Control over chaos will win the Premier League title

Arsenal’s supposed handbrake was always a bizarre criticism that held little weight under scrutiny and their stoic rise to the summit of the table will force the country’s leading pundits into U-turns, or more likely into praising changes that Mikel Arteta hasn’t actually made.

The ease with which they dispatched of West Ham United made for dreadful television but it was probably the most important Arsenal victory of the season for precisely that reason.

Thanks to a significantly deeper bench than in years gone by their suffocating control and defensive solidity makes games like these easy home wins, mimicking the way Pep Guardiola’s Man City would control all the variables until the perma-champions became genuinely boring to watch.

Speaking of which, Man City’s 1-0 win at Brentford had an air of professionalism that was entirely unsuited to the Sunday afternoon headline slot; an early goal, pretty patterns to conserve energy, and a second-gear win that took Guardiola’s side to within just three points of the top.

Last season Liverpool could do this, could score early and then rest in possession, slowing things down to merge together the waves of Jurgen Klopp football with something more sustainable over a 38-game season.

As we enter the second international break of the campaign we can now state with confidence that Liverpool have lost that quality completely.

Their transitional year was on a time delay but after a hectic summer of transfers Slot’s side have lost their rhythm and look very much like a team that spent egregiously on attackers while neglecting weaknesses in defence.

All those late winners were warnings ignored; their three consecutive defeats not unlucky but a regression to the mean.

It would be remiss not to mention the tragedy that befell Liverpool in the summer. Grief afflicts people in complex ways – it isn’t a straight line, nor does it go away once the memorials are over - and although it risks insensitivity to speculate upon a link between Diogo Jota’s death and Liverpool’s form it’s important we make allowances for a club in mourning.

Liverpool are playing like a team distracted. They look emotional, unpredictable, and unfocused, none more so than Mohamed Salah, whose tears after the opening day victory over Bournemouth offered a rare glimpse into the feelings that will colour the dressing room at Anfield and Melwood, whether on the surface or just below it.

It might be a human, tender issue, but it will need to be solved in hard footballing ways. Slot will use the next fortnight to work on their tactical shape in the hope of rediscovering the smoother rhythms of last season, but with so many players away on international duty, and with the calendar relentless, Liverpool may struggle to match what Arsenal and Man City can do.

Guardiola knows exactly how to play this. Only three players in the Man City squad have started more than four of their seven Premier League games so far, reflecting a rotation policy that feels ominously familiar. Come February, when others begin to tire, City will probably start to glide through matches.

Control and order is being restored at the Etihad. It never left the Emirates, and it was the defining feature of Liverpool’s play in 2024/25.

Hopes of a newly direct, newly adventurous, newly post-Pep Premier League appear to have been overstated. As the table settles into a pattern it is the Guardiola school rising to the top again.

More from Sporting Life

• Fixtures, results and live scores
• Home of This Week's Acca
• Football and other sports tips
• Download the Sporting Life app
• Podcasts and video content

Safer gambling

We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.

Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.