Wednesday 28 August 2019

Premier League Notes - Week 3

Sports - Football - Premier League - Week 3

The third week of the 2019-2020 Premier League season saw: 

30 goals - most by CHE/WHU/LIV/MCI = 3 each
284 shots - most by Liverpool = 25
79 on target - most by West Ham = 10
101 corners - most by CHE/BRI/MUN/WAT = 8 each
199 fouls - most by CRY/EVE = 18 each
33 bookings - most by Crystal Palace = 4
1 red card - Andone for Brighton
4 penalties - 3 scored (Noble for West Ham, Salah for Liverpool, Jiménez for Wolves)

#ASTEVE
It was a miserable Friday night for Marco Silva and his men. Goals from club record £22m signing Wesley and Anwar El Ghazi lifted Dean Smith's side up to 11th in the table and gave Aston Villa their first win in the top flight since February 2016. Everton have failed to come from behind at the interval to win a Premier League game since September 2015 at West Brom (W0 D5 L33 since), suffering only their third league defeat in their past 14 matches in the competition (W7 D4 L3).

#NORCHE
Frank Lampard’s first win came with Chelsea’s youngest starting line-up in the Premier League since February 1994. But Norwich didn’t make it easy for them at Carrow Road, equalising twice, despite all the visitors’ dominance! Tammy Abraham is the youngest Blues player to score a Premier League brace since Mark Nicholls in January 1998, helping his side to the three points.

#BRISOU
Brighton's sending off came from what looked like a career ending tackle! Florian Andone was shown a straight red card on the half-hour mark following a high, rash challenge on Saints defender Yan Valery. Albion manager Graham Potter said he "can't defend" the Romanian’s challenge. The Seagulls were out of the game after that, unable to form much opposition nor competition. Southampton's opening goal was a stunner! Moussa Djenepo broke the deadlock with a fine strike moments after coming on as a second-half substitute. Another super sub!

#MUNCRY
Man Who? Crystal Palace pounced, making all the home side’s dominance count for zero. Daniel James thought he had rescued a point for the home side in the final minute of normal time. But full-back Patrick van Aanholt netted in the 93rd minute equaliser off Wilfried Zaha's burst forward, becoming only the second player to score a 90th-minute winner against United in the Premier League after Thierry Henry for Arsenal in January 2007, and the first to do so at Old Trafford. Roy Hodgson’s men like to travel, 60% of their points last season came on the road. This was their first victory at the famous Manchester ground since 1989, making Marcus Rashford rue his missed spot kick earlier in the second half - deja vue for the Red Devils after Paul Pogba’s missed penalty last week. Manchester United have won only one of their past nine matches, scoring just eight goals and conceding 16. Ole’s at the wheel...

#SHULEI
Super subs at Sheffield United as well: Harvey Barnes snatched the winner from the edge of the box six minutes after coming on, recording the Foxes’ first league win of the season and Chris Wilder's side only their second defeat in 21 matches. Former Wednesday player and boo man Jamie Vardy had given Leicester the lead at Bramall Lane, before club record signing Oliver McBurnie headed in the equaliser for the home side and the sub's heart-breaker. 

#WATWHU
There was a penalty within the opening couple of minutes at Watford! Like Aston Villa conceded last week, making the mountain too high to climb straight away. West Ham pounced and won comfortable thanks to the spot kick and record signing Sébastian Haller’s brace. Despite all the chances and effort, it’s been a miserable start for the Hornets, three defeats out of three games. Javi Gracia's side, who sit bottom of the table, have now lost seven successive games in all competitions for the first time since 1999.

#LIVARS
Liverpool recorded their 12th consecutive Premier League win, equalling their best sequence in the top flight under Sir Kenny Dalglish between April and October 1990. Mohamed Salah has been involved in 77 goals in 77 games, 57 goals and 20 assists. It was a comfortable home win against Arsenal, Joël Matip with the opening header before the great Egyptian added his brace, helped by David Luiz’s idiotic foul in the box, pulling him down by the shirt and handing the Reds a penalty. And then Mo embarrassed the former blue again out on the touchline at the start of a dazzling run that ended with a low, curling finish into the bottom corner just before the hour. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has faced Arsenal eight times without defeat in the Premier League (W5 D3). Vielen Dank!

#BOUMCI
Manchester City cruised to a win at Bournemouth, no shocks or surprises there. David Silva starred in his 400th appearance for the club, contributing to all three goals = Sergio Agüero’s brace taking him to 400 goals for club and country, 235 of them for City, and Raheem Sterling’s poke in. The Cherries, who drop to 10th place, continued a miserable run against the Citizens, that has seen them concede 28 times in their last nine league meetings. Pep Guardiola's side has won all nine of their top-flight games against Bournemouth - the best 100% win record by a team over an opponent in top-flight history.

#TOTNEW
Club record £40m signing Joelinton with his first Newcastle goal served Steve Bruce his first points as Magpies manager, stunning Tottenham at Wembley. The Brazilian striker took advantage of sleepy defending to control substitute Christian Atsu's pass beautifully before drilling past Hugo Lloris. Spurs lacked the creativity to break down a resolute Newcastle side, whose four-man midfield kept sitting deep in front of a back five. Bruce hopes Newcastle win "will shut a few people up". Tell that the fans who have travelled more than 1,000 miles over the past two weekends. But hey, they definitely weren't complaining on their way back from London this time!

#WOLBUR
Raúl Jiménez's penalty in the 97th minute was the latest ever Premier League goal by Wolves, just their second shot on target in the game, grabbing his side a point against Burnley. Ashley Barnes looked to have won it for the Clarets after pouncing from around 25 yards - his fourth goal in three Premier League games this season - against a disjointed Wolves side playing their third game inside a week. Nuno Espírito Sante's side has drawn their first three games of a league campaign for the first time since 1938-39, when they finished second in the top flight. Good omen? The Wanderers are unbeaten in their last 10 home games in the Premier League (W6 D4); their longest run without defeat in the top flight since April to October 1979 (also 10 games). Brilliant run!

So, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Wolves were the only three home sides not to suffer defeat! #HomeSweetHome

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

Click here for last week’s Premier League Notes.

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

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