London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Feb 23, 2026

Premier League talking points

Premier League talking points

Talking points from the latest round of Premier League games:

HAALAND CONTINUES TO MAKE PREMIER LEAGUE LOOK EASY

After going three Manchester City appearances without a goal prior to his side's clash with Tottenham Hotspur last week, it seemed Erling Haaland was human after all.

However, after ending his brief goal drought against Spurs, the Norwegian fired in his fourth Premier League hat-trick of a sensational debut season in England to earn City a 3-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday.

The stats make for remarkable reading. Haaland broke former Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy's record of being the fastest player to four Premier League hat-tricks. Haaland's four came in 19 games, Van Nistelrooy's in 65.

His 25-goal league haul from 19 matches would have been enough to win the Premier League golden boot in each of the previous four seasons. Dixie Dean's record of 60 goals scored in a single league season, set in 1928, remains in sight.


NKETIAH SEIZING HIS CHANCE AT ARSENAL


When Gabriel Jesus was sidelined by injury, doubts were raised about Arsenal's depth and whether they could continue to set the pace at the top of the Premier League.

But in homegrown product Eddie Nketiah they have saved themselves millions in the transfer market.

Fellow youth team prodigy Bukayo Saka grabs most of the headlines and scored a beautiful goal against Manchester United on Sunday but Nketiah's double sealed the 3-2 win.

It took Nketiah a while to establish himself at Arsenal having made his debut in 2017 and he was loaned out to Leeds United at one stage. But after Jesus's injury, he has seized his chance with both hands and he now has seven goals from his last seven games in all competitions.


GOAL DROUGHT A WORRY FOR NEWCASTLE


Newcastle stretched their unbeaten Premier League run to a club record 15 and kept a sixth successive clean sheet but the 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace exposed their misfiring attack.

Eddie Howe's side are devilishly difficult to beat but they have now scored only once in four league games and their top-four ambitions could be damaged by a lack of goals.

The decision to loan out striker Chris Wood was surprising especially with no forward coming in and Howe will be pushing for offensive reinforcements before the transfer window shuts.

Joelinton was disappointing at Palace while Callum Wilson is without a goal since October and looks short of confidence.


MUDRYK OFFERS SOME CHEER FOR CHELSEA


There was not much to get excited about in Chelsea's 0-0 draw at Liverpool but the second-half introduction of new signing Mykhaylo Mudryk did lift the tedium.

The Ukrainian winger, who looked destined for Arsenal before choosing Chelsea, showed some dazzling footwork during his brief cameo and looked the most likely player in Chelsea's ranks to snatch a winner at Anfield.

Manager Graham Potter was impressed by 22-year-old Mudryk's impact while Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville raved: "Seeing Mudryk for 10 mins I wouldn't like to play against him!"


WHERE IS EVERTON’S NEXT WIN COMING FROM?


Everton have had a number of must-win games since the resumption of the Premier League season following the World Cup and lost them all. Next up is Arsenal and Liverpool.

They had home games against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Southampton when both clubs were bottom of the league, and lost both 2-1. This weekend’s visit to fellow strugglers West Ham was at the very least a "must not lose" fixture, but they were comfortably beaten.

The Toffees’ 15 points from their first 20 games of the season is the worst return in the club’s history and it is hard to see where the next victory is coming from for Frank Lampard’s side.

He has tried to change systems, going to five at the back, but it has not yet made any difference to results. New arrivals this week could change the outlook for the team, but will they be enough to stave off relegation?

