Premier League Notes - Week 9

Sports - Football - Premier League - Week 9

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

18 goals - most by Villa, City, Everton and Leicester = 2 each

240 shots - most by Aston Villa = 24

78 on target - most by Everton and Man City = 10 each 

111 corners - most by Arsenal = 12

211 fouls - most by Brighton and Saints = 17 each

40 bookings - most by Spurs, Blades and Gunners = 4 each

1 red card - Mooy for Brighton 

1 penalty - 1 scored (Jiménez for Wolves)

#EVEWHU

The Toffees’ much-needed win after four consecutive league defeats lifted some pressure off under-fire manager Marco Silva. And it would have been a much worse thrashing than 2-0 if it weren’t for Spanish stopper Roberto and some top saves and a bit of help from the woodwork. Their third victory of the season lifted the Portuguese’s side out of the relegation zone and up to 15th. The disappointing Hammers suffered their first defeat on the road of the season, seeing them slip down three places to 11th.

#AVLBHA

The Villans ended a run of 50 winless Premier League games after trailing, Matt Targett with the last-minute winner in injury time (90+4’) making it 2:1 against ten-man Seagulls. Aaron Mooy’s sending off after two daft yellow cards in the space of five minutes turned the game around (35’), the visitors were ahead and dominant at that stage. The hosts didn’t have it easy and had a goal harshly disallowed thanks to VAR as well, but never gave up, kept going and got there and punished their opponents for their late lapse. The game saw 44 shots, the most in the PL since Manchester United v Burnley in October 2016!

#BOUNOR

A hard-earned and deserved clean sheet and away point for the hard-working Canaries despite injuries at the back, both a first for them on the road this season, keeping them 19th, one point from safety. A disappointment and two dropped points for the misfiring Cherries, but they stay in the top half despite the lackluster performance. 

#CHENEW

The Magpies frustrated the hell out of the Blues, until former Sunderland loanee Marcos Alonso broke the deadlock (73’) and bagged the three points and fifth successive win in all competitions to Frank Lampard’s relief, taking his side into the top four, whilst Steve Bruce’s men fall back into the relegation zone.

#LEIBUR

Another harsh and controversial VAR moment as the Clarets’ late leveller was disallowed as Chris Wood was deemed to have tripped Jonny Evans beforehand (82’). The Foxes got their comeback win after Jamie Vardy (45’) and Youri Tielemans (74’) had overturned Wood’s opener (26’), the three points taking them up to third and marking the anniversary of former owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha’s death at the King Power Stadium.

#TOTWAT

More VAR farce, as Dele Alli’s late leveller (86’), which came off his shoulder before he took the shot, was awarded, although the big screen showed “no goal”. After all that confusion, the goal stood for Mauricio Pochettino’s men, the game ended a goal and point each. The home side avoided their fifth defeat in six games, whilst the bottom side are harshly left waiting for their first league win of the season. 

#WOLSOU

Raúl Jiménez had the ball in the net THREE TIMES for the dominant visitors, but only the spot kick counted (61’ pen), cancelling out Danny Ings’ opener (53’), after the other two were disallowed for handball and offside before the break. It’s the Saints’ first league point in five weeks, when they drew against the Red Devils (week 4), leaving them hovering above the relegation zone in 17th, level on points with Newcastle in 18th, just two goals better off.  

#CRYMCI

The first half an hour was competitive, and after City’s surprise results of last week (week 8) and last season (week 18), an interesting encounter was expected. But two goals in 93 seconds changed that very quickly. Gabriel Jesus (39’) and David Silva (41’) put the Citizens in control at Selhurst Park. It ended up a comfortable win for Pep Guardiola’s side, taking them back up to second, five points behind league leaders Liverpool before their match against arch rivals Manchester United on Sunday.

#MUNLIV

VAR was in the limelight again after Marcus Rashford’s opener stood (36’) despite replays showing Victor Lindelöf’s foul on Divock Origi in the buildup. But Sadio Mané’s equaliser was disallowed for handball (44’) although not much contact showed on the screen. Sub Adam Lallana saved a point and the unbeaten run for the Reds with his first league goal in over two years (85’). Jürgen Klopp’s men only showed up and really pushed for the last 20 minutes, not enough to bag all points at Old Trafford, giving the Red Devils way too much space. Frustrating, but hey, it could be worse, the Reds are still top, six points clear of the Citizens, whilst Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s men drop down to 14th, only two points away from the relegation zone, 15 points behind their arch rivals. Five of the past seven Premier League meetings between the two have ended level (one win each) - just four of the previous 36 between the sides had been drawn. How times have changed...

#SHUARS

It was a miserable Monday night for the Gunners. The Blades showed what they are made of, taking the lead thanks to Lys Mousset (30’) and closing the game and denying the visitors a way back in, to earn and fully deserve a superb three points. The result takes Chris Wilder’s side up to ninth, whilst Unai Emery’s men drop out of the top four into fifth, two points behind Chelsea. 

