MW18 Talking Points: Wounded Wolves, Ronaldo has rivals & Al Hilal's big test

When we reach the end of the season perhaps - just perhaps - we'll look back at Matchweek 18 as the turning point of the campaign.

In a round that breathed fresh life back into the title race, it also saw none of the bottom five pick up a win as teams struggle to break free from the relegation dog fight.

So, here are the biggest talking points from another thrilling round of Roshn Saudi League action.

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The title race is ON!

With their seven-point buffer at the top of the table, if the title race was going to fire back up it was going to require Al Hilal dropping points. And, having won 21 consecutive matches in all competitions, that's a rare occurrence.

But their 1-1 draw at Al Riyadh, coupled with wins for all their nearest competitors - Al Nassr, Al Ahli and Al Qadsiah - has narrowed that gap so that the next few weeks shape as season-defining.

Up next, Al Hilal play arguably the hottest side in the league, Al Qadsiah, with eight RSL wins on the bounce, followed by the visit of Al Ahli, who have seven successive. Simone Inzaghi's side could either lose the ascendency or reassert their authority on the league. You simply cannot look away.

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Wounded Wolves in sticky patch

Any team would be forgiven for running on low given the relentless pace of games at the moment, and Al Taawoun's side is certainly not built with the same depth of those around them in the standings.

That's what made their early season running all the more extraordinary. However, in the past few games, there have been signs of their prowess beginning to wane, with two victories in six after stringing together an amazing run of nine wins and a draw after their opening game defeat.

The narrow defeat at Al Nassr has contributed to Al Taawoun slipping back to fifth, now four points behind Al Qadsiah and five behind Al Ahli and Al Nassr. While they have a five-point buffer to sixth-placed Al Ittihad, any further struggles will risk undoing all that good work.

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Al Najmah still searching

The RSL has seen miracle recoveries before. Just last season, Al Fateh survived what looked an impossible situation although, this term, it's hard to hold that candle for Al Najmah.

Still without a win after 17 games - the latest offering a 3-1 home defeat to Al Qadsiah - with only four points on the board, Mario Silva's side are eight points from safety and face Al Ittihad, Al Ahli and Al Nassr during the next month.

Never say never, of course, but, with each passing round without that elusive victory, Al Najmah edge ever closer to the unwanted record of the longest winless streak in Saudi Pro League history.

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Nothing will erase the bitter taste of defeat, but the silver lining for Al Kholood has to be the continued excellence of Ramiro Enrique, who scored his 10th goal of the RSL season in the 2-1 defeat to Al Ettifaq.

The 24-year-old signed after the campaign kicked off, arriving from Orlando City in MLS, but immediately hit the ground running with three goals in his first four games.

Finding the net a further four times this month alone, Enrique has announced himself as a bona-fide star of the league. And, still young, one with massive upside.

Pioneering owner Ben Harburg has made no secret of the fact that Al Kholood consider themselves a selling club (when the opportunity is right) and, should he view it financially prudent, the American can expect plenty of suitors for Enrique in the form he's in.

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After banging in the goals for fun in the opening rounds of the season, Cristiano Ronaldo looked on track for a hat-trick of golden boot honours.

But suddenly, the Portuguese superstar has company at the top of the 2025-26 scoring charts in the form of Al Qadsiah's Mexican marksman, Julian Quinones.

Meanwhile, Al Ahli's Ivan Toney, second to Ronaldo last season, sits only one goal behind, with Al Taawoun's Roger Martinez on 14 and Al Nassr's Joao Felix and Joshua King's Al Khaleej one back.

Quinones and Toney are the league's hottest commodities right now: both have scored in each of their past seven games, both notching 10 times during that stretch.

It sets up a thrilling three-way battle for not only the golden boot, but perhaps even the RSL title as well.