The Premier League weekend delivered a few unexpected twists, some desperately needed victories and a couple of results that could have significant consequences for the months ahead.
Nottingham Forest produced one of the results of the season by dismantling Manchester City, Liverpool reminded everyone of their quality with an impressive away victory, and Leeds United finally found a way to stop the rot.
Elsewhere, Tottenham and Manchester City were left licking their wounds after damaging defeats, with both clubs facing some increasingly uncomfortable questions.
Here are five of the biggest Premier League winners and losers from the weekend.
Nottingham Forest – A tactical masterclass that nobody saw coming
Nottingham Forest have delivered one of the most remarkable results of the Premier League season, dismantling Manchester City 3-1 in a performance that demonstrated just how dangerous they can be when everything clicks.
The scoreline was impressive enough. The manner of the victory made it even better.
Forest finished the contest with just 22% possession, completing a staggering 136 passes compared to City’s 657. They spent much of the afternoon without the ball, but that hardly mattered. Oliver Glasner’s side were considerably more dangerous when opportunities arrived, registering six shots on target to City’s three.
It was a wonderfully efficient display against a Manchester City team that is accustomed to controlling almost every aspect of a football match.
Liam Delap was the headline act, producing a brilliant brace to help condemn the champions to another miserable afternoon. His performance offered a reminder of the attacking quality Forest possess when they can exploit space and attack with conviction.
The historical significance makes the result even more extraordinary. Forest became only the second team in English top-flight history to defeat a side that had started its season with seven consecutive victories.
There is something particularly satisfying about watching a team completely disregard the conventional expectations of a match. Forest didn’t need to dominate possession, complete hundreds of passes or attempt to outplay City in their own game.
They simply needed to be better at the things that mattered.
This was more than three points for Forest. It was a statement that they remain capable of troubling the very best, regardless of the opponent’s reputation.
Manchester City – A crisis is beginning to take shape
Manchester City have suddenly found themselves in unfamiliar territory, and the defeat at Nottingham Forest has made an increasingly concerning situation considerably worse.
Three consecutive Premier League defeats against Aston Villa, Brighton and Nottingham Forest represent a miserable run for a club that has spent years setting the standard for consistency in English football.
The latest setback was arguably the most alarming.
City enjoyed 78% possession and completed almost five times as many passes as their opponents, yet they were comfortably beaten by a Forest side that looked more threatening whenever it moved forward.
Possession without penetration is becoming an increasingly familiar problem.
The bigger concern is the league table. City finish Matchweek 10 sitting six points behind leaders Arsenal, a gap that already puts considerable pressure on their upcoming fixtures.
There is also an uncomfortable historical footnote surrounding Enzo Maresca.
After becoming the first manager in Premier League history to win his opening seven games in charge, Maresca has now equalled an unwanted club record last seen in late 2024 by overseeing three consecutive league defeats.
That is quite a turnaround.
The early optimism surrounding City’s start has been replaced by questions about their defensive organization, attacking efficiency and ability to respond when opponents refuse to play into their hands.
Nobody should be writing off Manchester City this early in the campaign. Their quality remains considerable, and there is plenty of time to correct their trajectory.
However, the concern isn’t necessarily that City have lost three matches. It is that they are beginning to look increasingly vulnerable in games they would previously have been expected to control.
Leeds United – Daniel Farke finally gets the response he needed
There was a considerable amount of pressure surrounding Daniel Farke heading into Leeds United’s meeting with Tottenham, but his players delivered exactly the kind of performance their manager desperately needed.
A 1-0 victory at Elland Road ended a five-game winless streak and provided a timely reminder that Leeds are more than capable of competing with established Premier League opposition.
Importantly, this wasn’t a smash-and-grab victory.
Leeds dictated the tempo, created the better opportunities and finished with an expected goals figure of 2.02 compared to Tottenham’s 0.77. They also registered 16 shots, consistently putting the visitors under pressure.
The decisive moment came courtesy of substitute Noah Okafor, who needed just 97 seconds after entering the pitch to find the back of the net.
