Liverpool Draw Extends Winless Streak as Slot's Reign Wobbles; Frank's Tottenham in Free Fall

The Premier League's Saturday teatime fixtures served up a buffet of underperformance, managerial anxiety, and the occasional glimmer of tactical nous—though you'd need squint to spot the latter at Anfield.

Liverpool's Unbeaten Fraud Continues

Arne Slot's side have now stretched their run without defeat to 12 games, yet the Anfield crowd's groans at the final whistle told the real story. A goalless draw against newly-promoted Burnley—the third such result against fresh-faced opposition this season—represents a Premier League first for Liverpool, and not the kind anyone's celebrating.

The Reds bossed proceedings for large spells, with Burnley pinned deep in their own half for sustained periods. Yet for all their territorial dominance, the creative well ran distressingly dry. Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong provided width without penetration, and when Liverpool did fashion a genuine opening, Dominik Szoboszlai's penalty struck the bar—only his second miss from 22 attempts.

Florian Wirtz finally broke the deadlock before the interval with a crisp finish, arrowing past a cluster of Burnley bodies into the top corner after Hugo Ekitike's persistent work down the flank. For 45 minutes, it looked business as usual.

The second half, however, revealed the brittleness that's come to define this Liverpool side. Michael Edwards slipped in easily enough to level, capitalising on Florentino's careless pass and Alisson's sluggish positioning. From there, Burnley's equaliser seemed to drain every drop of confidence from the hosts. The pressure waves that had battered the visitors subsided into familiar Anfield groans, with the Kop's chants of "a team that plays the Liverpool way" ringing increasingly hollow.

A fourth consecutive draw. A 12-game unbeaten run met with indifference rather than celebration. The question hanging over Merseyside isn't whether Slot can turn this around—it's whether he'll be given the time.

Frank's Tottenham Reaches Critical Mass

If Slot's position feels precarious, Thomas Frank's at Spurs is approaching critical condition. A sixth home defeat in 11 matches, this time 2-1 to West Ham, has exhausted even the most patient supporter's goodwill.

Crysencio Summerville carved through Tottenham's defence with contemptuous ease in the first half, cutting inside Pedro Porro—who appeared content to admire the winger's movement—before deflecting past Guglielmo Vicario. West Ham, a side enduring a ten-game winless run, had just taken the lead at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Spurs responded with the sort of possession-heavy aimlessness that's become their calling card. Jarrod Bowen's goal was ruled out for offside. Vicario made a decent save to deny Konstantinos Mavropanos. Xavi Simons and company misfired in the final third with depressing regularity, passes overhit or wayward.

Christian Romero's well-timed header—courtesy of Porro's first-time cross—hauled Spurs level, briefly suggesting a comeback narrative might materialise. Instead, Callum Wilson stabbed in a stoppage-time winner after Vicario flapped at a corner, a moment that crystallised everything wrong with Frank's tenure: defensive disorganisation, tactical confusion, and a collective malaise that no amount of possession can mask.

Even avoiding defeat against a struggling West Ham wouldn't have saved Frank. This result surely seals his fate.

Rosenior Survives as Brentford Squander Dominance

Liam Rosenior's Chelsea debut could have ended in embarrassment. Instead, a 2-0 victory masks what was, by rights, a thoroughly dominant Brentford performance.

The Bees carved out chance after chance with a brand of possession-based football that belied their league position. Kevin Schade's early opportunity saw him race clear only to inexplicably square for Mikkel Damsgaard when Robert Sanchez was at his mercy. Yehor Yarmolyuk wasted acres of space. Mathias Jensen shinned a volley against the post. Sanchez produced a brilliant save to deny Schade after the interval.

Chelsea, meanwhile, profited from the high press. Enzo Fernandez blocked Michael Kayode's clearance, allowing Joao Pedro to finish clinically into the top corner. Pedro's instinctive finishing—when he doesn't overthink—proved the difference.

Alejandro Garnacho, the former United winger, squandered a sitter when Pedro Neto served him a six-yard gift. Cole Palmer then converted from the spot after Caoimhin Kelleher's calamitous error, bringing down Liam Delap in the box.

Rosenior's Chelsea offered little to inspire confidence, but the three points felt significant for the new regime nonetheless.

Sunderland Climb; Palace Spiral Continues

Sunderland's 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace lifted them back above Newcastle, though the Eagles' plight deepens by the week. From fourth to 12th in recent weeks, with Marc Guehi departing for Manchester City and Oliver Glasner announcing his intention to leave at season's end, Palace's malaise deepens.

Yeremy Pino had capitalised on Robin Roefs' uncertain handling to put Palace ahead against the run of play. Sunderland's response was swift and incisive: Brian Brobbey's intelligent movement allowed Enzo Le Fee to sweep home before Brobbey himself dinked a bobbling finish off the crossbar with the outside of his right boot after Noah Sadiki's penetrating pass.

Leeds' Formation Gamble Pays Dividends

Daniel Farke's switch to 3-5-2 continues to yield remarkable dividends. Lukas Nmecha's stoppage-time volley—stretching his right foot around a Fulham defender to meet Ethan Ampadu's cross—secured Leeds' sixth win since the tactical tweak.

Since late November, only five Premier League sides have accumulated more points than Leeds' 14-point haul. Three wins, five draws, and just one defeat in this run suggests Farke's gamble rivals Antonio Conte's 3-4-3 transformation at Chelsea in 2016/17 for sheer impact. Another Premier League season, it seems, is beckoning.