There were yet more twists and turns in Gameweek 26 of the 2025/26 Premier League season.
Leeds United sealed a stunning late comeback at Stamford Bridge after going 2-0 down against Chelsea, while Tottenham Hotspur’s woes deepened as they lost 2-1 at home to Newcastle United.
Elsewhere, Manchester United needed a last-minute Benjamin Sesko goal to salvage a point at West Ham, Manchester City gained ground on Arsenal in the title race, and down at the bottom, Burnley won for the first time since October and Wolves somehow held out for a point against Nottingham Forest, despite facing 35 shots.
How does all that reflect in our Squawka Score Team of the Week for Gameweek 26?
The Squawka Score is our proprietary performance rating, combining multiple Opta stats into a single percentage (45 mins played minimum). It benchmarks players against their positional peers, allowing quick comparisons. Learn more about how it works here: https://www.squawka.com/en/news/squawka-score-explained/
Read the Squawka Score 2025-26 Premier League Team of the Week for Gameweek 28 here.
GK: Jose Sa (Wolves)
- Squawka Score: 90%
There was only ever going to be one goalkeeper making the Team of the Week this time. Wolves faced a whopping 35 shots away at Nottingham Forest but somehow left with a point and a clean sheet. Well, not ‘somehow’. It was largely thanks to Jose Sa making 10 saves to the tune of 2.19 goals prevented in a goalkeeping masterclass.
Honourable mention: Emiliano Martinez (82%)
Emi Martinez didn’t make a bad attempt at making this week’s cut, making three saves and preventing 0.23 goals to help Villa clinch a 1-0 win away at Brighton. The Argentine also caught three crosses, which was the joint-most of any goalkeeper in Gameweek 26, alongside Sa.
RB: Ola Aina (Nottingham Forest)
- Squawka Score: 68%
Ola Aina got through his defensive work well on those rare occasions when Wolves pushed forward at the City Ground, making five clearances and one interception, while he was only dribbled past once. The Nigerian — who won all three of his aerial duels — also created two chances.
Honourable mention: Diogo Dalot (66%)
Diogo Dalot completed all but four of his 39 passes against West Ham, while nobody managed to dribble past him. The Man Utd man completed all three of his dribbles, too, as he looked to get the Red Devils on the front foot in East London.
CB: James Hill (Bournemouth)
- Squawka Score: 74%
It was a real smash and grab for Bournemouth at Hill Dickinson Stadium, but even when Everton went down to 10 men, they piled the pressure on to try and salvage a result. James Hill was at the heart of an excellent defensive effort, making a whopping 13 clearances — joint-first among centre-backs this week — three tackles, three interceptions and one block. He also won eight of his 10 aerial duels and all four of his ground duels, while providing the assist for Amine Adli’s winning goal.
Honourable mention: Virgil van Dijk (72%)
Virgil van Dijk was the man level with Hill on 13 clearances. The Liverpool captain also won nine of his 10 duels in a dominant performance at Sunderland, with his biggest contribution, of course, the only goal in a 1-0 win for the Reds.
CB: Morato (Nottingham Forest)
- Squawka Score: 73%
Morato provided the platform for an utterly dominant display for Forest against Wolves. The Brazilian completed a match-high 45 passes at a 96% success rate, while creating one chance and missing a big chance of his own. Morato was alert defensively when needed, making two tackles, seven clearances and one interception, alongside winning all three of his aerial duels and three of his four ground duels.
Honourable mention: Ibrahima Konate (70%)
Van Dijk’s partner, Ibrahima Konate, also enjoyed a solid game at Sunderland, which included an 88% pass success rate and one chance created, as well as four clearances and a vital last-man tackle. Marc Guehi equalled his Squawka Score to help Manchester City beat Fulham 3-0.
LB: Neco Williams (Nottingham Forest)
- Squawka Score: 73%
Neco Williams created four chances — including one big chance — worth 0.62 xA against Wolves, with only two players generating more xA throughout the entire Gameweek. Forest didn’t manage to score against the basement club, but that’s really not Williams’ fault. For good measure, he also made three tackles and two interceptions, while winning all five of his aerial duels and half of his eight ground duels.
Honourable mention: Andy Robertson (70%)
Like Williams, Andy Robertson was also productive in the final third this week, creating three chances and one big chance. The veteran left-back completed a match-high 56 passes at the Stadium of Light, while only Kieran Trippier (11) and Williams (10) completed more final third passes (8) among full-backs.
