Premier League Picks Of The Week 34

Sports - Football - Premier League - Week 34

The 34th week of Premier League action saw:

28 goals - most by Bournemouth = 5
262 shots - most by Tottenham = 22
83 on target - most by Bournemouth, Burnley and Liverpool = 7 each
97 corners - most by West Ham = 11
180 fouls - most by Man United = 14
32 bookings - most by Bournemouth = 4
2 red cards - Knockaert for Brighton, Deeney for Watford
2 penalties - 2 scored (Pogba for Man United x 2)

What a game! A Super Sunday it was! Manchester City were easy winners in the early kick-off at Crystal Palace after only a hint of a fightback late on by the home side. Raheem Sterling missed a sitter, but then scored from a more difficult angle soon after (15'). The former Redman doubled the lead after the break (63'), before Luka Milivojević's free kick made it 1-2 (81') and a tense ending at Selhurst Park. But sub Gabriel Jesus made sure all three points went to the Citizens with a fine finish to make it 1-3 (90'). But Pep Guardiola's men didn't stay top for long:

Liverpool blasted Chelsea away at Anfield with two goals in two minutes after the restart on Sunday afternoon. It was a tense first half, lots of clumsy footy, giving the ball away, missing and messing up by both sides. Both managers will have had a rant-and-a-half during the interval. It worked wonders for the Reds. Sadio Mané banged in a header off some wonderful team play in the buildup and bang-on Jordan Henderson cross into the box (51'). And seconds later, Mohamed Salah smashed in his 9th Premier League goal of the season from 25 yards out into the top right corner, stunning everyone. The great Egyptian enjoyed it and showed it with his celebration. Jürgen Klopp could not be more chuffed with his side's first home win against the Blues since 2012 in his 200th game in charge, taking them back to the top. Maurizio Sarri meanwhile, continues his miserable run against the top teams, having lost their past six away Premier League matches against fellow 'big six' opponents, conceding 16 goals across those defeats.

What a team! Everton?! Beat Arsenal one week, downed by Fulham the next?! Tom Cairney gave the home side the lead after just 30 seconds after the restart at Craven Cottage. Ryan Babel doubled the lead in the 69th minute, both goals ripping through a sleepy Toffees defence. The Cottagers’ first Premier League win since January after nine consecutive defeats has started talks and hopes to see caretaker Scott Parker's permanent appointment. Marco Silva's men have won just one of their past 12 Premier League away games in London (D3 L8). Travel sick.

Southampton should be safe, eight points clear from the drop zone (reduced to five after the Bluebirds played their game in hand *see below*), after downing high-flying Wolves 3-1 thanks to Nathan Redmond’s brace (2', 30'). The Saints have won eight of their 18 Premier League games under Ralph Hasenhüttl, as many as they had won in 52 games under their two previous permanent managers combined (Mark Hughes managed three from 22 and Mauricio Pellegrino managed five from 30). Nuno Espírito Santo’s side could still finish seventh which would be the highest placed finish by a newly promoted team to the Premier League since Ipswich came fifth in the 2000-01 season. 
And last but not least, Bournemouth are booming and capitalised against ten men Brighton, who completely lost it yet again?! 0-5!!!!! The Cherries scored five goals in a Premier League away game for the first time and equalled their biggest top flight victory, a 6-1 home win against Hull City on 15 October 2016.

What a man! Lucas Moura’s hat-trick (27', 87', 90'+3') did it for Tottenham against Huddersfield, everyone enjoying the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The Spurs winger is the fourth Brazilian to score three in a Premier League match (with Afonso Alves, Robinho and Roberto Firmino). Who needs Harry Kane or Son Heung-min?! The Terriers have lost all nine of their league encounters against the established top six clubs this season, conceding 26. So, no surprise there.
Ayoze Pérez’s header (32') was enough for Newcastle on Friday night and fully deserved, despite all Leicester’s dominance. Crucial. The win put the Magpies ten points clear from the drop zone. Safe.

What a goal! Paul Pogba netted a softer than soft penalty at Old Trafford, plus the “offense” took place outside the area, not long after West Ham saw a goal disallowed for offside although the line was fine, lucky United. Pf. Double lucky: The second penalty. After all the Hammers’ dominance with chance after chance to go ahead after Felipe Anderson’s deserved equaliser, hitting the bar and pulling a full-stretch save out of David de Gea. Pogba netted the second spot kick. 2-1. Luckier than lucky. The Frenchman has now taken as many penalties (10) as Salah, Sergio Agüero and Kane combined (10). In fact, no team have taken more Premier League penalties than the Red Devils this season (11, level with Crystal Palace). Indeed, in no other Premier League campaign have the Mancs taken more spot kicks (also 11 in 2011-12). Dotty. At least Ole Gunnar Solskjær conceded they got away with it!!!

What the hell?! The refs let down Cardiff again on Saturday! No discrediting Burnley, they deserved the win overall, Chris Wood’s brace was enough to seal the three points (31', 90'+2'). But Neil Warnock was understandably fuming, screwed by the officials yet again (like week 32), keeping them in the drop zone, the gap to safety staying at five points. The FA should be very ashamed! And Mike Dean especially! Very ashamed! (LOVE THE KISS PIC! Ashley Barnes on Joe Bennett, love love love!) The more crucial/deserved/bombastic the win at Brighton on Tuesday was, closing the gap to two points *(see game in hand below)*!

Mad mad mad mad couple of minutes at Watford! First Ben Foster made a mess of a back-pass and handed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang his first goal of the year for Arsenal (10’). Since his debut in February 2018, the Gabonese has been directly involved in 37 Premier League goals for the Gunners (28 goals, 9 assists), 11 more than any other of his team mates. And then Troy Deeney was given a straight red for elbowing Lucas Torreira (11’). Those two moments of madness decided the tie, 0-1, keeping Unai Emery's side in fourth, ahead of Chelsea in fifth by goal difference. Crucial crunch.

My Predictions - Actual Results 
Leicester 1:0 Newcastle - 0:1
Tottenham 2:0 Huddersfield - 4:0
Brighton 1:0 Bournemouth - 0:5 
Burnley 2:1 Cardiff - 2:0
Fulham 1:2 Everton - 2:0
Southampton 1:1 Wolves - 3:1 
Man United 2:1 West Ham - 2:1 
Crystal Palace 1:3 Man City - 1:3
Liverpool 3:1 Chelsea - 2:0 
Watford 1:2 Arsenal - 0:1
(Brighton 0:1 Cardiff - 0:2 - a crucial result in the relegation battle, it was rescheduled due to cup ties, all stats added to the original week = week 31)

Click here for last week’s Premier League Picks. 

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