The Premier League landscape remains as chaotic and compelling as ever, with disciplinary action, manager frustrations, defensive concerns, transfer priorities and injury updates dominating discussions ahead of another crucial weekend. Across England, clubs preparing for high-stakes fixtures find themselves wrestling with internal challenges — from bans and squad depth issues to tactical dilemmas and player management.
Mejbri Hit With Four-Match Ban After Spitting Incident
Burnley midfielder Hannibal Mejbri has been handed a four-match suspension and a £15,000 fine following misconduct during his side’s 2-0 win over Leeds United in October. The midfielder was referred to an independent regulatory commission after an incident in the 67th minute, where he was deemed to have spat toward visiting supporters at Turf Moor.
The Football Association outlined the verdict in a formal statement:
“An independent Regulatory Commission has sanctioned Burnley’s Hannibal Mejbri for misconduct during their Premier League match against Leeds on 18 October. It was alleged that the player acted in breach of the laws of the game and/or in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or indecent behaviour by spitting at or in the direction of Leeds United supporters around the 67th minute.
“Mejbri subsequently admitted the charge, and the Regulatory Commission imposed a four-match suspension and £15,000 fine following a hearing. The Regulatory Commission’s written reasons for its decisions will be published in due course.”
The punishment arrives at a difficult time for Burnley, who sit 19th on the table after suffering five consecutive losses. With pressure mounting and results dwindling, Vincent Kompany's side must regroup quickly as they head to Newcastle in hopes of clawing their way out of the relegation zone.
Maresca Calls Out Tosin as Chelsea Issues Resurface
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has pushed back against criticism that his youthful squad lacks the experience required to compete in difficult environments. After the Blues fell 3–1 to Leeds United midweek, many pointed to Chelsea’s youthful starting XI as a factor. Maresca, however, disagreed — and made his point by highlighting the performance of his most senior player on the pitch.
“We always talk about experience when we drop points,” Maresca said. “When we beat Barcelona, we drew against Arsenal, no one was mentioning about experienced players. I understand that when we don’t win, we are always looking for the reason why, but I think the reason why we didn’t win against Leeds is not because of the experience, it’s because we were not good enough.”
He then referenced Tosin Adarabioyo, who struggled throughout the match.
“Who is the oldest one for us in the pitch? Who was? Tosin. Did he play good? So, it’s not about experience. It’s about that 11 players, they were not good enough. I know that we are always looking for experience, but it was a bad game for all of us.”
Chelsea were also without Moisés Caicedo due to suspension, while Maresca rested Reece James, Pedro Neto, and Wesley Fofana, decisions that invited scrutiny. But the Italian defended his rotation strategy, pointing to fitness concerns and the need to avoid repeat injuries.
“Most of the rotation we do is because the other one cannot play,” he said. “We have players that are, in this moment, not able to play every three days. And this is the reason for most of the rotation. When you pick 11 players and you win, everything is fine. When you pick 11 players and you don’t win, there is always a reason why.”
Chelsea remain inconsistent, and Maresca’s public challenge to his players signals a growing urgency for improvement as the season tightens.
Guardiola Demands Better After City’s Chaotic Wins
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola insists he has already moved on from his side’s dramatic 5–4 win over Fulham, but he knows the defensive lapses behind their recent results cannot be repeated. City had led 5–1 at Craven Cottage before nearly collapsing, raising questions about their resilience and structure.
“It’s forgotten,” Guardiola claimed. “Good learnings, hopefully. In the Premier League, at all the clubs, you have to learn from what happens in the good things and bad things and think of the next one. Of course I’m concerned. We try to understand what happened, to not concede the goals.”
City have now conceded heavily in consecutive matches — three goals against Leeds and four against Fulham — despite dominating large portions of both games.
“With the three goals [scored] against Leeds, and the five goals against Fulham you can see the two versions, right?” he continued. “How many shots on target had Leeds? Three? Scored two. It’s not bad. How many shots on target Fulham? Five, six? So, the average of shots conceded we can see is high. We have to improve.”
Guardiola also confirmed star midfielder Rodri remains unavailable due to a hamstring injury but insists he is “getting better.”
Newcastle Push to Tie Down Livramento and Botman
Newcastle United’s new sporting director, Ross Wilson, has wasted no time identifying priorities since arriving from Nottingham Forest — and securing long-term deals for defenders Tino Livramento and Sven Botman sits at the top of his list.
With Sandro Tonali already contracted through 2029 (with an option to 2030), the club has shifted its focus toward strengthening the defensive core. Livramento’s current contract expires in 2027, while Botman’s runs until 2028.
“It’s no secret that we would want to extend Tino’s contract and we would want to extend Sven Botman’s too,” Wilson said. “Those discussions are ongoing. Some discussions are more difficult than others, but the desire would be to keep those players. Will they agree those contracts? At the moment, I think it’s too early to say.”
Botman remains sidelined for at least another week, but there is optimism that £55m signing Yoane Wissa could finally make his long-awaited debut after recovering from a knee injury.
Paquetá Set to Return as West Ham Battle the Drop
Lucas Paquetá will return to action for West Ham this weekend after serving suspension for his red card against Liverpool. Manager Nuno Espírito Santo believes the incident is behind them.
“It is in the past. I am positive it will not happen again because he personally admitted his mistake,” Nuno said. “We spoke about it in the dressing room. I am positive it is over and it will not be repeated.”
With West Ham sitting 18th, the pressure continues to build.
“We cannot avoid it,” Nuno said of relegation fears. “It is a reality. We have to face it. We are fighting for survival. We cannot hide it. The results of other teams we cannot control. It is up to us.”
The club hopes injured winger Crysencio Summerville will recover soon, while left-back Oliver Scarles is expected to rejoin the squad pending medical clearance.
Merino Thrives Up Front as Arteta Weighs Forward Options
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admits midfielder Mikel Merino may continue as a makeshift striker after impressing in recent games. With Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus all sidelined, Merino has stepped in superbly, scoring against Brentford before assisting Bukayo Saka in a 2–0 win.
“I think he has earned at least to be in the thinking behind it for the way he’s performing and the impact that he’s bringing to the team, so that’s a yes,” Arteta said.
Arsenal hope Declan Rice will recover from a calf issue to face Aston Villa, while defender Gabriel remains unavailable due to a thigh injury. Cristhian Mosquera is also a doubt.
