Premier League roundup: Liverpool slips to mid-table

The busy mid-November schedule brought several big results in the Premier League. From November 17 to 23, the leaders stumbled, and the underdogs seized their chance. Liverpool continued to slide into crisis, the reigning champions lost again, and London’s Arsenal strengthened their position at the top of the table. Against the backdrop of such turbulence, the interest of fans and bettors is only growing, and the best sports bookmakers are already offering increased odds for the next round.

According to the current standings, after 12 rounds, Arsenal is in first place with 29 points, followed by Chelsea and Manchester City, while Liverpool has dropped into the second ten. Against this backdrop, every match between the top clubs is beginning to carry weight comparable to the decisive games in the spring.

Liverpool 0:3 Nottingham Forest — a crisis without disguise

The main blow to the reigning champions’ reputation came at Anfield. Arne Slot’s Liverpool suffered a 0:3 home defeat to Nottingham Forest, and they lost fair and square. The visitors coolly exploited the hosts’ weakness on set pieces: the first goal came from a corner, then Sean Dyche’s team caught the Reds twice on positional errors in defense.

Liverpool’s pressing structure fell apart again, with the defense collapsing on every quick attack by their opponents. Even Mohamed Salah’s bright performance could not save the day – the hosts never found the right tempo or solutions against Forest’s compact block. This is the Merseysiders’ sixth defeat in 12 rounds, and the team has dropped to 11th place with a negative goal difference.

The pressure on Slot is growing rapidly. Last season, his Liverpool were on course for the title, but the scale of the summer rebuild is having the opposite effect so far. The hundreds of millions spent on strengthening the attack have hardly translated into points: Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz are still far from the expected level. Considering that the upcoming schedule includes difficult away games, the minimum task for the club now is to stabilize its results and not fall out of the race for the top four.

Arsenal 4-1 Tottenham and Newcastle 2-1 Manchester City — the battle for the top

In London, Arsenal reminded everyone why they are considered the most consistent team of the season. By crushing Tottenham 4:1 at the Emirates, the Gunners not only strengthened their lead in the Premier League, but also dealt a painful blow to the ambitions of their North London neighbors. A hat trick from the attacking midfielder quickly settled the question of who would win the derby, and Arsenal’s defense once again performed without any serious lapses.

For Tottenham, the defeat means a drop back into the tight group in the middle of the table. After a confident start, the team is increasingly struggling against opponents from the top six, and personnel changes in defense have not yet provided the necessary stability.

Another key result of the week was Newcastle’s 2-1 victory over Manchester City at St. James’ Park. Harvey Barnes’ double turned the game around after the champions took an early lead and symbolized that last year’s Champions League finalists no longer look untouchable.

City has already accumulated several defeats in the early rounds and is trailing Arsenal by a solid margin, while Pep Guardiola’s defense regularly falters against aggressive pressure from opponents.

Against the backdrop of Liverpool’s failures and City’s instability, results that seem insignificant at first glance take on special significance. Wins for Crystal Palace and Brighton, and draws for Bournemouth and West Ham, have further tightened up the middle of the table. Each round brings new swings in the European Cup zone, and bettors have to closely monitor the form of teams and injuries to key players.

Conclusion

This week has shown just how unpredictable the Premier League has become. The champions and one of the main favorites of the season lost at the same time, and the leader is a team that skillfully combines reliable defense and calculated positional attack. For betting enthusiasts, this is a signal to abandon blind faith in the big names and look more at form, schedule, and statistics.

To compare odds and choose a site, use our internal resource — an overview of the best sports betting sites in Africa, which lists bookmakers with the best lines for English football.

The rest of the season promises to be even more intense. If Liverpool cannot find a balance between attack and defense, the club risks spending the championship as a contender only for the Champions League zone. Arsenal has already proven that it can go the distance, while Manchester City and Chelsea still have the resources to join the chase. For neutral fans and bettors, this is exactly the Premier League they want to see: every round has the potential to turn the table upside down.