Arsenal extended their remarkable run to seven consecutive clean sheets in all competitions, with goalkeeper David Raya praising the collective effort. If they keep another clean sheet at Slavia Prague on Tuesday, it will match a 122-year club record. Raya, who had little to do against Burnley, said: 'It’s incredible. Not just the defence, it’s a collective achievement. It starts from the striker, finishing with the goalkeeper.'
Nottingham Forest, meanwhile, have not kept a clean sheet in 18 top-flight matches since April 1, and no team has conceded more goals from set pieces this season. After shipping two more from corners against Manchester United, manager Sean Dyche admitted there is no magic solution. 'We haven’t got any magic wand or magic dust, and we know that it’s a big job to change things,' he said.
Ollie Watkins’ form remains a concern for Aston Villa, with only one goal in 14 appearances in all competitions. Against Liverpool, he managed just 18 touches and zero shots in 73 minutes. His expected goals per 90 minutes has dropped from 0.53 last season to 0.20 this campaign, despite Villa creating chances at a similar level. If Unai Emery’s system is not working for the forward, it falls to him to find a solution.
The weekend also saw Vítor Pereira become the fourth mid-season dismissal in the Premier League, lasting just 45 days into a new three-year contract at Wolves. The trend of trigger-happy owners has drawn criticism, with Erik ten Hag’s sacking last season similarly coming shortly after a contract extension. Backing a manager and then pulling the rug so quickly is baffling, with such moves seen as an admission of boardroom guilt.
Fulham ended a run of four straight league defeats, helped by Emmanuel Agbadou’s red card. New club-record signing Kevin impressed as a constant threat, while Samuel Chukwueze made an effective late cameo. Manager Marco Silva was not expecting much credit, but the victory provided some relief.
