Premier League talking points. What’s up with Liverpool?

It was a weekend of surprise results in the Premier League with frontrunners Arsenal and Manchester City losing, but Liverpool being hammered by Wolves would have raised many eyebrows.

And things don’t look as though they are going to get easier for the Reds with tough matches coming up. Manager Juergen Klopp was almost speechless after the 3-0 defeat at Wolves, though he said he knows where his team must improve.

These and other talking points from the Premier League weekend.

Can Klopp stop the Liverpool rot? Licking his wounds from the latest embarrassing away defeat, 3-0 at Wolves, Juergen Klopp has a daunting run of games during which to try to turn around Liverpool’s collapsing season.

Liverpool’s next game, Everton at home in the Premier League on February 13, would have looked a potentially kind fixture before the weekend. But their Merseyside rivals’ stunning victory over league leaders Arsenal in new manager Sean Dyche’s first game has put the upcoming derby in a different light.

Then Liverpool go to high-flying Newcastle before hosting Real Madrid in the Champions League — Klopp’s only real chance of rescuing an otherwise miserable season.

Looking deeply upset and speaking almost in a whisper after the defeat to Wolves, Klopp had little explanation for his team’s slump this season that has seen them go from Premier League runners-up by a whisker to 10th and 21 points behind the leaders. “I don’t lose confidence in the boys, but I see where we have to improve,” he said.

Potter must give bite to toothless Chelsea: Coach Graham Potter’s big decision before Chelsea’s Saturday trip to West Ham United is whether to stick with Kai Havertz as the spearhead of the Blues’ toothless attack, or bring in new faces from his enlarged squad to try to find goals.

Chelsea spent more than £300m in the January transfer window on a cast of new players including World Cup winner Enzo Fernandez, who showed off his all-round prowess in midfield in Friday’s 0-0 draw with Fulham.

Havertz hit the post against the Cottagers but was otherwise limited in his impact while new signing David Datro Fofana had a chance cleared off the line shortly after he came on and Noni Madueke, another fresh face at Stamford Bridge, also looked sharp when he came off the bench.

With only 22 goals scored in 21 Premier League games so far this season, Potter knows he needs to rethink his front line as a matter of urgency. “We didn’t do enough in terms of our attacking play to create more, which is something we need to do,” he said after the draw with Fulham.

Everton claim shock win to begin Dyche era: Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta confused Everton with Burnley after his side’s shock defeat at Goodison Park and it was perhaps easy to see why as the hosts finally showed some grit.

Sean Dyche performed wonders in establishing Burnley in the top flight and Everton have turned to him to try to salvage their top-flight status. It is early days, but Everton looked a different proposition against Arsenal and could have won by more.

Relentless pressing and commitment also engaged the Goodison Park crowd as the pall of gloom was lifted, though Dyche knows the real hard work has still to come.

Steely Ten Hag steering Man United to the top: Dutch coach Erik ten Hag has worked wonders since taking over at Old Trafford, and Saturday’s victory over Crystal Palace featured a perfect illustration of his willingness to do what it takes to win.

Down to 10 men after Casemiro got sent off for a stupid altercation with Will Hughes, Ten Hag tinkered with his formation, eventually withdrawing Alejandro Garnacho, who had only been on the field for 28 minutes, and replacing him with the grit of Victor Lindelof.

Many managers would have baulked at the possibility of damaging the confidence of a young player who had added an extra dimension to United’s play after coming on, but not the Dutchman — he saw what needed to be done, and he did it.

He was right. Lindelof and Harry Maguire proved a perfect complement to Lisandro Martinez as Palace were shut out.

Haaland off day highlights City’s problems: Erling Haaland failed to have a single attempt on goal for the first time this season as Manchester City’s title hopes suffered a setback in a 1-0 defeat at Tottenham.

The Norwegian, who is on course to break the Premier League record for goals in a season having already bagged 25, should not be singled out for blame, though. City over-elaborated against Tottenham and the delivery into the big Norwegian was sadly lacking as Tottenham’s defence shackled him comfortably.

It was only when Kevin De Bruyne, surprisingly left on the bench, came on that City looked threatening but the worry for Pep Guardiola will be that having sold Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling, City now look overly reliant on Haaland’s goals.

Reuters