Sports - Football - Premier League - Week 16
The 16th week of the Premier League action saw:
28 goals - most by Liverpool and Man United = 4 each
234 shots - most by Man United = 20
75 on target - most by Man United = 11
111 corners - most by Man City = 13
233 fouls - most by Huddersfield = 20
40 bookings - most by Wolves and Arsenal = 5 each
2 red cards - Zambo Aguissa for Fulham, Yedlin for Newcastle
2 penalties - 1 scored (Kamara for Fulham)
What a match! Chelsea shocked Manchester City 2-0 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening, becoming the first team to beat Pep Guardiola’s men in the league this season and knock them off the top spot. The Blues were very well organised, stood back and weathered the storm, stubborn and professionally. The Citizens dominated, but the hosts hit back on the counter when it mattered most, N’Golo Kanté (45’) and David Luiz (78’) finding the gaps and pouncing on them, netting a strong right-footed strike and from a corner (that should have been a goal kick - VAR material) respectively. The more surprising and relieving the result was for the London club after Maurizio Sarri’s side’s shambolic defensive display against Tottenham and defeat at Wolves the previous weeks.
What a team! Liverpool are the last team left in the country standing unbeaten in the league after thrashing Bournemouth 0-4 at Dean Court thanks to a Mohamed Salah hat-trick (25’, 48’, 77’) and Steve Cook's own goal (68’). The great Egyptian showed great character, staying up and scoring rather than tumbling and rolling on the floor whining after being fouled by Cook, and last but not least, sharing his man-of-the-match award with James Milner after his 500th Premier League match. Respect. Jürgen Klopp’s men went into their crucial Champions League decider against Napoli at Anfield on Tuesday much more confident, top of the Premier League, with their firing boots fit and set and yet another clean sheet on record. And the Reds made it through to the last 16, maybe not comfortable, but solid and deserved.
What a man! Paul Pogba looked a very sad and lonely man not featuring at all in Manchester United’s confident and comfortable 4-1 win against struggling Fulham at Old Trafford. Much in contrast to that, Juan Mata starred with his 50th Premier League goal that made it 2-0 and his 50th league assist. Manager José Mourinho did not shy from complimenting the Spaniard and pointing out the difference - “the quality, the brain,... he plays for the team.”. Something the Portuguese has been missing from the Frenchman and club record £89 million signing. Even Romelu Lukaku ended his goalless drought of 997 minutes at home in all competitions, scoring his first goal at Old Trafford since March that made it 3-0 before the break and easy going from there for the hosts.
What a goal! Lucas Torreira left it late at the Emirates but his winning goal was a spectacular acrobatic take and the only starring light in a very dozy, grey and gloomy day, game and display for Arsenal against Huddersfield (83’). The result takes the Gunners' unbeaten run to 21 games in all competitions, their longest since 2007. Unai Emery’s men are yet to have a league game where they lead at the break though, only two games off West Ham’s and Cardiff’s season total records of 18 games in 1994-5 and 2013-14 respectively, totalling 17 points after 16 games, whilst Arsenal are on 34 points. Worrying? Not really, it is the result that matters most. No?
Felipe Anderson’s sublime finish made it 3-2 and completed a fine comeback for West Ham against Crystal Palace (65’). The Brazilian winger’s fifth in six games added to Robert Snodgrass’ (48’) and Javier Hernández’s (62’) goals to overturn James McArthur’s early opener (6’). Jeffrey Schlupp pulled one back for Roy Hodgson’s men (76’), but it was too little too late. It’s the Hammers’ third win on the trot for the first time in two years and scoring three goals in three consecutive games for the first time in 36 years!
What the hell?! Ten-man Newcastle fell to their seventh home defeat in nine thanks to Matt Doherty’s 94th minute header to make it 1-2 to Wolves at St James' Park. Rafael Benítez was fuming, pointing out VAR cannot come soon enough, and understandably so. Referee Mike Dean was annoyingly inconsistent, sending off Magpies defender DeAndre Yedlin for pulling back Diogo Jota, even-though he was not the last man, but letting off Wolves defender Willy Boly scot-free despite elbowing Ayoze Pérez in the face. The result sees Rafa’s men remain 15th, three points above the drop zone, Nuno Espírito Santo’s side tenth.
The former LFC and CFC Spaniard is not the only one counting down to VAR time!!! Watford manager Javi Gracia insisted the dramatic late 2-2 draw at Everton on Monday night would have definitely ended differently if the most crucial calls would have been made correctly, like the Toffees’ offside opening goal by Richarlison (15’) and Yerry Mina escaping a red card. Lucas Digne’s delightful curl five minutes into stoppage time earned the home side the point at Goodison Park, leaving the Londoners reeling after a dramatic game that saw two goals and a missed penalty in five action-packed minutes with just over an hour gone. The result takes the Hornet's winless run on the blue side of the Mersey to 13 in the league (D2 L11). Damn.
My Predictions - Actual Results
Bournemouth 1:2 Liverpool - 0:4
Arsenal 3:1 Huddersfield - 1:0
Burnley 1:1 Brighton - 1:0
Cardiff 2:1 Southampton - 1:0
Man United 2:1 Fulham - 4:1
West Ham 2:1 Crystal Palace - 3:2
Chelsea 1:3 Man City - 2:0
Leicester 1:2 Tottenham - 0:2
Newcastle 2:1 Wolves - 1:2
Everton 1:1 Watford - 2:2
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