Premier League Picks Of The Week 8

Sports - Football - Premier League - Week 8

Here are my Premier League Picks Of The Week 8:

26 goals - most by Arsenal = 5

255 shots - most by Fulham and Chelsea = 21 each

96 on target - most by Man United = 10

114 corners - most by Chelsea = 12

214 fouls - most by United = 16

43 yellow cards - most by Southampton = 6

3 red cards - Morgan for Leicester, Ralls for Cardiff, Kabasele for Watford

2 penalties - 1 scored (King for Bournemouth)

What a game! Bournemouth’s 0-4 thrashing of ten-man Watford was their biggest away win in the Premier League and the victory took them up to fifth. The Cherries have now taken 16 points from their opening eight league games, last season it took Eddie Howe's men 16 matches to reach that tally. Vicarage Road will not remember its 100th Premier League fixture fondly.
Old Trafford meanwhile witnessed a Fergie-style comeback Saturday evening. Manchester United were 0-2 down at half-time, but hit back to beat Newcastle 3-2, sub Alexis Sánchez with the 90th minute winner that rang good old memories around the ground after it looked oh so bleak at the break! The Red Devils had David de Gea to thank they were not thrashed in the first half, Kenedy (7’) and Yoshinori Muto (10’) hitting two goals in three minutes and the Magpies creating plenty more threats and chances against a very poor home side. But under-fire José Mourinho said something right during the interval and made the right changes at just the right times to turn the game around, man of the match Juan Mata (70’) and sub Anthony Martial (76’) starting the comeback. Rafael Benítez’s men slip down to 19th remaining winless in their eight league games this season, only in 1898-99 have they gone longer without a victory from the start of a top-flight campaign (first ten matches).

What a team! Huddersfield's comeback has finally given David Wagner's side a glimmer of hope in all the darkness, taking them off the bottom of the table up to 18th. The Terriers are still looking for their first win of the season, but Christopher Schindler's equaliser (66'), the German defender's first goal in the Premier League, secured an important point at Burnley after Sam Vokes had given the home side the lead (20'). 
Wolves' unbeaten run continues after six matches, their best run in the top flight since 1979. Nuno Espírito Santo named an unchanged starting XI for an eighth consecutive opening fixture. Matt Doherty's goal (56') was enough to down Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, Roy Hodgson's men still looking for their first home win.

Tottenham equalled their best start to a Premier League season having 18 points from eight games after beating Cardiff 1-0 thanks to Eric Dier's early goal (8'). The Welsh side were reduced to ten men after Joe Ralls was sent off with just under an hour gone, seeing them falling to the bottom of the table still remaining without a win.

At the other end of the table, Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea remain unbeaten, the last three teams without a defeat. More to the meeting between the prior two below, whilst the Blues had it too easy, ending 0-3 winners at Southampton.

What a man! Glenn Murray’s 99th Albion goal and fifth of the season won it for Brighton against West Ham on Friday night (25’). The 35-year-old has been involved in 33 goals in 44 home appearances since the start of 2016-17. The Amex king ended the Seagulls’ five-game winless run in the league, whilst serving the Hammers their first league defeat in four league games. Only Chelsea forward Eden Hazard has scored more Premier League goals this season. The Belgian was essential in the Blues' win at Southampton with four key passes, 99 passes, 85.1% pass accuracy, five shots and the opening goal (30'). Ross Barkley assisted the opener and doubled his side's lead (57') before Alvaro Morata put the icing on the cake and made it 0-3 deep into injury time (93'). It's the first time an Englishman has assisted and scored for Roman Abramovich's side since Frank Lampard in December 2013.

What a goal! Gylfi Sigurðsson’s 50th Premier League goal was a stunning strike from 25 yards into the top corner (77’). That cracker gave Everton a 1-2 win at Leicester after Foxes captain Wes Morgan was sent off for the second time in three league games. It’s the Toffees first consecutive win this season and their first victory on the road which takes them up to eleventh, level on points with their opponents in tenth.

Arsenal were showing off on Sunday, thrashing Fulham 1-5 at Craven Cottage with some flashy finishes. It was all level at the break and looked very frustrating, but the Gunners shot the home side to pieces after the break. Alexandre Lacazette (29', 49') and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (79', 91') both starred with braces either side of Aaron Ramsey's star goal (67'). The Welsh midfielder scored within a minute of coming on as a substitute, starting and finishing a stunning team move. Manager Unai Emery can be a very happy man after seeing his side record their ninth consecutive win in all competitions, their best run since April 2015, taking them up to fourth.

What the hell?! United’s comeback win mentioned above confused everyone! Yay! Nay! No way! Half-time was the end of Mourinho, full-time the resurrection was complete. Some of the refereeing decisions were just wrong though, a goal kick was given when it should have been a corner, more like a penalty after a blatant handball! No discrediting the Red Devils and their fight back, but, it cannot hide the cracks and lacks of the team that have been oh so evident this season! Their next game will be at Chelsea after the international break, a real test of character and team play.

The one game you thought and expected the most of, had the least to show for, no goals at Anfield, just misses, and what a miss it was by Riyad Mahrez from the spot for City. Neither side recorded a single shot on target for over an hour! The goalless draw kept both clean sheets and unbeaten records in tact, as mentioned above, the top three locked on 20 points. Click here for my full match report.

My Predictions - Actual Results 

Brighton 2:2 West Ham - 1:0

Burnley 3:1 Huddersfield - 1:1

Crystal Palace 0:1 Wolves - 0:1

Leicester 2:1 Everton - 1:2

Tottenham 3:1 Cardiff - 1:0

Watford 2:1 Bournemouth - 0:4

Man United 1:1 Newcastle - 3:2

Fulham 1:2 Arsenal - 1:5

Southampton 0:3 Chelsea - 0:3

Liverpool 2:1 Man City - 0:0 or my match report

Click here for last week’s Premier League Picks.

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