Arsenal tightened their grip on the Premier League summit with a commanding 2–0 victory over Burnley on Saturday, while Chelsea edged Tottenham in a tense North London derby and Liverpool returned to winning ways against Aston Villa, reshaping the early title narrative as the season nears its first international break.

At Turf Moor, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal extended their unbeaten run to nine matches, with goals from Viktor Gyökeres and Declan Rice sealing a seventh consecutive clean sheet. Gyökeres opened the scoring in the 14th minute, heading home from a Gabriel Magalhães assist, before Rice doubled the lead with a looping header in the 35th. The Gunners, now on 25 points from 10 games, boast the league’s most potent attack (28 goals) and stingiest defense (seven conceded), sitting seven points clear at the top.

In North London, Chelsea continued their resurgence under Enzo Maresca with a 1–0 win over Tottenham Hotspur. Joao Pedro’s 34th-minute strike, set up by Moises Caicedo, proved decisive in a match defined by defensive discipline and tactical control. The result marked Chelsea’s fifth straight win over Spurs and lifted them to fourth place on 17 points—just one behind Arsenal. Tottenham, meanwhile, managed only 0.10 expected goals, their lowest home output under manager Thomas Frank, and now sit seventh after a worrying winless stretch.

At Anfield, Liverpool snapped a four-game skid with a 2–0 win over Aston Villa. Mohamed Salah made history with his 250th goal for the club, capitalizing on a late error by Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez in stoppage time. Earlier, Ryan Gravenberch’s deflected strike in the 58th minute had given the Reds a deserved lead. The clean sheet was Liverpool’s first in 11 league games, and the win propelled Arne Slot’s side to third place on 18 points. Villa, now sixth, have lost three of their last four, with manager Unai Emery lamenting missed opportunities.

The weekend’s results underscore Arsenal’s growing momentum, while Chelsea and Liverpool have reasserted themselves as serious contenders. With Manchester City set to face Southampton next, the pressure mounts on Pep Guardiola’s side to respond.