Sports - Football - Premier League - Week 28
The 28th week of the Premier League action saw:
29 goals - most by Arsenal and Liverpool = 5 each
251 shots - most by Man City = 22
65 on target - most by Liverpool = 10
102 corners - most by Man City = 13
176 fouls - most by Southampton = 15
30 bookings - most by Cardiff, Burnley and Man United = 3 each
0 red cards
1 penalty - 1 scored (Agüero for Man City)
What a game! Arsenal and Liverpool were on fire! The Gunners took Bournemouth apart at the Emirates, 5-1 with five different scorers including recalled Mesut Özil with the opener after just four minutes. Substitute Alexandre Lacazette sealed the win making it five with a superb free-kick (78’), condemning the Cherries to their ninth consecutive away defeat for the first time since the 1933-34 season. The result keeps Unai Emery’s men in the top four, one point ahead of Manchester United. More to the Red Devils' impressive win and run below.
The Reds thrashed Watford 5-0 at Anfield, which was just what the doctor ordered for them in the title race and after their disappointing and frustrating goalless draw at Old Trafford on Sunday. Sadio Mané (9’, 20’) and Virgil van Dijk (79’, 82’) starred with a brace each - the prior’s second the cheekiest of cheeky back-healers, absolute stunner, the latter’s both headers. Injured Roberto Firmino's replacement Divock Origi contributed one as well in-between (66’), adding up to their biggest win of the season. But the real star was man of the match and night Trent Alexander-Arnold. Left out at the weekend, the youngster showed how much he was missed, producing top passes, crosses, control and precision, becoming the youngest player ever at 20 years and 143 days to get three assists in a Premier League game. Just wow! The win helped Jürgen Klopp’s men and their goal difference, just one point clear at the top ahead of Manchester City in second. More to the Citizens' lucky winner below.
What a team! Chelsea beat Tottenham at Stamford Bridge, Mauricio Pochettino’s men slumped and bumped out of the title race too easily. The Blues had dropped goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga after his League Cup antiques at the weekend, but his replacement Willy Caballero didn’t have anything to do = 0 shots on target produced by Spurs. The embarrassing scenes were in the opposing goal this time, Hugo Lloris letting the opener by Pedro go through his legs (57’) before watching his team mate Kieran Trippier pass the ball past him and into his own net (OG 84’). That makes it two own goals in their last six Premier League games, as many as in their previous 113 in the competition. They are still in third, but now eight points behind City in second and nine away from the top.
Manchester United recorded their eighth consecutive away win - not even the great Sir Alex Ferguson was able to achieve that! Ole Gunnar Solskjær (still only caretaker) saw his side beat Crystal Palace convincingly despite their looooong list of injuries (of eight first-team players!). Romelu Lukaku stepped up and scored twice (33’, 52’), and Ashley Young drilled in a third (83’), to hand the Red Devils yet another win and keep them in fifth and in the race for the top four, just one point separating them from Arsenal in fourth. Surely, the Norwegian boss will be made permanent, a question of when.. Not if... ?!
What a man! Brendan Rodgers was announced as the new Leicester boss hours before their match against Brighton at the King Power Stadium on Tuesday night. The news of his talks with the club was no real surprise, but the speed of his departure from Celtic caught out everyone. It seemed like the Northern Irishman couldn’t wait to get away! The Foxes recorded their first home win in five on the night, beating the Albions 2-1, thanks to goals by Demarai Gray (10’) and Jamie Vardy (63’), Davy Pröpper with a cracking but the only reply for the visitors (66’). But most of the main focus and attention was on the new man in the stands. The 2016 champions are up to 11th, on 35 points, ten points clear of the drop zone, 18 away from the top six. What will the new boss' ambition/aim/target be without any silverware in sight (unlike in Scotland)?!
What a goal! Newcastle’s opener against Burnley at St James’ Park by Fabian Schär (24’) was sublime! Sean Longstaff pounced on the visitors' weak defense to double the home side’s lead (38’). Both goals were clinical and crucial in the relegation battle, ending Sean Dyche’s side’s eight-game unbeaten run in the league and easing the Magpies’ relegation worries.
Everton’s team work goals at Cardiff were top-quality, all three of them. Gylfi Sigurðsson's brace (41’, 66’) and Dominic Calvert-Lewin's late finish (90’+3’) ended the Toffees’ league run of three successive defeats. The win takes them up to ninth, four points behind Watford in eighth and level on points with West Ham in tenth.
Manchester City’s penalty against the Hammers was softer than soft, which was otherwise a very frustrating night for Pep Guardiola’s side at the Etihad. Sub Bernardo Silva went down without any contact, seconds after coming on. Surrounded by West Ham players, replays showed, if anything, the Portuguese midfielder twisted and tripped over his own feet. But the spot kick was given, and of course Sergio Agüero made no mistake of netting it (pen 59’) and the three points for the Citizens with it, to keep them in the title race, one point behind the Reds. Hammers boss Manuel Pellegrini was understandably less happy with that call and result.
What the hell?! HUDDERSFIELD WON!!! SCORED AND WON!!! Celebrations galore!!! Lots of sickies up North on Wednesday, I bet. Yes, they are still bottom, but sweeter than sweet it still was for them. Only the third win of the season. First since November. After seven consecutive defeats at home. Sweet home. After African striker Steve Mounié scored the winner in the 91st minute, he got buried under his team mates as a thanks. Boss Jan Siewert was also taken over by wild celebrations with his backroom staff after the German's first win in charge of the club. Wolves were their victims, having lost eight of their last nine league matches against the Terriers and seven of their 12 against teams starting the day at the bottom of the Premier League. Southampton meanwhile moved out of the relegation zone after beating Fulham 2-0, and with Cardiff’s defeat, will have added to the bottom club’s celebrations and the tiniest of tiny glimmer of hope that has returned for them in their chance of somehow climbing out of the deep and dark relegation swamp they’re in.
My Predictions - Actual Results
Cardiff 0:0 Everton - 0:3
Huddersfield 1:2 Wolves - 1:0
Leicester 1:1 Brighton - 2:1
Newcastle 2:2 Burnley - 2:0
Arsenal 2:0 Bournemouth - 5:1
Southampton 2:1 Fulham - 2:0
Chelsea 3:1 Tottenham - 2:0
Crystal Palace 1:3 Man United - 1:3
Liverpool 2:0 Watford - 5:0
Man City 3:0 West Ham - 1:0
What a game! Arsenal and Liverpool were on fire! The Gunners took Bournemouth apart at the Emirates, 5-1 with five different scorers including recalled Mesut Özil with the opener after just four minutes. Substitute Alexandre Lacazette sealed the win making it five with a superb free-kick (78’), condemning the Cherries to their ninth consecutive away defeat for the first time since the 1933-34 season. The result keeps Unai Emery’s men in the top four, one point ahead of Manchester United. More to the Red Devils' impressive win and run below.
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