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10 things we learned from Week 27 of the 2023-24 Premier League season

The Premier League’s title chasers keep on winning, leaving so little room for error as the surprises have been fewer and further between as the season gets closer to the stretch run for Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal, and others.

There were no big upsets in Week 27, which still has a big match that would qualify as a seismic shake-up if Sheffield United took care of Arsenal on Monday at Bramall Lane? Few things would be more stunning than the defense-optional Blades taking something from free-flowing Arsenal (Watch live at 3pm ET on USA Network and stream online via NBC.com).

[ MORE: Manchester derby player ratings | Ten Hag, Bruno reaction ]

And so we keep adding three points to the table for the big boys. On another weekend it could be surprising to see Chelsea draw at Brentford or Brighton lose at Fulham, but form matters and those results were more confirmation of where the Seagulls and Blues stand than good teams getting turned over by lesser squads.

Let’s relive Week 27 with our writers Joe Prince-Wright, Nick Mendola, and Andy Edwards supplying analysis on the nine games played in England’s top flight.


10 things we learned from Week 27 of the 2023-24 Premier League season


Man City so cool when heat’s turned up as Pep calls Foden ‘best in Premier League’

Manchester City 3-1 Manchester United

If you wanted any further example that Manchester United’s mystique is missing right now, just think about how City just went right back to work after conceding Rashford’s amazing goal. There was no worry for Pep Guardiola’s men, who knew that they’d only lose if they lost it themselves. City dialed up 27 shot attempts on their 74% possession and won the xG game 3.32-0.26. City completed 500 more passes their derby rivals (728-228), and eight shots found the target for Andre Onana or his goal. Part of the reason for that? The efficiency of Phil Foden, who scored the equalizer and the winner while taking nine shots and connecting on an absurd 79-of-83 passes despite making most of those passes in the final third. So it might be surprising to hear Pep Guardiola call the complete Foden ‘the best player right now in the Premier League’ but perhaps it shouldnt be once those words sink in a bit more. — Nicholas Mendola

Destiny playing its part in Liverpool’s quadruple charge

Nottingham Forest 0-1 Liverpool

Look, this is just getting silly now. In the last week Liverpool hung on to win the League Cup with teenagers galore, then relied on two teenagers to win in the FA Cup last 16. They then won in the 99th minute thanks to a late Darwin Nunez as key players are starting, slowly, to return. The way Liverpool are churning out these wins with effectively an entire squad of players (including Salah, Alisson and Alexander-Arnold) missing tells is destiny is playing its part here. Fate sometimes has a strange way of developing momentum in this game. Liverpool’s players right now, whoever Klopp can shove out there, all believe they will win every single time they step out onto the pitch. It is sometimes that simple. Liverpool found a way against a stubborn Forest side and rode their luck a little on the break with Kelleher coming up big once. The way Liverpool are pulling these wins out late on, against all the odds, suggests that everything is aligning perfectly for Klopp to win all four trophies in his final few months in charge. With so many players set to return in the next few weeks, Liverpool will also have a boost on the pitch but off the pitch there’s something strange in the air. Destiny. — Joe Prince-Wright

How Mac Allister found Nunez for winner v. Forest
Tim Howard hits the tactics board to break down how Alexis Mac Allister was able to locate Darwin Nunez inside the box for Liverpool's 99th-minute winner against Nottingham Forest.

Tottenham control the game, struggle to create chances

Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 Crystal Palace

At this point in the Postecoglou project, Tottenham rely very heavily on counter-attacks to generate scoring chances. It has, largely, served them well this season (especially early on, before opponents starting showing them a bit more respect with their own shape and structure), but they struggled badly on Saturday as Crystal Palace had so little of the ball that opportunities to counter were very few and far between. Instead, they aimlessly passed the ball around the final third and settled for 28 crosses into the box, without a natural center forward in the team to target. Injuries, suspensions and international call-ups wrecked most of Postecoglou’s chances to form a cohesive attack this season, and Spurs have done brilliantly to pick up the number of wins they have despite all of that, but significant strides will have to be made in the summer to create a more consistent attacking identity. — Andy Edwards

Healthy Newcastle look onward and upward with tough fixtures ahead

Newcastle 3-0 Wolves

The months of December and January were nothing short of a complete disaster for Newcastle, as they won just three of nine PL fixtures (and lost the rest) while most of the first team was out injured and Eddie Howe struggled to pick 11 fit players (let alone 18) every time another game rolled around in three days’ time. Now, with all but Sandro Tonali and Joelinton back in the squad, it’s onward and upward once again. As an added bonus, the Magpies don’t have any one of Liverpool, Manchester City or Arsenal on their remaining fixtures list, with Tottenham, Manchester United and Chelsea the toughest tests between now and the end of the season. — Andy Edwards

Stop-start progress getting Chelsea, Pochettino nowhere

Brentford 2-2 Chelsea

Much like the last couple of seasons, Chelsea’s 2023-24 campaign has constantly felt like taking take two steps forward followed by one step (or maybe more) back. Aside from losing the League Cup final, Chelsea’s display on the day was largely fantastic and the Blues were terribly unlucky to not lift the trophy. Sure, they did it against a patchwork Liverpool side featuring a handful of academy kids, but it was also a massive stage for a young team still searching for its identity. Now, a week later, they went missing for such long stretches of the game against Brentford and were hugely fortunate to get something out of it. Barring a small miracle over the final 12 games, Chelsea will likely fail to qualify for European competition two seasons in a row for the first time since 1998. — Andy Edwards

Chelsea anticipating 'a busy summer'
David Ornstein joins Rebecca Lowe to discuss Mauricio Pochettino's job security at Chelsea and the club's plan moving forward.