My Predictions - Actual Results

Everton 2:2 West Ham - 2:0

Aston Villa 2:0 Brighton - 2:1

Bournemouth 3:0 Norwich - 0:0

Chelsea 3:1 Newcastle - 1:0

Leicester 2:1 Burnley - 2:1

Tottenham 4:0 Watford - 1:1

Wolves 2:1 Southampton - 1:1

Crystal Palace 2:1 Man City - 0:2

Man United 1:3 Liverpool - 1:1

Sheff United 1:2 Arsenal - 1:0

Click here for last week’s Premier League Notes.

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

Premier League Picks Of The Week 29

Sports - Football - Premier League - Week 29

The 29th week of the Premier League action saw:

24 goals - most by Swansea = 4

233 shots - most by Leicester = 22

82 on target - most by Burnley & Swansea = 8 each

118 corners - most Southampton = 15

189 fouls - most by West Ham = 14

23 yellow cards - most by West Ham, Brighton, Arsenal & Man United = 3 each

1 red card - Ashley Williams for Everton

2 penalties - 2 scored (Joshua King for Bournemouth, Jordan Ayew for Swansea)

What a match! Liverpool outplayed and outshone Newcastle with a top-class convincing 2-0 home win in the Saturday evening kick-off, and that could have easily been more, the front trio starring and shining once again. Click here for my full LFC match report.

Super Sunday started with super shambles by Arsenal, well beaten by Brighton for the first time since 1982, 2-1 thanks to Lewis Dunk and Glenn Murray of course, recording the Londoners' fourth successive defeat for the first time since 2002, their eighth defeat in 2018 and 11th league game without a clean sheet, their longest run since 2002. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang did pull one back and the referee did his best to help the Gunners with some ridiculous calls and decisions, more to that below. No discrediting the Seagulls and their spirit and fight, but Arsène Wenger has lost it, it = this game, his team, his fans and all his marbles if he doesn't do everyone a favour and go!!! 

The other Super Sunday match could not have been more one-sided, Manchester City riding and bossing it, Chelsea parking and watching, the miss-match ending 1-0, Bernardo Silva with the winner, taking the Citizens 18 points clear at the top for the day. The Blues failed to register a single shot in the first half of a league game for the first time since 2003-04 and got nothing on target for the whole 90 minutes for the first time this season. Have they forgotten their job? PLAY FOOTBALL!!!

What a team! West Ham were taken to bits by Swansea, 4-1 thanks to Ki Sung-yueng, Mike van der Hoorn, Andy King and Jordan Ayew, sealing Carlos Carvahal's fourth win in six Premier League games. Loved this BBC video about his metaphors in interviews, lol! It could have been eight or nine goals for the Welsh side, who have surprised everyone how they have ripped and gripped themselves up and away from the bottom of the table. I'm sure David Moyes doesn't feel so comfortable any more. 13th and 14th respectively, only three points from the drop zone, the Swans on their way up, whilst the Hammers are caught in the downward spiral.
Southampton slipped down to 17th after their goalless draw against relegation rivals Stoke City, making it a new Premier League club record of eight consecutive home matches without a win. And Watford heaped more misery on bottom-side West Brom, Troy Deeney's goal enough to slump Alan Pardew's club to their fifth successive league defeat, eight points from safety.

What a man! Everton's Jordan Pickford definitely put his name on the England team sheet making some sublime saves at Burnley with Gareth Southgate watching in the stands in the Saturday lunchtime kickoff. If it weren't for him it would have ended a total thrash. 2-1 was the result, Ashley Barnes and Chris Wood turning the game around for the Clarets in the second half after Turkish forward Cenk Tosun had given the Toffees the lead after 20 minutes. It was a competitive match, both teams creating chances and making the keepers work, Ashley Williams' late sending off for reckless swinging around with his elbow on Barnes adding to the visitors' misery, no protest. Whatever Sean Dyche said at the break in his 250th game for the club (W98 D73 L79 with this result), it worked, completing the double in the league against Big Sam's side. It was the first win for Burnley in 2018, their first comeback after going behind in 61 Premier League games under Dyche (D12 L48), and the first time they won both league games against Everton in a season since 1959-60, when they won the title!

What a goal! Tottenham's star men Dele Alli and Harry Kane set up Son Heung-min in the first and the second half respectively, beautiful crosses, exemplary conversions, making it 2-0 and giving Huddersfield no chance of a comeback at Wembley. 

And it had to be Riyad Mahrez nicking the last-minute equaliser for Leicester against Bournemouth (90'+7!!!), curling a free kick around the wall and in to make it 1-1 after the Cherries were ahead thanks to Joshua King's first-half penalty. It's never over till that annoying one bloke whistles!

