TEAM: BOURNEMOUTH
Though City brushed past Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, scoring three unanswered goals, it wasn’t the most unlikely result of the weekend.
Not many gave Bournemouth a chance against Arsenal, who were hoping to go twelve points clear. However, Bournemouth had other ideas and were the better team in a deserved win.
Well done to Man City. Leeds. West Ham. Brighton. Crystal Palace, Liverpool and Sunderland.
GOALKEEPER: ROBIN ROEFS (Sunderland)
He wasn’t under huge pressure in goal, but he still had to be at his best to thwart a Spurs team now fighting for their lives.
Spurs did try, but they found the Sunderland keeper, who has been impressive this season, solid, assured and hard to beat.
Shout out to Brighton’s Vergruggen. Man City’s Donnarumma. Liverpool’s Marmadeashvili and Brentford’s Kelleher.
DEFENDER: MARC GUEHI (Man City)
His move to Man City was destined to be a big one, but in three short months, he has helped put City in line for another heroic season.
At Chelsea, in a must-win game, he was rock solid at the back to reduce the Chelsea players to scraps. He notched a quick second goal to ease the nerves and set his team up for a vital win.
Well done to his teammate, O’Reilly. West Ham’s Mavropanos. Brighton duo Weifer & Boscagli. Bournemouth duo Hill & Truffert. Forest’s Williams. and Sunderland’s Mukiele.
MIDFIELDER: ALEX SCOTT (Bournemouth)
Against the top of the table team performing in the Champions League and players tipped for individual honours, he was the standout performer.
He oozed class in midfield, dictated the play, glided past players and also seemed to have time on the ball, then topped it off when he waltzed through Arsenal midfield to score the winner.
Shout out to Man City duo DokU & Cherki. West Ham duo Bowen & Pablo. Everton’s Dewsbury-Hall. Liverpool’s Ngumoha. Leeds’ Bogle. Man Utd duo Casemiro & Fernandes. Palace duo Wharton & Mitchell and Sunderland’s Xhaka.
FORWARD: NOAH OKAFOR (Leeds)
This was one of the toughest decisions in a while. However, he scored two first-half goals that sank Man Utd at Old Trafford, to give Leeds a vital away win.
He took both goals well, though the second was aided by a slight deflection for an unlikely away win, which saw Leeds move six points from relegation.
Well done to West Ham’s Castellanos. Brentford’s Thiago. Palaces’ Mateta. Everton’s Beto. Liverpool’s Salah. Bournemouth’s Kroupi. Newcastle’s Osula and Arsenal’s Gyokeres.
MANAGER: ANDONI IRAOLA (Bournemouth)
His team took an eleven-game unbeaten run to The Emirates; their last league defeat was to Arsenal at home, and many were expecting that to repeat.
However, Iraola continues to defy the odds, who, no matter the opposition, continue to play attacking, pass and move football, which played Arsenal on their own turf for an impressive away win to blow the title race wide open.
Shout out to Man City’s Guardiola. Leeds’ Farke. Liverpool’s Slot. Brighton’s Hartzeler. Palace’s Glasner and Sunderland’s Le Bris.
UNSUNG HERO: RIO NGUMOHA (Liverpool)
Initially, this was a tough decision; you had defenders scoring a brace or vital goals, and youngsters scoring vital goals.
However, one of those youngsters was 17-year-old Rio, who scored a well-taken first Anfield goal to open the scoring and set Liverpool on the way to a much-needed win in their quest for Champions League football.
Well done to West Ham duo Mavropanos and Castellanos. Brighton’s Weiffer. Palace’s Mateta. Man City’s O’Reilly and Forest’s Williams.
GAME: BRENT FORD 2-2 EVERTON
Brentford took an early lead from the spot when Pickford tripped Schade, and Thiago made no mistake with the penalty (3). Everton equalised after Lewis-Potter lost the ball by the touchline and Gueye crossed for Beto to head home (26).
In the second half, Brentford went back ahead from Thiago’s strong run and shot that took a deflection on the way in (76). Just when Brentford were about to celebrate a win, Dewsbury-Hall popped up to finish a rebound (90+1).
GOAL: RIO NGOMOHA (Liverpool) vs Fulham
Szoboszlai picked up the ball and played it out left to Ngomoha, lurking just outside the box, with two players closing him down.
He drifted into the box, jinxed outside, then cut back inside, then quickly jinxed back outside to make half a yard, and curled a lovely effort inside the far post.
FOOL: TOTTENHAM
Once again, there were several candidates for this: Chelsea, Arsenal and even Newcastle. However, the team languishing in the relegation zone takes it again.
Spurs needed a win to climb out of the bottom three, but put in another poor performance and fell to another defeat. They are yet to win a game in 2026, and with games running out, relegation now seems a real possibility. FOOLS!
