It’s the pivotal game week in the Premier League season!

GAMES week 22 could very well be the defining moment of this Premier League season.

When Sky Sports produces its season review at the end of the campaign, this gameweek might just stand out as the one that changed everything.

For 90 minutes, Liverpool struggled to break down Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium. The match had a sense of deja vu – once again, a result against Manchester United appeared to derail Liverpool’s momentum.

Last season, Liverpool’s FA Cup defeat to United ended their quadruple hopes, leaving Juergen Klopp’s farewell season with only a Carabao Cup to show for. This time, after a 2-2 draw at Anfield, Liverpool dropped points against Nottingham Forest and suffered a Carabao Cup exit against Tottenham under Arne Slot.

Arsenal, hot on their heels, could have cut the deficit to a single point if Liverpool failed to win against Brentford. But up stepped the much-maligned Darwin Nunez!

While critics often highlight his wasted chances, no one can fault Nunez’s effort and determination because, as always, he gives his 110%. He was the game-changer in this dramatic 2-0 victory for Slot’s side.

The silence at the Emirates was deafening as Nunez’s first goal hit the back of the net, just as Arsenal were preparing for their showdown with Aston Villa.

Instead of being inspired to close the gap, Arsenal’s players seemed deflated after seeing Liverpool return to winning ways.

Despite taking a comfortable 2-0 lead against Aston Villa, a lapse in concentration allowed Unai Emery’s side to fight back and secure a draw. Once again, Emery played spoiler to Mikel Arteta’s title aspirations.

Arteta’s tactical decisions didn’t help matters. The absence of William Saliba forced Thomas Partey into an unfamiliar rightback role, despite the club’s recent defensive reinforcements.

Aston Villa’s first goal, stemming from Lucas Digne’s cross, was a direct consequence of this positional compromise.

Desperate for a winner after Villa’s equaliser, Arsenal found themselves limited by a lack of impactful substitutes or game changer.

While Villa could call upon the likes of Jhon Duran and Leon Bailey from the bench, Arsenal turned to Raheem Sterling – an odd choice given the squad’s reported £700mil spend under Arteta.

In contrast, Liverpool had Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott to change their game.

Depth remains a glaring issue for Arsenal, one that could cost them dearly if not addressed before the January transfer window closes.

Elsewhere, St James’ Park witnessed an upset as Bournemouth stunned Newcastle. Andoni Iraola’s injury-hit squad outplayed Eddie Howe’s side, who were seeking their tenth consecutive win.

Bournemouth executed their game plan perfectly, with Justin Kluivert bagging his second hattrick of the season to secure all three points.

Iraola’s stock as a manager is soaring, and it’s only a matter of time before bigger clubs come calling. Or should Iraola stay and take the Cherries to the promised land?

Meanwhile, Brighton secured their third consecutive victory at Old Trafford, leaving Manchester United fans in dismay.

“Play Manchester United every week” might just become a chant among Brighton fans at this rate.

Ruben Amorim’s side has shown up against the big teams but continues to struggle against mid-table opposition – a troubling trend for a squadstuck in limbo.

Not good enough to challenge for trophies or European qualification, yet safe from relegation, this United side face an identity crisis under Amorim.

Manchester City secured a comprehensive victory away from home against Ipswich Town.

Phil Foden looks happy and back to his footballing best. Perhaps the key to Foden’s success is simply keeping him happy. The emphatic 6-0 victory lifted City back to fourth place, though they remain twelve points behind the league leaders.

With City reinforcing during this transfer window, could Pep Guardiola pull off a miracle and win the league? This has been a crazy Premier League season, so anything is possible.

So, is the title race over? Is it now Liverpool to lose? Will Game week 22 mark the season’s turning point?

There’s still plenty of football left to play, and the ability to call upon game-changers from the bench could prove decisive in the title race.

Liverpool currently holds the edge, but Arsenal has time to act in the transfer market.

If Arteta doesn’t seize the opportunity, Arsenal’s title hopes may end up like a Netflix series – “Next season?”