Five things we learned from the Premier League weekend | OneFootball

Five things we learned from the Premier League weekend, featuring a faltering Nottingham Forest, Brentford’s deadly duo, and the division’s most improved player.

Can faltering Forest hold their nerve in the run-in?

After a big win against Manchester United earlier this month, Nottingham Forest captain Ryan Yates admitted the club are dreaming of Champions League football – but warned things can quickly unravel.

“I’d be lying if I said we weren’t speaking about it a little bit,” Yates said to Sky Sports.

“I think it’s just natural. It’s a really fine balance because I just know how cruel football is. You can go on fantastic runs and, if you get complacent, you can also lose three on the spin. A few years ago, I’d already be booking my flights with the family over to X, Y and Z in Europe. Until things are mathematically done, we need to keep working.”

Now, Yates’s concern over a cruel twist is in danger of materialising. Back-to-back defeats have tightened up the race for the top five, with Forest on the receiving end of a late sucker punch at home to Everton this weekend.

As things stand, just three points separate Forest in third and Aston Villa down in seventh. Newcastle, meanwhile, will move above Forest if the Magpies avoid defeat to Crystal Palace in midweek. Forest have wobbled and Nuno needs his side to hold their nerve across the run-in. It’s been a magic season for Forest, who must dig deep to get over the line.

Wissa and Mbeumo are modern-day Barclaysmen

Late last year, social media exploded with the Barclaysmen trend. The Cultras Football Podcast popularised the term, derived from the long-running partnership between Barclays bank and the Premier League. Between 2001 and 2016, Barclays was the title sponsor of England’s top flight and the ‘Barclaysmen’ are players who defined that era.

We’re not talking about the best players per se, but those who left an indelible mark on the Premier League and, more pertinently, fan culture.

Right now, the Premier League has some truly brilliant modern equivalents. Jean-Phillipe Mateta tucking in goals in a tucked-in shirt springs immediately to mind.

However, Brentford’s deadly double-act might just be the best of the lot. Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo have dovetailed delightfully all season, for a Brentford side who continue to punch above their weight.

The duo have combined for 31 league goals this season, with the Bees remarkably the only team in the division to have two players on 15+ league goals. Combined with signature handshake celebrations and true on-the-pitch chemistry, this is modern Barclaysmen heritage.

10 of the very best Premier League ‘Barclaysmen’

West Ham need more from Graham Potter

Graham Potter will be given time – and crucially, a summer transfer window – at West Ham but there’s no doubt a little concern over his slow start. West Ham have won just three of his 13 games across all competitions and dropped to 17th in the table as a result. Potter is in fact averaging less points-per-game than Julen Lopetegui did across the first half of the campaign, a statistic that must rapidly improve at the start of next season to avoid pressure.

The West Ham board will have watched closely as Vitor Pereira and, perhaps awkwardly, David Moyes have made instant impacts at new clubs. Potter, in a similar situation, has failed to truly get going. This is shaping up as a huge summer at the London Stadium.

Murphy makes case as Premier League’s most improved player

When Newcastle were subject of a transformative takeover in October 2021, Jacob Murphy must have worried what the future held for him. The winger has been with Newcastle since 2017, but before this season had never started more than 17 league games in a campaign. Last season, he contributed a healthy four goals and seven assists amid limited involvement, before breaking into Eddie Howe’s side on a more regular basis in 2024/25.

At 30, Murphy is producing the best football of his career. Newcastle’s failure to sign a right-sided forward has handed the long-serving winger his chance. He’s responded with seven goals and 10 assists in the Premier League, averaging a goal contribution every 112 minutes.

Another assist against Manchester United this weekend means Murphy trails only Mohamed Salah for assists in the Premier League this season, while he’s the first Newcastle player since Laurent Robert in 2001/02 to create 10+ goals from open play in a campaign.

Champions League race to go down to the wire

The title race appears a foregone conclusion with Liverpool needing just six points from six games to be crowned champions. Arne Slot’s side could be coronated as early as next weekend, while there’s also a good chance that Ipswich and Leicester could join Southampton in being relegated too.

The most exciting part of the campaign’s run-in is the chase for Champions League football. Just three points separate Nottingham Forest, Newcastle, Manchester City, Chelsea and Aston Villa, who are competing for three places behind Liverpool and Arsenal. A win for Fulham this evening could also see the Cottagers move into contention and there are plenty of massive showdowns to come.

Aston Villa have a mouthwatering double-header against Newcastle and Man City up next, while there’s a chance that Nottingham Forest’s final-day clash with Chelsea could be a Champions League shootout.

It’s all to play for.

Read – Premier League Awards: City comeback, Brilliant Barnes

See more – Premier League Team of the Week – De Bruyne, Barnes, Palmer

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