Friday 6 December 2019

Premier League Notes - Week 15

Sports - Football - Premier League - Week 15

The 15th week of the 2019-2020 Premier League season saw:

31 goals - most by Liverpool = 5
221 shots - most by Chelsea = 25
95 on target - most by Chelsea and Brighton = 9 each
108 corners - most by Bournemouth, Chelsea, Arsenal and Brighton = 9 each
215 fouls - most by Chelsea = 18
31 bookings - most by Palace, Bournemouth, Leicester and Arsenal = 3 each
1 red card - Sakho for Palace
2 penalties - 2 scored (Rashford for Man United, Vardy for Leicester)

#CRYBOU
Eagle Mamadou Sakho is the first Amazon Prime sending off for a dangerous high boot on Adam Smith after not even 19 minutes. Jeffrey Schlupp broke the deadlock against the run of play, a low shot across goal that somehow passed Aaron Ramsdale’s left glove, finishing off a great individual run and dribble to give the ten men the lead (74’). Roy Hodgson’s men held on to the win, the three points shooting them up to 5th for the night, leaving Eddie Howe’s side in 12th before the other fixtures on Wednesday and Thursday, disappointing for then they couldn’t capitalise with the extra man. 

#BURMCI
Gabriel Jesus gave the visitors the lead with the sweetest of the sweet curlers, keeper Nick Pope had no chance of stopping the first Amazon Prime goal (24’). And the number 9 smashed in Bernardo Silva’s fine cross from close range to give him a brace and double the champions’ lead after the break (50’), top quality all the way with both goals. And Rodri made it three goals and three points with a smacker from the edge of the box (68’). Riyad Mahrez added insult to injury with an easy finish, too easy, to make it 0-4 with his 50th PL goal (87’). Wow goals, more woes for Sean Dyche’s men, the defeat dragging them into the bottom half of the table. They did pull one back thanks to Robbie Brady (89’), better than nothing. So, it ended 1-4, not quite perfect for Pep Guardiola and his side, but hey, good enough and back to their old sparkling ways, much better after the last few struggling weeks. 

#CHEAVI
Tammy Abraham wasn’t sure, didn’t celebrate because the Chelsea striker thought he was offside (and/or out of respect because he played for the opponents on loan last season), but (either way) replays showed and VAR confirmed he was fine, the goal stood to give the Blues the lead (24’). But lack of communication at the back gave Trézéguet all the time and space to bundle the ball over the line and equalise for the Villans (41’). They all count. Another Blue academy graduate Mason Mount smashed the ball in soon after the restart (48’) to save the game, points and day for Frank Lampard and his men, the win keeping the gap growing between the top four and the rest, whilst the Villans remain 15th.

#LEIWAT
Jamie Vardy gave the Foxes the lead with a bullet of a penalty to make it his seventh consecutive game on the scoreboard (51’), after Adam Masina had a hand in the face of Jonny Evans. James Maddison doubled the home side’s lead with a quick run and shot across and in (90+5’) to make it two goals and three points for Brendan Rodgers’ men, equalling their club record of seven consecutive wins in the top flight, taking them back up to second, eight points behind the Reds at the top. The Hornets remain rock bottom, seven points from safety.

#MUNTOT
The much anticipated return of José Mourinho to Old Trafford was much anticipated, but ended up quite disappointing. Paulo Gazzaniga’s spill handed Marcus Rashford the opener (6’), giving the home side the lead against their former boss. Dele Alli equalised with a fine individual move = take, turn, control and shot (39’). Rashford was fouled in the box and converted the spot kick soon after the restart (49’), following a long VAR check. The Red Devils ended the Portuguese's three-match winning streak with Spurs, taking Ole Gunnar Solskjær's side up to sixth, one point and two places above the London opposition. 

#SOUNOR
Danny Ings headed the Saints ahead at St Mary's with his eighth goal of the season to make it four in four (22’). Ryan Bertrand converted Shane Long’s header off a corner to double the home side’s lead (43’). Teemu Pukki pulled one back for the visitors with a nice run on the left and take, slam, bam, thank you ma’am, the defenders watching (65’). The result is crucial in the relegation battle as the three points take Ralph Hasenhüttl's side out of the drop zone, whilst the Canaries remain 19th, four points from safety.

