The league table is finally taking shape as we head into the autumn and winter months, with late drama proving central to this weekends results. With Liverpool suffering a late goal against them after their previous late exploits, Palace remain the only unbeaten side in the league, while Arsenal managed to produce a late comeback of their own to close down their title rivals, and City got the job done in style against Burnley. Meanwhile, Chelsea were the masters of their own downfall again, and Manchester United failed to win again.

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.

27.3 Win Percentage

Manchester United’s troubles continued with a 3–1 defeat away to Brentford, a result that once again highlighted their inconsistency. Brentford raced into a two-goal lead thanks to a quickfire double from Igor Thiago, leaving United chasing the game before it had even settled into a rhythm. Benjamin Sesko briefly gave them hope with a well-taken finish, but Ruben Amorim’s side never truly looked like turning it around.

The low point of the afternoon came when Bruno Fernandes saw his penalty saved, his second miss from the spot this season. Brentford then wrapped things up with a late strike from Mathias Jensen, sealing United’s misery and underlining just how fragile they look under pressure. The defeat leaves them still searching for back-to-back wins in the league, and questions around Amorim’s ability to stabilise the side are growing louder with each poor result.

Late, Late Drama

If there was one theme running through Week 6, it was the sheer drama in the closing minutes. Liverpool’s unbeaten start to the campaign came to an end at Selhurst Park in agonising fashion. Palace took the lead through Ismaila Sarr, and though Federico Chiesa’s late equaliser seemed to have rescued a point for Arne Slot’s side, the script had one more twist. Deep into stoppage time, Eddie Nketiah struck the winner for Palace, sending the home fans wild and Liverpool home empty-handed.

Up at St James’ Park, Arsenal found themselves embroiled in a thriller of their own. Newcastle had edged in front through Nick Woltemade in the first half, and it looked like they might hang on when Mikel Merino’s late strike cancelled out Arsenal’s pressure. But the Gunners showed grit and belief, and in the 96th minute Gabriel Magalhães rose highest to head home the winner. It was a statement of intent from Mikel Arteta’s men, proving they still have the resilience and mentality to fight to the very end.

Potter Out -> Nuno In

The weekend also brought a major off-pitch headline as West Ham dismissed Graham Potter and moved quickly to appoint Nuno Espírito Santo. Potter’s time in charge never really clicked, with poor results leaving the Hammers in the relegation zone, and the board decided a change was necessary before the situation worsened. It’s a swift decision, but one the club hopes will provide an immediate lift.

Nuno’s first game at the helm came at Goodison Park, where his side battled to a 1–1 draw with Everton. Michael Keane had given the hosts the lead with a header, but Jarrod Bowen struck back in the second half with a deflected effort to secure a point. While West Ham remain in 19th, the performance carried signs of fight and determination, qualities Nuno will need to harness if he is to engineer a turnaround. His arrival brings cautious optimism, but it will take time and plenty of hard work to drag the Hammers up the table.

Game of the week: Crystal Palace 2-1 Liverpool It seems like Palace have Liverpool’s number this season, as they remain now the only unbeaten side left in the league. With the late drama at both ends of the pitch, it looked like the points would be shared until the hosts winning strike in the closing moments. With a result that put the rest of the league on notice, it added an extra dimension to the weekends games.

Player of the week: Erling Haaland Another dominant display for the Norwegian forward as he added 2 more goals and 1 more assist to his already impressive tally for the season. Despite once again having the fewest touches on the pitch, his clinical finishing put the game to bed, while he also chipped in with the occasional defensive duty when required.