Three talking points from the Premier League weekend

Arsenal strengthened their hold on the Premier League title chase after Manchester City managed only a 1-1 stalemate against Chelsea without a manager.

Declan Rice netted a brace in the Gunners 3-2 victory over Bournemouth, extending their lead at the summit to six points.

Down at the bottom, West Ham's hopes of staying up took a severe hit with a 3-0 loss to Wolves, a team that had failed to win any of their first 19 matches this term.

AFP Sports highlights three key discussion points from the weekend's matches:

Exceptional Rice propels Arsenal forward

Rice was a significant doubt for the journey to England's southern shores on Saturday, having sat out Arsenal's midweek thrashing of Aston Villa due to knee inflammation.

The England midfielder bounced back in time to start and left his imprint by bagging a pair of goals in a Premier League fixture for the first time.

Mikel Arteta praised the 26-year-old as among the top midfielders globally, citing his wide range of skills.

"He keeps enhancing his contributions to the squad," the Spaniard noted.

"I cannot spot a limit for him since there are plenty of aspects where he can grow, and he is eager to do so. He is a crucial figure for our team."

Having come runners-up in each of the past three campaigns, Arteta's squad is nearing the end of a 22-year drought for the championship.

City's momentum fizzles out

City had triumphed in eight consecutive outings before failing to score in a 0-0 tie at Sunderland on January 1.

However, their pursuit of Arsenal has derailed over four tough days for Pep Guardiola's outfit, in multiple respects.

Besides losing four points, defenders Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias both exited injured during the second half versus Chelsea, depleting Guardiola's defensive resources.

"Naturally, I am worried. Did you notice the substitutes today? Just three academy youngsters, and now it will worsen," Guardiola remarked.

"We lack personnel. That is the reality."

Throughout his successful ten years at the helm, Guardiola has routinely shuffled his City line-ups to maintain peak freshness among his players.

This term has been different. His steady choices aided City's return to the title fight following defeats in two of their initial three fixtures.

Yet, they seem to be tiring amid the demanding winter fixture list in English football.

City have completed only two of their nine January encounters, with clashes against Tottenham and Liverpool awaiting in early February.

West Ham faces turmoil

Nuno Espirito Santo risks joining the ranks of recently dismissed West Ham bosses after a dismal showing against his old team.

The Hammers' drop zone worries intensified with first-half strikes from Jhon Arias, Hwang Hee-chan, and Mateus Mane, which doubled Wolves' seasonal tally.

Nuno called the outcome, leaving West Ham four points from safety in 18th position, the lowest point of his coaching life.

"I am sorry to the supporters. It was humiliating," said Nuno, who has already lost his job at Nottingham Forest this year.

"I cannot remember a moment on a football field where I felt this awful."

Brought in during September after Graham Potter's brief stint ended, Nuno is aware that rumours swirl about his impending dismissal.

"This is not regarding my position; it is about escaping this mess, enhancing our play, and securing wins to rise up the standings," he continued.