Arsenal avoided a third straight draw at the City Ground by grinding out a 1-0 win over a depleted Nottingham Forest side, with Noni Madueke’s deflected effort proving the difference.

The game was short on fluency for long spells. Forest threatened on the break whenever Arsenal lost rhythm in possession, and after a brighter start to the second half, the hosts looked the more likely to find a breakthrough. Yet Mikel Arteta’s team stayed intact, and they found the one moment that mattered with 10 minutes left.

Madueke drove in from the left and sent a shot goalward that took a double deflection off Forest defenders before beating Matz Sels, who had been largely untroubled before that point. Forest still created enough late pressure to leave Arsenal uneasy, but Liam Delap and Chris Wood were both denied by excellent recovery defending as the visitors protected their lead.

The result lifted the champions back above Brighton & Hove Albion and into second place, three points behind Manchester City at the top.

Arsenal’s first-half issues were once again obvious. Their possession brought little reward, and Forest’s 5-4-1 block made life difficult for Arsenal’s attacking players. Excluding the Carabao Cup third-round win at Ipswich Town, they have now failed to score before half-time in each of their previous six matches.

That sluggish opening has become a recurring pattern this season, and it continues to raise questions about the attack. Arsenal remain difficult to beat and strong without the ball, but they are still relying on short bursts rather than sustained control in the final third.

Madueke’s winner ensured the point was theirs, but the broader picture remains that Arsenal continue to work hard to mask their summer oversight of not signing another left winger. If they are to achieve all they want this season, the need for a winter addition in attack is becoming clearer.

A fresh round of Premier League action arrives with Gameweek 7 beginning in Merseyside and ending in north London, and there should be no shortage of movement across the weekend’s fixtures.

Chelsea open the slate at Everton after a commanding 5-1 win over Bournemouth, a result Xabi Alonso described as a “complete performance” from his side. Jordan Henderson’s brace, along with goals from João Pedro and Morgan Rogers, has added to the sense that Chelsea are building momentum. Everton, though, have not lost in the league so far and remain difficult to beat at home, even if their recent record in this fixture favours the visitors only narrowly.

Liverpool travel to Brentford after a high-scoring midweek outing against LASK, while Manchester City will look to answer their own recent setback when Ipswich visit. Newcastle, meanwhile, face an Aston Villa side that appears to be settling after a mixed start, and Fulham meet Hull in a game that could be stubborn rather than open.

The south coast brings another notable contest as Bournemouth and Sunderland both come in after Thursday European wins. Brighton also return home after a convincing continental outing, although Crystal Palace’s strong league form means that match may be tighter than the table suggests.

Sunday’s headline fixture takes Leeds against Manchester United. United remain under scrutiny after a difficult start, and Elland Road is not the sort of venue that offers easy relief. Leeds have already shown enough resilience to suggest they can make life awkward again.

At the City Ground, Arsenal face a Nottingham Forest side that has made a habit of frustrating them on home soil. Forest have only one league win so far, but the numbers behind them suggest they are not far off a better return.

Tottenham close the round against Coventry, with the visitors arriving in confident mood after consecutive wins. Spurs are still searching for rhythm, but this looks like a chance to impose control if they can settle quickly.

After a three-week international pause, the Premier League resumed with a sixth round that produced a strong spread of individual displays. Using FotMob’s player ratings, here is a rewritten look at the weekend’s top 10 performers.

Declan Rice earned an 8.3 in Arsenal’s 2-1 comeback win over Leeds United. The midfielder was central to the result, posting a match-high 89 touches, adding 10 defensive contributions and producing the kind of subtle quality that made Bruno Guimarães’s winning goal possible.

Chelsea also featured heavily. Morgan Rogers, rated 8.3, scored the Blues’ second in their 5-1 win over Bournemouth and continued to settle quickly at Stamford Bridge. His dribbling stood out, while a cross-cum-shot helped take him to four Premier League goals in six games. He also recorded a match-high 13 defensive contributions.

Crystal Palace’s 3-1 victory over Nottingham Forest included strong showings from Yéremy Pino and Adam Wharton, both on 8.3. Pino got on the scoresheet and created the most chances in the match with three, while Wharton supplied an assist from a corner and combined control with discipline, winning 75% of his ground duels and 100% of his aerial battles without conceding a foul.

Jérémy Doku changed Manchester City’s 3-0 win over Liverpool from the bench, yet still led the match in dribbles with five and chances created with three before finishing with a superb strike. Elliot Anderson, rated 8.5, provided relentless energy and creativity, capped by the assist for Doku’s goal.

Rayan Cherki was the top-rated City player against Liverpool at 8.6, ending the scoring with a goal that summed up his flair and confidence. João Pedro led the weekend with an 8.8 after two goals for Chelsea against Bournemouth, doing his job in the physical contest and still making a decisive attacking impact from 25 touches.