Well, that’s the Premier League done and dusted for another year. It’s been a pretty up and down season for some, while a lot of the biggest placings had been decided well in advance of this final day. That said, it still provided us with enough drama and talking points as we head into a summer break (Club World Cup aside) and begin to start fresh in just a few months time.

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.

Newcastle Qualify

Newcastle United fans will scarcely care that the season’s final whistle came after a 1–0 home defeat to Everton. The roar that followed wasn’t one of despair but pure jubilation, as confirmation filtered through that results elsewhere had secured their return to the UEFA Champions League. Eddie Howe’s men, who have battled through injuries and an intense fixture schedule, finished fifth in the Premier League, good enough to book their place at Europe’s top table next season. It’s a remarkable turnaround for a club that, only a few years ago, was fighting to avoid relegation.

The St James’ Park crowd erupted when word spread that Tottenham’s and Chelsea’s results had fallen their way. For all the tactical structure Howe has instilled, this achievement feels as much about spirit and stability as it does about numbers on a table. Newcastle’s blend of smart recruitment, think Alexander Isak’s consistency, Bruno Guimarães’ leadership, and the emergence of youngsters like Lewis Miley, has given the club real identity.

There’s also a broader story here: Newcastle’s qualification continues the slow but unmistakable shift in English football’s power balance. Once locked out by the traditional “big four,” clubs like Newcastle, Aston Villa, and even Brighton have shown that the door is finally ajar. The focus now turns to the summer, a Champions League campaign demands squad depth, tactical evolution, and experience. Howe’s next challenge is ensuring this is the beginning of something, not just a glorious one-off.

Spurs Hangover

​It was a bizarre and bittersweet finale for Tottenham Hotspur. Just days after parading the Europa League trophy through North London, their first major European silverware in over 40 years, Ange Postecoglou’s men slumped to a 4–1 defeat at Brighton. The loss capped a disastrous Premier League campaign that saw Spurs finish with just 38 points, their lowest total since the 1970s. It’s a strange contradiction: champions of Europe’s secondary competition, yet shockingly poor over 38 league games.

Postecoglou cut a philosophical figure afterwards, praising his team’s resilience in Europe while admitting domestic standards had “fallen well short.” Fatigue, fixture congestion, and a string of injuries to key players like Son Heung-min and James Maddison certainly didn’t help. But deeper issues, defensive frailty, lack of midfield balance, and an overreliance on moments of individual brilliance, were ruthlessly exposed across the season.

Still, there’s no denying that European triumph has given Spurs’ supporters something tangible to celebrate. The question now is how the club rebuilds its league form while sustaining continental success. Postecoglou’s football is exhilarating when it works, but in the Premier League’s unforgiving rhythm, tactical idealism must sometimes bow to pragmatism. Tottenham’s 2024-25 campaign will be remembered as both a triumph and a warning, proof that glory in Europe can’t mask the grind of week-in, week-out domestic inconsistency.

Last Day Standings

The title may have been wrapped up weeks earlier, but Week 38 still delivered the kind of drama only the Premier League can provide. With European qualification on the line, every goal, every save, and every slip sent shockwaves through the table. Chelsea, Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa, and Manchester City all entered the final day knowing that one result could define their season. Chelsea’s narrow 1–0 win at Nottingham Forest proved decisive, a late strike sealing both victory and a return to the Champions League, while Forest’s brave fight came to nothing but pride.

Across the country, phones buzzed, stadium scoreboards flashed updates, and fans rode the emotional rollercoaster of the afternoon. At one point, live standings had Newcastle out, then back in; Villa’s hopes flickered on and off; even City’s spot seemed briefly in jeopardy. It was chaotic, pulsating, and utterly Premier League, a reminder of why the final day remains one of the sport’s great spectacles.

When the dust settled, Chelsea and Newcastle joined the Champions League party, while Villa and Forest were left wondering what might have been. The margins were agonisingly fine, a goal difference here, a missed penalty there. For neutrals, it was the perfect finale: drama without despair, competition without cruelty. For the clubs involved, it was a day that will shape budgets, transfers, and ambitions for years to come.

Game of the week: Manchester United 2-0 Aston Villa While many games had little to play for on the final day, Villa became the masters of their own downfall after Emi Martinez was sent off, and Manchester United shook off their Europa League defeat by showing a glimpse of potential quality to stop Villa from reaching their Champions League ambition once again.

Player of the week: Jack Hinshelwood Amid Tottenham’s Europa League success hangover (and literal hangover possibly for some), Brighton ended their season on a positive note, thanks to 20 year old forward Jack Hinshelwood. Bagging 2 second half goals, the young forward helped secure 3 points on the final day for his visiting side.