Premier League Picks Of The Week 35

Sports - Football - Premier League - Week 35

The 35th week of the Premier League action saw:

28 goals - most by Everton = 4
260 shots - most by Wolves and Chelsea = 22 each
90 on target - most by Chelsea = 9
112 corners - most by Wolves = 14
185 fouls - most by Fulham = 18
28 bookings - most by Arsenal = 4
0 red cards
2 penalties - 2 scored (Mitrović for Fulham, Milner for Liverpool)

What a game! What a massive point for Brighton! Ending a run of five successive defeats! Massive thanks to their keeper Mat Ryan, Wolves had thrown everything at him at Molineux on Saturday, but he kept it goalless, just their second clean sheet of the season! The match stats say it all, 23-5 shots, 5-0 on target, 14-1 corners, 0-8 fouls, but most importantly 0-0 goals = 1-1 points! The result(s) see(s) the Seagulls three points clear of the drop zone and a relieved boss in Chris Hughton. The Wanderers have recorded 47 shots against his side this season without scoring, the most attempts against a single opponent without finding the net since Tottenham against West Ham in 2010-11 (51). But six of the past eight league meetings between the two sides at Molineux have ended in a draw, so, no surprise there really. 

It was a different kind of London derby on Sunday. Arsenal were all over the place, dominating possession but not making it count at all, against a Crystal Palace side that pounced on their errors. The Gunners ended their club record ten-match winning home streak in the Premier League, suffering their first home defeat since the 2-0 defeat against Man City on 12 August. It ended 2-3 at the Emirates, an unmarked Christian Benteke opening the scoring (17') and helping his side to the win with his first goal in over a year (taking him to 70 goals in 200 league appearances). Madness. 
And it was a mad first half at Stamford Bridge on Monday night as well, which saw four goals in 16 minutes, Burnley frustrating the hell out of Chelsea, the match ended two goals and a point each. The Blues threw everything at the Clarets, the result taking them above Arsenal and into the all-important top four, by a point. Again, the stats show the utter dominance, which the result does not reflect: 22-6 shots, 9-3 on target, 10-1 corners, 2-2 goals = 1-1 points. Hard. Life.

What a team! Fulham’s first away win of the season came at Bournemouth thanks to Aleksandar Mitrović's spot-kick, ending his own goalless run of nine games as well, recording his 11th goal of the season. The Cottagers are going down on a high then, after their second win on the trot since their relegation was confirmed, their first consecutive Premier League victory since April 2014. Eddie Howe's 500th' game as Cherries boss was spoilt of course, double-sour after watching his side thrashing Brighton away last weekend, and then this disappointment at home. It's their 18th defeat of the season, equalling their most in a single Premier League campaign (18 in 2015-16). Triple sour. 

Liverpool ended up winners at Cardiff City on Sunday thanks to Georginio Wijnaldum’s whacker (57') and James Milner’s spot kick (81'), but not without some ifs and buts and hick-ups. After a frustrating half, both goals were a great relief and saw the Reds go back to the top, two points clear, but Manchester City with a game in hand (more to their easy win against Tottenham on Saturday and that extra little derby game on Wednesday below). Jürgen Klopp's men have won each of their last 10 Premier League games against promoted sides, scoring 29 and conceding just 3. And the 88 points they're on now, is their best total in a Premier League season, with three matches to go - adjusting to three points per win, they have only earned more in a top-flight campaign in 1978-79 (98) and 1987-88 (90). Records. 

What a man! With just over a minute gone on the clock in the evening kickoff at St James’ Park, the handball was not given against Pierre-Emile Højbjerg as the ball banged off his arm. The ref was right next to it, it was very quick, very close, impossible to get away or avoid, although with his arm being up, we’ve all seen them given as well... Frustration for Newcastle, relief for Southampton. Double relief after James Ward-Prowse was only booked after pushing down Miguel Almirón who was clearly breaking clear on goal (24’). But it was not long after that Ayoze Pérez put the hosts ahead and at ease (27’, 31’), to Rafael Benítez’s relief. Mario Lemina pulled one back (59’) after the Magpies had hit the woodwork for an interesting last half an hour. But Pérez sealed the win with a header (86’), his hat-trick making it 3-1, bagging the three points, taking his side up to 12th! Safer than safe. 
Gerard Deulofeu’s brace (5’, 80’) was enough for Watford at Huddersfield, the three points keeping his side’s European hopes alive, before their game in hand (see below for details).

What a goal! Everton cracked, smashed and banged through Manchester United on Sunday and added another one to add salt onto the wound = 4-0 thrash at Goodison Park! Brilliant goals. Non-existent defending. And iffy keeping. Red Devils manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær was left to pick up the pieces and a steep mountain to climb to have any chance in the derby game on Wednesday and the race for the top four (see games in hand info and links below). The players were just not good enough. Always lacking and staying behind, just watching, as the Toffees were able to pounce and bounce on, off and right through them. Richarlison's acrobatic opener (13'), Gylfi Sigurðsson's low drive (28'), Lucas Digne's long-range effort (56') and former Gunner Theo Walcott's fine run and slide in (61') saw United torn to pieces, suffering their sixth defeat in the last eight games in all competitions, their fifth consecutive away defeat for the first time since 1981, David de Gea chasing shadows, including his own. Goalkeeper's nightmare.

It was a controversial finish at the London Stadium! At 2-1 and only a few minutes to go, Lucas Pérez’s fine individual run and goal was disallowed although replays showed the West Ham forward was nowhere near offside. That should have been a brace for the Spanish forward and 3-1 and three points to the Hammers. But as cruel as the football world always is, and useless referees, seconds later, Leicester got a goal back, Harvey Barnes with the leveller, 2-2, in stoppage time (90'+2') to nick a point for the Foxes. Double cruel. Who needs VAR, ey?!?!?!

What the hell?! Manchester City defender Kyle Walker knew exactly what he was doing with his arm, putting the ball out for a corner against Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli, who couldn’t believe the referee didn’t punish the handball. No penalty. Crucial at 1-0 and half an hour to go in the Saturday lunchtime kickoff at the Etihad. Again, who needs VAR, ey?!?!?! Tense end to the game, Spurs with the better chances, but the Citizens held on, 18-year-old Phil Foden’s early header off Sergio Agüero (5’) was enough in the end. The youngster's first goal for the club could prove crucial in the title race. City's tenth consecutive league win was enough to take Pep Guardiola’s side back to the top, before Liverpool's game on Sunday, see above. Could there be more twists and turns?!?!?!
(The last games in-hand added a lot of fuel to the Premier League fire! Tottenham and Man City gained and are leading the way in the top-four and title race respectively, whilst Arsenal and Man United failed miserably; Watford and Wolves are still able to dream about Europe, Southampton and Brighton left behind, reeling. See the results below for details, stats added to the respective weeks, see links for more.)

My Predictions - Actual Results
Man City 2:2 Tottenham - 1:0
Bournemouth 2:1 Fulham - 0:1
Huddersfield 0:3 Watford - 1:2
West Ham 1:2 Leicester - 2:2
Wolves 2:1 Brighton - 0:0
Newcastle 3:2 Southampton - 3:1
Everton 2:1 Man United - 4:0
Arsenal 2:1 Crystal Palace - 2:3
Cardiff 1:5 Liverpool - 0:2
Chelsea 2:0 Burnley - 2:2
(Tottenham 2:0 Brighton - 1:0)*week 33
(Watford 1:0 Southampton - 1:1)*week 31
(Wolves 1:2 Arsenal - 3:1)*week 31
(Man United 1:1 Man City - 0:2)*week 31 

Click here for last week’s Premier League Picks.

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