Week 15 of the 2024-25 Premier League season began with a storm stopping a match from going forward, and then kept up shaking up the league through eight matches across the stadia of England.
Saturday’s Merseyide derby at Goodison Park was postponed due to Storm Darragh, giving the Reds’ title rivals a chance to close ground on the table leaders.
Only one took full advantage, as Chelsea came back to beat Tottenham and move within four points of the throne room while Arsenal and Man City dropped two points each.
Manchester United, Newcastle, and Spurs also refused to take advantage of the open race for the top four, something that Brentford, Forest, and Bournemouth were happy to enjoy.
Is this the wildest top-to-bottom Premier League season yet? It certainly has that potential.
There’s still one match left in Week 15, as Monday will see under-fire manager Julen Lopetegui and Gary O’Neil try to put their best feet forward when West Ham host Wolves at 3pm ET (Watch live on USA Network, streaming online via NBC.com).
Here are 10 quick thoughts about the eight games staged so far in Week 15 from our writers — Joe Prince-Wright, Andy Edwards, and Nick Mendola.
10 things we learned from Week 15 of the 2024-25 Premier League season
Chelsea’s table run driven by Maresca’s maestro management of attackers
Tottenham Hotspur 3-4 Chelsea
So many managers — a few of them Chelsea managers — have struggled to keep a hold on a talented attacking group inside one club, as the stereotypical ego amongst finishers makes every minute matter. But Enzo Maresca continues to push all the right buttons, as he emphasizes that the Blues players cannot slow down given the players nipping at their heels for playing time. Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson have been there more often than not, but Pedro Neto, Noni Madueke, Christopher Nkunku, and Jadon Sancho have all been working whether they got zero minutes or 90 the previous game. It’s an “everybody eats” scenario, and it may not be a coincidence that every sub looks driven to make the most of every moment on the pitch. Chelsea’s in this, and their new boss is helping in a big way. — Nick Mendola
Gunners get low blocked right out of the win column
Fulham 1-1 Arsenal
The worst thing that could’ve happened to Arsenal’s hopes of a romp at Craven Cottage was an early moment for the visitors, and Fulham made the most of their first chance to find the back of the goal when Raul Jimenez ran onto Kenny Tete’s long ball and beat David Raya. The rain then combined with a hungry Fulham boasting plenty of ex-Gunners to make this a slog for Arsenal. Fulham defended so well, as Arsenal scored off a corner but struggled to unlock the Cottagers through open play. When they did, VAR spotted offside in the build-up to take Bukayo Saka’s latest heroics off the scoreboard. Emile Smith Rowe, Alex Iwobi, Bernd Leno and absent Reiss Nelson will be the only players with Arsenal blood happy with this result, as Marco Silva’s men were resolute in their defense and won despite taking two shots to Arsenal’s 12, and the Gunners now fall further off their title goals. — Nick Mendola
Arsenal lack ruthlessness in draw with Fulham
Rebecca Lowe, Gary Neville, and Tim Howard share their thoughts on Arsenal's 1-1 draw with Fulham at Craven Cottage in Matchweek 15.
