Sports - Football - Premier League - Week 21
The 21st week of the 2019-2020 Premier League football season saw:
25 goals - most by West Ham = 4
241 shots - most by Burnley = 21
85 on target - most by Leicester = 9
99 corners - most by Tottenham and West Ham = 9 each
209 fouls - most by Southampton = 21
34 bookings - most by Norwich = 5
1 red card - Kabasele for Watford
1 penalty - 1 scored (Noble for West Ham)
#BHACHE
Tammy Abraham’s take after Kurt Zouma headed on a corner was blocked by Aaron Mooy, but only as far as César Azpilicueta, who was left with an easy take to give the Blues the lead unmarked from close range (10’). But the Seagulls didn’t go down from there, quite the opposite, they kept going and pushing, pulling a great low save out of Kepa Arrizabalaga, just before Alireza Jahanbakhsh equalised with a stunning Rooney-esque overhead kick (84’). Kepa couldn’t stop that one! Having failed to score in any of his first 26 appearances for Brighton in all competitions, the Iranian winger has now netted in consecutive appearances for the Albion. The Chelsea stopper denied Neil Maupay a late winner, the home side tried their best, ending a cracking contest on top, it was nearly a shame they had to share a point each.
#BURAVI
Jack Grealish had the ball in the back of the net for the Villans after Charlie Taylor had messed up his clearance, but the VAR chalked the goal off deeming Wesley was offside in the buildup (14’). He wasn’t. All the lines and dots didn’t clarify or confirm anything. Shambles. It’s the 22nd goal disallowed by the vid ref. Grealish and Wesley worked well together again to give the visitors the lead after all, the latter taking the prior’s fine pass on his chest and hitting it in through keeper Nick Pope’s legs (27’). Grealish got his name on the board all right as well, with a whacker into the back of the net (41’). The Clarets were nowhere. Until the second half, where they finally fought back, throwing everything at Villa. First shot on target = goal, Chris Wood free after some penalty box pinball to head home powerfully from Ashley Westwood's cross. The VAR checked something (don’t ask what) but the goal stood (80’). But it was not to be any more than a consolation goal, Villa holding on to the win to take them out of the relegation zone, fully deserved. It wasn't a good day for Sean Dyche and his men, blown further back and down by this defeat and more injuries, to 15th.
#NEWLEI
The Foxes came out firing, Jonny Evans walloping the ball off the Magpies keeper Martin Dúbravka in the opening minutes, it echoed through St James’ Park. Ayoze Pérez took advantage of some awful play at the back by Florian Lejeune to give the visitors the lead, finding the back of the net despite being challenged and tumbling in the box (36’). James Maddison doubled their lead with a cracker from the semi-circle into the top right corner (39’). And Kelechi Iheanacho hit the woodwork before the break (43’), the home side scrambling. The struggle got worse after the restart, Steve Bruce had already made all changes when Fabian Schär went down injured and unable to continue, reducing the home side to ten men shortly after the restart (53’). Hamza Choudhury had time and space to take a run up and take the ball in from the semi-circle with a perfect shot to make it 0-3 and three points sealed for Brendan Rodgers' men (88’), keeping them second, ten points behind the league leaders (before their match the following night).
#SOUTOT
The Saints were so close to opening the scoring after just 17 seconds! It was Danny Ings’ shot that was blocked, and seconds later Cédric Soares wasted another golden opportunity wide (2’). At the other end, Alex McCarthy denied Harry Kane with a super high spring save (6’). Ings with a great run, touch and take through the Spurs defence and past Paulo Gazzaniga, Gascoigne-esque, gave the home side the lead at St Mary’s and made it nine goals in ten games for the former Red (17’). Toby Alderweireld’s handball in the box was checked by the VAR, replays showed yes, handled, but the screen said no pen (52’). I give up understanding this video mess. Kane’s leveller was flagged offside, the VAR confirmed it correctly for a change, I have to say (74’). During that chance, the England striker pulled his hamstring, things going from bad to worse for José Mourinho and his men.
#WATWOL
A giveaway by the Wolves back line, Ismaïla Sarr was gifted the ball by Leandre Dendoncker, to pass it to Gerard Deulofeu on the left side of the box, who made no mistake with a nice low curl around and in to give the home side the lead (30’), Henry-esque. Abdoulaye Doucouré doubled the hosts’ lead after the break, diagonal bang from the centre of the box into the top corner (49’). Pedro Neto pulled one back, an evil but cracking deflection into the top corner, unstoppable (60’). With 19 years and 298 days, he’s the first ever teenager to score a Premier League goal for Wolves. One thing the VAR got right for a change, deeming Christian Kabasele pulling back Diogo Jota, who was running clear on goal, was worth a red, correcting the ref’s yellow (71'). It stayed 2-1. Nigel Pearson is working wonders yet again, seeing the Hornets to their fourth win of the season and move to just two points away from safety.
