Key Points
- Both Arsenal and Manchester City included players in the Squawka Score Team of the Week after the conclusion of Gameweek 27 of the 2025-26 Premier League campaign, joining other clubs such as Manchester United, Crystal Palace, Aston Villa, Liverpool, West Ham United, Fulham, and Nottingham Forest.
- Arsenal regained their five-point cushion at the top of the Premier League table after their emphatic 4-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
- Prior to Arsenal’s victory in their derby game, Manchester City had managed to reduce the gap but failed to stop Arsenal who kept control of the title race by winning the game.
- Arsenal’s forwards, Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyökeres, scored two goals each in the derby win for Arsenal while Gyökeres won the Sky Sports Man of the Match award in the game from former player and pundit Gary Neville.
- The data-driven selection system used Squawka’s proprietary Squawka Score, which measures live Opta metrics to find the best individual performances in the league (for at least 45 minutes played).
Arsenal (North London News) September 5, 2026 — Arsenal extended their lead at the summit of the Premier League table to five points after securing a emphatic 4-1 victory against fierce rivals Tottenham Hotspur in Gameweek 27 of the 2025-26 season. The resounding result in N17 saw Mikel Arteta’s side respond firmly to pressure from title rivals Manchester City, who had temporarily reduced the gap prior to kick-off. Following the conclusion of the weekend’s action, data analytics platform Squawka published its weekly representative XI based on its proprietary performance rating system.
As reported by Chris Jones of Squawka, Arsenal duo Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyökeres were central figures in the Gunners’ derby dominance. Writing on the tactical and statistical output of the match, Jones highlighted that “Eze delivered derby goods again as Gyökeres shined” during the four-goal display at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. According to Jones, Eze opened the scoring in the 32nd minute following clever build-up play involving Jurrien Timber and Bukayo Saka, before adding a second goal just past the hour mark. Although Tottenham brief re-entered the contest through Randal Kolo Muani after he dispossessed Declan Rice, Gyökeres scored a 20-yard strike early in the second half and swept home his second in stoppage time to seal Arsenal’s biggest away league victory over Spurs since 1978.
The individual metrics recorded during the derby underscored the dominant shift from Mikel Arteta’s forward line. As detailed by Jones of Squawka, Gyökeres “was a battering ram for the Gunners against the Spurs centre-backs, contesting a total of 11 duels and winning five of them”. Jones noted that Gyökeres accumulated seven touches inside the opposition penalty area, created one big chance, and provided a crucial flick-on during the sequence for Eze’s second strike. Former England international and Sky Sports commentator Gary Neville assigned his personal match rating during the live broadcast, declaring: “Gyökeres is my man of the match, it is the best I’ve seen him in a big game”.
In addition to Arsenal’s attacking representatives, the Gameweek 27 Team of the Week featured statistical leaders from across the English top flight. The selection process relied on the Squawka Score metric, which converts raw Opta match data into a single positional percentage performance benchmark for all players featuring for at least 45 minutes. Players from Crystal Palace, Manchester United, Aston Villa, Liverpool, West Ham United, Fulham, and Nottingham Forest earned places in the primary XI alongside an honorable mention team.
What Key Statistics Determined The Gameweek 27 Selections Across The Division?
According to analysis published by Squawka’s editorial team, positional benchmark scores were dictated by core defensive, creative, and goalscoring metrics logged throughout Gameweek 27. Goalscorers and match-winners across various fixtures gained top inclusion, alongside key defensive contributors who sustained clean sheets or prevented high expected goals (xG) totals.
As outlined in Squawka’s performance report, Crystal Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson featured in goal following a overall score of 88% after registering key saves during his side’s league fixture, edging out Brighton’s Bart Verbruggen (79%). In defense, consistent output across duels, tackles, and ball recoveries formed the baseline criteria. Midfield selections were similarly anchored by pass completion rates in the final third, chances created, and defensive interceptions, while forward positions prioritized xG generation, total shots on target, and decisive box entries.
Alongside primary stars Eze and Gyökeres, players from title chasers Manchester City and top-four contenders Manchester United and Aston Villa achieved upper-tier ratings to round out the weekend’s best-performing team.
Background Of The Particular Development
The Gameweek 27 fixtures occurred during a critical juncture of the 2025-26 Premier League campaign, marked by heightened title race pressure and managerial movements in North London. Prior to the derby, Tottenham Hotspur had opted to part company with manager Thomas Frank following a defeat to Newcastle United. Frank’s departure left Spurs sitting 16th in the league table, having suffered early exits in domestic cup competitions and lingering just five points above the relegation zone.
Conversely, Arsenal entered the weekend maintaining an extended unbeaten streak in domestic competition. The Gunners had established a strong recent head-to-head record against their local rivals, remaining undefeated in seven consecutive North London derbies prior to Gameweek 27. Eberechi Eze, who joined Arsenal from Crystal Palace, had already established a notable scoring record against Tottenham earlier in the season, having netted a hat-trick during a 4-1 victory in November. His two-goal performance at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium brought his tally to five goals against Spurs out of his six total Premier League goals for Arsenal at that point in the season.
Prediction: How This Development Can Affect Premier League Clubs And Title Contenders
Arsenal’s 4-1 victory and five-point buffer at the top of the table will likely serve as a significant psychological catalyst for Mikel Arteta’s squad as the title race enters its final straight. Re-establishing a comfortable cushion over Manchester City immediately following City’s brief pressure-applying win prevents momentum from shifting toward the reigning champions. For Arsenal’s key attacking figures, Viktor Gyökeres and Eberechi Eze, top-tier statistical performances in high-pressure matches are expected to solidify their starting roles and build sustained confidence ahead of crucial domestic and European fixtures.
For Tottenham Hotspur, the heavy home defeat deepens a challenging campaign. Operating under interim management or newly appointed leadership following Thomas Frank’s departure, Spurs face an urgent requirement to stabilize their defensive organization to avoid being drawn further into a late-season relegation battle. The gap between North London’s two clubs, both in performance ratings and league standing, suggests that Tottenham’s primary objective for the remainder of the season will focus on securing mathematical safety and rebuilding squad cohesion ahead of the next campaign.
