MW13 Talking Points: Al Hilal top, Al Nassr slip, red-hot Rodgers and more

The games are coming thick and fast in the Roshn Saudi League as the league steamrolls into 2026, with Matchweek 13 providing even more drama.

With a change at the top of the table and further movement below, plus 28 goals across nine games, there was no shortage of storylines. Here, then, we pick out some of the most prominent.

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Al Hilal go top as Al Nassr stumble

Al Nassr have surrendered the summit for the first time this season after suffering their first defeat, at the hands of Al Ahli. The Jeddah hosts stunned Jorge Jesus’ side with an opening 20-minute blitz that blew the game - and perhaps the title race - wide open, even if Al Nassr did initially fight back brilliantly.

That handed the ascendency to, who else but their perennial Riyadh foes, Al Hilal. Simone Inzaghi’s side were only too willing to capitalise on Al Nassr’s malaise, with their 2-0 victory at Damac seeing them leapfrog their rivals at the top.

We know, when Al Hilal get a sniff, they are hard to stop, so can Al Nassr get back to winning ways against Al Qadsiah on Thursday? By that time, and since they host lowly Al Hazem earlier that day, Al Hilal’s advantage may have grown from one point to four .

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Rodgers’ impact starting to show

Speaking of Al Qadsiah, albeit against a Al Riyadh side who are staring down relegation, this was the version of the Red Knights that Brendan Rodgers will hope to see more of as the season continues.

Last month’s appointment of the Northern Irishman always promised a more attacking brand of football, and eight goals in three games certainly shows that to be true. As does Al Qadsiah’s xG, with their 2.48 against Al Riyadh their second-highest of the season.

Across the three games Rodgers has overseen, that stat ranks at 2.09 on average, compared to only 1.39 in nine 2025-26 RSL games with predecessor Michel. “Rodgers Ball” has arrived in Al Khobar.

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Al Ittihad find their groove

It’s been largely a title defence to forget for Al Ittihad thus far, with the early season dismissal of Laurent Blanc putting a close on that chapter and thus entering a new era with successor Sergio Conceicao.

It hasn’t always been smooth sailing, but with a 1-0 victory against Al Taawoun, Al Ittihad have now strung together four wins in a row for the first time this campaign.

Conceicao has shown faith in younger talents like Roger Fernandes and Ahmed Al Ghamdi, with the duo rewarding their manager’s faith by scoring 50 percent of the champions’ goals since the league resumed for Matchweek 11.

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Al Fateh revival continues

Is it something they put in the water in Al Ahsa at this time of year?

Just as they did last term, Al Fateh stumbled out of the blocks, managing a solitary win in their opening nine matches. Once again, they seemed shoo-ins for relegation.

But as they did last season, Jose Gomes’ men managed to flick a switch after the break and, with their third win on the bounce, they are one of the league’s most in-form teams. Only Al Hilal and Al Ittihad have recorded three straight wins since the league restart.

Their 2-0 triumph at home against Al Shabab heaped more misery on the Riyadh outfit (more on them shortly), but impressively catapulted Al Fateh six points clear of the relegation zone. In this form, it’s hard to see the drifting back down.

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No let-up for Al Shabab

If there was any optimism that the break in December would act as a catalyst for change at Al Shabab, that has rather dissipated after another disappointing performance, this time at Al Fateh.

While the fixture list wasn’t exactly kind, with matches against both Al Ittihad and Al Qadsiah, the Matchweek 13 defeat represented Al Shabab's third on the bounce since the league kicked back into action - and the second time in three games in which they’ve failed to find the back of the net.

As it is, Al Shabab are one spot above the bottom three, only by dint of a superior goal difference. With 22 rounds remaining, there is, of course, ample time to turn things around. It’s just they’ll need to start now.