Manchester United’s brief relief did not last long, as Manchester City’s 3-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest pushed the Red Devils into the relegation zone. It is the first time the club have been there since November 1986, at least nine matches into a season.

The table now leaves United 18th on seven points, level with Crystal Palace in 19th and only above Sunderland. Nottingham Forest’s win lifted them to 16th, with Coventry City and Crystal Palace also on seven points in the lower reaches of the standings. Fulham sit 15th on 10 points, while Nottingham Forest are on nine.

United had already been hovering around danger for much of the campaign, and their only league victory so far remains the 5-2 win over newly promoted Ipswich Town in August. There has been little sign of a sustained recovery, and the pressure has only intensified.

Michael Carrick’s side now face another difficult test. An injury-riddled squad welcomes Aston Villa to Old Trafford on Sunday, with little margin for error as the season continues to tighten around them.

Forest’s victory was built on a composed and disciplined display, even as they spent long spells under pressure at City Ground. Enzo Maresca’s team were repeatedly forced back, but Nottingham Forest held firm.

Liam Delap provided the decisive edge with a brace, taking his tally to just his second and third Premier League goals of the season. He last scored on Sept. 12 in a 2-1 win over Aston Villa.

Forest were two goals up by the 20th minute. Jair Cunha opened the scoring in the sixth minute after forcing a turnover on City’s Joško Gvardiol, then finishing low into the left side of the net. Twelve minutes later, Delap doubled the advantage after collecting the ball in Forest’s half and driving between Rúben Dias and Marc Guéhi before firing high into the net.

Gameweek 10 arrives with another international break looming, and Sunday’s late meeting between Manchester United and Aston Villa stands out as the pick of the round. Arsenal are back at Emirates Stadium after a fortnight away, while Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur all face testing trips on the road.

Everton vs Coventry may not light up the weekend, but it still carries weight for both sides. Everton are aiming to move above Liverpool, even if only briefly, while Coventry arrive in decent form and have won three of their last five Premier League matches. A first meeting between the clubs in nearly 26 years adds an extra layer.

Tottenham’s recent surge is harder to ignore. Three straight wins, including their result at Stamford Bridge, have changed the mood around them, and their attacking play is beginning to settle. Leeds, though, are unbeaten in four home matches and may be well placed to frustrate them.

Arsenal look well equipped to handle Hull, who have already caused problems for Man Utd and Chelsea on their return to the division. The champions are again top of the table and appear to have steadied themselves after their Carabao Cup disappointment and recent Europa and league successes.

Fulham and Newcastle both come into their meeting under new managers and both have obvious issues to solve, particularly in attack and in recent form. Nottingham Forest, meanwhile, face a difficult evening against a City side seeking a response after back-to-back defeats.

Brighton’s consistency continues to impress after their win at Man City, and Brentford’s draw-heavy record makes them awkward opposition. Liverpool also need a lift after successive defeats, but Crystal Palace’s struggles suggest the visitors should edge it.

Elsewhere, Bournemouth’s strong run points towards another victory at Ipswich, while Chelsea should have enough to beat Sunderland despite the hosts’ historical success in this fixture. The round closes with Manchester United and Aston Villa, where a draw would do little to ease the pressure on the Red Devils.

There was little sunshine to be found on Matchday 8, as Storm Boelo lashed English grounds with rain and wind. For all the bad weather, only one fixture finished goalless, and the round still produced a sharp series of swings in tone, quality and consequence.

Manchester United’s latest setback stood out for all the wrong reasons. Without Bruno Fernandes, they looked short of attacking life again, while Bournemouth made the most of what they created in a 3-0 win. Elsewhere, Tottenham Hotspur earned a notable victory at Stamford Bridge after Mike Penders handed them the opening goal, with Cole Palmer adding to Chelsea’s problems by picking up two unnecessary yellow cards.

Several matches were defined more by frustration than fluency. Fulham struggled to trouble Coventry, managing just two shots on target, while Crystal Palace surrendered control against Newcastle after leading the shot count at the break. Everton were pushed back by Arsenal and rarely threatened after falling behind early. Ipswich and Nottingham Forest finished level after a match in which neither side found much rhythm, even if the visitors were able to make more of the contest than their hosts.

Brentford’s draw away to newly promoted opposition drew a blunt response from Keith Andrews and Michael Kayode, who both said, “We have to be better.” Sunderland also shared the points in a contest shaped by the conditions, with Régis Le Bris pleased enough to say, “We were Sunderland today.” At the Stadium of Light, the wind played a major role in a game where both teams completed only 73% of their passes.

There were also decisive moments at Anfield and Villa Park. Liverpool saw Brighton’s recent momentum halted as early goals changed the shape of the match, while Villa took control through Nicolas Jackson’s sharp finishing and a commanding display from Zion Suzuki, who produced six saves and 12 line-breaking passes. In another tight contest, Hull and their opponents could not be separated, and Sergej Jakirović called it “a fair result.”

The weekend’s final judgement was not about one storyline alone, but about a league round where weather, missed chances and single moments repeatedly decided the outcome.