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Police Officers Guarded 2010 Epstein Dinner Attended by Prince Andrew, Reports Say
US Trade Representative Affirms Commitment to Existing Tariff Agreements with UK and Other Partners
Activists at the Louvre hung a framed Reuters photograph of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor slumped in the back of a car leaving a police station on the day of his arrest
The royal biographer said that he expected the police to 'look at the money trail' - including Sarah Ferguson borrowing money from Epstein
A Protestor screams in NYC: “Bill Gates is on the Epstein’s List…”
FBI and Secret Service Hold Press Conference After Shooting Incident at Mar-a-Lago
Mark Zuckerberg Testifies in Trial Over Social Media's Impact on Children's Mental Health
Maggie Oliver exposes Keir Starmer using letters to close child rapists investigations
Kouri Richie's wrote a children’s book to help her sons grieve the death of their father. Now she’ll stand trial for his murder
New York Braces for Major Snowstorm With Up to 18 Inches Forecast and Blizzard Warnings Issued
Mexican Military Kills CJNG Leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes as Violence Erupts Across Jalisco
Metropolitan Police Deploys Palantir-Powered AI to Flag Potential Officer Misconduct
UK Parliament Rebukes Police Over Ban on Israeli Football Fans
Britain Emerges Among a Small Group of Nations Without a Religious Majority
UK’s Manufacturing Base at Risk as Soaring Energy Costs Weigh on Industry
Matt Goodwin’s Unconventional Campaign for Reform UK in the Gorton and Denton By-Election
US Military Movements in the UK Spark Speculation Over Preparations Related to Iran Tensions
UK Faces Significant Economic Risk From Trump’s New Global Tariff Regime
UK Defence Secretary Signals Intent to Deploy British Troops to Ukraine
UK Students Mark Lunar New Year as Universities Adjust to New Equality Compliance Rules
UK Government Weighs Removing Prince Andrew from Line of Succession After Arrest
Prince Andrew’s Arrest in UK Rekindles Scrutiny Over US Handling of Epstein Records
Trump’s Strategic Warning to UK Over Chagos Islands Deal Sparks Diplomatic Whiplash
Starmer Government Postpones Local Elections Affecting 4.5 Million Voters
UK Economy Remains Fragile Despite Recent Upturn in Headline Indicators
UK Businesses Face Fresh Uncertainty Following US Tariff Ruling
Reform UK’s Senior Figures Face Scrutiny Over Remarks on Women and Family Policy
UK Electric Vehicle Drive Threatened by Shortage of 44,000 Qualified Technicians
University of Kentucky Trustees Advance Academic Reforms and Approve Coliseum Plaza Purchase
Boris Johnson Calls for Immediate Deployment of UK Troops to Support Ukraine
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman praises the rapid progress of Chinese tech companies.
North Korea's capital experiences a significant construction boom with the development of a new city district dubbed 'Pyonghattan'.
New electric vehicle charging service eliminates waiting times
Vox Populi confronts Justin Trudeau at Davos over vaccination policies
Poland's President Karol Nawrocki ENDS support for Ukrainian citizens:
The mayor of Rotherham in Britain
One day after ex-Prince Andrew's arrest, British police are searching his former home, while U.K. lawmakers will consider introducing legislation to remove him from the line of royal succession
Vandana Shiva reminding the world that Bill Gates did not invent anything.
Italy's PM Giorgia Meloni highlights record employment and economic growth
UK Confirms Preferential U.S. Trading Terms Will Continue After Supreme Court Tariff Ruling
U.S. and U.K. to Hold Talks on Diego Garcia as Iran Objects to Potential Military Use
UK Officials Weigh Possible Changes to Prince Andrew’s Position in Line of Succession Amid Ongoing Scrutiny
British Police Probe Epstein’s UK Airport Links and Expand High-Profile Inquiries
The Impact of U.S. Sanctions on Cuba's Humanitarian Crisis: A Tightening Noose
Trump Directs Government to Release UFO and Alien Information
Trump Signs Global 10% Tariffs on Imports
United Kingdom Denies U.S. Access to Military Base for Potential Iran Strike
British Co-founder of ASOS falls to his death from Pattaya apartment
Early 2026 Data Suggests Tentative Recovery for UK Businesses and Households
UK Introduces Digital-First Passport Rules for Dual Citizens in Border Control Overhaul
×