Overview of The Totally Football Show — Arsenal beat Spurs 4-1 again, as Liverpool break Forest hearts
This episode (The Athletic / Totally Football Show) reviews Premier League Matchday 27 and wider weekend football. The hosts dissect Arsenal’s emphatic 4-1 North London win over Tottenham, Manchester City’s 2-1 victory over Newcastle, Liverpool’s late 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest, Chelsea’s dropped points at home to Burnley, and a string of other results with implications for the title race, top‑five/European places and the relegation scrap. The show also covers off-the-pitch stories (Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner under pressure), viral moments (a goalkeeper’s extraordinary own goal in Australia/New Zealand), and a milestone for James Milner.
Key takeaways
- Arsenal dominated a disjointed Tottenham in a 4-1 derby — a statement win that reinforces their title credentials but does not yet mathematically seal the race.
- Manchester City remain close behind after a 2-1 win at Newcastle; Pep Guardiola is experimenting with a more direct setup and a new configuration that gets Nico (transcribed as “Nico O’Reilly”) higher into midfield.
- Liverpool’s 1-0 late victory at Nottingham Forest keeps them in the chase for top‑five European places; Forest teeter closer to the relegation zone.
- Chelsea dropped more points at Stamford Bridge (1-1 vs Burnley), reinforcing concerns about their form and set-piece defending.
- Crystal Palace’s manager Oliver Glasner faces fan anger after critical comments and a lacklustre run; Palace beat Wolves 1-0 but tension remains.
- Viral and human-interest items: a catastrophic goalkeeper header own goal in the A-League/ANZ Championship (Josh Oluwayemi) with an explosive fallout, and a Gateshead non-league travelling-fan feature with a spectacular goal.
Match-by-match round-up (weekend highlights)
Arsenal 4–1 Tottenham
- Arsenal produced a dominant second half to secure a big derby win at Tottenham.
- Spurs were tactically confused under Igor Tudor (back three/wing-back ideas didn’t gel), leaving space centrally for Arsenal to exploit.
- Several incidents raised questions (a disallowed Tottenham goal for a push on Gabriel); overall verdict: Arsenal deserved winners and major statement, Spurs in deep trouble.
Manchester City 2–1 Newcastle
- City won but were stretched; Guardiola appears to be using a two‑striker / diamond-ish midfield shape to add verticality and involve Haaland more in link play.
- A brace from the transcribed “Nick O’Reilly” was decisive (as per the show transcript).
- City keep the chase on Arsenal — game in hand dynamics remain key.
Liverpool 1–0 Nottingham Forest
- Alexis Mac Allister scored in stoppage time to earn Liverpool the three points.
- Forest had opportunities and look fragile in front of goal (long scoring drought noted); manager Vitor Pereira under pressure to find consistent form.
- Liverpool are level with Chelsea and Man United in the fight for top‑five places.
Chelsea 1–1 Burnley
- Chelsea surrendered a late equaliser from a set-piece; poor marking on corners was highlighted.
- Burnley’s grit and organisation continue to make them tough opponents despite a lack of top-flight quality on paper.
Fulham 3–1 Sunderland
- Fulham ended their run of defeats with an impressive away win; Raul Jimenez added to his perfect penalty record in the league (13/13, as reported).
- Sunderland’s squad depth and injuries are limiting their consistency.
Crystal Palace 1–0 Wolves
- Palace finally got a home win (first since November) but manager Oliver Glasner’s pre-match remarks (“I’m just not good enough…”) and fan backlash (banners) indicate a strained relationship with supporters.
- Wolves almost grabbed a result despite being down to 10 men and are still in danger.
Other fixtures of note:
- Brighton 2–0 Brentford — Milestone moment for James Milner (record Premier League appearances).
- Aston Villa 1–1 Leeds — Anton Stach produced a notable free-kick.
Tactical & managerial notes
- Tottenham: Igor Tudor’s early tactics (man-marking, high lines, wing-back experiments) left big gaps for Arsenal to exploit; personnel used out of position created problems.
- Arsenal: Excellent at identifying an opponent’s weakness and repeatedly exploiting space between midfield and defence; some worrying individual errors persist but squad depth and quality remain high.
- Manchester City: A shift to a more direct, vertical approach with a second forwards/diamond midfield is giving new routes to goal and different involvement for Haaland.
- Crystal Palace: Glasner’s communication and perceived defensiveness after poor results has worsened fan-manager relations despite earlier successes (FA Cup, etc.).
Notable moments, stories & quotes
- Viral own goal: Wellington Phoenix keeper Joshua Oluwayemi bizarrely headed a looping clearance into his own empty net; he was substituted at half‑time and the coach resigned afterward — widely shared/referenced on social media.
- Gateshead non-league feature: 924‑mile round trip by supporters to a Truro fixture; celebrated after a rare win sparked by a spectacular solo goal.
- Oliver Glasner quote (transcript): “I’m just not good enough to replace the players we sold… I’m not good enough to integrate the new players… I was good enough to have the best season ever to win two trophies.” — prompted fan anger and banners.
- Spurs stadium hype: home announcer (“sometimes there’s a fire to be lit…we are calm we are ready”) contrasted with how the match unfolded.
- James Milner milestone: passed 654 Premier League appearances (discussion on the episode about the Premier League era versus full historical top-flight records; reminder that older all-time appearance records still belong to players from earlier eras, e.g., Peter Shilton).
Stats & context (from the show)
- Arsenal lead the table by five points over Manchester City (City have a game in hand).
- Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United are level in the battle for European places; only two of those three can secure the top positions discussed.
- Nottingham Forest are perilously close to the relegation zone, two points clear (per the transcript).
- Raul Jimenez’s penalty streak reported as 13/13 in the Premier League (league record as stated).
- James Milner: most Premier League appearances (654 at time of episode); hosts stress the importance of remembering pre‑1992 top-flight history for all-time appearance context.
What to watch next / implications
- Title race: Arsenal lead but City hold a game in hand — both still very much in control of their destiny.
- Top-five/Champions League qualification: Liverpool, Chelsea, Man United race intensifies — small swings could decide the final spots.
- Tottenham: tactical identity and injuries make them vulnerable; relegation concern raised if form doesn’t improve.
- Crystal Palace: Glasner still likely to be in charge next week (per guest), but fan unrest could escalate depending on results and European commitments.
- Upcoming fixtures to monitor (as flagged): Arsenal vs Chelsea (next), City vs Newcastle FA Cup rematch, Palace vs Man United; Champions League playoff second legs and continental fixtures in the week ahead.
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