It has been raining goals in Gameweek 15 of the Premier League as the wet winter weather continues to hit England’s top-flight. There was a major slip-up in the title race on Saturday, with Arsenal stunned at the death by Aston Villa, ending their 18-match unbeaten run under Mikel Arteta.
Manchester City took full advantage of the result at Villa Park, breezing to a 3-0 win over Sunderland and moving within two points of the Gunners. Chelsea could not capitalise on the opportunity, dropping points in consecutive games after a 3-1 defeat to Leeds in midweek. This time, it was Bournemouth who held the Blues, giving plenty of teams below the London side the chance to close the gap to the Champions League places.
Tottenham, Newcastle and Everton all had successful outings, but it was more misery for Arne Slot’s Liverpool, who threw away a 2-0 lead at Elland Road and conceded a stoppage-time equaliser to draw with Leeds. During Sunday’s games, there was late drama between Brighton and West Ham, before Crystal Palace stole a late winner to down Fulham in west London.
On a weekend that has seen 25 goals across nine matches, who backed up their talk on the pitch, and who bottled it ahead of Monday night’s clash between Manchester United and Wolves?
Backed It or Bottled It? Premier League Gameweek 15 Recap
Star of the Weekend
Star of the Weekend: Xavi Simons
Tottenham’s Xavi Simons has been under the magnifying glass after failing to register a goal contribution in the Premier League since his debut against West Ham, but that changed in the 2-0 win over Brentford on Saturday. The Dutchman was handed a rare start after being named on the bench for the previous four games by Thomas Frank, and he had the Spurs fans on their feet more than once.
Simons provided an assist for the opener, making a smart run in behind the Bees' defence before squaring for Richarlison to fire home. He then got on the scoresheet himself, driving from the halfway line and riding several tackles before slotting the ball into the far corner and wheeling off to celebrate with the jubilant supporters.
It was a masterclass from the former Paris Saint-Germain and RB Leipzig midfielder, who dominated the middle of the park, winning possession seven times, having two shots on target and creating one chance. His contributions also helped Spurs end their worrying home form. It was only the second win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the Premier League in 2025-26, with the first coming on the opening weekend against Burnley.
Spurs’ chances of finishing in the top four still sit at a hefty 20/1, but their hopes will have peaked slightly after an encouraging performance on home soil.
Flop of the Weekend: Eberechi Eze
From the highest of highs to the lowest of lows, Eberechi Eze has had a mixed few weeks in an Arsenal shirt. After bagging a hat-trick in his first north London derby, the Englishman was subbed off at half-time in the 2-1 loss to Aston Villa, and his numbers over 45 minutes tell you why.
Eze failed to create a single chance in his cameo at Villa Park; he also didn’t manage a single shot or touch the ball in the opposition’s box. Arsenal’s marquee summer signing drew plenty of criticism from fans online for his performance, who seem to have already forgotten his spectacular outing against Spurs just two weeks ago.
Eze losing the ball five times in the first half certainly contributed to Arsenal’s downfall against Villa, Arteta’s sixth loss against the club. Only Manchester City have beaten the Gunners more times than Unai Emery’s men during the Spaniard’s reign, and it may prove to be three crucial points dropped when it comes to crowning the winners in May.
In fact, Arsenal’s odds to become champions have dropped to 4/6. The pressure is well and truly on.
Biggest Disappointment:
Biggest Disappointment: Liverpool
Liverpool found themselves 2-0 up at Elland Road with less than 20 minutes to go, but the champions showed once again that they are breakable under Slot. It wasn’t a loss on the road for the Reds, but it was more dropped points, despite Dominik Szoboszlai’s strike restoring their advantage with just 10 minutes of normal time remaining.
With six strikes in the second half, the game saw the most goals in a 45-minute period of Premier League football since March 2024, and it was a thrilling watch for the neutral. For Liverpool, though, they have now conceded two or more goals in 11 games this season, and are on course for one of the worst title defences in the competition’s history.
Many would raise a fair point that the Merseyside club were a good bet to drop points this weekend, but few would have expected them to let a two-goal lead slip in that fashion. And with Mohamed Salah’s post-match outburst slamming the manager, it is unsurprising to see Liverpool’s chances of making the top four at a nervy 4/6, and their title odds slipping to a massive 25/1.
Will Arne Slot make it to the end of the season at Liverpool?
Performance of the Weekend
Performance of the Weekend: Aston Villa
After their rocky start to the campaign, no one would have backed Aston Villa to be within three points of top spot as we head into December. But their huge win over Arsenal was a testament to Unai Emery’s fantastic management, and it shows how far the Villans have come in recent years.
In fact, Villa have now won nine of their last 10 Premier League games, their best run in the top-flight since 1919. Their home record is just as fierce, with only one loss in their last 25 outings at Villa Park.
After five games of the 2025-26 season, the Midlands club were winless and had only just scored their first goal of the campaign. Ten games later, they can be considered genuine title contenders, and Emery has soared to his 63rd Premier League win in charge of the club, more than any other Villa manager.
Surprise of the Weekend: Chelsea
After a setback at Leeds in midweek, the pressure was on Chelsea to bounce back against a declining Bournemouth team. But the Blues were held to a draw, and more surprisingly, were shut out by the Cherries.
Despite the hiccup in Yorkshire, Chelsea arrived on the South Coast with the third-best away record in the top flight, having picked up 13 points on the road. And the signs were promising in spells for Enzo Maresca’s side. The Blues racked up 11 shots, an expected goals tally of 0.92, and 61% possession.
However, the travelling side failed to create a single big chance, and subsequently fell out of the top four after Palace’s win over Fulham on Sunday. Considering there were whispers as little as a week ago that Chelsea could emerge from the Christmas period as Arsenal’s closest rivals, their drop to 25/1 challengers has come as a huge surprise.
Moment of the Weekend
Moment of the Weekend: Salah's Explosive Interview
He may not have been involved on the pitch, but Salah stole the headlines with his explosive interview after Liverpool’s draw with Leeds. The Egyptian winger was named on the bench for the third consecutive Premier League game, and he did not hold back when interviewed about his current struggles at Anfield.
Salah claimed he felt Liverpool had thrown him under the bus with his recent isolation, and as a result, has sparked a huge divide across the fanbase between those backing the forward and those on the side of head coach Slot. In his time at Anfield, the 33-year-old has provided 366 goal contributions and helped deliver several major titles, including the Premier League and Champions League.
Now, the club must decide where they stand, with the man who has restored Liverpool’s status as an English and European giant, or with the manager, who won the title in his first year but is struggling to rebuild a squad with more talent than it can seemingly handle.
Will Salah Be A Liverpool Player Beyond January?
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