Weekend awards: Best goal, performance and more

Football writer David Coverdale looks at the standout players and moments from Matchweek 11.

Best goal – Jeremy Doku (Manchester City)

Jeremy Doku marked his 100th match for Manchester City with one of his finest performances yet for the club.

The Belgian winger tore Liverpool apart at the Etihad Stadium and capped his eye-catching display by scoring the best goal of the weekend, as voted by fans on the Premier League WhatsApp channel.

Collecting the ball from Nico O’Reilly outside the box, Doku cut inside Ibrahima Konate and then bent a sensational strike into the far right side of the goal.

It was the 23-year-old’s first goal of the season – and he will have scored few better in his career. 

Watch Doku's splendid goal v Liverpool

“The finish is absolutely devastating,” said former Man City defender Micah Richards on Sky Sports. 

“How many times have we seen him go down blind alleys and make the wrong pass? But he has got that conviction now. He was scintillating. He has taken his game to the next level.”

Doku became the first player since Eden Hazard in 2019 to score a goal, register 10 or more dribbles, win 10 or more duels, create three or more chances and have three or more shots on target in the same match.

Such was his dominant performance, Sky Sports commentator Gary Neville named him Player of the Match as early as the 63rd minute following his goal.

“I think he will never be a top, top scorer,” admitted Doku’s manager Pep Guardiola.

“But he’s demanding himself to be better, he listens, and he has special attributes with his dribbling. He played an outstanding game.”

Best performance – Dan Ballard (Sunderland)

A goal, an assist and a match-saving block. Dan Ballard was heroic at both ends of the pitch in Sunderland’s dramatic draw with Arsenal.

The Black Cats centre-half opened the scoring against the Premier League leaders – who he began his career with – when he controlled Nordi Mukiele’s knock-down and smashed into the roof of the net for his first non-headed goal in two years.

Then, after Arsenal came back to lead 2-1, Ballard delivered another decisive attacking contribution in stoppage time, brilliantly flicking on Trai Hume’s ball for Brian Brobbey to hook in a late leveller.

But his evening’s work was still not complete. In the seventh minute of stoppage time, the Northern Ireland international threw himself in front of Mikel Merino to prevent what would surely have been an Arsenal winner. 

Watch Ballard's highlights v Arsenal

“Ballard epitomised everything that Sunderland have done so well, particularly at home this season,” the Premier League’s all-time leading goalscorer Alan Shearer, a legend of Sunderland’s rivals Newcastle United, said on Match of the Day.

“He and other players put their body on the line for the team. He summed everything up. What a performance he and Sunderland put in”.

Best tackle - Micky van de Ven (Tottenham Hotspur)

Four days after scoring one of the goals of the season, Micky van de Ven produced another moment of individual brilliance – but this time in defence.

The lightning-quick Spurs defender showed off his attacking prowess, with his wonder goal against FC Copenhagen in the UEFA Champions League last Tuesday. Van de Ven sprinted the length of the pitch, dribbled past five players, and then finished in style.

On Saturday against Manchester United, Van de Ven excelled in his day job at the back, pulling off one of the best tackles of the 2025/26 campaign.

With the match tied at 1-1 and with 85 minutes on the clock, Man Utd striker Benjamin Sesko found himself clean through on goal from Mason Mount’s through-ball.

Yet just as Sesko was about to pull the trigger, Van de Ven slid in from behind to hook the ball away with his left foot, having raced back to catch up with his opponent.

Watch Van de Ven's brilliant tackle

“I don’t think there is another defender in the league is getting back there,” enthused Ally McCoist on commentary for TNT Sports.

“That’s incredible. It’s so good. Sesko can’t believe he’s there.”

In Europe’s top five leagues this season, Van de Ven is the only player with both three or more goals and two or more last-man tackles.

Best substitute – Omari Hutchinson (Nottingham Forest)

Omari Hutchinson has endured a tough start to his career at Nottingham Forest.

Since moving to the City Ground from Ipswich Town for a reported club-record £37.5million in the summer, the England Under-21 winger has only started one match – and that was in an EFL Cup defeat at Swansea City.

However, with his game-changing second-half cameo against Leeds United on Sunday, Hutchinson proved just why Forest were so keen to sign him.

Having come from behind to level with Leeds in the opening 15 minutes, the hosts were struggling to find a decisive second goal, until Sean Dyche, made a triple substitution just before the hour mark.

Hutchinson was introduced, along with Ryan Yates and Taiwo Awoniyi. And within nine minutes of the 22-year-old's arrival, he provided a perfect cross for Morgan Gibbs-White to head Forest in front.

Watch Hutchinson's assist for Gibbs-White

In the closing stages, more wonderful wing-play from Hutchinson saw him brought down in the box by Jack Harrison, earning his side a penalty, which Elliot Anderson netted to put the match to bed.

“He’s been through a tough period recently, but he stayed resilient and strong,” Gibbs-White said of Hutchinson. “He proved today why he should be in the XI.”

Forest head coach Dyche added: “We spoke to him yesterday and said, ‘you’re still young in your learning curve in the Premier League. Don’t lose faith in what it’s about, you will get a chance’.

“The price tag has nothing to do with him. He needs to just enjoy his football. He did terrific when he came on.”

An honourable mention must also go to some of the weekend's other super-subs, including Spurs' Mathys Tel, Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey and Aston Villa midfielder Ross Barkley, who all scored crucial goals after coming off the bench.

Most heartwarming moment – Stephen Crean tribute (Nottingham Forest)

There was a touching moment at the City Ground when Forest paid tribute to their supporter Stephen Crean.

The 61-year-old was one of the passengers caught up in the horrific knife attack on a train in Huntingdon the previous weekend, when he had been travelling back to his home in London following Forest’s match with Man Utd.

Crean suffered serious wounds to his head, back and hands after confronting the attacker, injuries which meant he was unable to travel to Austria for his side’s UEFA Europa League match with Sturm Graz last Wednesday.

However, the brave Forest fan was back watching his beloved team against Leeds on Sunday, having been offered a seat in the directors’ box by the club, who had already donated £10,000 to a fundraising page set up to support him.

Crean (pictured below) received a standing ovation from his fellow supporters when his picture was displayed on the big screen before kick-off, and he later received another rousing reception when he was invited on to the pitch.

“The courage and selflessness shown by our supporters on that train represents the very best of humanity and the very best of our club's community,” said Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis in a statement last week.

More reaction from Matchweek 11