Sports - Football - Premier League - Week 21
The 21st week of the Premier League action saw:
29 goals - most by Arsenal = 4
250 shots - most by Bournemouth = 25
95 on target - most by Bournemouth = 12
77 corners - most by Crystal Palace = 10
181 fouls - most by Watford = 15
33 bookings - most by Watford, Wolves and Man City = 4 each
2 red cards - Schindler for Huddersfield, Brady for Burnley
0 penalties
What a game! Six goals in 26 first-half minutes, four of them in just six minutes, it was absolute madness at Dean Court on the second day of the new year! The reporters all round, online, on telly, all of them couldn’t keep up. The frantic encounter somehow ended 3-3 between Bournemouth and Watford, with no goal after the break, leaving the Cherries in 12th after blasting 25 chances, whilst the the visitors moved to eighth making the most out of their 11 chances. Eddie Howe felt hard done by, but hey, what are defenders there for again???
The biggest game was the only game left on Thursday night (the third day of the new year, if you can't keep up), in which second-placed Manchester City ended league leaders Liverpool’s 20-game unbeaten run and opened up the title race after reducing the Reds’ lead at the top to four points with their 2-1 win at the Etihad. It was an intense game, but not of many chances. Pep Guardiola’s side didn’t give their opponents much space to play nor breath. Although the visitors looked more reluctant and less attacking throughout anyway, trying to keep play restricted and tied similar to the goalless draw between the two in October, which made the job easier for the champions. Roberto Firmino's header had levelled the score (64') after Sergio Agüero had given the home side the lead earlier on (40'). Sadio Mané had hit the woodwork and John Stones had to scramble the ball off the line earlier on in the first half. Leroy Sané netted the winner, firing in Raheem Sterling's fine pass eight minutes after the equaliser (72'). It was the first time Jürgen Klopp’s men conceded more than one goal in the league since their 2-2 draw at West Brom in April 2018 (PL Week 35). It was only the Citizen’s second win in their past 12 matches against against the Scousers. Crucial.
What a team! After their shock defeat against Wolves last week, Tottenham travelled to Wales a bit shaken, but ended up easy 0-3 winners at Cardiff, taking them back up to second and keeping them in the race before the big clash at the top on Thursday night mentioned above. With Harry Kane (3’), Christian Eriksen (12’) and Son Heung-min (26’) all on the scoreboard early on, the second half was just like a training kick-about. Next on the league fixture list for Tottenham, a bit more of a test: Manchester United.
Chelsea meanwhile had a miserable evening against Southampton, a goalless draw, which saw the Blues fail to score for the third time in the last five league matches at Stamford Bridge, as many as in their previous 22 games. The result opens up the race for the top four, with Arsenal breathing down their necks. See more about the Gunners' win below.
What a man! Huddersfield boss David Wagner sounded surprisingly positive after his side lost the crucial relegation clash against Burnley 1-2, where both sides were reduced to ten men in a true good old-fashioned battle. With only 10 points after 21 games and eight points from safety following their eighth successive league defeat, the Terriers will need a miracle-and-a-half. No team has stayed up with as few points after 21 games. The German-American called it exciting. The fans and followers wouldn't put it that way, worrying more like. Sean Dyche’s men meanwhile are up to 16th after their first successive win since September.
Caretaker boss Ole Gunnar Solskjær is only the second manager in Manchester United’s history after the great Matt Busby in 1946 to win his first four league games in charge after beating Newcastle 0-2 at St James’ Park. Hold your horses Red Devils. The four wins have come against four struggling sides/bottom half of the table (current positions = week 21) = Cardiff (17th), Huddersfield (20th), Bournemouth (12th) and the Magpies (15th). As mentioned above, next week will be a bit more of a challenge against Mauricio Pochettino's men.
What a goal! Jamie Vardy’s 58th minute winner from a tight angle for Leicester completed a very miserable New Year’s Day at Goodison Park and Everton’s fourth defeat in the past five Premier League games (W1). It’s the Foxes’ third win in the last four (L1), one more than in their previous ten matches combined, taking them above Wolves into seventh, after their defeat against Palace, whilst the Toffees slumped down to 11th after the other matches were played the following day.
Marko Arnautović scored twice in two minutes (66’, 68’ - 131 seconds between the two) to make it 2-2 and salvage a point for West Ham against Brighton. But manager Manuel Pellegrini was not happy, after the Seagulls were ahead thanks to two goals in two minutes also, both coming from corners (Stephens 56’, Duffy 58’ - 125 seconds between the two). Similar to the match above, what is marking and defending again??? And how did the ref miss Lewis Dunk's elbow on Andy Carroll?! Frustrating. Mind-boggling. VAR anyone?!?!?!
What the hell?! Boos rang around the Emirates Stadium when Arsenal boss Unai Emery decided to take off Alexandre Lacazette 20 minutes after the French striker had doubled the Gunners’ lead, finishing off a lovely team move (55’). But Fulham had pulled one back (Kamara 69’), and soon after coming on, sub Aaron Ramsey restored the two-goal cushion (79’), before Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang made it 4-1 (83’), sealing only their second win in six games. Claudio Ranieri’s defensive worries continue, his side tied to 19th, whilst Emery’s men reduced the gap to Chelsea in fourth to three points. Still booing the Spanish manager's decisions = doing his job?!
My Predictions - Actual Results
Everton 0:1 Leicester - 0:1
Cardiff 1:4 Tottenham - 0:3
Bournemouth 0:0 Watford - 3:3
Chelsea 3:1 Southampton - 0:0
Huddersfield 0:0 Burnley - 1:2
West Ham 2:1 Brighton - 2:2
Wolves 2:1 Crystal Palace - 0:2
Newcastle 0:3 Man United - 0:2
Man City 1:3 Liverpool - 2:1
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