#MCIEVE
Phil Foden’s opener from close range was chalked off by the good old VAR, this time a quite obvious one, provider Riyad Mahrez offside in the buildup (13’). Gabriel Jesus opened the scoring with a cracker that could only curl and bounce in off Jordan Pickford’s glove (51’). The Brazilian doubled the score squeezing the ball in between keeper and near-post (58’). Nice move and take by the Citizens, the Toffees beaten, too soft and easy. Jesus has scored more Premier League goals against Everton (7) than he has against any other team in the competition. Oh Claudio Bravo, messed up totally with the ball in the box, leading to Richarlison netting one back, a lovely cross by Dominic Calvert-Lewin to set him up (71’). Jesus hit the woodwork looking for a hat-trick late on (80’). A nervy finish ended with the fifth consecutive win for the Citizens against the Toffees by an aggregate score of 13-4, but it was the first time Pep Guardiola beat Carlo Ancelotti (their previous meetings as managers - two Real Madrid wins versus Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-final of 2014).
#NOWCRY
The home side took an early lead. Todd Cantwell and Emiliano Buendía exchanged a couple of passes before a blocked Buendía shot landed into the path of Cantwell, who made no mistake of netting it (4’). Palace had to wait a loooooong time for the VAR to confirm the equaliser, sub Connor Wickham sliding the ball in off Wilfried Zaha’s low cross (85’), ONSIDE, his 50th career goal, but first in the Premier League for 1,138 days since he netted against Manchester City in November 2016 - also assisted by Zaha. This time it ended a goal and point each, keeping Norwich bottom and seven points from safety, whilst Palace remain ninth.
#WHUBOU
Mark Noble with the breakthrough, deflecting in the opener for the home side (18’) to make him the first player to score a Premier League goal in each of the 14 years since 2007. A flashy jump and bicycle kick by Sebastien Haller doubled the Hammers’ lead (25’). The skipper won a soft penalty and converted it to make it 3-0 (35’), 6 out of 6 spot kicks for the captain, and perfect start for new boss David Moyes. The last time West Ham scored three goals in a game was on 24 August against Watford in a 3-1 win (week 3). The last time they did that in the opening 36 minutes of a game was in May 2007 against Bolton, Noble also scoring their third that day. Felipe Anderson made it four (67’). The Moyes effect. It didn’t end perfect for the home side though, with Aaron Cresswell sent walking for a silly late and high tackle on Ryan Fraser - for the VAR to revise it to just yellow (77’). Why?! WTF?! It was reckless, dangerous, pointless in the end to argue anything anymore. No sense. VARce!!! The result ended Bournemouth's six-game unbeaten run against West Ham in the Premier League (W3 D3) and sees them drop down to 18th, whilst the Hammers climb up to 16th, two points ahead of their opposition.
#ARSMUN
Nicolas Pépé was totally unmarked in the centre of the box to net an easy opener (8’). And he hit the woodwork with a low curl shot on to the left post after David de Gea passed the ball to him (38’). The Spanish stopper punched away Alexandre Lacazette’s chance off a corner, onto his own defender who deflected it straight to Sokratis Papastathopoulos who pounced on it and banged it in to double the Gunners’ lead from a couple of yards out (43’), fully deserved. United created more chances in the second half, but Arsenal never looked in grave trouble. The Red Devils stay fifth, the gap between them and the top four is still five points. Arsenal climb up to 10th, nine points away from Chelsea in fourth. The Gunners had not won in their previous seven home games. And it’s their first Premier League win this season against a team currently in the top half of the table (D4 L5). Manchester United have taken 39 points from their last 30 league games. That's fewer than Crystal Palace and Everton and the same amount as Newcastle United. Ole at the whee...
#LIVSHU
It didn’t even take four minutes for Andy Robertson’s cross from the left to find Mo Salah, who nutmegged Man United loanee keeper Dean Henderson to open the scoring at Anfield. On the break, Sadio Mané did well to find Salah, the Egyptian pulling a world class save out of the United keeper, for his Sengalese team mate to power in the rebound (64’). The controlled victory is their 18th consecutive Premier League win at Anfield and put the Reds 13 points clear at the top with a game in hand. With 19 wins and 1 draw from their first 20 Premier League games, Liverpool have matched Man City's 2017/18 record. They've kept five consecutive clean sheets in the league for the first time in over 12 years (Pepe Reina the last Red stopper to do so in 2007-08). Salah's opening goal was his 50th left-footed strike for the club in the PL - only Robbie Fowler (85) has netted more for the club in the competition. And last but definitely not least, under Jürgen Klopp, Liverpool have won all 12 of their home league games against promoted sides by an aggregate score of 35-4. The league leaders haven't lost a league game at Anfield when they've been winning at half time since 2009 and have now gone unbeaten in the league for a whole calendar year. If they win their next game, it would be the best start to a top flight season... EVER!
My Predictions - Actual Results
Brighton 1:2 Chelsea - 1:1
Burnley 1:1 Aston Villa - 1:2
Newcastle 1:2 Leicester - 0:3
Southampton 1:2 Tottenham - 1:0
Man City 2:1 Everton - 2:1
Norwich 1:0 Crystal Palace - 1:1
West Ham 2:1 Bournemouth - 4:0
Arsenal 2:2 Man United - 2:0
Liverpool 2:0 Sheffield United - 2:0
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