CM: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest)
- Squawka Score: 76%
Forest may not have found the breakthrough against Wolves — resulting in the rather harsh sacking of Sean Dyche — but Elliot Anderson did no harm to his England claim. The 23-year-old completed a match-high 79 passes and created two chances, including one big chance. Anderson showed absolutely zero interest in the notion of a Wolves attack, too, making five tackles, two clearances and nine recoveries. This is exactly why he’s a Thomas Tuchel favourite.
Honourable mention: Pape Sarr (72%)
Tottenham really are sliding into trouble, and the dark clouds only increased after another home defeat, this time to Newcastle — enough to finally cost Thomas Frank his job. In fairness to Pape Sarr, he gave about as good as anyone in a white shirt, providing the assist for Archie Gray’s goal, while making four tackles, eight clearances and an interception.
CM: Hannibal Mejbri (Burnley)
- Squawka Score: 72%
This is not a drill, Burnley have won a game! Somehow, the Clarets are still only nine points off safety and could save themselves with a decent run. This 3-2 victory at Selhurst Park was even more remarkable considering they were 2-0 down in 33 minutes. Hannibal Mejbri spearheaded the revival with his strike in the 40th minute, while he completed five passes into the final third, won 10 of his 12 duels, and got stuck in with three tackles and two blocks. The only downside to the Tunisian’s evening was the fact he limped off injured toward the end.
Honourable mention: Bernardo Silva (71%)
Bernardo Silva was his usual, controlling self against Fulham. The City captain created two chances and completed all but five of his 58 passes at the Etihad Stadium, while making two tackles and one interception.
RW: Iliman Ndiaye (Everton)
- Squawka Score: 78%
Another week, another miserable defeat at their shiny new home for Everton. Iliman Ndiaye did his part, however, netting a penalty to give the Toffees a half-time lead against Bournemouth, while creating two chances — including one big chance — and playing three crosses into the opposition box.
Honourable mention: Noni Madueke (70%)
Noni Madueke was the latest Arsenal player to head home from a set-piece. The Gunners will be fuming that they didn’t hold on to that lead against Brentford, allowing City to close the gap at the top. But Madueke was dangerous all night, playing five crosses into the box. He also chipped in with five tackles and eight of 11 duels won.
AM: Cole Palmer (Chelsea)
- Squawka Score: 79%
The Premier League’s ultimate penalty expert right now, Cole Palmer netted yet another goal from the spot for Chelsea during the week, having already provided the assist for Joao Pedro’s opener. That was one of four chances created by the England international, who had 10 touches in the opposition box and completed two of his four dribbles.
Honourable mention: Morgan Gibbs-White (71%)
Morgan Gibbs-White created no fewer than five chances for Forest as they threw the kitchen sink at Wolves. That said, he can’t be too angry at the wastefulness of his teammates as he missed a big chance himself. However, he more than did enough to earn an assist or two.
LW: Callum Hudson-Odoi (Nottingham Forest)
- Squawka Score: 77%
Like Gibbs-White, Callum Hudson-Odoi also created five chances against Wolves. His shots were a little more speculative than Gibbs-White’s, so he does have every right to be irked by his teammates. The former Chelsea man also completed two of his four dribbles and whipped in seven crosses in a very active night at the City Ground.
Honourable mention: Amine Adli (71%)
Amine Adli bagged the winning goal as Bournemouth completed their comeback against Everton. The Moroccan put in a huge defensive effort as the Cherries held out, including four tackles and one clearance. Level on 71% is his former Bournemouth teammate, Antoine Semenyo, who scored City’s opener against Fulham.
CF: Lukas Nmecha (Leeds United)
- Squawka Score: 76%
All the talk recently at Elland Road has been about Dominic Calvert-Lewin, but Lukas Nmecha proved against Chelsea that he is still a very capable striker himself. The German scored from the spot to halve the deficit at Stamford Bridge, then provided the assist for Noah Okafor’s equaliser. Nmecha was only dispossessed twice throughout the entire match as he put his body on the line to get Leeds breathing space.
Honourable mention: Jorgen Strand Larsen (75%)
The most surprisingly expensive man in the Premier League will feel like he’s silenced a few doubters with his first-half brace against Burnley. If only his Palace teammates could have seen the result out. The Eagles will still be looking nervously over their shoulders at the relegation zone, but will also feel like Strand Larsen can fire them back up the table on the evidence of this match.