Premier League recap: Gunners blast off, Ivan Toney back with a bang

With only four games played across the whole weekend, the Premier League certainly did not take centre stage in the football world - but there were still plenty of talking points from the fixtures that were played.

Arsenal bulldoze Crystal Palace

Whether it is Arsenal returning to their best or Crystal Palace shrinking to a new low will become more clear in the coming weeks - but one thing is for sure, the Gunners looked untouchable at the Emirates on Saturday.

While some might feel the 5-0 scoreline is a bit flattering to the North Londoners considering Gabriel Martinelli scored twice in stoppage time at the end of the game, there is no doubt something needs to change for the Eagles.

The warm-weather training camp Arsenal took over the two-week winter break had the desired effect, with Bukayo Saka joking that the squad should book another trip to Dubai this week.

Jota and Nunez peaking at the perfect time

Not only are Liverpool without talisman Mohamed Salah for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, but it now looks as though he could be absent for longer as he has returned to England with an injury.

Which must have made Diogo Jota's shining performance against Bournemouth all the sweeter, coupled with two very welcome goals from Darwin Nunez.

There is no doubt Liverpool's squad is chock full of talent but Salah has been carrying the mantle for too long and it's time the likes of Nunez, Jota, Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz start picking up the slack.

Nottingham Forest have some questions to answer at the back

There is no doubt Nottingham Forest have been on the up in recent weeks - their win over Manchester United to close out 2023 still lingers in the memory - but it is impossible to ignore the fact that they have not managed to keep a clean sheet since November last year.

It's one thing playing an expansive game and scoring goals but you need more than that to win games. Questions are beginning to be asked of incumbent goalkeeper Matt Turner, who has shown plenty of shot-stopping ability but seems to be pretty lacking when it comes to ball control and confidence in possession.

Nuno Espírito Santo does have Odysseas Vlachodimos as an additional option but because neither he nor his predecessor Steve Cooper has given him a look-in, the answer might need to be found elsewhere.

Toney is back with a bang

It took less than 20 minutes for Ivan Toney to get back on the scoresheet after spending eight months out due to a suspension for breaching gambling regulations.

It seems almost fitting the goal has been surrounded by controversy too, with Forest lodging an official query about the legality of Toney's free-kick goal. They felt he broke the rules by moving the ball after the referee had drawn the mark with vanishing paint.

There is nothing to take away from the quality of the strike, though, and Brentford will be delighted to have him back as they look to put some distance between themselves and the relegation zone.

READ MORE: Diogo Jota inspires Liverpool surge as injuries fail to dampen Premier League lead