Premier League 2025-26 Week 24 Updates: Chelsea, United Produce Stirring Comebacks As City Falter, & Arsenal Cruise
City all but handed the title to Arsenal in a week where both Chelsea and United produced dramatic late comebacks.
Last Updated: 08.30 PM, Feb 02, 2026
Ekitike enhances reputation in Liverpool’s march over Newcastle
OF ALL of Liverpool’s new signings, only maybe Hugo Ekitike can be credited for understanding and taking to his job description instantly. Circumstances around him haven’t helped, but Ekitike has performed consistently, offering an under-confident side, goals and creative edge. Against a well-drilled Newcastle side, he scored a brace that was less about movement and composure and had more to do with instinctive finishing. In fact, both goals eschewed the kind of enigmatic toe-pok finishes that his teammate Mo Salah — who could use a couple of goals himself — would be proud of. Barring Liverpool’s leaky defence, things in attack are beginning to look up for Arne Slot and his men. Florian Wirtz grabbed another well-taken goal, and the Reds bounced back after going a goal down at home. A month ago, they might have folded, but here they showed resilience and character. If only they hang on to this feeling for the remainder of the season.
Jao Pedro excels in Chelsea’s dramatic comeback win
Liam Rosenior has a curious problem at hand. He has by far one of the biggest squads in the league, but when it comes to crunch contests, his starting eleven has rarely been offered a helping hand from those in waiting. At home against a woeful West Ham side, Rosenior rang in the changes and started a large chunk of Chelsea’s reserves. The result was a staggeringly poor first half, with Alejandro Garnacho turning in the kind of abysmal performance that makes you wonder what the club saw in him in the first place. But on came one of Chelsea’s in-form players in Jao Pedro. The Brazilian isn’t an out-and-out striker in the traditional mould, but he boasts touch and class in droves. Here he scored the first, and assisted for the match-winner scored by the impressive Enzo Fernandez. Pedro probably isn’t a long-term solution, but he is at least earning his keep.
Arsenal’s ugly football continues title charge with demolition of Leeds
Enough memes have flooded the internet that capture just how one-dimensional and idea-deprived Arsenal are in attack. Own goals top their scoring charts, set-pieces are the weapon of choice, and for all of the attacking talent in possession, there is precious little distillation of that creativity in the final third. Even someone as precociously skilful as Bukayo Saka has been turned into a free-kick assistant for the towering heads in the opposition box. But the real question is, does/do Mikel Arteta or Arsenal fans care? Against Leeds, a familiar script played out, with the first two goals coming from set-pieces. Only Arsenal’s last goal, scored by Gabriel Jesus, exhibited the kind of flair that we are supposed to expect from the Gunners. Arsenal need to earn the points before they earn the reputation of champions, but some loosening of the strings, every once in a while, would be welcome.
Sesko pounces to produce stirring comeback win against Fulham
Michael Carrick probably had that sinking feeling when Fulham scored a delicious equaliser in the dying minutes of stoppage time. Carrick has revived the mood at Old Trafford, but it’s far too early to suggest he has ushered in a revolution. But cometh the moment, come their talisman, Bruno Fernandes. Though Benjamin Sesko scored the winning goal and gave a stunned Old Trafford lift-off against an unlucky Fulham, it was Fernandes who produced a moment of brilliance to get things rolling. With the clock ticking down, under pressure, he dodged a defender without touching the ball and launched an instinctive cut-back — in a moment where most players would have instead lobbed the ball into the box. Such evenings have been few and far in between over the last couple of seasons, but if not dominance, Carrick has at least revived this sense of spirit and fight. At no point were Fulham completely out of the game, but what would give United hope is that they have at least become fearless.
City all but give reliquinsh title chase in tame surrender to Spurs
Away to Spurs, Pep Guardiola must have been fist-bumping his entire squad at halftime. City were excellent in the first half, their quality — Ryan Cherki especially — overpowering a Spurs team that huffs and puffs but rarely inspires. Arsenal had logged a big win, Aston Villa had lost, and so the onus was on City to keep the pressure on the league leaders. Things, however, began to unravel in the second half, where complacency seemed to creep into City’s game. Their defensive meekness came to the fore as Spurs forced Guardiola’s team open on multiple occasions, before finding the equalising goal. For their second-half shambles, City were actually lucky to escape the Spurs stadium with a point in hand. If not for the individual brilliance of a few players, one might wonder where City’s season is actually headed. Remove Erling Haaland’s goals, and Guardiola’s team look a shadow of where they are expected, or at least supposed to be.
Postscript:
The plot for Europe thickens
Weeks ago, the race for European qualification seemed like a merry-go-round that could trap anyone from 4th to 12th in the league table. Most teams had shown potential, but neither could grab momentum. Over the last two weeks, the plot, however, has thickened around a smaller group of elite clubs. Chelsea, United and Liverpool have all huddled behind Aston Villa, whose form has dipped of late. Three of these four clubs will likely follow Arsenal and City into the Champions League. Villa’s position — a given some weeks ago — has become increasingly untenable. Anything could give. Barring a tepid title race, it bodes well for the entertainment going forward.