Premier League GW28: 5 Key Takeaways from the Weekend's Action | OneFootball

With just one match remaining in Game Week 28, the standout result was Nottingham Forest’s stunning 1-0 victory over Manchester City. Meanwhile, Liverpool took another step toward securing the Premier League title. Here are the five key takeaways from the weekend.

1. Liverpool Moves Closer to the Title

Premier League leaders Liverpool secured a 3-1 win at home against bottom-placed Southampton. Despite the visitors taking a shocking early lead, Liverpool quickly regained control, proving too strong for the Saints. Mohamed Salah scored twice, with his second goal bringing him level with Sergio Agüero in the all-time Premier League top scorers list.

Meanwhile, their closest challengers, Arsenal, managed only a point at Old Trafford against Manchester United. As a result, Arne Slot’s side now needs just 16 points from their remaining nine matches to claim their second-ever Premier League title.

2. Nottingham Forest's Champions League Dream

The two-time winners of the old European Cup have never played in the modern UEFA Champions League. The closest they came was competing in the UEFA Cup 30 years ago. Last season, they finished 17th in the league. On Saturday they defeated current Premier League champions Manchester City 1-0 at home.

The win extends their lead and Forest now sits third in the table and is looking increasingly likely to secure a top-four finish. Even their most passionate fans wouldn't have predicted such a turnaround after last season’s struggles. Under Nuno Espírito Santo, they have transformed into one of the league’s best defensive units. Only Liverpool and Arsenal, the two teams above them, boast a better defensive record.

With no European commitments to manage, there is every reason to believe that Forest can achieve their dream. They may not be the flashiest team, boasting only the second-best attacking output among the top sides, but they are undoubtedly effective.

3. The Intense Battle for European Spots

The fight for European qualification is heating up, with just seven points separating fourth-placed Chelsea and 10th-placed Fulham. Heading into the weekend, that gap was even smaller at five points. With as many as seven teams in contention, the race is wide open, any of them could secure a Champions League, Europa League, or Conference League spot, while others risk missing out on European football altogether.

There is also a possibility that a fifth-place finish could be enough for a Champions League spot next season. Chelsea’s win over Leicester City at home saw them climb into the top four following Manchester City's defeat to Nottingham Forest. Meanwhile, victories for Brighton and Aston Villa saw them leapfrog Newcastle United. Bournemouth also moved ahead of Newcastle despite drawing with Tottenham. However, with a game against West Ham on Monday, Eddie Howe’s side could climb back from ninth to sixth with a win.

4. Encouraging Signs for Ruben Amorim in a Big Match

Manchester United has yet to hit top gear under Ruben Amorim, but there have been glimpses of improvement. They are currently unbeaten in their last five matches.

Their 1-1 draw with Arsenal at Old Trafford was a performance that should give fans hope for the future. If not for some brilliant defensive work from Declan Rice and fine saves from David Raya, United might have snatched all three points. Up next is a crucial home fixture against Spanish side Real Sociedad in the second leg of the Europa League Round of 16. A positive result on Thursday would see them advance to the quarter-finals.

5. Bournemouth’s Missed Chances and a Big Point for Ange Postecoglou

Tottenham’s season has been challenging, they are out of all domestic competitions and sit 13th in the table. Injuries have further compounded their struggles. Heading into their weekend clash with Bournemouth, they had lost their previous two games 1-0, one against Manchester City, who have been below their usual high standards, and the other in the first leg of the Europa League Round of 16 against AZ Alkmaar.

Their opponents, Bournemouth, arrived in fine form, having lost just three of their last 19 matches while winning ten. Last week, they also reached the FA Cup quarter-finals for only the third time in their history after defeating Wolves on penalties.

When the Cherries took a 2-0 lead at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, things looked bleak for the home side. However, within seconds, Pape Sarr capitalized on a looping ball over Kepa Arrizabalaga, who was off his line, to pull one back. Just 15 minutes later, Tottenham captain Son Heung-min was brought down inside the box by Arrizabalaga and converted the resulting penalty to make it 2-2.

Bournemouth will look back at this game as one they should have won. They registered eight shots on target and created five big chances, but wasteful finishing and some brilliant saves from Guglielmo Vicario denied them a victory.