The calm before the festive madness of the English Premier League

AFTER a tumultuous week for Arne Slot, the noise died down slightly on Saturday as Liverpool returned to winning ways following two consecutive Premier League draws.

The ongoing drama surrounding Mohamed Salah appears to have cooled, with the Egyptian King named on the bench for the fourth straight match after being left out of the Champions League trip to Milan for his comments regarding the manager.

This time, Salah did feature, and there was no fiery mixed-zone interview afterwards. Perhaps Salah knows this could be his final appearance for Liverpool, as he acknowledged the applause from the home supporters at full-time.

With Salah now heading off to join Egypt for the African Cup Nations (Afcon), no one knows what lies ahead.

The Anfield faithful still seem to support him, singing his name at full-time after remaining largely silent for most of the match, but his future is in the hands of Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes.

If both men are trying to protect the manager, expect Salah to be sold during the January transfer window.

Once again, Anfield resembled a library after the usual rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone at kick-off. Fortunately for Slot, the atmosphere did not affect the performance on the pitch.

Hugo Ekitike scored twice, taking his tally to four goals in two league games. Liverpool were far from spectacular, but they were functional, and a clean sheet paired with three points is what mattered. Slot probably hopes this sparks momentum as they attempt to close the gap on the Champions League places during the busy winter schedule.

Wolves scored three times at the Emirates but left empty-handed, undone by the crosses delivered by Bukayo Saka.

Arsenal dominated possession, but their strikers failed to fully capitalise. Doubts are beginning to surface about another December collapse, but Mikel Arteta will be determined not to repeat past mistakes. For now, it appears to be more mental than tactical, and time in the video room should address it.

A spirited performance by Wolves, but another letdown at the end. They are now on pace to be the worst team in the league since the infamous Derby County season.

Stamford Bridge felt cold again as Cole Palmer marked his return to the line-up with a goal that guided Chelsea back to winning ways after recent inconsistency.

The talisman reminded the fans of the significant role he plays within the squad. Enzo Maresca is hoping Palmer stays fit and avoids injuries if Chelsea are to remain in the title conversation.

At Selhurst Park, Manchester City kept pace with Arsenal thanks to a brace from Erling Haaland. Haaland now has 17 goals in 16 league matches — a rate unmatched by anyone else in the division. This City side are different from the possession-heavy Guardiola teams of the past.

Their goals now come largely through transitions and controlled chaos. The presence of former Juergen Klopp assistant Pepijn Lijnders on the bench may be influencing this evolution. At present, only City and Aston Villa are keeping pace with Arsenal.

Morgan Rogers is making a serious case to start ahead of Jude Bellingham at the next World Cup based on current form. Another two goals and a man-of-the-match display helped Aston Villa leave London with maximum points.

West Ham started brightly and took the lead twice, but Rogers spoiled the night for Nuno Espírito Santo’s side.

Once again, Unai Emery proved his mastery in making decisive substitutions at key moments as his tactical tweaks heavily influenced the outcome of the game.

In the first Tyne-Wear derby of the season, Sunderland proved that passion and intensity still win football matches. The Stadium of Light was electric as the Black Cats secured a 1-0 victory thanks to an unfortunate own goal by Nick Woltemade.

It was not the ideal way to endear himself to his new supporters, but the ‘’red and white’’ faithful will remember this derby for years. Eddie Howe has work to do before the return fixture, particularly in addressing his team’s struggles against physical opposition.

The festive fixture pile-up has arrived. With African players away for Afcon, squad rotation will be crucial as matches come every three days.

On paper, Arsenal and City possess the depth to rotate without disruption. The big question is whether Villa can do the same or if Emery has another trick up his sleeve.

Whatever unfolds, a three-horse title race is exactly what the league and its fans need.