Premier League midweek talking points: Joe Gomez shines for Liverpool as Thomas Frank and Mikel Arteta look for response

With every single Premier League match this midweek live on Sky Sports, our football writers discuss the main talking points from each game...

Will Haaland join the 100 Club on Tuesday?

Fulham vs Man City - Tuesday, kick-off 7.30pm

When Erling Haaland hit his 99th Premier League goal in Manchester City's 3-0 win over Liverpool on November 9, it seemed only a matter of time before he would join the '100 Club', where only 34 players in the competition's history have scored a century or more.

But despite playing the entirety of the games against Newcastle and Leeds that followed, that milestone goal has so far eluded him. This two-game barren spell is rare - but looks likely to end on Tuesday night if history is anything to go by.

The Norwegian has scored six goals in six Premier League appearances against Fulham, the most of any player since the Cottagers returned to the top flight in 2022/23. The last was a penalty on the final day of 2024/25.

Standing in the way is a Fulham team that has thrived on home soil so far, though. Last term, they picked up 26 points at Craven Cottage, averaging 1.36 points per game. They already have 13 this season, which equates to a hugely improved average of 2.17.

Only Arsenal (2) have conceded less than the three they have shipped at home so far.

Fulham's fortress will either deny Haaland history again, or be the stage on which he finally writes it.
Dan Long

Leaky defence forces Cherries' fast start to falter

Bournemouth vs Everton - Tuesday, kick-off 7.30pm

The Premier League comes at you fast - and no one knows that better than Bournemouth.

At the end of October, Bournemouth were sitting pretty in fifth place in the Premier League, unbeaten in seven, with their only loss coming to champions Liverpool on the opening day of the season. But, in just a month, their fortunes have completely changed.

For Iraola's side, November was - to put it politely - dismal. The Cherries picked up one point out of a possible 12 - a point salvaged from two down at home to strugglers West Ham - and conceded a whopping 12 goals in their four outings to boot.

Their sudden loss of form has seen them drop to 11th in the table, only two points ahead of Fulham in 15th. To keep up early-season hopes of European football, something needs to change - and fast.

The south coast side face perhaps the perfect opponents in Everton. They are still unbeaten at home and have more Premier League wins, goals and points against the Toffees than any other side in their history.

The visitors' striker, Thierno Barry, is not exactly in the kind of form that strikes fear into defenders' hearts. The Frenchman has yet to register a shot on target in 551 league minutes and looked limp in his side's 4-1 home drubbing to Newcastle on Saturday.

Bournemouth might have an easier night's sleep ahead of Tuesday's game. It's exactly the sort of fixture they need to revive their form; but a first loss at the Vitality will see serious questions start to be asked heading into the busiest period of the season.
Noah Langford

Is Frank going down the same road as Nuno?

Newcastle vs Spurs - Tuesday, kick-off 8.15pm

It's toxic at Tottenham - and not for the first time.

Go back to the 2021/22 season and Spurs had beaten Manchester City, but early momentum was quashed by damning home defeats to Chelsea and Arsenal. In a game against Manchester Utd, a Spurs substitution was booed by their own fans, who were not impressed with their new head coach's style of play.

Sound familiar?

Thomas Frank's start to life at Spurs bares a very similar resemblance to Nuno Espirito Santo's short, ill-fated reign in north London. And given Nuno was sacked after 10 games, with the supporters' trust saying he was "not the right manager" for the club, it's not a good sign for the Dane.

With the shadow of the trophy-winning Ange Postecoglou still looming over Spurs' situation, there is deep unrest.

There are issues involving the players - with Guglielmo Vicario and Pedro Porro's supporter drama in Saturday's loss to Fulham following the Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence spat of frustration after the loss to Chelsea. But will Frank become the one mainly in the fire soon?

Spurs are in the bottom three in the Premier League this season for shots and chances created, while only one Premeir League team has given the ball away more times. They have also made a league-high 12 errors leading to a shot.

Frank will point to the fact he is at the start of a rebuilding project - and his desire to "add layers" to this team. But with Spurs going to Newcastle - a team they've already lost to this season in the Carbaao Cup - how much are their restless fans willing to take?
Sam Blitz

Should Arteta rotate his Arsenal squad?