No rest in sight for weary Manchester City
Crystal Palace 2-2 Manchester City
The next 22 days will see Manchester City play five more times — four times in the Premier League, once in the Champions League. That is hardly ideal for any team with seven first-team regulars out through injury, and now Rico Lewis is suspended for the next game after he was sent off against Palace. There can’t be many more new midfield combinations for Pep Guardiola to try, so he might have to get creative next weekend if Mateo Kovacic isn’t ready to return. Or John Stones. Or Manuel Akanji. It is quite jarring watching various teams play right through City and get in on goal all game long, and they’re helpless to stop it. Palace’s first goal took two passes to cover two-thirds of the field and set up a 1v1 with the keeper. Will Hughes looked like prime Xavi out there. Read that line again. — Andy Edwards
Good luck beating Brentford in west London
Brentford 4-2 Newcastle United
The largest home-field advantage in the Premier League this season? That would be second-smallest ground in the league actually (17,250) as the Bees improved to 7W-1D-0L at Gtech Community Stadium. They’re doing it with real style, too. The 40 goals scored in eight games at the Gtech is 10 more than any other ground has seen this season. Twenty-six scored, 14 conceded — one might argue that the 4th-worst home defensive record is somewhat troubling, but they would be too entertained watching the games to even notice. Now that’s value for money on a season ticket. Thomas Frank might want to reconsider starting five all-out attacking players in the future, too. Or not. That’s fine with us. Brentford have won just 1 point from 7 games away from home this season, so that’s 22 of 23 points earned at home. In the European places on home results alone. — Andy Edwards
Manchester United need Jims and Joes more than Xs and Os
Manchester United 2-3 Nottingham Forest
Ruben Amorim can do a bunch of things to make Manchester United a better football team, and he has already made a difference at Old Trafford. The Red Devils are at least showing more passion than they did in the last days of Erik ten Hag, and Amorim’s back three is showing signs of what United can be once the system is better understood and experienced by his players. But there’s a college basketball coach from Buffalo, Reggie Witherspoon, who once downplayed a set play that worked for a basket by saying, “It’s about Jims and Joes more than Xs and Os.” That feels right with this United. There are a lot of square pegs in round holes. Amorim has talked about wanting more athleticism at United. Whether that’s about fitness or just physical attributes, it’s clear he’s not working with what — or who — he wants right now. United will get a little better but until he gets his guys this will not be a massively improved squad. United fans should hope that begins in January. — Nick Mendola
Amorim has to 'overhaul' Manchester United's squad
Rebecca Lowe, Gary Neville, and Tim Howard have a roundtable discussion regarding Manchester United's outlook under Ruben Amorim as he works on implementing his coaching philosophies with his new team.
Top four hopefuls Villa go back to basics
Aston Villa 1-0 Southampton
Aston Villa lost their way in a recent eight-game winless run in all competitions but this win against Southampton was textbook Unai Emery. It wasn’t pretty and they did give the ball away in dangerous areas at times in front of their own defense. But they never really gave Southampton a sniff of the goal. Saints didn’t have a shot on target and aside from a few bursts on the counter, they never looked like scoring. The stats show Villa outran Saints by some distance and you can see the difference now that injuries have eased and Emery can rotate his side with players who are almost fully match-fit. In the howling wind and driving rain at Villa Park this wasn’t a pretty Villa performance. But it didn’t need to be. That is what Emery’s been so good at during his career and what Villa did so well last season in their run to Champions League qualification. John McGinn and Boubacar Kamara set the tone as they never stopped hunting and dug deep to do the basics well. Villa are now back in the top-four hunt after back-to-back home wins this week and although things aren’t perfect and flowing in attack, they’re showing signs of once again being robust and tough to play against. — Joe Prince-Wright
Ange Postecoglou needs answer to avoid inflection point
Tottenham Hotspur 3-4 Chelsea
Tottenham Hotspur under Ange Postecoglou has been a fun ride, and it’s nothing that neutrals want to see end any time soon. But Spurs fans in particular might be feeling differently, as Spurs continue to find ways to lose tremendous opportunities. Postecoglou’s midweek consternation on the pitch with Spurs fans seemed to require a response from his team, and they got it with two goals in the first 13 minutes. Up two at home against your heated rivals is a nice way to arrest a slide, but Spurs couldn’t stop Chelsea, let alone what is now a four-match winless run across all competitions. Now that great way to stop a slide reads as “blew a 2-goal lead at home to our heated rivals” and Spurs are 11th on the Premier League table in a year wide open for challengers. While Postecoglou is an asset to the Premier League, who knows how long that will last if fellow underachievers Manchester United and Newcastle — two teams with absence problems this year — get it together before Spurs? — Nick Mendola
Foxes stretch the Vardy vibes, post-Cooper
Leicester City 2-2 Brighton & Hove Albion
A new boss showing up to deliver a win and then a dramatic draw within a half-week is the perfect prescription for a relegation-challenged side, but it’s pretty clear that the Foxes needed a change at manager. It may also turn out that they picked the right one in Ruud van Nistelrooy, but right now Leicester can look to the production of their all-time leading scorer as Jamie Vardy delivered a goal and an assist in a shocking turnaround for the Foxes. This is the thing — Leicester have both bright young talent and veteran nous. For every Bilal El Khannous — the star at midweek — there are two or three veterans like Vardy, Wilfried Ndidi, and Jordan Ayew. Bobby De Cordova Reid joined that group with a brilliant assist and poacher’s finish in the comeback, and Leicester may pull clear of the bottom three much if Van Nistelrooy is the tactical man and not just a temporary motivation. — Nick Mendola
Extended HLs: Leicester City v. Brighton MWK 15
Relive Leicester City's thrilling comeback from two goals down late in the second half to salvage a point against Brighton at the King Power Stadium in Matchweek 15.
