Welcome one and all! The greatest league in the world (as the PL is know around my condo) is hosting some bangers this weekend. In today’s PR, we ask Liverpool, “hey buddy, you doing ok?”, look at the Chelsea/Arsenal barn burner (do people still say that?), and try not to chuckle at Man United’s 10-man kryptonite.

Thank you, Premier League for never disappointing, even when results are…disappointing.

-Gabe

In this edition

• Fixtures

• 3 Things to Watch

• Extra Slice

Matchweek 13 Fixtures

Saturday, November 29

🐝 Brentford vs 🟣 Burnley - 7:00 - Peacock

🌙 Man City vs 🦉 Leeds - 7:00 - Peacock

🐈‍⬛ Sunderland vs 🍒 Bournemouth - 7:00 - Peacock

🟦 Everton vs ⚫ Newcastle - 9:30 - USA

🐓 Tottenham vs 🏠 Fulham - 12:00 - Peacock

Sunday, November 30

🦅 Crystal Palace vs 🟥 Man United - 4:00 - Peacock

Selhurst Park has quietly become one of the toughest away days in the league, and Palace arrive on a 12-match unbeaten home run, their best stretch in over three decades.

United has been singing Taylor Swift’s “Out of the Woods” on repeat hoping to wakeup from the nightmare that was their 1-0 loss to 10-man Everton. Amorin was quoted saying his team didn’t know how to play against 10 men… sorry guys you’re not going to get much sympathy from… well anyone. The game ended a promising unbeaten stretch and reopened familiar questions: why do they create so much without scoring, and why do they concede from so little? Their away form hasn’t helped the mood either. United have won just one of their last eleven away league matches and haven’t beaten a London club away from home (other than Fulham) in nearly two years.

But as we all know, the Premier League is always ready to throw a spanner in the works. This very well could be one of those matches.

⭕ Aston Villa vs 🐺 Wolves - 6:05 - Peacock

🌲 Nottingham Forest vs 🐧 Brighton - 6:05 - USA

⚒️ West Ham vs 🔴 Liverpool - 6:05 - Peacock

🦁 Chelsea vs 🔫 Arsenal - 8:30 - NBC
I’m expecting plenty Maximus Decimus Meridius, “Are you not entertained?” moments as both London Clubs are fresh off of beating two of the best teams in the world, midweek. This #1 vs #2 showdown will be their 55th meeting. Historically, this tie is perfectly balanced with 20 wins each, and 14 draws.

Arsenal have been strategically dominant this season, especially from dead ball situations. Arteta’s side lead the Premier League with 10 set-piece goals (not counting penalties) and concede the fewest shots from them (just 24 all season).

Chelsea have ground their way to second place by being, classically Chelsea. On one hand they’ve scored the second-most set-piece goals in the league (8), but on the other they’ve conceded eight goals from set plays, the second-worst in the league. Also every set-piece goal they’ve conceded has cost them points: Brighton’s 92nd-minute corner, Brentford’s long-throw equalizer, United’s corner, Sunderland’s flick-on. Arsenal will no doubt look to capitalize.

The midfield battle features two £100M engines doing wildly different jobs: Caicedo leads the entire league in interceptions (26), while Rice is operating as a true all-rounder with 7 goal involvements (third-most in Arsenal’s squad). While a fascinating duel of David Luiz’s protégé Cucurella vs Saka the will be something to watch. The Chelsea full-back has kept elite wingers quiet all month, including Lamine Yamal midweek, this one feels like it will swing on a single matchup or moment.

^{Times are in Pacific Standard Time and channels are based in the U.S.
Stats are supplied by Opta Analyst.}

Three Things to Watch (Everton Edition)

1. 🟥 Everton’s Blue on Blue Red Card

2. 🧤 Pickford playing out of his mind

3. 🏟️ Best Away Fans?

Extra Slice

For the reigning Premier League champions, the 2025 season has been incredibly frustrating, disappointing, and downright sad. After a blistering start — five straight wins that had pundits prematurely declaring the title race over — Liverpool have come crashing back to earth. The turntables have indeed turned: they’ve lost six of their last seven league matches, were beaten by lowly Nottingham Forest last week, and have conceded ten goals in their last three games.

The Reds’ woes are amplified by the severe underperformance of their big-money Summer signings. Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak have contributed almost nothing of substance so far, and instead feel like extra weight pressing down on the cracks forming in Liverpool’s foundation. Defensive instability, lack of creativity, the media circus has kicked into overdrive. Questions of Salah and Van Dijk being past it, and wondering if Slot can strategically bring them out of this slump.

From the outside, the problems (and the supposed solutions) seem obvious. But I think there’s a deeper factor being overlooked: Family.

The void left by Diogo Jota’s passing isn’t just an open roster spot; it’s a broken thread in the emotional fabric of the club. This is a team still trying to rediscover itself in the post-fatherfigureKlopp era, and as Andy Robertson’s emotional interview after Scotland’s qualifier showed, Jota’s absence is felt intensely by those who loved and played alongside him.

Building something new after loss, whether it’s a family, a business, or a football team, isn’t quantifiable like most metrics in sport. Much like the “Klopp effect,” the intangibles are often the most essential drivers of collective success. Liverpool still have time to steady themselves, and it hasn’t all been bleak. Dominik Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Gakpo, and Ekitike have all provided flashes of life, keeping the Reds competitive. And let’s not forget: this is the same team that beat Arsenal early in the season and toppled Real Madrid just three weeks ago.

While the media continues to review Liverpool under a microscope, dissecting body language, shot maps, and “the data”, there will always be questions about the season that might have been, and what’s happening inside the hearts of those dealing with real, human loss.

Until next week, Gabe.