Premier League 2025-26 Week 7 Updates: Chelsea Soar, Liverpool Stumble, Amorim Still Standing

Chelsea flipped the title race on its head in a week where Liverpool got their reality checked, Arsenal took their chance and Spurs offered signs of newfound grit.

Matchweek 7 updates are here!

Chelsea go toe to toe with the champions elect

THERE COULD HAVE ONLY really been one winner in the marquee clash this weekend between Chelsea and Liverpool. The Blues, despite missing key players, earnestly went for it. Moises Caicedo produced another all-rounder performance that elevated him among the best holding midfielders in the league. Substitute and Brazilian teenager Estevao — a menace on the wing — fittingly grabbed the headlines with a last-ditch winner. A richly deserved reward for the persistence and courage Chelsea’s young squad and manager showed in going for victory when a modest draw would have sufficed. But possibly the most reassuring sight for Maresca and fans was a dominant, spiky and energetic performance by Enzo Fernandez — he was lively, intense, full of deft touches, should have scored the winner himself and created it nonetheless. About time the midfield maverick ran the show for the Blues.

Liverpool’s attacking machine is struggling to accommodate new wheels

Liverpool’s new recruits, barring Hugo Ekitike, are all undeniably struggling. Manager Arne Slot’s pressing design is not as furious and full-metal as Jürgen Klopp’s, but it is probably demanding things of his new recruits that they aren’t used to delivering. At Stamford Bridge, the pressing in the middle was casual, the passing lax and little to no rhythm was evoked in exchanges between the midfield and the forward line. The most worrying feature of this puzzling mini-crisis, though, is the obvious slump in form of Liverpool’s dependable stalwarts — Mo Salah and Virgil Van Dijk. Salah shot at the open air for most of the game and was ably marshalled by the excellent Marc Cucurella. At the same time, Van Dijk was at fault for Caicedo’s brilliantly taken first goal — neither committed nor aware of his positional miscalculation. A rarity, as it might be, it presents a tough ask for Slot, who must find a way to absorb promising newcomers and fix a puncture while his flashy new-look vehicle wobbles down the highway of strange encounters.

Spurs are trending upwards

Thomas Frank has given Spurs belief and drive. Away at Leeds, the team produced the kind of performance that evoked a certain togetherness — albeit ungainly to look at. Mohammed Kudus continued to make a stirring impact as a creative force, and for a squad low on depth, you could sense the fidelity players are beginning to exhibit towards Frank’s pragmatic design. Players flung themselves at shots, put their bodies on the line and came away with the points in a game that the Spurs of old would have found a way to lose. The team’s position in the league table flatters them at the moment, but Spurs can look forward to having a better, more stable season than the yo-yo days of the last one. Sometimes it’s not a grand shift in style but a little rewiring of the brain and the heart.

Arsenal can sense their moment has come

Arsenal have the best squad in the league. Even as Martin Odegaard walked off injured — again — the replacements that Mikel Arteta could call upon were mouthwatering. There are match winners galore, a back line that hardly offers opponents a sniff, and in Declan Rice, a force of nature who can turn games on sheer will. To add to that, the Gunners have mastered set pieces and are beginning to induct fresh attacking talent at a frightening pace. Now that they have gone top — with Liverpool scratching their heads — Arteta needs to throw caution to the wind and open up a sizeable gap. This opportunity might not present itself again, should Liverpool find their bearings and City recapture even a fraction of their old self.

United finally click but remain woefully brittle

Ruben Amorim finally enjoyed a victory that provided more positives than negatives in terms of narrative. Beleagured Mason Mount — played out of position in his last outing — scored an excellently taken goal. Underwhelming in the league so far, Benjamin Sesko, finally on a loose ball to tuck in from six yards. The script was near perfect: two early goals in the first half, a formidable but low-quality opposition allowing United free space, and a midfield masterclass by the captain, Bruno Fernandes. The only blot on this cloud swelling with silver linings is the fact that Sunderland, if replaced by a ruthless team, could have and probably should have scored at least three themselves. United were open, ripe for picking throughout the game and exerted little to no control. Luck played its part, but may not be in attendance the next time they take the field against wounded Liverpool.

City need to find a way to support Haaland

Haaland scores. City win (just about). Thus far, Manchester City’s season has read like a repetitive headline with words either side of Haaland’s name scrambled for effect. Their striker is in prolific, imperious form. A good sign for a team trying to recreate its glory days of old. Away at Brentford, Guardiola’s side exerted more control but were pitiable in front of goal. With Rodri rejoining the injury list, Haaland’s superlative form is both a blessing and a curse. Because the day he hits a rough patch or worse gets injured, City might struggle to drag deadlocked games over the line. Someone else needs to start contributing with goals.

Postscript

The curious case of Florian Wirtz.

Germany’s rising star was a phenomenon in Bayer Leverkusen’s record-breaking, undefeated run to the Bundesliga title under Xavi Alonso. He has the talent, possesses a low centre of gravity and seems to house a footballing brain at par with giants of the game. Brought on as a substitute at Chelsea, his first touch was a magisterial, pirouetting back-heel that almost turned into an assist. Unfortunately, that was the last of the notable interventions in another performance that evoked a player woefully out of depth. Whether it's a change in tempo between leagues, a minor injury or simply a crisis of confidence, the German looks far removed from the world-conquering article that Liverpool shelled out a small fortune for. Liverpool will hope Wirtz can soon begin to earn that gob-smacking worth.

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