Manchester City’s Saturday victory set up a pivotal Sunday in the Premier League. Arsenal know they must beat Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium to re-establish a seven-point advantage at the top. That match carries weight after Manchester United’s collective performance in last week’s derby and Bruno Fernandes’s praised role in a 2-0 win.

There is also a London derby when Crystal Palace host Chelsea, and Brentford welcome Nottingham Forest. Liam Rosenior’s Chelsea ended a run without a league win with a 2–0 victory over Brentford at Stamford Bridge, bringing his tally to three wins from four in charge. That run would be impressive for any Chelsea manager, but recent form in midweek suggests the Blues could struggle at Selhurst Park.

Crystal Palace remain in a tailspin. Steve Parish did not give into Oliver Glasner’s apparent wish to get the boot last weekend, so Glasner will occupy the home dugout as Palace seek their first league win since Dec. 7.

Prediction: Crystal Palace 1–1 Chelsea

Brentford’s season under Keith Andrews has exceeded early expectations. After a defeat at the City Ground in Gameweek 1, Andrews has guided the Bees to a campaign that looks set to better their best under Thomas Frank, when they finished ninth in 2022–23. Brentford sit seventh and have accumulated 24 points from 11 games at the Gtech, the fourth-best home record in the division. Nottingham Forest suffered an away Europa League defeat in Braga on Thursday, and that European slog may influence Sunday’s clash.

Prediction: Brentford 3–1 Nottingham Forest

The reverse fixture between Newcastle United and Aston Villa earlier in the season was uneventful, but Sunday’s meeting on Tyneside has potential. Aston Villa’s home loss to Everton increased pressure within the camp; Unai Emery’s post-match interview depicted a manager “on the brink and not one who’s distinctly overachieved.” Villa did win at Fenerbahçe on Thursday, while Newcastle cruised past PSV Eindhoven. The Magpies are inconsistent away but difficult to break down at home.

Prediction: Newcastle 3–2 Aston Villa

FotMob’s ratings singled out five players whose individual displays defined Premier League Gameweek 20.

Jack Grealish was a bright spot in Manchester City’s 4–2 defeat to Brentford at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. The loanee produced two delightful deliveries to tee up Beto and Thierno Barry for consolation strikes and completed more dribbles (four) than anyone on the pitch. He also led the match for chances created (four). There was very little for the crowd to enjoy in a miserable loss to the Bees, but Grealish “didn’t deserve to be on the losing team.”

John McGinn was the key architect of Aston Villa’s 3–1 win over Nottingham Forest. The indefatigable Scotsman scored a brace, the first a well-placed finish from inside the area to double the home side’s advantage and the second a remarkable long-range effort aided by a disastrous piece of goalkeeping. Scoring twice from an expected goals total of 0.45 underlined the quality of his contribution. Strangely, this was McGinn’s first double at club level since a 3–1 victory over Forest in the Championship in 2018–19.

Malick Thiaw continued to impress for Newcastle United, scoring his third Premier League goal in a 2–0 victory over Crystal Palace. The summer recruit was an absolute colossus defensively, registering a game-high 17 defensive contributions, including five tackles and 10 clearances, helping secure a clean sheet. His speed and physicality were crucial in thwarting Jean-Philippe Mateta.

Declan Rice overcame doubts over an injury to start for Arsenal and was central to a 3–2 win over Bournemouth. He delivered two composed finishes, bending a low effort beyond Djordje Petrović for Arsenal’s second and calmly converting Bukayo Saka’s pull back for what proved to be the winning goal. Rice’s all-action midfield display included 14 defensive contributions, and he was only out-passed by two players in the contest.

Thomas Frank publicly rejected Arne Slot’s characterisation of Micky van de Ven’s challenge that left Alexander Isak with a fractured fibula.

The fracture required surgery and will keep the £125 million ($169 million) British transfer record signing out for at least the next couple of months. Slot, speaking ahead of Liverpool’s clash with Wolves, said: “if you make a tackle like that 10 times, 10 times there is a serious chance the player gets a serious injury.”

Frank was clear in his response. “I am obviously disagreeing in many ways,” he said. “We are talking about a defender that will do everything he can to avoid the goal. It is a transition. There is a ball down the side and he is doing everything he can to block the shot, so he is sliding.

“Unfortunately Isak plants his foot,” Frank added. “It makes it look worse than it is, but that is a natural action for a defender. Put it this way, if my defender does not do that, they are not true defenders. Reckless challenge? I don’t think you see anything like that from Micky.”

Frank also said the two players had been in contact and that they “have sorted it out.”

Isak’s absence is set to affect Liverpool across competitions. The striker will miss Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup fixtures while he recovers.

Slot struck a cautiously positive note about the longer-term outlook. “I am confident [Isak] can play a part in the season,” he said, reflecting on the forward’s difficult start at his new club. Slot emphasised the impact of a limited preseason and a prolonged period without group training, saying it had been “a really challenging and difficult period for him. He joined a new club, he was very excited and you want to show immediately all the qualities that you have. But that was simply impossible.”

Slot noted the improvement Isak had shown before the injury, pointing to his recent goals as evidence he was approaching the form he displayed at Newcastle. The debate over the tackle’s intent, however, is likely to continue among managers and supporters.