Premier League Picks Of The Week 32

Sports - Football - Premier League - Week 32

The 32nd week of the Premier League action saw:

22 goals - most by Man City, Burnley, Crystal Palace, Leicester, Man United, Everton, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal = 2 each
237 shots - most by Man City = 24
67 on target - most by Everton = 9
96 corners - most by Man City = 11
191 fouls - most by Man United, Everton and Chelsea = 14 each
20 bookings - most by Chelsea = 3
0 red cards
1 penalty - 1 scored (Milivojević for Crystal Palace)

What a game! Manchester United ended up 2-1 winners at Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon, but the result definitely doesn’t reflect the game! Watford looked like the home side, dominating, controlling and creating much more (EIGHT shots on target, pulling SEVEN saves from David de Gea, most produced by a visiting side at the ground since 2014). The opener and Marcus Rashford's 10th Premier League goal of the season (38’) came against the run of play, after a superb through-ball from Luke Shaw. And after the Hornets wasted more chances, Anthony Martial made them pay midway through the second half, doubling the Red Devils’ lead from close range (72’). Abdoulaye Doucouré scored a late goal which Javi Gracia’s men more than deserved, but it was too little too late (90’). The result ended a run of successive defeats for new/finally permanent boss Ole Gunnar Solskjær, and took United level on points with third-placed Tottenham, who travelled to Liverpool on Sunday, before Arsenal's home game against Newcastle on Monday. More to both clashes below.

What a team! Huddersfield’s relegation was confirmed on Saturday after falling to their 24th defeat of the season, 2-0 at Crystal Palace, equalling the record for earliest relegation from the Premier League of Derby County in 2007-08 and Ipswich Town in 1994-95. The Eagles have scored nine penalty goals in the Premier League this season, more than any other side. Luka Milivojević has scored all of those nine spot kicks, including the opener in this match against the Terriers (76’); only four players have scored more in a single season, with Steven Gerrard being the last player to do so in 2013-14 (10). Patrick van Aanholt doubled the lead and secured the win late on (88’), putting Roy Hodgson’s men eight points clear of the drop zone.

Fulham look like they will be the next side to follow the Yorkshire club down after losing 0-2 against Manchester City, their 23rd loss keeping them in 19th, 16 points away from safety, just three points better off than the bottom team. The managerless side failed to direct a single shot on target for the first time in their last 188 home league games, since April 2010 against Wolves in the Premier League. The Citizens could not have had it any easier, the win keeping them that decisive little edge/corner/step ahead in the title race (second, but only two points behind Liverpool, with a game in hand).

What a man! Brendan Rodgers was a very happy man after watching his side shine in a comfortable win against Bournemouth, recording their third consecutive win under the Northern Irishman. The Foxes were under control for most of the match after taking an early lead thanks to Wes Morgan’s flick going in off the post (11’). Jamie Vardy’s header went in off the crossbar to seal the victory for the home side (83’), making it five goals in his last five league appearances. The woodwork helped the 2016 champions move up to eighth, four places better off than when they sacked former boss Claude Puel. The result means the Cherries have lost 10 of their last 11 away games - the only positive result in that run being a win in their last game on the road against now relegated Huddersfield. Eddie Howe was left conceding defeat, disappointed. The Bournemouth boss is winless in eight away league visits to Leicester City during his managerial career (W0 D4 L4).

Unai Emery is not doing bad in his first season as Arsenal boss, watching his side record their 10th home league victory in a row, their best run since a similar sequence from December 1997 to May 1998, under former manager Arsène Wenger. MNF saw the Gunners comfortably beating Newcastle 2-0 at the Emirates, Aaron Ramsey (30’) and Alexandre Lacazette (83’) with deserved goals, bagging the points after a dominant show which saw two goals disallowed for the home side as well. Rafael Benítez still feels the Magpies will be safe, the result just moving them one place down to 14th, seven points clear from the drop zone. Emery’s side overtook rivals Spurs, moving up to third, two points ahead of Manchester United in fifth, Champions League football looking more and more likely next season after a two-year absence.

