Matchweek Awards
Matchweek 27 of the 2023/24 Premier League season was a big week for many teams in the league.
Manchester City finally won a Manchester Derby from a losing position and Liverpool scored a very late winner to just stay ahead in the title race. The league is close to wrapping up and every team – but Burnley – has buckled up.
Here are our matchday awards after week 27’s action.
Best Player – Phil Foden
Arsenal were the big winners of the week and had many top-rated performers, but Phil Foden wins our player of the week award.
The 23-year-old is making a case for himself as the Premier League player of the season. He matched David Silva’s 77 goals for Manchester City with his brace against Manchester United. That brace also helped City to win their first Manchester Derby from a losing position.
He has been phenomenal this season and finally earns our unanimous weekly plaudits.
Best XI
As stated earlier, Arsenal could have easily dominated this XI once again but we can make a case for others being more deserving of a spot because the Gunners faced a weak Sheffield United side.
Malo Gusto of Chelsea was particularly impressive and will give captain Reece James a run for his money when he returns from injury. Caoimhín Kelleher was amazing in goal for the Reds against Nottingham Forest, while Alexis Mac Allister was running things in the middle of the park for them.
Here is our best XI from week 27:
GK: Caoimhín Kelleher – Liverpool
DF: Axel Disasi – Chelsea
DF: Sergio Reguilon – Brentford
DF: Malo Gusto – Chelsea
DF: Jakub Kiwior – Arsenal
DM: Rodri – Manchester City
CM: Alexis Mac Allister – Liverpool
CM: Martin Ødegaard – Arsenal
AM: Phil Foden – Manchester City
CF: Ollie Watkins – Aston Villa
CF: Darwin Nuñez – Liverpool
Best Goal
Marcus Rashford may have been on the losing side, but his sixth goal in 20 appearances against Manchester City wins our best goal of the week.
The under-fire attacker rifled a brilliant shot from around 25 yards out after being set up by Bruno Fernandes in the eighth minute of their match. The ball hit the underside of the crossbar before hitting the back of the net to give United fans hope that they could win the derby.
Phil Foden turned their hopes into despair, but that goal will greatly boost Rashford’s confidence.
We daresay it is one of the best goals of his career.
Best Game
Yoanne Wissa’s acrobatic goal could have upstaged Rashford’s belter but scoring a goal like that in the Manchester derby would have made it more special.
However, his goal was one of many attempts in the West London derby between Brentford and Chelsea which kept fans at home and in the stadiums at the edge of their seats.
It was a brilliant game from start to finish that ended how it was supposed to, given the football both teams played.
Best Stats
Nuñez’s dying-minute goal against Forest at the City Ground was Liverpool’s 44th dying-minute winning goal that Liverpool have scored in the Premier League. Arsenal comes second with 32 last-gasp goals.
The goal was also his seventh away goal for Liverpool this season, which is four more than he has scored at Anfield this season. He is only behind Erling Haaland and Ollie Watkins in away goals for their clubs this season.
Best/Worst VAR Decision
The worst VAR decision of the week is the negligence of the VAR to spot referee Paul Tierney’s two crucial errors in the Nottingham Forest vs Liverpool game.
The Reds lost the ball to Forest in the 56th minute after Tierney failed to return possession to them following an injury-related stoppage. The match went on and a similar incident happened in the 98th minute when Forest should have received possession back after a similar incident.
Unfortunately for the Tricky Trees, shortly after this mistake, a Liverpool attack led to Nuñez’s goal which was the last action of the match. Liverpool left City Ground with three points and Forest and their fans are breathing fire over the PGMOL’s competence once again.
VAR’s omission of these incidents will be debated for years, especially if Liverpool beat City to the league title.
Best Substitution
Nuñez coming on in the 60th minute sharpened Liverpool’s attack at the City Ground.
Jürgen Klopp rested the Uruguayan striker and a few others because he has a midweek appointment in the UEFA Europa League and needed his key players fresh. Forest held back his second-string side until Nuñez came on to change the dynamics of the game.
The 24-year-old ended up scoring the winner to keep Liverpool at the top of the table ahead of Manchester City.
Funniest Moment of the Matchweek
Phil Foden’s celebration is the funniest moment of the week. The attacker is trying to create something iconic like Bukayo Saka’s holding of the corner flag or Jude Bellingham’s arm raise, but it is just not working. It looks comical every time he does it. Someone please grab the man aside and tell him to try something else.