Another international break is upon us and Gameweek 7 of the Premier League ensured that plenty of fans will be mulling over frustrating moments while their players jet off to represent their countries.
The weekend kicked off with a thrilling Bournemouth display against Fulham on Friday night, before a wet and windy clash at Elland Road on Saturday, which saw Tottenham extend their unbeaten run to seven games in all competitions and pick up a third win in a row away to Leeds.
Manchester United also bagged three big points to ease the pressure on head coach Ruben Amorim, ending Sunderland’s impressive start to life back in the top flight in the process.
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In London, champions Liverpool travelled to rivals Chelsea, and young winger Brazilian Estevao proved to be the difference between the two heavyweights, netting a late winner to send Stamford Bridge into pandemonium.
On Sunday, half of the Premier League participants were in action on an afternoon that saw 11 goals, another last-minute winner - kudos to Jack Grealish, who is loving life at Everton - and plenty of drama to round off the final fixtures.
But who backed it and bottled as we pause and take a breath for another few weeks of international action? BOYLE Sports has you covered for the latest round of fixtures.
Premier League Gameweek 7 Recap
Star of the Weekend
Star of the Weekend – Mohammed Kudus
Thomas Frank’s Tottenham have steadied their Premier League form since the Dane took over from Ange Postecoglou in the summer, and fans have Mohammed Kudus to thank for their GW7 win at Leeds.
Many Spurs supporters will claim that the former West Ham man has been the best piece of business they have done in a long time after his £55m arrival from East London, with the speedster capping off another top performance with a goal in Yorkshire.
Alongside his assist for Mathys Tel’s first goal of the campaign, Kudus pulled the strings as Frank’s men ended Leeds’ 23-match unbeaten run at Elland Road.
The 25-year-old is hands down the best dribbler in the division - that claim is complemented by the fact that he has completed 59 take-ons in the Premier League this season, 17 more than any other player.
He also became the first Ghanaian to net for Tottenham, and the 45th nationality to score for the club in Premier League history. It was only the second time he had scored and assisted in the same match, but he picked a good moment to pull out his best efforts, as Spurs’ unbeaten run continued.
And as if we haven’t chucked enough numbers at you from our Star of the Weekend section, Kudus also became the first player in Premier League history to attempt six take-ons in the same game and complete all of them. That is some talent the North London club have on their hands.
Who was the star of Gameweek 7? PL 25/26
Flop of the Weekend
Flop of the Weekend – Mohamed Salah
Liverpool were not at the races in west London on Saturday evening; perhaps that was down to the poor performance of their talisman?
Mohamed Salah lacked his usual sharpness and unpredictability that earned him fourth place in the Ballon d’Or rankings recently, despite having Alexander Isak to support him in the frontline.
The Egyptian King managed just two shots at Stamford Bridge - however, neither found the target - and he had a mere three touches in the opposition box.
With Arsenal finally looking like the real deal under Mikel Arteta, they are going to need more from a player who hit 29 Premier League goals and 18 assists in 2024-25.
Even with four goal contributions to his name this term, Salah has not been up to scratch, and Liverpool are starting to look disjointed under Arne Slot.
The arrival of big-money signings like Isak, Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz may be having a negative effect on the 33-year-old, and that is reflected in the fact that he managed just 35 touches of the ball this weekend, the least of any outfield player who started.
Biggest Disappointment
Biggest Disappointment – Liverpool
It was not just Salah who did not live up to expectations against Chelsea, the entire team were sub-par.
The Reds would have been lucky to walk away with a point, and they couldn’t even manage that, suffering their third straight loss in all competitions.
Slot’s men also conceded injury-time winning goals in consecutive games for only the second time in their history, handing Arsenal top spot in the Premier League at the same time.
Despite the highs of scoring late winners themselves early on in the season, the reigning champions looked tired, clueless and unbalanced.
And that was with the experience of Virgil van Dijk on the pitch, who was criticised for his performance and lack of urgency at the back.
Throw in £250m worth of talent in Wirtz and Isak, and it does not take a genius to see there is a big problem brewing on Merseyside for Slot.
Will Liverpool Bounce Back After Gameweek 7? – Premier League 25/26
Performance of the Weekend
Performance of the Weekend – Antoine Semenyo
Antoine Semenyo’s price-tag is increasing by the week after showcasing his quality once again this weekend.
The Ghana international was on fire during Friday night football’s matchup between Bournemouth and Fulham, grabbing two goals and an assist as the Cherries ran out 3-1 winners.
It takes his goal contribution tally up to 12 for the 2025-26 campaign already, the most of any player in the Premier League.
Unsurprisingly, his exploits on the pitch are getting noticed, with recent reports linking him with several giants, including Tottenham, Arsenal and Manchester United.
His run and finish from a tight angle for his side’s equaliser in the pouring rain was a testament to his pace, power and quality that have reached a new peak this term.
Bournemouth’s performances in general have been excellent under Andoni Iraola, despite losing several key players in the summer. Still, Semenyo’s six goals and three assists in just seven Premier League matches have led the Cherries to a new level.
If he continues this form, there is not a side in Europe that will not want to sign him by the end of 2025.
Surprise of the Weekend
Surprise of the Weekend – Man Utd’s Easy Afternoon
The media have provided plenty of speculation this week to suggest Ruben Amorim’s job would have been at serious risk had Manchester United lost to Sunderland.
Luckily for the Red Devils, it was an afternoon where they never really had to get out of third gear. Sunderland’s usual energy was lacking, and perhaps it was the bright lights of Old Trafford that allowed the home side to take control of proceedings.
United’s 2-0 win saw Amorim pick up three points on his 50th game in charge, the first head coach at the club since Sir Alex Ferguson to earn those stripes.
But it was only the Portuguese manager’s ninth Premier League victory, a stat that will still cause concern inside the Manchester United fanbase.
Nevertheless, he will have been ecstatic to see both Mason Mount and Benjamin Sesko on the scoresheet, two players he has raved about in recent months.
The former’s injury issues have meant Amorim has never been able to fully utilise the ex-Chelsea man’s talents, while Sesko’s hefty price-tag put a pile of pressure on him from the moment he arrived.
One thing United have really struggled with under their current boss is consistency, but Amorim now has two weeks to work on improving that - although a trip to face Liverpool at Anfield is next on the calendar.
Did Man United’s Win Signal a Turnaround? – PL 25/26
Moment of the Weekend
Moment of the Weekend – Estevao’s Magic Touch
Chelsea’s 2-1 win over Liverpool lacked a bit of quality from both sides, but the Blues proved that spending over £1bn since Todd Boehly’s takeover can pay off.
It was 18-year-old Estevao Willian who stepped up for Enzo Maresca’s men in the dying moments at Stamford Bridge, sparking scenes of joy in all four stands, as well as from his manager, who was sent off for his celebrations.
The win means Chelsea have now won back-to-back Premier League games against Liverpool for the first time since 2014, and they have a young Brazilian to thank for that achievement.
Estevao became the youngest player in Premier League history to assist a goal for Chelsea when he teed up Enzo Fernandez in the 5-1 win over West Ham in August - he has added to that piece of history by becoming the youngest Brazilian to score a winning goal in the top-flight.
Crucially, the three points keep the Blues within touching distance of the clubs at the top of the league, and perhaps more importantly, instil a new level of belief in west London that they can compete for major honours after a slight wobble in recent weeks.
For Estevao, it feels as though the £55m man is only just getting started at Chelsea. But there is no doubt that he has already made a huge impact for his new club.
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