The 2022/2023 Premier League season is now into its twenty-seventh game week, and the entertainment continues to be relentless and thoroughly enjoyable.

As a result, we will be breaking down each round of fixtures by picking out 3 of the biggest talking points, covering the biggest results, goals and general talking points from the week. We then will round off by picking our player of the week and game of the week based on what we saw in that round of games.

Let us know over on Twitter (@NextGoalWinBlog) if you have seen anything in a game that you think we should be talking about, or have anything to share from what you’ve seen at a game that week. Any funny stories, tactical analysis or general comments will be featured.

Bournemouth Stun

The headline of the weekend belonged firmly to Bournemouth, who pulled off a stunning 1–0 victory over Liverpool at the Vitality Stadium. Few gave the Cherries a chance against a Liverpool side that had thrashed Manchester United 7–0 the week before and had beaten Bournemouth 9–0 earlier in the season. Yet forcing the issue, defending bravely and showing real belief, Bournemouth flipped the script in spectacular fashion.

Philip Billing’s first-half goal proved enough, as Liverpool wasted chances and failed to match the intensity of their hosts. Mohamed Salah’s missed penalty summed up an afternoon where little went right for Jürgen Klopp’s side, who looked flat and complacent after their recent highs. It was a reminder of the Premier League’s unforgiving nature, dominance one week offers no guarantees the next.

For Bournemouth, the result was massive. It breathed new life into their survival push and showed that belief, organisation and commitment can bridge even the widest quality gaps. For Liverpool, it was a sobering setback that dented momentum and raised familiar questions about consistency away from home.

Frustration

Elsewhere, several teams with ambitions higher up the table endured frustrating afternoons. Manchester United were held to a 0–0 draw by Southampton at Old Trafford in a match that swung dramatically after Casemiro’s red card. Reduced to ten men, United struggled to assert themselves and were forced to settle for a point that felt like a missed opportunity in the race for Champions League qualification.

Brighton’s 2–2 draw at Leeds also stood out. The Seagulls played some excellent football but were twice pegged back by a spirited Leeds side fighting for survival. For Brighton, it was another performance that showcased their quality, but also one that underlined how fine the margins were when trying to break into the European places.

Newcastle’s narrow 2–1 win over Wolves was one of the few positive results among the chasing pack, but even that came with tension and late nerves. As the season tightened, Week 27 highlighted how difficult it was becoming for teams to simply “bank” three points, regardless of league position.

Relegation Battle

Perhaps the most compelling narrative of the weekend was the growing sense of belief among teams near the foot of the table. Bournemouth’s shock win was the standout, but Everton also played their part by edging Brentford 1–0 in a vital contest. Under pressure and in desperate need of points, Everton showed grit and discipline to claim a result that steadied their campaign.

Leeds’ draw with Brighton added to the feeling that the relegation fight was wide open. Performances were improving, crowds were fully engaged, and teams were starting to sense that survival was achievable. Even sides still in trouble were no longer being rolled over by stronger opposition.

By the end of Week 27, the bottom half of the table felt tighter and more unpredictable than ever. With every point carrying extra weight, the weekend served as a reminder that the Premier League’s drama isn’t confined to title races, sometimes, the most compelling stories are found in the fight to stay afloat.

Matchday 27 Player of the Week: Harry Kane With a brace inside of 16 minutes, Kane helped get Spurs back on track against Forest, and the front line for Spurs looked dangerous once again.

Matchday 27 Game of the Week: Leicester City 1-3 Chelsea Capping a solid week for Potter amid recent disappointments, Chelsea held firm in their win over Leicester which saw 4 goals and a red card, making this the most exciting watch across the weekend.

Let us know over on Twitter (@NextGoalWinBlog) what you made of the twenty-seventh round of fixtures, and what you’re looking forward to in the next game week.