Liverpool fail their Fulham test

Andoni Iraola's Liverpool arrived at Anfield on Saturday on the back of a memorable Champions League victory over Atletico Madrid midweek — but a 0-0 draw with Fulham raised sharper questions about the squad's ability to sustain Iraola's high-tempo demands across a packed schedule.

The hosts started slowly and never found the gear required to break down a Fulham side that, in truth, looked equally capable of snatching all three points. Home fixtures against Nottingham Forest and Fulham have now returned just two points, an underwhelming return for a team with title ambitions.

Iraola was candid after the final whistle. "Our players were tired. I think there is a lack of freshness, definitely. We cannot hide it," he said, acknowledging that roughly 60 hours separated this match from the midweek European tie. The manager added that such scheduling pressures will recur throughout the season, with little room for rest. Finding solutions to rotation and recovery will define whether this Liverpool project can truly compete on all fronts.

Chelsea's defensive frailties persist under Alonso

Much of the excitement around Xabi Alonso's Chelsea project centres on an attack that has scored in every Premier League game this season. Yet a 1-1 draw with newly-promoted Hull at Stamford Bridge served as yet another reminder that goals conceded, not goals scored, remain the club's most pressing problem.

Chelsea have now gone 20 consecutive Premier League games without keeping a clean sheet — a run that predates Alonso's arrival. The signing of Emi Martinez, a World Cup winner and multiple Yashin Trophy recipient, reinforces ambition in goal. But Martinez can only do so much when defenders in front of him continue to gift opponents chances that require no ingenuity whatsoever. Hull registered an xG of 1.32, a fair measure of how generously Chelsea's backline behaved.

Alonso learned from Jose Mourinho that defensive solidity is the platform from which everything else is built. He must apply that lesson urgently — because attacking potential alone will not sustain a title challenge.

Tottenham's goalscoring void grows more concerning

Tottenham Hotspur have gone 400 minutes without a Premier League goal this season, leaving them without a single league win after four games. A 0-0 draw with Everton extended the misery, and the source of that misery is no secret: Dominic Solanke managed just 19 touches and registered zero shots against the Toffees — figures that make grim reading for manager Roberto De Zerbi.

Solanke is the only recognised centre-forward at De Zerbi's disposal, making his form and fitness critical. Yet rustiness, limited service, or a combination of both has rendered him peripheral in matches where Spurs desperately need a focal point. No other striker has been brought in to compete for his spot in the three years since Harry Kane departed for Germany, and that decision is now costing the club dearly. January cannot come soon enough.

Bournemouth's game management issues persist

Bournemouth are now the first team in Premier League history to lead in each of their opening four games of a season and fail to win any of them. A 2-2 draw with Brentford continued the trend: the Cherries led 2-1 before conceding an equaliser within three minutes, handing Brentford momentum they had barely earned.

The statistics paint a picture of a team doing plenty right in attack — 20 shots and 10 on target — but one that cannot hold a lead under pressure. Manager Marco Rose identified game management as a weakness after the Newcastle draw, yet the problem persists. Until Bournemouth find a way to protect their advantages, those leads will keep disappearing.

Ipswich quietly making their mark

While Hull have grabbed the headlines among the newly-promoted clubs, Ipswich Town are building a quiet but compelling case for themselves. Four games into their second Premier League season, they have already matched the two-win tally it took them 16 games to achieve on their return in 2024/25.

A 3-2 victory at Selhurst Park against Crystal Palace was their latest statement, coming from 2-2 to claim a winner with patience and composure. Crucially, it was also the third time in four games that Ipswich conceded fewer than 0.70 xG — a defensive discipline that suggests this is no flash in the pan.

Aston Villa's attacking output alarms

Aston Villa managed just seven shots in their home game against Nottingham Forest — the third-lowest shot count they have recorded across 59 home league matches under Unai Emery. For a side carrying genuine European aspirations, that level of attacking output at Villa Park is a cause for concern that Emery will need to address without delay.