Dubai: From unexpected sporting heroes to memorable individual performances, the weekend delivered plenty of compelling stories across the world of sport.
With the Premier League and major events in golf, tennis and beyond, there were unlikely winners, impressive breakthroughs and disappointing results to discuss.
Here are the Gulf News winners and losers from a busy weekend, highlighting the people and teams who made headlines for all the right - and wrong - reasons.
Winners
Manchester City: Again City were among the weekend’s winners after extending their perfect start to the Premier League season with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Ipswich Town. Phil Foden marked his return to the starting line-up with a goal, while Erling Haaland continued his remarkable form with a brace to help City make it seven wins from seven under Enzo Maresca. The victory also saw the new manager make Premier League history by becoming the first to win his opening seven matches in charge of a club, although a late Ipswich penalty made for a nervy finish.
Arsenal: The Gunners kept the pressure on Premier League leaders Manchester City with a hard-fought 1-0 win away at Nottingham Forest. Arsenal struggled to break down a stubborn Forest defence, but substitute Noni Madueke came to the rescue with a deflected strike in the 80th minute. It was far from a vintage performance, but Arsenal showed the resilience needed to grind out three points and remain within touching distance of City, just three points behind the leaders.
Eugenio Chacarra: The Spaniard deserves recognition after producing one of the weekend’s standout stories on the golf course. After a weather-disrupted tournament, Chacarra held his nerve to win the DP World India Championship by two shots at Delhi Golf Club, finishing on 21 under par. The Spaniard claimed his third DP World Tour title of 2026 despite playing with a fractured toe, leapfrogging Patrick Reed to move top of the Race to Dubai standings.
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina: Another Spaniard produce a shock on the weekend, this time in tennis. Davidovich Fokina claimed the biggest title of his career at the Shanghai Masters. The Spaniard fought back from a set down to beat fellow countryman Rafael Jódar 1-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 in the final, securing his first Masters 1000 crown. Having lost his first five ATP Tour finals, the 27-year-old has now won three titles in 2026, completing a remarkable turnaround after a two-month absence with a back injury.
Losers
Crystal Palace: The Eagles endured a weekend to forget after being thrashed 5-0 by rivals Brighton in the M23 derby. Palace were completely outplayed, suffering a humiliating defeat that will sting even more given the rivalry between the two clubs. After building momentum in recent weeks, Palace were brought crashing back down to earth in a result that handed Brighton bragging rights and left the Eagles with plenty of questions to answer.
Rory McIlroy: The Northern Irishman is golf’s biggest loser of the weekend after a disastrous third round at the DP World India Championship left him out of contention. McIlroy suffered four bogeys and a double bogey in an eight-hole stretch, dropping well off the pace as he struggled to keep up with eventual winner Eugenio Chacarra. With the Race to Dubai title in his sights, it was a costly weekend for McIlroy as he missed the chance to make significant progress in the season-long battle.
Rafael Jódar: This may seem a harsh choice for the losers list after a remarkable run to the Shanghai Masters final, but falling at the final hurdle must have been difficult to take. The 20-year-old Spaniard defeated former world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev in the semi-finals to reach his first Masters 1000 final, having started the year outside the world’s top 100. He then stormed through the opening set against compatriot Alejandro Davidovich Fokina before losing 1-6, 7-6, 6-4. While missing out on the biggest title of his young career will hurt, Jódar’s run was a huge achievement and a sign of an exciting future ahead.