EPL Weekly Wrap | All the Headlines – Gameweek 34

Gameweek 34 was a blank round with only seven fixtures after six teams played twice in the previous double gameweek. I thought it would pass without much drama. It didn’t.

Arsenal responded to losing top spot in midweek and the relegation picture shifted again. Here’s a breakdown of all the Premier League news you may have missed last week.

The big story of the week was Arsenal’s response to losing top spot. Manchester City had gone above them in Gameweek 33 after Erling Haaland’s early goal at Turf Moor, and for a couple of days the pressure was on. Arsenal answered on Saturday evening NZT with a 1-0 win over Newcastle United at the Emirates, Eberechi Eze scoring in the ninth minute after a short corner routine was worked to the edge of the box.

Eze’s strike curled into the top corner with real power, and it was Arsenal’s 17th league goal from corners this season, a new all-time Premier League record.

Newcastle had chances. William Osula went close inside the opening seconds, and Sandro Tonali forced David Raya into an awkward save from distance. But Arsenal held firm.

I’d be worried about the injury list, though. Kai Havertz came off in the first half with a muscular problem, and Eze followed after going down off the ball later on. Arteta described both as minor, but with a Champions League semi-final first leg at Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, I’m not sure the timing could be much worse.

Arsenal are three points clear of City again, though City still have a game in hand.

Liverpool moved up to fourth after a 3-1 win over Crystal Palace at Anfield. Alexander Isak’s first goal since December opened it up before Andy Robertson doubled the lead just before the break.

Crystal Palace pulled one back through Daniel Munoz after goalkeeper Freddie Woodman went down injured, and it took a Florian Wirtz strike in the sixth minute of stoppage time to put the result beyond doubt. For anyone tracking football betting tips around Liverpool, it’s worth noting Palace had the higher xG and more shots on target.

Mohamed Salah also left the field with a hamstring problem, and I think there are real doubts over whether he’ll play again this season.

Fulham beat Aston Villa 1-0 through a Ryan Sessegnon goal just before half-time, dropping Villa out of the top four on goal difference.

Chelsea didn’t play in Gameweek 34, but the fallout from their 3-0 loss at Brighton in Gameweek 33 dominated the week. It was their fifth straight league defeat without scoring, the first time that’s happened at the club since 1912.

By Thursday, Liam Rosenior was sacked, just six days after co-owner Behdad Eghbali had publicly backed him. I reckon the timing tells you everything about how quickly things deteriorated. Chelsea are eighth on 48 points with four games left.

If I had to pick one result from Gameweek 34, it’s Nottingham Forest’s 5-0 away win at Sunderland on Friday evening. A Trai Hume own goal opened the scoring in the 17th minute after Igor Jesus’ header was deflected in, and then it all fell apart for Sunderland.

Chris Wood punished a Robin Roefs error for the second before Morgan Gibbs-White fired in the third a couple of minutes later. Igor Jesus added a fourth with a volley on 37 minutes. Elliot Anderson completed the rout deep in stoppage time.

Gibbs-White now has seven goals in his last seven Premier League games. Forest are on 39 points, five clear of 18th-placed Tottenham.

Tottenham did win for the first time in 2026. Joao Palhinha prodded home in the 82nd minute at already-relegated Wolves to end a 15-game winless run. But I wouldn’t read too much into it. Dominic Solanke and Xavi Simons both came off injured, and Tottenham are still 18th on 34 points with a brutal run-in to come.

West Ham’s afternoon was wild. Tomas Soucek headed them in front against Everton in the 51st minute, and they looked comfortable until Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall equalised in the 88th. For a few minutes, West Ham were in the relegation zone.

Then Callum Wilson scored a stoppage-time winner to put them back on 36 points, two clear of Tottenham.

For NZ punters browsing legal betting sites ahead of Gameweek 35, Manchester United host Liverpool at 2:30am NZST on Monday, May 4. Aston Villa host Tottenham at 6:00am NZST the same morning, and if you’re eyeing free bets on the relegation battle, that one could go a long way toward settling things.