Premier League Picks Of The Week 29

Sports - Football - Premier League - Week 29

The 29th week of the Premier League action saw:

23 goals - most by Man United and Crystal Palace = 3 each

234 shots - most by Man City = 23

80 on target - most by Man City and Chelsea = 7 each

106 corners - most by Man City = 14

204 fouls - most by Tottenham and Watford = 15 each

39 bookings - most by Watford = 5

1 red card - Torreira for Arsenal 

4 penalties - 2 scored (Kane for Tottenham, Noble for West Ham)

What a game! There were goals and action galore at Old Trafford. Southampton scored two crackers, but were still the losers in the end, whilst Manchester United had plenty more chances and misses but were able to end up on top despite more injuries and a missed spot-kick. More details about all the top goals below.

It was derby day on Sunday... More on Chelsea’s win at Craven Cottage below. Disappointing 200th league Merseyside derby for goalless and hopeless Liverpool: Everton were definitely happier after denying Mohamed Salah and Fabinho, the only two that got anything on target for the visitors at Goodison Park. Red boss Jürgen Klopp blamed the wind. Whatever it is, it’s costing his side dearly. Four draws in the last six league games means eight points dropped. For the first time in 14 weeks, the Reds have dropped all the way down to second (ignoring week 26 where Manchester City played the extra game because of the League Cup), one point behind Pep Guardiola's men. Following the Red Twitter world, it seems like all is over, the chance has been blown, the first title in 28 years is gone. The difference between the top two clubs is just ONE point, with NINE games to go. And LFC are TEN points and TWO places BETTER off than last season (whilst City are TEN points DOWN!). PERSPECTIVE!

What a team! More injuries hit Manchester City on Saturday, but they’re still winning, that’s the main thing for the league leaders in the title race. It was one-way traffic at Bournemouth (18%-82% possession, 0-23 shots, 0-7 on target, 0-14 corners). Kevin De Bruyne went off injured, his replacement Riyad Mahrez got the winner (55’), a fine low finish in the bottom right corner after a nice team interplay, his first goal since 4th December, his 11th of the season. That is all that was needed. Crucial. 

And it was another good away win for Crystal Palace, this time at Burnley, Roy Hodgson consolidating his and his sides’ place in the top league. A fine run of three wins in the last five games has seen the London side climb up the table by two places, eight points clear from the drop zone. This time, Phillip Bardsley (OG 15'), Michy Batshuayi (48') and Wilfried Zaha (76') were on the scoreboard, denying Sean Dyche’s side any way back, condemning them to their second defeat on the trot, sucking them down to 16th. Contrast.

What a man! REF!!! Watford's opener was just weird?! Jonathan Moss made a very late call on a free-kick after Troy Deeney broke free into the box... To head it in seconds later off the set-piece, but the English striker looked offside (5’). More iffy goals and decisions are mentioned above and below as well. Ridiculous refereeing! So, Brendan Rodgers’ first match as Leicester boss didn’t start well with that! Kasper Schmeichel made a brill block seconds before. Jamie Vardy and keeper Ben Foster clashed and you can tell when players are really injured and hurt when they lay flat and DON’T ROLL AND MOAN AROUND!!! Both were fine in the end. But OUCH! And the champion striker levelled the score in the second half (75’) after the visitors dominated all round, keeping his record going of scoring under five out of six new Foxes managers and taking his club tally to 99. But Hornets sub Andre Gray nicked an injury-time winner for the home side and got booked for his shirtless celebrations (90’+2’) to spoil the party for the Northern Irishman. Javi Gracia and co meanwhile were over the moon. A tense finish at Vicarage road saw Foster blocking and saving again, but it ended 2-1. BRilliant.

What a goal! Talking about managers, Fulham’s first match after sacking Claudio Ranieri was only against Chelsea at Craven Cottage. The managerless side did well under the circumstances, keeping the pressure on and not making it easy for the Blues. Ryan Sessegnon’s injury-time equaliser was flagged offside - a very close call! It looked fine! Another tense finish. Maurizio Sarri’s men ended up on top 1-2 thanks to Gonzalo Higuaín (20’) and Jorginho (31’) after Calum Chambers' leveller (27’). Cruel. How the latter boss is still hanging on to his job, I do not know... *shaking*my*head*

Saints defender Yan Valery’s first professional goal (26’) and United’s first equaliser by Andreas Pereira, the Brazilian's first Premier League goal (53’), were both just unstoppable, breathtaking takes. To add to the iffy list mentioned above, the 2-1, Romelu Lukaku’s first (59’), looked a hint offside though? The second equaliser (2-2 in case you can't keep track) was a beautiful free-kick by James Ward-Prowse (75'), into the top corner, who’s the keeper again?! However, Lukaku snuck in the late low winner (88’), a cruel one into the bottom right corner, 3-2. And that was not all! A later than late penalty to the Red Devils, after Stuart Armstrong brought down Marcus Rashford from behind, saw Paul Pogba selfishly take it, not giving Lukaku a chance of a hat-trick, keeper Angus Gunn kicking the central shot away with his left boot. Top match. Top goals. Plenty of flops as well. Never boring. Another win for Ole Gunnar Solskjær, to make it 10 wins out of 12 league games for the Norwegian temp boss.

What the hell?! Another soft penalty call went Tottenham's way in the London derby Saturday lunch-time, and it was offside in the build-up to the foul as well?! An easy equaliser for Harry Kane out of nowhere against Arsenal (74’) after Aaron Ramsey’s opener (16’). The Gunners got a spot-kick back late on, but Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang made a soft mess of the take and Hugo Lloris the hero, and Jan Vertonghen’s defending in the aftermath controversial as the Belgian defender looked way over the line when the penalty was taken, denying the visitors a winner. The game exploded into life in the final minutes, seeing Lucas Torreira sent off. As mentioned above, numerous times, I know I am repeating myself, but that is because the bad calls and refereeing overlooks and errors are piling up, again and again, every game, every week! If you like VAR or not, at least that is SOMETHING to check and double-check all these iffy calls!!!

After Cardiff boss Neil Warnock revealed that Nuno Espírito Santo is his wife's favourite manager, there could only be one winner on the day at the Molineux Stadium... ;-) I LMAO AT THE CHANTS!!!

My Predictions - Actual Results 

Tottenham 0:1 Arsenal - 1:1

Bournemouth 2:2 Man City - 0:1

Brighton 0:1 Huddersfield - 1:0

Burnley 2:3 Crystal Palace - 1:3

Man United 1:1 Southampton - 3:2

Wolves 2:1 Cardiff - 2:0

West Ham 2:1 Newcastle - 2:0

Watford 1:1 Leicester - 2:1

Fulham 1:2 Chelsea - 1:2

Everton 1:2 Liverpool - 0:0

Click here for the previous Picks Of The Week.

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