Games are coming thick and fast in the Premier League as we head towards Christmas, but there was no let-up in Gameweek 13 as teams continue to tussle for position.
Manchester City were given a scare at home to Leeds, who almost overturned a two-goal deficit, but for the magic of Phil Foden at the Etihad. Sunderland and Brentford also improved their win columns, while Newcastle handed Everton a brutal 4-1 loss at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
It was more misery for Thomas Frank and Tottenham, who gifted Fulham their first away win of the season in north London.
Sunday did not disappoint either. Manchester United fought from 1-0 down to beat Crystal Palace on the road, and there were also wins for Aston Villa, Liverpool and Brighton. In the weekend’s blockbuster showdown between Chelsea and Arsenal, it was honours even despite the hosts seeing red early on in the game.
Ahead of an action-packed midweek of football, find out who backed it and who bottled it in the top-flight this week.
Backed It or Bottled It? Premier League Gameweek 13 Recap
Star of the Weekend
Star of the Weekend: Phil Foden
Super Phil Foden to the rescue! Manchester City’s title bid looked in further doubt against Leeds, despite being in cruise control at 2-0 up.
The 25-year-old scored the second-fastest goal of the season at just 58 seconds, which ironically was beaten by Fulham’s Kenny Tete just a few hours later on Saturday.
But it was his strike at the end of the game that drew the biggest cheer of the afternoon in Manchester. The England international was at his very best, weaving through Leeds defenders before firing into the far corner for his 63rd Premier League goal.
It takes his tally above both David Beckham and Yaya Toure (62), two of Manchester’s finest. Impressively, of his 66 total goals for the club, none of them have come from the penalty spot; there is also the equally impressive fact that he has 30 assists to his name.
Can Phil Foden Lead Man City to a Premier League title?
While plenty of City’s reliance this season has been on Erling Haaland, Foden’s form could not have come at a better time for Pep Guardiola, as he looks to restore the club’s dominance that fans have become so accustomed to.
Flop of the Weekend
Flop of the Weekend: Moises Caicedo
What could have been for Chelsea? For all the build-up in midweek ahead of the midfield battle between Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo, the latter froze on the big stage.
The Blues put in a dogged performance and did not shy away from the league leaders after Caicedo saw red for a dangerous tackle on Mikel Merino, but the players and fans would have fancied their chances of picking up all three points had they kept 11 men on the pitch.
It was the 24-year-old’s first red card of his Premier League career, on his 130th appearance in the competition. Caicedo also became the first Chelsea player since 2017 to be sent off against Arsenal, following in the footsteps of the legendary David Luiz.
His team-mates spared his blushes, picking up a crucial point and shortening their odds of winning the title to just 14/1, but it could have been a very different story.
Biggest Disappointment
Biggest Disappointment: Arsenal
The opportunity was there for Arsenal to extend their lead at the summit to seven points, but they were mediocre at best against Chelsea.
Aside from seeing three players carded inside the first 30 minutes for the first time on record in the Premier League, the Gunners showed little fight and desire to win the game at Stamford Bridge.
The North London club also failed to win a top-flight game in which their opponents received a first-half red card for the first time since August 2010 against Liverpool, where they were also held to a 1-1 draw.
They touched the ball just twice inside the Chelsea box during the first half, and mustered only eight shots across 90 minutes, their lowest total since October 2024 against Bournemouth.
Mikel Arteta’s men also faced over 10 shots for only the second time this season, and the first since the opening game against Manchester United.
On a night where the odds favoured the Gunners, the spotlight appeared just a touch too bright. Are the cracks beginning to show?
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Performance of the Weekend
Performance of the Weekend: Newcastle
Newcastle were one of only two teams that had not won an away game in the Premier League heading into the weekend, until they met Everton.
The Magpies put on a clinic at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, running out 4-1 winners in a match that included a Nick Woltemade stunner and goals from Malick Thiaw and Lewis Miley.
In fact, Eddie Howe’s side scored more goals against the Toffees than each of their last three away games combined, moving closer to the top half of the table in the process.
A top-six finish will be seen as entirely possible, but with more performances like the one on Merseyside, Newcastle remain a good bet to continue their run of Champions League football.
Surprise of the Weekend
Surprise of the Weekend: Manchester United
Other than Ruben Amorim, not many would have predicted Manchester United to turn defeat into victory away at Crystal Palace. At half-time, the Red Devils were 1-0 down and were lucky not to be further behind.
But a second-half revival saw the visitors flip the game on its head, thanks to goals from Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount. Both strikes were provided by captain Bruno Fernandes, taking his assist tally to 56, above United legend Paul Scholes.
They had failed to score in their last four clashes with the Eagles, but this time Amorim’s side forced their own narrative, not something many fans watching the game expected. It was also only the fourth win in 27 trips to the capital for United, who move up to sixth in the table and now have a hearty shot at making the top four.
Moments of the Weekend
Moments of the Weekend: Adams And Wilsons Stunners
GW13 showcased some of the best Premier League strikes of the season alongside the usual late drama.
In Bournemouth’s narrow loss to Sunderland, Tyler Adams stole the show. After finding themselves 1-0 up, the Cherries launched a counter-attack that produced a spectacular moment from the United States international.
With a three-on-two break in favour of the visiting side, Adams found the ball at his feet just beyond the halfway line. He spotted goalkeeper Robin Roefs off his line and lobbed the Dutchman from 43.3 metres, the longest-distance strike of the season.
He was not able to better compatriot Tim Howard’s 92.1 metre goal in 2012, but Adams’ screamer does take second place in leaderboards when it comes to goals from US players. If that was not enough, Harry Wilson produced an equally impressive strike at Tottenham’s expense.
Out of nothing, the Welshman bagged the second-farthest goal of the 2025-26 campaign, beating a stranded Guglielmo Vicario from 36.6 metres on the far touchline, with a stunning curling effort. Both goals will undoubtedly be nominated for the goal of the season at the end of the term, although no one would complain if we saw a few more contenders along the way.
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