Week 35 of the Premier League sees us into the very closing stages of the campaign, however very little is still properly decided as another round of action saw another momentum shift in the league standings. Arsenal claimed a comfortable victory over Fulham while City were held to a draw by Everton putting Arsenal back in the driving seat for the title. Meanwhile at the bottom of the table, Spurs picked up a huge victory that could push them out of danger from relegation, and in the European places Manchester United produced a big win over Liverpool to secure their return to Europe next season.

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.

Momentum Change

There was something different about Arsenal this weekend. Not just the result, a comfortable 3-0 victory over Fulham, but the manner of it. For most of the season, Mikel Arteta’s side have carried the pressure of expectation while trying to fend off the relentless challenge of Manchester City. In week 35, though, they looked like a team that genuinely believed the title was theirs to lose.

The Emirates atmosphere reflected that growing confidence. Viktor Gyökeres, whose debut season in English football has exceeded even optimistic expectations, scored twice and bullied Fulham’s defence throughout the afternoon. Bukayo Saka added the third and looked sharp again after an inconsistent spring period. Arsenal controlled the tempo from the opening whistle, and perhaps most importantly, they never looked nervous.

What elevated the weekend into a defining one for Arsenal supporters was what happened 24 hours later. Manchester City’s chaotic 3-3 draw away at Everton suddenly shifted the balance of the title race. City had looked vulnerable defensively for weeks, but this was the first time they genuinely appeared emotionally rattled. Everton led 3-1 at one stage before a late Jérémy Doku equaliser rescued a point.

By Monday night, the conversation around Arsenal had changed from “can they hang on?” to “how soon can they win it?” After years of near misses and rebuilds, this felt like the moment supporters started believing the Premier League trophy was finally heading back to north London.

Old Trafford Drama

Manchester United’s 3-2 win over Liverpool was exactly the kind of Premier League classic that reminds everyone why this fixture still carries so much weight. The quality wasn’t always perfect, but the intensity, drama and emotional swings were absolutely relentless from start to finish.

United flew out of the blocks at Old Trafford. Matheus Cunha opened the scoring early before Benjamin Šeško doubled the lead, and for a while Liverpool looked stunned. Michael Carrick’s side pressed aggressively, attacked directly and played with a confidence that has grown steadily throughout the second half of the season. For long stretches, Liverpool simply could not cope with the pace of United’s transitions.

Yet Liverpool responded to the gifts given by Amad and Lammens as they dragged themselves level at 2-2 and suddenly Old Trafford became tense. The momentum had completely shifted. That was when Kobbie Mainoo stepped up again. His winning goal in the 77th minute, composed, intelligent and fearless, felt symbolic of the season he is having. Mainoo is no longer merely a talented youngster; he is becoming one of the defining midfielders of the league.

The result had massive consequences beyond the rivalry itself. United strengthened their grip on a Champions League place and continued one of the most surprising recoveries in recent memory after their dreadful first half of the campaign.

Staying Up?

Few clubs have lurched between despair and optimism this season quite like Tottenham Hotspur. Their 2-1 win away at Aston Villa may ultimately go down as the result that saved them from one of the most shocking relegations in Premier League history.

Spurs arrived at Villa Park under enormous pressure. Another defeat would have left them staring directly at the Championship. Instead, they produced one of their most disciplined displays of the campaign. Conor Gallagher brought energy and aggression in midfield, while Richarlison delivered exactly the kind of centre-forward performance supporters had been waiting for all season.

The mood around the club changed dramatically after the final whistle. For months, Tottenham had looked psychologically broken, fragile defensively, uncertain in possession and incapable of managing difficult moments in matches. Against Villa, they showed resilience. Even when Villa pushed late on, Spurs held firm instead of collapsing.

What made the victory even more significant was the effect it had on the wider relegation battle. Suddenly the bottom of the table tightened again. Teams above Spurs could no longer assume they were finished, and supporters began calculating permutations with renewed belief. For a club that had spent much of the year drifting toward disaster, week 35 gave them genuine hope.

Game of the week: Manchester United 3-2 Liverpool While these sides both look still secure of Champions League qualification, Manchester United sealed their return to Europe in style after leading 2-0 at the half-time break, before gifting 2 goals to Liverpool which allowed them back into the game, before Kobbie Mainoo rounded off a near-perfect week as he bagged the winner late on to secure a huge victory as United do the double over Liverpool and add to their questionable title defence season.

Player of the week: Viktor Gyokeres With Arsenal playing before City this week, Gyokeres has found a run of form that could push Arsenal over the line. Although the football world is split on Gyokeres, this final run-in performance will quiet any doubters as he bagged 2 goals and an assist in the game as he was vital in the victory and helped his side make light work of Fulham.