Week 14 of the Premier League action brought us the first mid-week clashes of the season, and as this means the start of the festive period where games pile-up quickly, there was certainly no early signs of fatigue as we were treated to some huge games, plenty of quality goals and a fair bit of drama to top off a big week of action.

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.

Arsenal’s Momentum

Arsenal came into Week 14 with the air of a team that genuinely believes this could be their year, and their calm, controlled 2–0 win over Brentford only strengthened that feeling. It wasn’t a performance overflowing with chaos or drama, instead, it was the kind of routine, professional victory that title-winning teams specialise in. Mikel Arteta’s side kept the ball well, defended assertively, and took their chances with a level of composure that has become a theme of their season. Mikel Merino’s emergence as a consistent goalscorer has given the Gunners an additional weapon in midfield, helping them win games even when not at full attacking flow.

Manchester City, in contrast, produced a wildly entertaining but deeply concerning 5–4 win over Fulham. On one hand, the night belonged to Erling Haaland as he reached the historic milestone of 100 Premier League goals in record time, and City showed once again that they can blow teams apart with a single attacking surge. But the other side of the coin was uncomfortable to watch: City’s back line looked rattled, disorganised, and vulnerable whenever Fulham attacked with pace. A 5–1 cushion should never shrink to a one-goal nail-biter, but that’s exactly what happened, and Guardiola knew it.

The contrast between the top two couldn’t have been more striking: Arsenal, steady and assured; City, thrilling but fragile. It felt like a snapshot of their seasons so far. Arsenal look like a team climbing steadily toward their peak, while City seem unable to stop tripping over the same defensive issues. The title race is still long, still unpredictable, but this week shifted momentum subtly, and perhaps significantly, toward North London.

Mid-Week Drama

If Week 14 had a theme, it was drama. The standout example came at St James’ Park, where Newcastle and Tottenham played out a frenetic 2–2 draw. Newcastle were impressive for long spells and looked on course for a much-needed win, only for Cristian Romero to smash home an outrageous overhead kick deep into stoppage time. For Spurs it felt like a smash-and-grab; for Newcastle, it was another chapter in what’s becoming a frustrating story of dropped points and wasted dominance. They are building play well, creating chances, but failing to land the knockout blows.

Manchester United’s 1–1 draw with West Ham added to the narrative of frustration. United took the lead in the second half and appeared to have the game under control, but a late equaliser undid their hard work and reignited criticism about their mentality in tight games. Supporters at Old Trafford voiced their displeasure, and rightly so, once again, it was a match they should have won, but didn’t. The performance had flashes of promise, but not enough consistency, not enough ruthlessness, and not enough control in the moments that matter.

Across these fixtures, a pattern surfaced: big clubs failing to finish the job and dropping vital points in the process. Spurs showed character, Newcastle showed potential, and United showed… problems that don’t seem to go away. These weren’t just draws, they were reminders of how fine the margins are this season and how quickly momentum can shift when a team slips even slightly off the pace.

Villa Surge

Aston Villa continue to be one of the stories of the season. Their thrilling 4–3 away win at Brighton was another showcase of their attacking freedom and their ability to grind out results in frantic, end-to-end matches. Unai Emery has transformed Villa into a side that believes it belongs in the race for Champions League football. Their recent form has been electric, and the way they recovered from setbacks in this match showed resilience to match their flair. Supporters are starting to see this run not as a fluke, but as a sign of a genuinely evolving powerhouse.

At the polar opposite end of the table, Wolves’ season has descended into something much darker. With just two points from their opening 14 games, they are tracking towards one of the worst starts in Premier League history. Confidence is fragile, goals are scarce, and performances are short on structure, the ingredients of a relegation spiral that becomes harder to escape with each passing week. Their issues aren’t limited to a single area; it’s a systemic collapse, and the sense of urgency around the club is rising rapidly.

The contrast between the two Midlands clubs is striking. Villa are flying, full of purpose and ambition, while Wolves are sinking without much sign of a lifeline. It’s a vivid reminder of how quickly fortunes can shift in the Premier League. One team dreams of European nights; the other is desperately trying to avoid being cut adrift before the new year. That gap, emotional, tactical, and psychological, was one of the clearest stories of Week 14.

Game of the week: Fulham 4-5 Manchester City With City cruising to victory, the sense of optimism that grew around Craven Cottage made this an almost instant classic of the season, with a final opportunity going so close for Fulham to draw level and produce what would be one of the best comebacks in the league. However, despite falling short, the sheer drama and quality of goals makes this a guaranteed game of the week.

Player of the week: Cristian Romero With a brace of goals including one of the worst bicycle kicks ever seen, Romero was a true captain in dragging his team back level twice to secure a point, while doing his usual behaviours to rile-up the opposition and be reasonably solid in defence despite the goals conceded.