They say it’s tough at the top (and indeed it is) but let me assure you, it’s almost certainly tougher at the bottom.
That old adage was pretty clear as the weekend Premier League action unfolded.
Never was it more obvious than in the two games played on Saturday evening.
Saturday night’s meeting at the Emirates was, quite literally, top versus bottom and many expected it to be a rout.
That it wasn’t is to Wolves’ immense credit.
Yet the fact the result went against the boys from the Black Country means they are still rock bottom on a meagre two points and, even at this stage, are almost certainly destined for the drop.
By contrast, Arsenal found a way and remain at the summit, although no-one realistically expected them to take until the 94th minute to secure three priceless points.
In fact, it demonstrates just how luck can play a pivotal part in that Wolves scored all three goals in North London – two of which were own goals.
The Gunners have once more this term had extremely bad luck with defensive injuries and that continued as, no sooner had they welcomed back William Saliba into the starting XI, they lost Ben White before the break.
After being frustrated for so long, they finally profited with Wolves the authors of their own misfortune when, from a Bukayo Saka corner, otherwise impressive goalkeeper Sam Johnstone could only touch the ball onto the post and then saw it rebound off his back and into the net.
It seemed destined to end like that but, just as the stoppage time board was about to be displayed, came an equaliser out of nothing.
Mateus Mane cleverly curled the ball into the box and it was met by Tolu Arokodare who expertly glanced home.
Wolves must have thought they had just their third point of the season in the most unexpected fashion, while Arsenal fans could have been forgiven for thinking what a wasted opportunity against the league’s bottom side.
Then Saka put the ball into the danger zone and, under pressure from substitute Gabriel Jesus, Yerson Mosquera could literally do nothing but head past his own goalkeeper.
Heartbreak for Wolves; relief for the Gunners and a winning return following their last-gasp defeat at Aston Villa last weekend, and perhaps an example that, for all the character both teams displayed, those at the foot of the table often don’t get the breaks.
That was case again at Turf Moor a few hours earlier when Burnley went down by the own goal in five to Fulham.
Most of the time this season, the Clarets have been involved in close contests only to come out on the wrong side.
Their meeting with the Cottagers was another prime example and the upshot is that defeat, in what I billed as a must-win contest, has left them on 10 points and still well short of safety.
Even with the season not yet at the halfway point, the task facing Scott Parker is far greater than he has been able to achieve to date in his managerial career.
Harry Wilson was star performer and, in scoring two and creating the crucial third, Fulham had a talented match winner as they ended an extraordinary 34-game winless run at Turf Moor – stretching back to 1951.
It also means that Parker has now lost 23 of his past 30 Premier League matches, across spells with Bournemouth and Fulham, with only Daniel Farke losing a higher ratio (67%) among managers with 50+ games in the division.
After falling behind to a Wilson goal via a corner, Lesley Ugochukw prodded low into the corner from Josh Cullen’s through ball to level matters.
The hosts though only had themselves to blame when Callum Bassey was left unmarked to restore Fulham’s advantage.
Wilson made the game all but safe with a classy finish and that proved to be the winner.
The Clarets did reduce the arrears through full-back Oliver Sonne but they could not force a second equaliser to avoid a seventh straight league defeat.
A quick glance at the SBOTOP Premier League 2025 betting odds will tell you all you need to know about the survival chances of the bottom two.
The strugglers’ survival hopes were dealt a further blow on Sunday when a resurgent Nottingham Forest – who were always too strong to be struggling for too long – moved further away from the danger zone.
A comprehensive 3-0 victory over Spurs, helped enormously by visiting goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, saw two men steal the headlines with Callum Hudson-Odoi netting a brace, both created by Ibrahim Sangare, before the compliment was returned to seal victory 11 minutes from time.
Regardless of Vicario’s gaffes, Forest deserved the win which moved them further away from 18th place West Ham, beaten at home by Aston Villa.
The Hammers led twice, including through Mateus Fernandes who took just 29 seconds to notch the fastest Premier League goal of the season, but Villa scored two second half goals to win the game – both from a player who is continually catching my eye in Morgan Rogers.
High-flying Villa re up to third.
On a weekend in which Chelsea’s star man Cole Palmer returned from injury after two months out and Mohamed Salah played for Liverpool for the first time since he said the club had ‘thrown him under the bus’, the final word of the weekend goes to newly promoted Sunderland.
Their most enjoyable Premier League 2025 highlights to date has ensured Wearside will be in raptures all week.
An own goal from Newcastle frontman Nick Woltemade, just a minute after the restart, proved to be the only goal at the Stadium of Light in the North East derby and never has a contribution from a Newcastle player been cheered so wildly by Sunderland supporters.
Regis le Bris’ side were favourites for the drop at the start of the campaign. Now they are up to seventh and unbeaten at home. Right now, they are the toast of the North East.
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