres where Mohamed Salah effortlessly passed the ball into the back of the Villa net from a tight angle, a wicked way to score his 250th Liverpool goal. The half-time score finished 1-0, with Liverpool hoping to put an end to their horrid run of form. 

Liverpool all but sealed the three points early in the second half, with Ryan Gravenberch scoring yet again in the 2025/2026 season. The Dutchman picked the ball up just outside the penalty area from Alexis Mac Allister before driving into the Villa penalty area before unleashing a shot. His effort caught a significant deflection off Torres, tricking Martinez as the ball ricocheted into the bottom left corner. Liverpool defended strongly in the final half hour to keep their first clean sheet since Matchweek four as the full-time score finished 2-0. Liverpool move into 3rd on the table on 18 points, although they are seven points behind league leaders Arsenal. Villa’s winning run comes to an end as they drop to 11th on the table with 15 points.

West Ham United vs Newcastle United

The first game played in Matchweek 10 on Sunday afternoon saw Nuno Espirito’s West Ham host Eddie Howe’s Newcastle at the London Stadium, with West Ham needing a win if they were to boost their Premier League survival hopes. West Ham’s start to the game pretty much summed up their season, captain Jarrod Bowen rattled the woodwork in the 3rd minute, only for Newcastle’s Jacob Ramsey to score just 20 seconds later. The winger received the ball from Bruno Guimaraes down the right wing where he progressed into the West Ham area before smashing the ball into the bottom left corner. Despite going down, West Ham continued to look positive on the ball and after a frustrating half an hour with a clear penalty somehow overturned by VAR, the Hammers equalised in the 35th minute. Newcastle keeper Nick Pope came out of his goal and punched the ball only as far as Mateus Fernandes. Fernandes controlled the ball down for Lucas Paqueta where the Brazilian international smashed the ball into the bottom left corner from 20 yards out, his 3rd of the season as he looked to install some fire in the bellies of his teammates and fans. Newcastle came inches away from restoring their lead in the 39th minute after Anthony Gordon’s shot was tipped just wide of the West Ham goal by keeper Alphonse Areola. With virtually the last action of the half, West Ham scored to make it 2-1, the first time they’d gone into half-time with the lead all season. Fernandes was involved again, playing the ball down the right wing for Aaron Wan-Bissaka to chase. Wan-Bissaka’s first time ball was put into the back of his own net by Sven Botman, who had stretched out to intercept the ball but had inadvertently passed it into his own goal. The half-time score stood at 2-1, with West Ham hoping for a first home win since February.

The Hammers dominated the 2nd half, and thought they’d scored right on the hour mark after one of their own in Freddie Potts smashed the ball past Pope. Unfortunately for the young midfielder, his first ever Premier League goal on his full debut was ruled out as Tomas Soucek was offside in the build up. West Ham finally scored their 3rd goal of the game with the last kick of the fixture after Bowen played a 1-2 with Paqueta and only Joelinton back defending. Bowen’s effort bobbled through the legs of Pope and just as it looked like the keeper was going to claim Bowen’s shot, West Ham legend Soucek dove in to bundle the ball over the line. The full-time score finished 3-1, with West Ham claiming a monumental win at home after three losses in a row which sees them move into 18th on the table, three points away from Burnley, who they play next weekend. Newcastle are still without a win away from home as they put out yet another pathetic attacking performance. The Magpies drop to 13th on the table with 12 points.

Manchester City vs AFC Bournemouth

The second and final game played on Sunday in Matchweek 10 saw Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City take on Andoni Iraola’s 2nd placed Bournemouth, with City hoping they could turn a corner after last weekend’s rare loss and leap-frog the Cherries with a win. Bournemouth thought they’d taken the lead inside a minute after David Brooks rolled the ball across the City 6-yard box where Eli Kroupi tapped the ball into an uncontested net, only for the assistant referee to rule to goal out as Kroupi was offside. City snatched the lead in the 17th minute after Rayan Cherki (returning from an injury he picked up in August) flicked the ball over the Bournemouth centre halves and into the path of Erling Haaland. Haaland made no mistake with his finish, smashing the ball past Djordje Petrovic to score his 12th league goal of the season, double every other players’ solo tally. The Cherries scored a deserved equaliser in the 25th minute though, Alex Scott’s corner not properly punched away by City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, with Tyler Adams left with a tap in from a couple of yards out to score his first ever Premier League goal. It only took City eight minutes to restore their lead, with Cherki playing another brilliant ball over the Bournemouth defence to release Haaland. Haaland rounded Petrovic and slotted the ball into an empty net to score his 13th of the season and make it 3-1. A couple of minutes later, Haaland was denied a first half hat-trick after his chipped effort was parried away by Petrovic. The half-time score finished 2-1, with City hoping for a win which would see them move to 2nd on the table.

Right on the hour mark, City sealed all three points after Nico O’Reilly picked the ball up from Phil Foden on the edge of the area. O’Reilly drove at the Cherries’ defence and smashed the ball into the bottom right corner, his first of the season. City dominated for the final half hour and picked up a huge three points as the full-time score finished 3-1. City move into 2nd on the table with 18 points, seven away from Arsenal in 1st while Bournemouth sit 4th on the table, just one point less than City with 17.

Sunderland vs Everton

The final game of Matchweek 10, played on Monday night, saw Regis Le Bris’ Sunderland host David Moyes Everton at the Stadium of Light, with Sunderland hoping to continue their unbeaten start at home. Everton almost scored inside the opening 20 seconds, playing it long from kick-off before James Garner’s shot on the half volley fizzed just wide of the Sunderland goal. The Toffees dominated the opening exchanges in the first half and scored a deserved goal in the 15th minute through their star player, Iliman Ndiaye. Ndiaye picked the ball up from the right wing and drove at the Sunderland defence. He progressed into the penalty area, showing great footwork to hold off four Sunderland players before chopping into a more central area. Ndiaye then curled the ball beautifully into the top left corner, his fourth of the season and one of the best goals this campaign. Everton came so close to 0-2 after Manchester City loanee, Jack Grealish, rattled the woodwork with a sweet strike from 25 yards out. The Toffees continued their domination over the hosts and should have scored a second after Grealish’s cross in from the left wing was blazed over the crossbar from a couple of yards out by young striker Thierno Barry. Everton should have been up 0-2 at half-time as the momentum shifted in Sunderland’s favour for the final 15 minutes of the half. The score at the break stood at 0-1, with the Black Cats hoping they could make a 2nd half comeback to keep their unbeaten record at home intact.

Sunderland made the ideal start to the 2nd half, scoring exactly 41 seconds after the restart. Enzo Le Fee danced through the Everton penalty area before poking the ball out the the edge of the box where skipper Granit Xhaka was ready to strike. The Ex-Arsenal man piledrove the ball at the Everton goal, with his shot taking a wicked deflection off the foot of James Tarkowski and flying into the roof of the net, his first Premier League goal for Sunderland. Sunderland dominated the majority of the half, but Everton had a purple patch in the final 10 minutes where they could have won the game. Full back Vitalii Mykolenko picked up the ball after a sloppy Sunderland pass where his long range effort drew a brilliant save from Robin Roefs who hadn’t had much to do in the 2nd half. The full-time score finished 1-1, with Sunderland missing out on the chance to go 2nd on the table. They still remain unbeaten at home as they drop to 4th with 18 points. Everton pick up a point after two consecutive losses as they move into 14th on the table.

Written by Ollie Wade