Week 21 sees the calming of the hectic festive period, and while moves will be made before the window shuts, several teams may well be looking at the market after dropping points this weekend. With several draws that could impact the league placings, week 21 could prove pivotal in the final standings.

As always, in this post we will be picking out 3 of the biggest talking points of the weekend, along with giving out the game of the week and player of the week awards. If we’ve missed something in this post that you saw over the weekend please do get in touch with us on all the usual places (Bluesky @NextGoalWinner – Instagram @NextGoalWin), and if you prefer an audio round up of the action then do check out our YouTube channel (@NextGoalWinner) where we post weekly reviews on there of all the key talking points in the Premier League and around Europe.

Liverpool Held

Liverpool’s trip to the City Ground on January 14 had the makings of a classic, runaway leaders against the season’s surprise package. But rather than rolling over for the league leaders, Nottingham Forest stood tall and earned a deserved 1-1 draw that kept the Premier League title race simmering. Chris Wood, the veteran New Zealander who has found a new lease of life under Nuno Espirito Santo, opened the scoring in the eighth minute, turning home Callum Hudson-Odoi’s low cross. His 13th league goal of the campaign sent Forest’s fans into delirium and briefly lifted them to second place in the table.

Liverpool, for their part, were made to work hard for every inch of progress. Arne Slot’s men dominated possession, hovering around 70 percent, but found little joy against Forest’s disciplined back line. It took a tactical switch and the introduction of Diogo Jota to make the difference. Within seconds of coming on, the Portuguese forward glanced in a header from a Kostas Tsimikas cross to bring Liverpool level in the 66th minute. The goal preserved Liverpool’s six-point advantage at the top but came with a tinge of frustration that they couldn’t find a winner despite a late siege on the Forest goal.

Forest’s resilience was the story of the night. Matz Sels, who joined in the summer, produced two crucial saves late on, first denying Jota again and then sprawling to keep out Mohamed Salah. Nuno praised his team’s courage and tactical discipline afterward, saying his players “showed exactly how we want to compete.” Forest’s unbeaten run extended to eight in all competitions, and with performances like this, their top-four ambitions, and even faint title whispers, no longer feel fanciful.

For Liverpool, it was another lesson in navigating adversity. Slot admitted his side “lacked sharpness” in the final third but emphasised that a point away to an in-form Forest side “is not a disaster.” The draw underscored what many already suspected: this title race won’t be a procession, and every game now carries the weight of a cup final.

Arsenal Capitalise

A day later, all eyes were on North London as Arsenal hosted Tottenham in a fiercely contested derby that could either breathe life into their season or deepen the gloom. Mikel Arteta’s side had stumbled in recent weeks, but they rediscovered their spark with a hard-fought 2-1 victory that reignited their title challenge. Spurs took an early lead through Son Heung-min after a slick counter-attack, sending the travelling fans into raptures. But Arsenal responded with the sort of intensity and belief that Arteta has been demanding, and, crucially, they turned dominance into points.

The equaliser came in bizarre fashion as Dominic Solanke, attempting to clear Bukayo Saka’s cross, headed into his own net. From there, Arsenal took control of proceedings. Leandro Trossard struck the decisive blow early in the second half, guiding home Martin Ødegaard’s cut-back to put the Gunners ahead. From then on, they managed the game superbly, blending composure with aggression to keep Spurs at bay. It was a mature performance that reflected lessons learned from last season’s faltering spring run.

For Arsenal fans, the win carried extra significance. Not only did it move them to within four points of Liverpool, but it came in a fixture that has so often defined the club’s momentum in title races past. Ødegaard and Declan Rice bossed midfield, while William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães once again underlined why many consider them the best centre-back pairing in England. The Emirates crowd sensed the shift, this wasn’t just a derby victory; it was a statement that Arsenal remain very much in the hunt.

Post-match, Arteta hailed the “character and control” of his team, while Ange Postecoglou admitted frustration at his side’s defensive lapses, calling the loss “unacceptable.” Spurs’ attacking intent is admirable, but without greater balance at the back, their Champions League hopes may slip away. For Arsenal, however, this was precisely the spark they needed, a performance to build on as the season’s decisive months approach.

Mid-Table Matters

Away from the top-of-the-table headlines, Week 21 offered plenty of drama in the league’s ever-chaotic middle and lower reaches. Chelsea’s 2-2 draw with Bournemouth typified their inconsistency, moments of brilliance undone by defensive frailty. The Cherries twice led through Semenyo and Justin Kluivert, only for Chelsea to respond via Cole Palmer and a stoppage-time equaliser from captain Reece James. For Maresca, the late rescue offered relief but little satisfaction; his side remain outside the Champions League spots, haunted by familiar flaws in finishing and focus.

Leicester City’s struggles deepened with a 0-2 home defeat to Crystal Palace, leaving Enzo Maresca under mounting scrutiny. Palace, revitalised under Oliver Glasner, executed their game plan perfectly, Eberechi Eze pulling the strings and Jean-Philippe Mateta converting twice on the counter. Leicester’s winless run stretched to seven league matches, and their once-promising top-half push has unravelled rapidly. Maresca admitted afterward that his players “lost confidence too easily,” a worrying sign for a squad that looked so composed earlier in the campaign.

At the foot of the table, Southampton’s woes continued with a 1-3 defeat to Manchester United, despite showing flashes of spirit. United’s Amad Diallo stole the headlines with a stunning late hat-trick, his first in senior football, turning what had been a nervy contest into a comfortable win. For Ruben Amorim’s side, it was a morale-boosting result that tightened their grip on the European spots. For Southampton, though, the loss left them stranded in the relegation zone, with manager Russell Martin admitting his side are “running out of excuses.”

These results might not have dominated the headlines, but they shape the league’s wider narrative. The race for Europe is as unpredictable as ever, while the fight for survival grows more desperate by the week. As January gives way to the season’s decisive run-in, the Premier League once again proves that every fixture, from top to bottom, carries consequences.

Game of the week: Arsenal 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur With Liverpool and City dropping points on Saturday, Arsenal capitalised as they came from behind to beat rivals Tottenham and close the gap at the top of the table, reclaiming 2nd spot.

Player of the week: Amad Diallo After a second half hattrick which sealed 3 points for United, and avoided an embarrassing defeat against the bottom side, his efforts made for a dramatic end to the clash as Old Trafford witnessed a brilliant 12 minute individual display.