⚽ The Week Defense Actually Showed Up
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room first: this was the week the so-called “smaller” clubs reminded everyone why the EPL is the best league in the world. Sunderland beating Chelsea? Fulham shutting out Newcastle? West Ham absolutely demolishing Leeds? Yeah, this EPL Best XI is going to look different than you think.
My standout performer? It’s got to be Bernd Leno at Fulham. A clean sheet against Newcastle isn’t just about shot-stopping — it’s about organizing a backline that looked shaky earlier this season. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Let me show you the full Team of the Week first, and trust me, there’s going to be at least one pick that’ll make you want to argue with your screen.
⚽ Team of the Week — The Formation
Going with a 4-3-3 because honestly, the wingers this week were unplayable. The midfield trio might raise some eyebrows — Paqueta over some bigger names? — but hear me out on each pick.
⚽ The Picks That Matter
Four crucial saves against Newcastle, including a one-on-one that would’ve changed the entire game. The clean sheet wasn’t lucky — he earned every second of it with positioning that reminded me why Arsenal fans still miss him sometimes.
Look, I know some of you wanted Aaron Ramsdale in here after Arsenal’s win, but Leno’s performance was textbook goalkeeping. The save in the 67th minute where he spread himself to deny Isak? That’s what separates good from great. Anyone else would’ve picked him too, right?
Absolutely pocketed every Brighton attacker who came near him in that 3-0 win. Won every aerial duel that mattered and started three attacking moves from the back with those trademark progressive passes.
Remember when people said he was too small for the EPL? Yeah, me too. This guy has completely evolved from his first season — the confidence in his passing, the reading of the game, the sheer aggression in winning the ball. Brighton couldn’t get anything going through the middle, and that’s primarily on Martinez.
One goal, one assist in that 3-0 demolition of Leeds, but it’s the off-ball movement that had me convinced. Created space for teammates constantly and his press resistance in tight areas was genuinely world-class.
Controversial pick but hear me out — Paqueta is playing like the player West Ham thought they were getting when they broke the bank. The Brazilian flair combined with EPL intensity? That’s what dominated Leeds. Some weeks you pick based on goals, other weeks you pick based on complete midfield control. This was the latter.
Two goals in a 3-0 win isn’t just about being in the right place — it’s about making the runs that defenders hate. His movement off the ball created the space for Bruno’s best work, and that second goal finish was pure class.
Is Rashford back? Because this performance gave me chills. The acceleration past the fullback for his first goal, the composure for his second — this is the player England needs heading into major tournaments. Brighton had no answer for his pace, and honestly, who does when he’s on this form?
The winning goal at Crystal Palace plus an assist, but more importantly, he was involved in every dangerous Arsenal attack. Twenty-three successful dribbles and constantly pulling defenders out of position — that’s what match-winners do.
How is Saka NOT in every Team of the Week at this point? The consistency from this kid — and I can barely call him that anymore — is absolutely relentless. Palace tried everything: doubling up, physical play, dropping deep. Nothing worked. That’s not just talent; that’s a completely different player from two years ago in terms of football intelligence.
⚽ Unlucky Omissions
Every week there are players who deserve to be in but simply can’t fit. This week was particularly brutal because defensive performances were so strong across the board.
Both goals in Fulham’s 2-0 win over Newcastle came from his creativity. One assist would’ve been enough, but he was also crucial in pressing Newcastle’s buildup play. On another week, he’s starting in my XI.
Actually, scratch that — Iwobi’s going in. You know what? I’m moving him into my front three because two goal contributions in a win over Newcastle while also doing the defensive dirty work is exactly what this team needs. The work rate alone earns it.
The only goal in Tottenham’s 1-0 win over Everton, and it was a vintage Son finish. But beyond the goal, his link-up play and pressing set the tone for Spurs’ dominance.
It genuinely frustrates me to leave Son out because that goal was everything right about his game. The run, the finish, the celebration — classic. But when you’re competing against Rashford’s brace and Saka’s complete performance, even world-class sometimes isn’t enough for the EPL Best XI.
Marshaled Sunderland’s defense in their upset win over Chelsea, and his goal gave them the lead. At 23, he’s showing the kind of maturity that has big clubs circling.
This one hurts because Sunderland beating Chelsea deserves representation. Branthwaite was immense, but Martinez’s overall performance and United’s clean sheet just edges it. Tight call though — if Sunderland had kept a clean sheet, he’s in without question.
⚽ Fan Mood Check
Let’s check the temperature across the EPL after this week’s results. Some fanbases are absolutely buzzing, others are facing uncomfortable questions.
Three goals away at Brighton without reply? This is what they’ve been screaming for all season — clinical finishing and defensive solidity in the same match.
Beating Newcastle 2-0 at home with a clean sheet has them wondering if European football might not be just a fantasy after all.
Losing 2-1 to Sunderland isn’t just disappointing — it’s a pattern forming at exactly the wrong time of the season.
The 2-1 win at Palace wasn’t pretty, but title races aren’t won with pretty performances in May — they’re won with Saka magic and three points.
You have to respect how United fans have gone from “Ten Hag out” to “we might actually be cooking” in the space of one performance. That’s the EPL for you — one week you’re in crisis, the next you’re dreaming of Champions League football. The Fulham mood is particularly interesting because they’re quietly assembling results that could genuinely push for Europe.
⚽ Hot Issues
Is Chelsea’s midfield the problem, or is it the system? They’ve now dropped points in three of their last five, and the pattern is always the same — dominate possession, create nothing dangerous, concede on the counter. Sound familiar?
This reminds me of Chelsea’s 2015-16 season when they had all the ball and none of the cutting edge. The talent is there — you can’t convince me otherwise — but something isn’t clicking. It’s not the 68% possession that matters; it’s what you do in the final third, and right now Chelsea are doing absolutely nothing with it.
Liverpool drawing 1-1 at home to Brentford might seem like a minor blip, but add it to City’s 2-2 with Villa, and suddenly the title race pressure is entirely on them. Can they handle it, or will they crack like in previous seasons?
The pressure at the top is absolutely immense right now. Every dropped point feels magnified when your rivals are also stumbling. Liverpool needed three points to keep pace, got one, and now they’re checking other results like the rest of us. That’s not how champions operate — they take care of business regardless. Brentford weren’t even at their best, and Liverpool still couldn’t find the winner.
This EPL Best XI reflects what we saw this week: underdogs standing up, favorites stumbling, and individual brilliance making the difference in tight games. Rashford and Saka carried their teams. Leno and Martinez showed that great defending still wins matches. Paqueta proved that midfield control matters more than flashy goals sometimes.
The beauty of this league? Next week, this entire Team of the Week could look completely different. That’s what makes picking the EPL Best XI every single week such a beautiful nightmare.
Fulham getting two players in the Team of the Week while Chelsea get none after their head-to-head? That’s not just a result — that’s a statement about where both clubs are right now, and Blues fans really don’t want to hear it.