Three talking points from the Premier League weekend

Ollie Watkins helped Aston Villa stay in the race for the Premier League crown with a strong victory over Chelsea, which means the top three teams are now only three points apart before the last matches of 2025.

Arsenal hold a two-point advantage over Manchester City following their 2-1 triumphs against Brighton and Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

After an 11-match winning run, Villa face Arsenal away on Tuesday in a key clash for the championship.

Down at the bottom, West Ham seem set to drop into the Championship alongside strugglers Burnley and Wolves next term.

AFP Sports examines three key discussion points from the Premier League weekend:

Watkins brings extra spark to Villas push

Villa are on their finest sequence since 1914, positioning them for a surprise bid at their first title in 45 years.

Unai Emerys side reached this spot with little input from their leading scorer over the previous five years.

Watkins had scored only three goals this term prior to substituting on and flipping the match at Stamford Bridge.

Emery noted earlier this month that the England forward has dealt with knee issues for over a year, yet he appeared sharp in the penalty area, dismantling Chelsea.

"His mindset was outstanding, his dedication was outstanding," Emery commented.

Watkins looks forward to further successes on his 30th birthday during Villas trip to the Emirates, targeting parity with frontrunners Arsenal.

Should this mark a shift in his form, Villa can genuinely aspire to lift a trophy after 30 years.

"I have not felt at my peak. Still, I can take this as a benchmark now and build from it," Watkins stated.

Pressure builds on Maresca

A mere month back, Chelsea were nipping at Arsenals heels ahead of their Stamford Bridge encounter.

Since then, the Blues have secured one league win in six outings, dropping from title contenders to fifth place.

Following his sole success in that spell, a 2-0 defeat of Everton earlier this month, Enzo Maresca voiced frustration over insufficient backing from within the club for him and his squad.

However, the Italian is wearing thin on the patience of numerous Chelsea supporters.

Maresca carries goodwill from capturing the Conference League and Club World Cup in his first year.

Yet, competing deep into the summer under draining circumstances to claim global honours is starting to wear him down.

Maresca watched from the stands due to a touchline suspension as his team squandered a strong opening 45 minutes, collapsing when Villa found rhythm after the break.

Emerys skill in adapting tactics further highlighted the ex-Leicester managers shortcomings.

Watkins called his boss a "tactical mastermind" for a three-player switch and formation tweak that swung momentum towards Villa.

Maresca tried to counter with his own three substitutions, but they yielded no benefit, and pulling Cole Palmer later sparked visible irritation from the England star. 

West Ham struggles

The Hammers face severe difficulties following a 1-0 loss to Fulham at home, leaving them five points from survival.

Nuno Espirito Santos stint in east London sparked eight points from his initial seven fixtures, yet West Ham have gathered just two from the subsequent 18 on offer.

In contrast, Leeds and Forest have improved markedly to distance themselves from the relegation zone.

"We could discuss every element for ages, but essentially, without goals, in our current plight, all the negatives pile up," Nuno remarked.