It was the fastest substitute goal in the Premier League this season, and arguably one of the most important goals of Leeds’ campaign so far.
Farke deserves considerable credit for the introduction. Okafor provided the attacking spark that Leeds needed, and his immediate impact changed the complexion of an afternoon that was beginning to feel increasingly frustrating.
There is a bigger picture here, too.
Leeds have endured a difficult run, and the pressure surrounding their manager was beginning to grow. A defeat against Tottenham would have made the situation considerably more uncomfortable.
Instead, Farke has a result to build upon and a performance that should give his players some much-needed confidence.
The victory doesn’t suddenly solve every problem at Elland Road, but it provides something that had been missing for several weeks: belief.
Tottenham Hotspur – Another afternoon of frustration for Spurs
Tottenham’s defeat at Leeds was a damaging result for several reasons, but perhaps the most concerning aspect was how little Roberto De Zerbi’s side offered after the interval.
Spurs finished the afternoon with just one second-half shot on target, a stoppage-time header that arrived far too late to seriously threaten a Leeds side that had deservedly taken the lead.
For a team with Tottenham’s attacking resources, that is a pretty damning statistic.
Leeds were more aggressive, more energetic and considerably more convincing in possession. Spurs struggled to establish any meaningful control, while their inability to create clear-cut opportunities left them chasing a game that increasingly looked beyond their reach.
The defeat also brought two separate winning streaks to an end.
Tottenham had won their previous three Premier League matches, while they had also enjoyed three consecutive victories at Elland Road. Both runs disappeared in a single afternoon.
It wasn’t exactly an encouraging advertisement for their progress under De Zerbi.
The frustration was evident on the touchline, too, with the Tottenham manager receiving a yellow card during an increasingly uncomfortable afternoon. His players picked up three bookings of their own.
There was further disappointment with the first-half injury to Mathys Tel, whose absence could represent another setback for a squad that needs its attacking options available.
Ultimately, the biggest problem was the performance itself.
Tottenham never looked particularly convincing, and their second-half attacking output was nowhere near good enough for a club with ambitions of competing near the top of the table.
There will be understandable frustration surrounding the injury, but Spurs cannot use that as an excuse for an otherwise disappointing display.
Liverpool – A timely reminder of their championship credentials
Liverpool arrived at Crystal Palace needing a response, and Arne Slot’s side delivered one of their most encouraging performances of the season.
After a difficult home defeat against Arsenal and a frustrating European evening in Istanbul, Liverpool needed to demonstrate that they could handle adversity without allowing a difficult spell to become a full-blown crisis.
A 3-1 victory at Selhurst Park was an excellent place to start.
Alexis Mac Allister, Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak all found the net, giving Liverpool three different sources of attacking production in a match that demanded patience and clinical finishing.
However, the most important contribution might have come from the opposite end of the pitch.
Alisson Becker produced seven crucial saves to protect Liverpool’s advantage, repeatedly denying Crystal Palace when the hosts threatened to make the contest considerably more uncomfortable.
Palace enjoyed 54% possession and generated sustained pressure, but Liverpool showed the kind of defensive resilience that championship-winning teams need to demonstrate throughout a long campaign.
It wasn’t necessarily a flawless performance, but that is precisely why the result was encouraging.
Liverpool weren’t always in control, and they certainly weren’t able to dictate proceedings for 90 minutes. Instead, they absorbed pressure, defended their penalty area and took advantage of the opportunities that came their way.
Wirtz getting on the scoresheet is another positive, while Isak’s contribution provides further encouragement as Liverpool look to get their attacking players firing consistently.
There is still plenty of work to do, but this was an important response from a team that cannot afford to let Arsenal disappear over the horizon.
Purveyor of footy since the 90s. Favor the Premier League and old school Serie A with a touch of Bundesliga. More than a touch. Professional writer for 20 years, covering every sport but now focused on the Premier League and world football. You won’t be able to guess my favorite team.