Red-hot Bournemouth can qualify for Europe
Ipswich Town 1-2 Bournemouth
When American owner Bill Foley said a while back that he wanted Bournemouth to qualify for Europe long-term, most laughed at him. They aren’t now. They did well with Gary O’Neil in charge after they were promoted back to the top-flight and most people were stunned when he was sacked. But since he came in at the start of last seson Andoni Iraola has been a revelation and has improved so many players at Bournemouth, has a clear identity and they are horrible to play against. Iraola and Bournemouth suit one another perfectly as the scrappy underdogs have beaten Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham at home this season and are just a few points off the top four. Why can’t Bournemouth finish in the top six? Nothing we’ve seen so far this season would suggest it is out of their reach and they have a wealth of varied attacking options and are always in games. Bournemouth will be the surprise package this season. — Joe Prince-Wright
What are new Newcastle United’s standards?
Brentford 4-2 Newcastle United
Newcastle United’s much-publicized takeover initially drew plenty of criticism that wouldn’t be aimed at most teams, as the Saudi-led ownership were spending what a club of Newcastle’s size would had they not been owned by Mike Ashley for about a decade and a half. And Eddie Howe did so well to drive the Magpies to the UEFA Champions League way ahead of schedule. That will earn a coach, especially a good one like Howe, an awful lot of capital. And let’s add in that many including this writer would like to see the sport return to a world without massive managerial overhaul, before finally allowing for the fact that Brentford is a darn good team. Yet Newcastle is fifth in the net spend table over the past five years. Liverpool, Villa, and Man City are below them. Brentford is 15th, and therein lies the rub. What are the expectations for Howe? Is it a top six spot with dips into the top four? Newcastle is being out-attempted 169-135 in open play and are -7.3 in expected goal differential. They are 14th in expected points, 11th in possession, 14th in big chances created, and bottom third in pressing (16th in possession won back in opponents’ third).
What do they do well? Show up for big teams — which was a hallmark of the team in the Ashley era when Moussa Sissokos, Yohan Cabayes, and Georginio Wijnaldums were in the proverbial shop window. Newcastle have a 2W-2D-1L record against traditional big six teams this season (The Magpies are yet to face Man United). That’s 1.6 points per game and would net a 24-point total if it was uniform against the rest of the league. Newcastle is 3W-3D-4L against everyone else, including at home to West Ham and draws with Palace and Everton. They are 2W-4D-5L since starting with 10 of 12 points through four weeks. Their second-leading scorer — $44 million Harvey Barnes — starts about every other game. Their second-richest buy in club history — $58 million Sandro Tonali — has been relied upon for 90 minutes in each of Italy’s last six games but has only started six of his 13 appearances for Howe.
Is the expectation mid-table? Great. You’ve won that ‘trophy’, but if the expectation is a first bit of meaningful, non-Championship silverware since 1969, then there has to be a real examination of how the Magpies are performing under Howe. He’s a good coach. You could get many, many worse ones. But should he be considered the solution when someone else is available?
Just look across Saturday’s touch line. Where would a team with Newcastle’s resources be with Brentford boss Thomas Frank at the wheel, a man who has navigated the sales of Ivan Toney, David Raya, Ollie Watkins, and Said Benrahma in his time with the Bees while showing a patient hand in developing Yoane Wissa, Vitaly Janelt, Bryan Mbeumo, Mathias Jensen, and Christian Norgaard? Forget Frank. What about Sergio Conceicao? Maybe even Graham Potter? Those questions may seems silly on the outside but can Newcastle’s leadership continue to be patient with a madly-inconsistent team under a coach who arguably isn’t prioritizing his best players (and underused Elliot Anderson and didn’t use Yankuba Minteh before they were sold for FFP reasons?). No. Howe doesn’t need to go, but he needs to be accountable for this black and white rollercoaster ride. — Nick Mendola
Collins makes it 3-2 for Brentford v. Newcastle
Nathan Collins' left-footed finish finds its way past Nick Pope and into the back of the net to give Brentford a 3-2 lead against Newcastle in the second half at the Gtech.