Weekend awards: Best goal, save, moment, and more!

Football writer David Coverdale hands out his personal accolades for Matchweek 18.

Best goal – Patrick Dorgu (Manchester United)

In his 38th match in all competitions and with his 31st shot, Dorgu finally got his first goal for Man Utd.

And what a goal it was!

After Newcastle United striker Nick Woltemade headed Diogo Dalot’s long throw out towards the edge of the area, Dorgu raced over to the aerial ball and, as it dropped, connected with a sweet left-foot volley, which flew past goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.

Watch: Dorgu's goal and performance v Newcastle

“I didn't know I could do that!” the versatile Denmark international admitted to Sky Sports after his winning goal on Boxing Day night.

“But I was very happy to score my first goal. It was amazing.

“I just looked at the ball, saw it drop, and I just hit it. I've been practising in training, so I think that's what helped me.”

Dorgu’s stunning 24th-minute strike was voted the best goal of the weekend by fans on the Premier League WhatsApp channel.

And the 21-year-old’s milestone moment came after he surprisingly started on the right-wing in Ruben Amorim’s new 4-2-3-1 formation.

“When you put him in a position higher up, the responsibility changes,” said Man Utd head coach Amorim. “He has more freedom to lose the ball — and I think it helped Patrick play better."

Best save – David Raya (Arsenal)

It was a save which helped secure three points – and could even help Arsenal secure the Premier League title.

With 14 minutes to go at Emirates Stadium on Saturday, Yankuba Minteh looked set to equalise for Brighton & Hove Albion as he curled a shot towards the top corner.

However, Raya had other ideas as he sprung high to his right to incredibly tip the ball over the bar and ensure Arsenal kept hold of their 2-1 lead and returned to the top of the table.

Watch: Raya's incredible save

The Spaniard’s save had Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler scratching his head in disbelief in his technical area, while his opposite number Mikel Arteta said: “It was sensational.

“I had a great angle on it. That’s what we need from players. We need those performances in the key moments.”

Pundits also queued up to praise the heroic stop from Raya, who was making his 150th appearance in the Premier League.

“It was one of, if not the Save of the Season,” said Alan Shearer, the Premier League’s all-time leading scorer, on the BBC’s Match of the Day. “It was an unbelievable save.”

Former Man Utd striker Wayne Rooney added: “It’s moments like that which win you league titles and Raya has many of those moments throughout a season.”

Other outstanding saves from Matchweek 18 included Martin Dubravka’s diving stop to keep out Beto’s flick from six yards in Burnley’s goalless draw with Everton and Emiliano Martinez clawing away Reece James’ cross-shot in Aston Villa’s 2-1 win at Chelsea.

Most moving moment – Diogo Jota’s sons lead Liverpool out at Anfield

It was an emotional day at Anfield on Saturday as Diogo Jota’s two Premier League clubs, Liverpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers, played each other for first time since his tragic death in July.

To mark the occasion, Jota’s young sons, Dinis and Duarte, were made matchday mascots and they walked out of the tunnel ahead of Reds captain Virgil van Dijk before kick-off, with their mother, Rute, watching on from the stands.

A banner which read, “Diogo Jota, forever in our hearts”, was also held aloft in the Kop stand.

While all of Anfield stood as one to sing Jota’s name when the clock turned to 20 minutes – the shirt number the Portuguese forward wore for Liverpool and has since been retired.

“From the bottom of my heart, thank you to the club and to all the fans for the love, respect and support shown during this incredibly difficult time,” Jota’s widow Rute wrote on Instagram.

“Your messages and gestures have meant more than words can express.”

Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch also paid his own tribute to his former team-mate during the game, when he recreated Jota’s shark-style celebration after scoring the opening goal in his team’s 2-1 win.

“It was special to see his children be the mascots and how emotional it was already before the game and also definitely in the 20th minute,” said Liverpool head coach Arne Slot.

“The football world again showed how to behave in moments like this. Today showed that it is not only the players who make this league special.”

Best performance – Kevin Schade (Brentford)

Having only scored three goals in his first 16 Premier League appearances of the season, Schade doubled his tally in one afternoon at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday.

The Brentford forward put a six-game goal drought behind him by scoring the perfect hat-trick in a 4-1 win over AFC Bournemouth.

His first strike came with his left foot, as he outmuscled Bafode Diakite to get on the end of Igor Thiago’s through-ball and fire past Djordje Petrovic.

Schade’s second saw him start and finish a brilliant Brentford counter attack, as he carried the ball from just outside his own box towards the Bournemouth area, then lashed in with his right boot from Yehor Yarmoliuk’s centre.

The 24-year-old Schade then completed his hat-trick in the 96th minute as he headed in Mikkel Damsgaard’s cross, making him the first German to score multiple trebles in the Premier League.

Watch: Schade complete his hat-trick

“He was outstanding,” Brentford boss Keith Andrews said of Schade. “Right foot, left foot and header – it doesn’t get more complete than that.

“It’s one I feel Kevin deserves. He works tirelessly for the team. I feel in the last couple of weeks he’s been starting to get into really good positions and getting really close. Today he really took those opportunities well."

Best social media post – Erling Haaland (Manchester City)

After Man City beat West Ham United in Matchweek 17, Pep Guardiola warned his stars they would not play at Nottingham Forest if they overindulged on Christmas Day.

“The moment they arrive after three days [off] I want to see how they come back,” he said. “They can eat but I want to control them.

“Imagine one player and now he's perfect but he will arrive with three kilos more. He will be in Manchester, he will not travel to Nottingham Forest.”

It meant Man City’s players were weighed when they returned to training after Christmas, something goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma referenced in a light-hearted Instagram post after his side’s 2-1 win at Forest on Saturday.

Alongside a photo of him mounting the scales topless with Guardiola watching on, the Italian wrote: “Christmas 2025: 3 points and a passed weight check.”

That prompted a hilarious response from his team-mate Haaland, who replied: “You can eat now DonnaKebabRumma.”

Click on post to see Haaland's comment

Given Guardiola named an unchanged team for the clash at the City Ground, it seems all of City’s players heeded their manager’s warning and went easy on the Christmas pudding.