Arsenal vs Brentford - Wednesday, kick-off 7.30pm

Arsenal were not themselves at Chelsea. They were off the pace at Stamford Bridge.

Several misplaced passes in the build-up phase and they lost the duel battle to Chelsea. They lost two-thirds of their first 24 duels in the opening quarter of the game, while they only won one of the first 10 aerial duels.

There were several factors behind it. Chelsea played well - having had an extra day to prepare after their midweek European action - while the absences of William Saliba and Gabriel filtered throughout the team to create an unconvincing display.

It has also been a busy schedule. "It's been a big week," said Mikel Arteta after overcoming the triple header of Spurs, Bayern Munich and the Blues last week. So is it time for the Arsenal manager to rotate?

Wednesday night's visit of Brentford may be a good opportunity to give minutes to those who need it, but more crucially rest those who have been called upon a lot.

For example, Ben White could come in for Jurrien Timber. The likes of Martin Odegaard, Noni Madueke and Viktor Gyokeres are aiming for first starts after injury. Even Christian Norgaard, against his former club, and Ethan Nwaneri could be called upon.

Brentford's record against the bigger sides makes them a decent test so there cannot be wholesale changes. But one thing the Bees are good at is winning duels via first and second balls. Arsenal will need fresh legs more than on-pitch quality.
Sam Blitz

Undervalued Gomez finally gives Reds an air of defensive stability

Liverpool vs Sunderland - Wednesday, kick-off 8.15pm

It cannot just be a coincidence that Liverpool kept their first Premier League clean sheet since they beat Aston Villa a month ago - and only their third all season in the top flight - in their much-needed win at West Ham United on Sunday in a game that also saw Joe Gomez make his first league start in almost a year, incidentally also in a victory at the London Stadium.

Despite a series of calamitous recent defensive displays, including a 3-0 loss to struggling Nottingham Forest, followed by a 4-1 defeat to PSV Eindhoven - both at Anfield - in the lead-up to the game, Liverpool head coach Arne Slot had been stubbornly resisting calls to start Gomez, who has been carrying a slight knee niggle of late.

But the versatile 28-year-old returned on the right-hand side of the champions' defence in the east London, with the Reds immediately looking more assured at the back, with no visiting player making more interceptions, while he also created their second goal for Coady Gakpo.

Fitness permitting, expect Liverpool's long-serving player to still be in the hosts' starting line-up when high-flying Sunderland visit Anfield.

Richard Morgan

Palace's big chance problem shackling them more than squad depth issues

Burnley vs Crystal Palace - Wednesday, kick-off 7.30pm

Only two Premier League teams have missed more than 25 big chances this season - Crystal Palace are one of them.

With 26, Palace have a major problem with converting the big opportunities they are managing to create.

Oliver Glasner bemoaned his side's lack of business, calling for some level of sympathy as his side tired in their defeat to Manchester United. However, in their ascendancy, Palace failed to capitalise on a rampant first half, which could be costing them more than their squad depth.

Jean-Philippe Mateta, who took his tally of big chances missed up to 12 against United, is only behind Erling Haaland for big chances spurned.

Creativity was the main concern for Palace when Eberechi Eze moved on to pastures new in the summer. However, creating isn't what's holding Palace back; it's their inability to score.

Burnley will provide the sternest test of Palace's ability to find the back of the net. Scott Parker's Clarets have the league's highest expected goals against with 28.79, meaning - on paper - there will be ample opportunity to exorcise their big-chance demons.
William Bitibiri

Can Wolves avoid unwanted records against Forest?

Wolves vs Nottingham Forest - Wednesday, kick-off 7.30pm

Wolves are in trouble. As we enter the final month of the year, they remain winless. It's a dismal start that has seen their foreheads pressed against the barrel of a relegation to the Championship.

Defeat at Forest would mean that they have lost seven straight matches in the top flight.

The last time the club fell to that many defeats was during the 2011/12 season, during Terry Connor's infamous reign, which was an all-time low in a relegation season.

The records are likely to compound if fortunes fail to turn at Molineux. Wolves are on target to lose 32 matches this season.

Derby County in 2007/08, statistically the Premier League's worst team, had six points recorded by this point while Wolves have two. They are on track to take Derby's crown.

