As we return from the final international break of the year, the domestic schedule picks up once again and provided us with a classic weekend of chaos. With the league leader pulling away, the chasing pack all stumbled and stuttered, while down towards the bottom of the table, a new manager in the dugout produced more of the same.

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.

Eze’s Having A Laugh

Arsenal’s title push gathered serious momentum in Week 12 as they swept aside Tottenham in the North London Derby, powered by a stunning hat-trick from Eberechi Eze. His goals weren’t just spectacular, they were perfectly timed, landing psychological blows right before and right after the interval. For a player who arrived in the summer amid big expectations and rival interest, this was a statement performance of the highest calibre.

What made the afternoon even more poignant was the backstory: Spurs had pushed hard for Eze just months earlier. Instead, he chose Arsenal, and in this match he showed exactly why Mikel Arteta fought so hard to sign him. With Martin Ødegaard still unavailable, Eze has stepped into the creative void seamlessly, providing both artistry and end product. Arteta praised his maturity and decisiveness, noting that Eze can change games “in moments,” and this derby was proof.

Tottenham, meanwhile, looked strangely passive. Their deep, conservative shape in the first half stifled their own attacking potential more than it limited Arsenal. Once the Gunners broke through, Spurs couldn’t adjust quickly enough, and they were constantly chasing shadows as Arsenal’s midfield and frontline clicked into gear.

Beyond bragging rights, the significance of the victory was felt in the table. With Manchester City and Liverpool both losing, Arsenal opened up a comfortable gap at the summit. In a season where consistency is proving elusive for most contenders, Eze’s derby heroics may well be remembered as a defining moment in Arsenal’s early title charge.

Liverpool In Crisis

Liverpool’s downward spiral continued in brutal fashion as they fell 3–0 at home to Nottingham Forest, a score line that reflected the wider story of their season so far: outplayed, out-thought, and out-fought. Forest executed a classic away performance, sitting in a disciplined block and hitting Liverpool on the break and at set-pieces. The hosts, by contrast, struggled for clarity in both their attacking patterns and defensive structure.

This defeat marked Liverpool’s sixth loss in seven league matches, a scarcely believable statistic for a club that was pushing for titles not long ago. Despite dominating possession and firing off more than 20 shots, they repeatedly ran into Forest’s organised wall, and the more they pushed, the more vulnerable they became. It was the sort of performance where effort wasn’t the issue, but conviction and coherence certainly were.

Arne Slot looked increasingly desperate on the touchline, throwing on attackers and reshaping the team in search of a spark. Instead, the system became disjointed, and players appeared to be operating on different wavelengths. The defensive frailties were especially worrying: set-pieces caused panic, transitions were mishandled, and Forest looked like scoring every time they ventured forward.

The atmosphere at Anfield reflected the mood around the club. Fans streamed out early, frustrated by the lack of identity and resolve. Pressure is mounting on Slot, and while nobody is panicking publicly yet, the sense of drift is unmistakable. Unless Liverpool rediscover their structure and spark quickly, this could become a season of damage limitation rather than ambition.

City Are Frail

Manchester City’s title pursuit took a significant hit with a 2–1 defeat at Newcastle, a match full of momentum swings, VAR debates, and yet another example of City’s growing inconsistency away from home. Despite a bright start, City couldn’t put their early chances away, and once the atmosphere inside St James’ Park began to shift, they found themselves on the back foot.

The turning point came in the second half when Harvey Barnes struck twice in quick succession, capitalising on defensive hesitation and City’s uncharacteristic vulnerability in transition. City rallied and pulled one back, but the equaliser never came, and the match will be remembered just as much for the refereeing decisions as the football itself. A lengthy VAR review preceded one of Newcastle’s goals, and City felt aggrieved over a denied penalty involving Phil Foden.

Pep Guardiola, usually animated in such circumstances, was unusually restrained post-match. His refusal to criticise officials hinted at a manager who recognises that his team’s problems run deeper than refereeing calls. Four losses in the opening 12 matches is well below the standard City have set in recent seasons, and the sense that they’re struggling to control difficult away fixtures is becoming a genuine concern.

The implications for the title race are significant. With Arsenal pulling away and looking more convincing each week, City can’t afford to let these patterns persist. Their away form, particularly in tight, emotional matches like this, will need to improve dramatically if they’re to stay in touch heading into the second half of the season.

Game of the week: Newcastle United 2-1 Manchester City With various clashes between top sides in the league this weekend, the Newcastle-City match produced a close contest which could have gone either way. Sparking into life in the 60-70 minute mark with all 3 goals coming in quick succession, this clash could inspire Newcastle ahead of a crucial run of games, while it puts City in doubt over their title challenging potential.

Player of the week: Eberechi Eze Becoming the first player to score a hattrick in a North London derby since 1978, Eze showed Spurs exactly what they missed out on by not moving earlier in the window. While the whole of Arsenal’s attack could have earned player of the week against the poor Spurs XI, Eze’s goal return puts him ahead of the rest.