Ten Hag’s good plan only half the derby versus Pep

Manchester City 3-1 Manchester United

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag showed a bit of genius with Bruno Fernandes playing in a false-nine role, and it paid off with an early goal when the ‘center forward for-a-day’ showed proper technique and instincts in setting up Marcus Rashford’s early goal. Rashford looked free, and the under-fire forward might’ve scored a second and third goal on another day, but his touch just wasn’t there and let’s be honest City missed a pair of chances, too. And what else was missing? About half the team. Once Pep Guardiola made his adjustment with Julian Alvarez for Jeremy Doku, the game turned in a big way. There’s just not a lot of spirit for United, who have a wealth (money-wise) of options on the bench but no one to bring off of it — especially with super sub Scott McTominay starting the game. Antony is devoid of confidence, and Sofyan Amrabat struggled as well. Ten Hag also had to put in a kid — Willy Kambwala — for Jonny Evans with 21 minutes to play. United’s recruitment hasn’t been good enough, no, but injuries to Lisandro Martinez and Harry Maguire trickle down dramatically so that an Evans injury stings, too. — Nicholas Mendola

Alphonse Areola stars as Everton stunned by West Ham

Everton 1-3 West Ham

West Ham rode their luck at Everton as Alphonse Areola put in an inspired goalkeeping display. The French goalkeeper saved Beto’s penalty kick brilliantly, then denied McNeil from point-blank range before somehow clawing out Beto’s deflected shot soon after. Areola gave West Ham the platform to stage their incredible late win at Everton which never really seemed likely. Everton had all of the play in the second half but were caught out at a corner kick and then West Ham smelled blood in the water. Soucek and Alvarez scored lovely goals to secure the win and all of a sudden West Ham are pushing for a top six finish. Everton will wonder how on earth they lost this game but it was the same old story for Sean Dyche as his side missed big chances and the brilliance of Areola scuppered Everton’s hopes of celebrating a week which saw them get back four points by adding another three. — Joe Prince-Wright

Fulham have found their Mitrovic replacement

Fulham 3-0 Brighton

Rodrigo Muniz has taken a bit of time to warm up in the Premier League but the 22-year-old Brazilian forward now has five goals in his last five games for Fulham. The way he bullied Brighton’s defense to set up Harry Wilson’s opener and then nodded home Wilson’s cross to put Fulham 2-0 up in the first half made you rub your eyes slightly. ‘Is that Mitro!?’ It wasn’t but it could have been. And that is why Fulham have won three of their last four as they finally have a focal point to their attack. Raul Jimenez has filled the gap in brief spells this season but Muniz has been improving throughout the campaign and is more of a like for like fit for Fulham legend Mitrovic. The way Fulham play they need a targetman and Muniz is the man. — Joe Prince-Wright

Muniz's header doubles Fulham's lead v. Brighton
Rodrigo Muniz gets his head on the receiving end of Harry Wilson's cross to put Fulham 2-0 in front of Brighton in the first half at Craven Cottage.

Ollie Watkins, Premier League Player of the Season?

Luton Town 2-3 Aston Villa

Goals + assists this season

Ollie Watkins - 26 (44 percent of his team’s goals)
Mohamed Salah - 24 (36 percent)
Erling Haaland - 22 (37 percent)

No player in the PL has more assists than Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins (10), and only Erling Haaland (17) has more goals than Watkins (16). He has been ever-present for Villa (27 starts in 27 games) and, with Liverpool and Manchester City full of world-class talent all over the field, has undoubtedly made the biggest individual impact of any player in the league this season. Unless one of the aforementioned aliens superstars puts up absurd numbers in the final three months of the season, Ollie Watkins is in line to win a fair few awards this spring. — Andy Edwards

Fine margins with Cherries as Clarets near Championship

Burnley 0-2 Bournemouth

Relegation took a big step closer to Burnley on Sunday as they now only have 11 games to make up 11 points on Nottingham Forest, 12 on Everton, or 13 on Brentford (and Luton has 20 in 18th). Burnley attacked and went for it, holding 76% possession and doubling the Cherries’ shot attempts, but Neto made four saves for Bournemouth including a sensational one in the first half. Dara O’Shea was just a step slow to react when Kluivert scored his goal, taking a touch to send the defender skittering away, and that’s been the difference this year for Burnley and Bournemouth. Andoni Iraola’s Cherries have found enough of those moments to almost ensure they’ll be able to try and build on this season in the 2024-25 Premier League season. Burnley is a step behind in maturity, and hopefully manager Vincent Kompany gets the chance to reload with another year of his system in the Championship (barring a completely unforeseen turn of events the rest of this season). — Nicholas Mendola

Semenyo blasts Bournemouth 2-0 in front of Burnley
The Cherries can let out a sigh of relief as Antoine Semenyo buries his effort into the back of the Burnley net to give Bournemouth a two-goal cushion late in the second half at Turf Moor.