#WOLWHU
A tap-in for Leander Dendoncker into the bottom corner opened the scoring for the hosts (23’). Patrick Cutrone doubled the Wanderers’ lead netting from close range with the Hammers all over the place (86’). The win stretches Nuno Espírito Santo’s side's unbeaten league run to ten games, taking them up to fifth, whilst the Hammers remain 13th after their third defeat on the trot - is Manuel Pellegrini next on the sack list?

#LIVEVE
This time Divock Origi didn’t even take six minutes to break the deadlock thanks to a super pass across by Sadio Mané, giving his teammate only the keeper to beat and the Belgian did so with ease to give the Reds the lead at Anfield (6’ - 90 minutes less than last time = week 14 last season). And the Senegalese superstar provided again, this time setting up Xherdan Shaqiri inside the box, who made no mistake from close range, doubling the lead (17’). Michael Keane pulled one back for the Toffees after Dejan Lovren tumbled unable to mark his man off a chaotic corner (21’). Origi made it 3-1 off Lovren’s long ball with a beauty of a control and take from inside the box (31’). Mané made it four after a brilliant counter run and finish (45’), helped by a magnificent run and set up with and from TAA. The crazy counter attacking derby continued, Bernard Richarlison heading one back for the visitors, across a helpless Adrián (45+3’), to make it 4-2 at the break, a record SIX GOALS in the first half. It wasn’t till the last minute Georginio Wijnaldum made it five for the hosts, another fine finish off a fine move and set up by cheeky sub Roberto Firmino with one of his trademark blind takes (90’). The result saw the Reds keep their eight-point lead at the top and break their unbeaten record in top-flight history of 32 matches without defeat, whilst Marco Silva finally got the sack.

#SHUNEW
Allan Saint-Maximin broke the deadlock with a strong header, his first goal for the Magpies (15’). Martin Dúbravka made a top save at the other end shortly after, denying Oli McBurnie an equaliser. The keeper showed strong gloves for the rest of the half as well, keeping the visitors ahead. Save. After. Save. After. Save. Jonjo Shelvey doubled the hosts’ lead against the run of play, running clear and netting into the bottom right corner (70’), the United players standing still, thinking offside cause the former Liverpool man was flagged offside, but he kept running, going and scoring. VAR checked and confirmed, onside, 0-2, an odd but nice one for Steve Bruce’s men. Farce. VARce as BBC put it. Chris Wilder was not happy, and understandably so after his side's dominance. The result sees the Magpies climb up to 11th, whilst the Yorkshire side remain ninth. 

#ARSBHA
The Seagulls were dominating, the opening goal was no surprise. The Gunners were all over the place, Adam Webster gave the visitors the lead from close range, fully deserved (36’). A scruffy equaliser shortly after the restart, Alexandre Lacazette’s bundle-tumble over the line was confirmed by the VAR (50’). David Luiz clearly offside when netting a free kick (63’). Neal Maupay headed in the second for the visitors, too easy, again, all the red shirts not moving, just watching, non-existent defense (80’). A top save by Albion's keeper Mathew Ryan kept his side ahead late on, quick reaction. Managerless Arsenal have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 11 matches in all competitions, on their worst winless run since 1977, ten points off a Champions League spot in tenth. Brighton meanwhile, climb up to 12th after their first win in four games. 

My Predictions - Actual Results 
Crystal Palace 1:2 Bournemouth - 1:0
Burnley 1:1 Man City - 1:4
Chelsea 2:1 Aston Villa - 2:1
Leicester 4:0 Watford - 2:0
Man Utd 2:2 Tottenham - 2:1
Southampton 1:2 Norwich - 2:1 
Wolves 2:1 West Ham - 2:0 
Liverpool 4:1 Everton - 5:2
Sheff Utd 2:1 Newcastle - 0:2
Arsenal 2:1 Brighton - 1:2


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

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