Biggest winners and losers from Matchweek 10, as the Premier League pauses for the international break

Yet another infuriatingly timed international break is now upon us, as domestic action in Europe’s top leagues is put on pause for the return of the UEFA Nations League. 

The top-flight signed off for its brief sabbatical in style this weekend, though, treating us all to another action-packed weekend of exhilarating action – but who were the real winners and losers from Matchweek 10? Here, we assess in detail. 

Super Szmodics helps Ipswich claim first league win in north London

Ipswich have found adjusting to the rigours of Premier League football fairly challenging since earning promotion to the top-flight, but could well have paved the way to escape the unforgiving clutches of the relegation zone with a huge 2-1 win away at Tottenham on Sunday. 

Sammy Szmodics acrobatic finish put the Tractor Boys ahead in north London before Liam Delap doubled their advantage just before the break with a close-range finish, and despite Rodrigo Bentancur clawing one back for the hosts, Kieran McKenna’s side held on to claim their first win of the league campaign – one that has dragged them out of the bottom three ahead of the international break. 

Southampton slump to ninth defeat at Molineux 

Unfortunately for Southampton, their favourable fortunes did not continue a week on from claiming their first win of the campaign at home to Everton in Matchweek 9. The Saints were dispatched 2-0 by direct relegation rivals Wolves, and will feel somewhat hard done by given they had a contentious goal disallowed to draw things level, and there were two arguable fouls not penalised in the build up to Wolves’ second. 

That said, Gary O’Neil’s side were impressive throughout and won a game they really needed to win, with a lot of the pre-match ramble surrounding the manager’s position in the dugout should they had fallen to another defeat. The drop zone is tighter than ever after 10 games, with Russell Martin’s men propping up the table on four points and Wolves now two points above them on six. Liverpool, Brighton, Chelsea, Aston Villa and Tottenham up next for Southampton after the international break – things could not get any harder in prospect. 

Liverpool move five points clear at the summit

Arne Slot has taken to life as Liverpool manager like a duck to water, with the Dutchman’s side floating atop both the Premier League and Champions League table as things stand. The former Feyenoord manager oversaw his team’s ninth league win against Aston Villa and will be delighted with how they have started going into the final international break of the calendar year.  

Liverpool have lost just one of their previous 17 matches in all competitions and find themselves with clear breathing space at the top of the league after ten games – ahead of Manchester City by five points, and Chelsea, Arsenal, Nottingham Forest and Brighton by a seismic nine. Their early form considered, you certainly wouldn’t back against them going the distance this term. 

City make it four defeats from four against high-flying Seagulls

Pep Guardiola is so often one of the main winners after a given weekend of action but this time it couldn’t be more different, as his City side slipped to an unprecedented fourth straight defeat in all competitions away at Brighton, having initially gone a goal in front at the Amex on Saturday evening. 

Erling Haaland rediscovered his goalscoring form, netting inside the opening 23rd minute and in doing so became the quickest player to reach the 75 goal mark in Premier League history – surpassing the great Alan Shearer’s previously-held record in 16 fewer games.

Celebrations over that particular milestone were dampened somewhat by a resurgent second-half fightback from Brighton, however, with late goals from Joao Pedro and the returning Matt O’Riley flipping the script for the high-flying Seagulls, who move to sixth in the standings on goal difference – level on points with Chelsea in third, Arsenal in fourth and Forest in fifth. City have it all to do to close the gap and it looks to be a tall order. If one team can turn such a tide, though, recent history dictates that could quite easily be them.

Newcastle flip the script at the City Ground

Nottingham Forest are enjoying a tremendous start to their season and it looked to be made even better when they took a 22nd-minute lead against Newcastle on Sunday through defender Murillo. Had they have held on to claim three points, Nuno Espirito Santo’s side would be sat in third right now, just a point behind Manchester City going into the break. 

Second-half comebacks have been rife this season and that was particularly the case during Matchweek 10, with Newcastle turning their early misfortune into something positive through second-half goals from Alexander Isak, Joelinton and Harvey Barnes to win 3-1 at the City Ground and make it three wins from three in all competitions. Eddie Howe’s side are eighth as things stand, though find themselves just a point behind third as the top half of the division remains tighter than ever. 

Palace slip into the drop zone after faltering against Fulham 

The fight to avoid relegation is often one of the most entertaining spectacles throughout a Premier League campaign (providing you are not a fan of any team caught in the eye of the storm), and this season it looks set to be another thrilling contest, with a large cluster of clubs firmly in danger after 10 games. 

Crystal Palace are no strangers to this particular struggle, currently embroiled in another battle at this relatively early stage. Injuries have not helped Oliver Glasner’s case – especially given he is working with a very thin squad of 20 first-teamers – though it is their lack of consistency which is most concerning. 

On Saturday, the Eagles were beaten 2-0 at home in an all-London affair they would have really hoped to have taken at the very least a point from. The defeat leaves them 18th in the table, only a point from safety but just three ahead of rock-bottom Southampton with a challenging run approaching after the break. It’s Aston Villa up next for the south Londoners, before Newcastle, Ipswich, Manchester City and Brighton. Crunch time.