After a fairly intense start to the season with plenty of goals, drama and talking points, the international break offered a brief pause to proceedings, and the return to club football this weekend gave some interesting performances as a new manager entered the dugout, plenty of new arrivals were on display and clubs were still looking to give fans a sense of how the season could shape up.

Week 4 saw only 19 goals in the 10 games, a quite small number given Saturday lunchtimes minimal return, but the drama and closeness of the games offered plenty of intrigue as the season now kicks into gear properly following the break. With Liverpool getting over the line with another win, Arsenal and City looking impressive and some shared points not developing the table further this season remains open across the board.

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.

Leaving It Late

Liverpool’s 1-0 win at Burnley was sealed in dramatic fashion by a stoppage-time penalty from Mohamed Salah. The incident came in the 95th minute when Hannibal Mejbri handled the ball in the box after a cross from Jeremie Frimpong. Salah stepped up and coolly converted the spot kick.

That result means Liverpool have now won all four of their opening Premier League games and remarkably, each by scoring a game-winner in the last ten minutes (or very close thereafter). It’s striking how often they’ve needed those late efforts rather than securing games earlier. Against Burnley especially, despite dominating possession and having the better attacking chances (and even with Burnley down to ten men for a period), they struggled to break down the defence until that late handball gave them a route.

What this suggests is twofold: first, Liverpool under Arne Slot are showing resilience and composure in tight moments. Whether that’s due to mental strength, experience, or simply having players who, when it matters, can do something decisive (Salah in this case), that’s a big positive. Secondly, it raises questions about clinical finishing, creativity, and breaking down defensive or crowded low blocks. Against a side like Burnley, which defended deep and compactly, Liverpool struggled until the very end. If they’re going to maintain this kind of run, they may want to find ways to assert themselves earlier in games, so they aren’t always relying on last-gasp moments.

One more thing: with Alexander Isak not yet appearing (left out of the squad vs Burnley) due to fitness/training circumstance, some of the attacking burden has to come elsewhere, which perhaps contributes to the matches being tight until late. Also, the fact that Liverpool have now set a Premier League record by winning four straight games with a winner in the final 10 minutes or later highlights both their flair for drama and the risk, because if those late chances don’t come, they’re vulnerable.

Strength In Depth

Arsenal backed up a strong start to the season with a convincing 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest at the Emirates. Goals from Martin Zubimendi (two, one a volley in the first half, the other a header late) plus one from Viktor Gyökeres sealed the win. Despite missing key players, including captain Martin Ødegaard, who had to leave the pitch early through injury recurrence, Arsenal still looked sharp and effective.

Dominance in possession, control of the tempo, and good use of their attacking and transitional moments characterised the match. Forest, newly managed by Ange Postecoglou, had a disrupted run-up to the game and perhaps were not fully settled in their defensive organisation. Arsenal made Forest’s errors cost them with the Gyokeres goal came from a defensive lapse early in the second half, for example.

What’s particularly encouraging for Arsenal is how their newer players, Zubimendi among them, are contributing in clutch moments. Zubimendi’s brace shows he’s not just a stabiliser in midfield, but someone who can add goals. The fitness of the squad is also being tested, with several regular starters missing or not fully fit, yet the team’s structure and rotation allowed them to maintain high standards. That bodes well for the long haul, especially with Champions League commitments on the horizon.

Still, some concerns remain. Ødegaard’s injury is a worry as losing your captain and creative fulcrum always hits the team’s rhythm. Also, while Arsenal have depth, they will need to maintain consistency, especially when games get tough (away matches, high-pressure moments). But for now, this performance underlines that they are serious contenders and have learned from past seasons how to manage multiple fronts.

City Is Blue

Manchester City defeated Manchester United 3-0 at the Etihad in the latest derby. Phil Foden opened the scoring from a cross by Jeremy Doku in the 18th minute. Haaland added two in the second half, first after the break, then again after United miscued possession under pressure.

City showed much of what you’d expect with good width, strong attacking transitions, putting United under pressure in midfield, and breaking through with attacking flair. Doku’s influence was particularly noteworthy and his involvement in both the first and second goals shows how Pep Guardiola’s side are again using creativity from wide positions to stretch defences. Meanwhile, United’s defensive lapses were exposed, particularly in switching off and relinquishing possession in dangerous areas, which allowed City to exploit them.

Although it was a convincing performance, City weren’t perfect. They missed some chances, didn’t always dominate every area (midfield had patches of uncertainty), and they conceded a few dangerous moments for United to counter. But the overall control, especially after halftime, showed superior fitness, sharper attacking ideas, and better execution in the final third.

For United, the defeat raises serious concerns. Manager Ruben Amorim’s side have now lost the derby, and there remains a worrying instability in results. There are question marks about their defensive organization, about whether they have the tactical coherence to match City in big games, and whether their squad has enough experience and quality to withstand the pressure. On the flip side, City will take confidence from this result. It could be a launching pad for their season after earlier setbacks. If they maintain momentum, and keep delivering performances with both flair and discipline, they’re firmly in the mix for another title push.

Game of the week: Brentford 2-2 Chelsea While we didn’t discuss this clash in the article, the Brentford-Chelsea clash on Saturday night gave plenty of drama, as Chelsea came from behind to lead 2-1 against their hosts, looking like their 85th minute goal would be the winner to continue their decent start to the season, but a late lapse in defence saw Carvalho free at the back post to bag a 93rd minute equaliser, and share the points as Chelsea still remain unbeaten but still uncertain as title contenders, and Brentford pick up a key point that helps provide more certainty in their new era.

Player of the week: Erling Haaland After a very successful international break, Haaland returned to City and proved his worth in an attacking sense, bagging City’s 2nd and 3rd to seal a big win over their rivals. Along with also hitting the woodwork, Haaland contributed defensively often with 6 clearances and winning duels, it wasn’t the usual Haaland display in which he maintained limited involvements, but added defensive contributions to his attacking output.