Only once has a team recorded lass than two points at this stage in Premier League history and that was Sheffield Wednesday, who had one and were ultimately relegated. While the chances of a Wolves survival remain slim, fans will hope to retain some semblance of respectability starting with Forest on Wednesday.
William Bitibiri

Will the red mist come down for Chelsea again at Leeds?

Leeds vs Chelsea - Wednesday, kick-off 8.15pm

This is a fixture packed with history - and plenty of thumping tackles and intensity. The 1970 FA Cup final replay was the most fearsome of all but expect another boiling hot atmosphere at Elland Road when the sides meet again on Wednesday.

Can Enzo Maresca's side keep their heads in the pressure cooker?

Moises Caicedo's red card against Arsenal on Sunday was just the latest in a series of sendings off for the Blues. "He was really pumped up", said Sky Sports' Jamie Carragher, suggesting the occasion had got to Caicedo.

The midfielder will be suspended for the Leeds trip but ill-discipline is becoming a theme for this Chelsea team. There have been six red cards shown to Chelsea players this season. Their four in the Premier League is twice as many as any other side.

Even Maresca has served a suspension after being sent to the stands for his jubilant celebrations of Estevao's last-gasp winner against Liverpool.

It's a concern which really came into focus at the back end of last season, when Nicolas Jackson saw red at Newcastle, Chelsea were beaten, and the race for a Champions League place was went right down to the wire.

Against Arsenal, Chelsea battled valiantly with 10 players. A point gained? Or was it two dropped, given how they had started the derby with 11?

There's a lot to like about the team Maresca has built at Chelsea - but they can be their own worst enemy and must keep the focus to maintain their positive start to the season at Leeds.
Peter Smith

Villa to test Brighton's unbeaten record

Brighton vs Aston Villa - Wednesday, kick-off 7.30pm

Brighton's unbeaten home record faces its toughest test yet with the visit of in-form Aston Villa.

Both sides started the campaign slowly, earning just one win between them from their opening five games, but now they're firmly in the race for European football.

Villa recorded their fifth clean sheet of the season on Sunday and have the second-best defensive record in the division, although at the other end of the pitch, they're not having so much joy.

They're second bottom for xG while Ollie Watkins has scored just once and was dropped for the victory at Wolves, with Donyell Malen preferred. The quick turnaround may see Watkins reintroduced from the start.

There's been no such issues for Brighton striker Danny Welbeck, who has only been getting better at 35. His seven goals, combined with the efforts of Yankuba Minteh, have powered Fabian Hurzeler's side up the table.

The winger has the second-most assists and touches in the opposition box in the league, with only Jeremy Doku and Mohammed Kudus having completed more dribbles. Villa's defence will have to be at its best.
David Richardson

Time for Amorim to roll the dice on Mainoo?

Man Utd vs West Ham - Thursday, kick-off 8pm

Manchester United may have picked up a crucial away win at Selhurst Park on Sunday, but Old Trafford will be expecting far more come Thursday night.

The embarrassment that was the defeat to 10-man Everton will still be at the forefront of the minds of the fans and Ruben Amorim.

The performance and the way Everton kept out a limp Red Devils provides Nuno Espirito Santo with the blueprint for how to get a result. That means there has to be a marked change from the hosts, perhaps even in personnel.

United are expected to dominate the ball against the team who have had less possession in all but two of their away Premier League games this term. The anomalies being against promoted sides.

Amorim will need players on the pitch who can break down the Hammers. That may present an opportunity to Kobbie Mainoo.

The 20-year-old has only been afforded 171 minutes in the Premier League this season. It is a far cry from the role he had at the time of scoring the winning goal in the 2024 FA Cup final.

However, United have consistently struggled with breaking down low blocks and Amorim won't change his system.

If his stubbornness on the front is going to persist, the dice needs to be rolled one way or another.

There is a question as to whether the defensive presence of Casemiro is as vital for this game compared to against the likes of Bournemouth, Aston Villa and Newcastle later this month.

Keeping the Brazilian fresh for those must be a priority, so the door may open for Mainoo to make his first league start of the season and show once and for all he is deserving of more from Amorim heading into 2026.