In the final round of league fixtures before the end of the transfer window, there were some big results and high scoring clashes this last weekend. With Bournemouth making light work of Forest, Liverpool and Newcastle brushing past the likely relegation candidates, and City making a statement in their win over Chelsea, the league has more twists and turns to come.

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 Make A Statement

Liverpool’s 4-1 win over Ipswich at Anfield felt like a title statement. Goals from Mohamed Salah and a Cody Gakpo brace showcased the Reds’ ruthless attacking balance. Their pressing and quick transitions overwhelmed an Ipswich side that barely touched the ball in Liverpool’s half. Even as Slot rotated, the intensity never dropped, a sign of a squad firing on all cylinders.

This victory stretched their unbeaten league run to 18 and kept them six points clear at the summit. Gakpo’s form in particular is peaking at the right moment; his link-up play with Salah and Núñez gave Liverpool an edge that few sides can live with. After the game, pundits agreed this was another example of Liverpool’s maturity, no complacency, just efficiency.

There’s also a psychological dimension: these types of wins against bottom-half opposition often separate champions from challengers. Anfield buzzed with belief that this side has rediscovered its 2019-20 aura. With the title race heating up, Liverpool look the most complete team in England right now.

Bournemouth Demolish Forest

If anyone doubted Bournemouth’s attacking evolution under Andoni Iraola, the 5-0 hammering of third-placed Nottingham Forest settled it. Dango Ouattara stole the headlines with a clinical hat-trick, combining pace and precision to tear through Forest’s high line. Justin Kluivert and Antoine Semenyo added the gloss, but the story was Bournemouth’s swagger, aggressive pressing and swift vertical play that left Forest shell-shocked.

It wasn’t just the scoreline that stunned neutrals, but the dominance. Bournemouth controlled possession, won nearly every second ball, and looked more like the side chasing Champions League qualification. The vitality at the Vitality Stadium was palpable; this was the performance of a team unafraid to aim higher than mid-table survival.

For Forest, the defeat exposed defensive fragility and lack of adaptability when pressed. Their unbeaten run ended brutally, and questions will be asked of their consistency. But for Bournemouth, it was a night that hinted at European dreams, and a reminder that “smaller” clubs can still land heavyweight blows.

Arsenal Grind It Out

At Molineux, Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Wolves was overshadowed by controversy. Myles Lewis-Skelly’s red card for a high-boot challenge on João Gomes divided opinion, many pundits called it harsh, arguing the teenager’s intent was to win the ball. Regardless, Arsenal regrouped impressively, with Riccardo Calafiori netting a superb winner to keep their title chase alive.

This was a display of grit rather than glamour. Down to ten men for nearly half an hour, Arsenal’s defensive structure held firm. Declan Rice and Gabriel marshalled the midfield and backline with authority, while David Raya made key interventions to preserve the lead. The resilience mirrored last season’s late-season steel, a trait Mikel Arteta has been desperate to instil.

The aftermath sparked debate over VAR consistency and whether young players like Lewis-Skelly are being punished too harshly for enthusiasm. But in the bigger picture, Arsenal’s ability to win ugly keeps them within striking distance of Liverpool. It wasn’t pretty, but it was the kind of win champions-elect have to grind out.

Game of the week: Bournemouth 5-0 Nottingham Forest While a 5-0 win doesn’t suggest much of a contest, this result is a big shock considering the form of Nottingham Forest this season. Bournemouth showed their huge quality in attack and resulted in a big win that could spur momentum for a European push themselves, while Forest need to regroup quickly to maintain their early form.

Player of the week: Dango Ouattara After a hattrick against what had been a strong defensive unit in Nottingham Forest makes Ouattara more than worthy of player of the week. A solid performance which displayed Bournemouth’s terrific attacking prowess among one of the leagues most exciting forward lines.