What a goal! A couple of crucial own goals this weekend: Wolves captain Conor Coady scored his third own goal of the season after Chris Wood’s shot came back off the post (2’), opening the scoring for Burnley. Only two players have registered more own goals in a Premier League season - Liverpool's Martin Škrtel in 2013-14 and Brighton's Lewis Dunk in 2017-18, both with four. Nuno Espírito Santo’s men’s four own goals in the league this campaign is the most of any side. 19-year-old Dwight McNeil had set up the early opener and sealed the win with a lovely strike of his own (77’), a low drill into the bottom-right corner, the only shot on target for the visitors. It was a crucial win for Sean Dyche’s men, ending a run of four straight defeats, recording their first clean sheet in nine league games, and moving them five points clear of the relegation zone.

The other own goal went to Toby Alderweireld at Anfield, handing Liverpool an injury-time winner against Tottenham, after watching his keeper Hugo Lloris spill Mohamed Salah’s shot, for the ball to ricochet off the Belgian defender and into the net. The Reds had taken the lead early on thanks to Roberto Firmino’s header (16’), set up by a brilliant Andrew Robertson cross from the left into the box. Lucas Moura levelled the score (70’) and deservedly so after the visitors had improved, dominated and created a lot more after the break. But Jürgen Klopp was the one celebrating at the final whistle, seeing his side return to the top thanks to that last-gasp own goal. It doesn’t matter how you win them, three points is what is important. Liverpool have scored three winning goals in the 90th minute or later in the Premier League this season, their second-most in a single campaign after 2008-09 (four).

What the hell?! West Ham’s toothless display saw a total of just three attempts on goal in the game, their lowest tally in a home Premier League game since the 2005-06 season. Everton ended up comfortable 0-2 winners at the London Stadium, Marco Silva's side dominating and winning the game in the first half thanks to goals from Kurt Zouma (5’) and Bernard (33’). The Hammers have already drawn level with their points total from last season (= 42), but, with games against Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham to come next month, Manuel Pellegrini’s men face dropping, falling and failing to a disappointing end to the season.

And last but definitely not least, what were the officials on at the Cardiff City Stadium on Sunday?! A certain Russian billionaire’s pay check?! Victor Camarasa’s curling opener gave the home side a deserved lead shortly after the break (46’), as Chelsea were playing a painfully slow and wasteful game. With five minutes left, César Azpilicueta nodded in an equaliser from a clearly offside position and then, in added time, substitute Ruben Loftus-Cheek headed in the winner for the Blues to break the Welsh hearts. Throughout the match, the officiating was dubious, obvious free kicks and cautions not given. And how and why Antonio Rüdiger was not sent off after bringing down last man Kenneth Zohore shortly after the equaliser, only they know. How Neil Warnock stayed so calm after the final whistle, I do not know, shouting his face off on the sidelines and to players, but not to the officials, who cost his side three crucial points. Other managers would have been in the refs’ faces, like Mauricio Pochettino did a few weeks ago (Premier League Week 27 to be exact). Warnock's post-match interview says it all, what I have been blogging and shouting my face off about week in, week out. Ridiculous. Disgusting. Outrageous.

My Predictions - Actual Results:
Fulham 1:3 Man City - 0:2
Brighton 0:0 Southampton - 0:1
Burnley 1:1 Wolves - 2:0
Crystal Palace 2:0 Huddersfield - 2:0
Leicester 2:0 Bournemouth - 2:0
Man United 3:0 Watford - 2:1
West Ham 2:2 Everton - 0:2
Cardiff 1:2 Chelsea - 1:2
Liverpool 2:1 Tottenham - 2:1
Arsenal 4:2 Newcastle - 2:0

Click here for the previous Premier League Picks.

All pictures, facts and stats were taken from the BBC match reports, Twitter and RMC Sport coverage.