That unstoppable injury-time Nemanja Matić smacker of a strike, his first goal for Manchester United, shattered Crystal Palace, mentally and physically at Selhurst Park on Monday night keeping them in the drop zone. Roy Hodgson's men had worked so hard and shocked everyone when Andros Townsend gave them lead in the first half and Patrick van Aanholt doubled the score straight after the interval. It was the first time Palace had ever taken the lead over United in the PL, they were in control. But whatever José Mourinho said at the break, it had its effects. The Red Devils finally turned up, played and broke the home side eventually, Chris Smalling and Romelu Lukaku evening out the scoreline and wounds. But once again David de Gea was the main man for United, keeping them in the game with crucial stops and avoiding a total thrash, until the last-minute winner. The visitors had two shots on goal in the first half, fewest any away team has had at Selhurst Park this season, bad, and 15 in the second half, the most, mad. The Eagles have never beaten United in 18 attempts and it was the first time United's Portuguese boss has won after being two goals behind in the PL. But if the Mancs play like this against their bitter rivals Liverpool next weekend they will get battered!!!

What the hell?! No, that wasn't a penalty at Wembley, just because Son tumbled to the ground doesn't mean he was fouled! The South Korean scored a great brace as mentioned above, but should have been booked for his diving antiques!!! FFS!

Talking about spot kicks, don't they have to be taken from the spot?! It was just stupid how the ref didn't spot that at the King Power Stadium! King got the penalty spot-on to give Bournemouth the lead, but Leicester will be glad they evened it out as mentioned above, a goal and point each in the end.

All the best wishes go to Hammer Winston Reid who was stretchered off at Swansea after landing awkwardly on his leg and taking a knock to his head on landing, I hope he will be okay. Same with Brighton's Ezequiel Schelotto after being taken out by Arsenal's Sead Kolašinac, who was lucky to escape any punishment for his reckless actions! Something serious like this makes me even more annoyed about the divers and whiners making a scene of nothing!!! Appreciate what you've got and make the most of it instead of looking for any excuse to fall!!! And referees, please, please, please be more consistent with your punishments! It is just too ridiculous what too many players get away with, fouling and diving!!!

My Predictions - Actual Results

Burnley 1:1 Everton - 2:1

Leicester 1:1 Bournemouth - 1:1

Southampton 1:1 Stoke City - 0:0

Swansea 1:1 West Ham - 4:1

Tottenham 4:0 Huddersfield - 2:0

Watford 2:1 West Brom - 1:0

Liverpool 3:1 Newcastle - 2:0 or my LFC match report 

Brighton 1:1 Arsenal - 2:1

Man City 3:1 Chelsea - 1:0

Crystal Palace 0:0 Man United - 2:3

Click here for last week's Premier League Picks.

Pictures, facts and stats were taken from the BBC match reports, MOTD, Twitter and SFR coverage.

Premier League Picks Of The Week 19

Sports - Football - Premier League - Week 19

The 19th week of the Premier League action saw:

270 shots - most by Man United = 32!
33 goals - most by Burnley, Chelsea & Spurs = 4 each
216 fouls - most by West Brom = 17
37 bookings - most by Leicester = 5
1 red card - van Dijk 2nd yellow for Saints
1 penalty - 1 scored (Barnes for Burnley)

Their boss José Mourinho was sad.

Usain Bolt was much happier with his side's win.

Whilst Jürgen Klopp doesn't care.

What a game! Stoke proved a tough test for league leaders Chelsea in the six-goal thriller at Stamford Bridge, five of which were scored in the second half. The Potters threw everything at the Blues, they were up for it, but a classy Diego Costa and Willian double proved too much for Mark Hughes' men. Antonio Conte's side stay six points clear at the top after their 13th consecutive league win, equalling Arsenal's record of most consecutive wins in a season consisting of 38 games from 2001-2. Can anything or anyone stop them?!

What a team! Manchester United rolled back the years, scoring two goals within seconds, turning the game on its head in the final minutes. Middlesbrough had taken a shock lead in the second half thanks to midfielder Grant Leadbitter (67') after the hosts had hit the post twice. But Aitor Karanka's men grew tired and the Red Devils pounced on that, Anthony Martial (85') and Paul Pogba (86') making the most of it and taking their unbeaten league run to ten games, winning all five in December, moving them to just one point behind Arsenal in fourth place.

What a man! Man of the match Harry Kane (27' & 33') and Dele Alli (41' & 46') sealed an easy 1-4 win for Tottenham at Watford with a double each. The England striker must love New Year's Day, matching Thierry Henry's record with his 59th goal in 100 Premier League games. After thrashing Southampton 1-4 last week as well, it was the first time since October 1960 Spurs scored four goals in two consecutive away games - the season they did the Double. Promising. Andre Gray more than deserves a shoutout too after being the first Burnley player to score a Premier League hat-trick, downing Sunderland 4-1 at Turf Moor.

What a goal! Olivier Giroud's elastic "scorpion" goal, looped in off Alexis Sánchez, that gave Arsenal the lead against Crystal Palace, was a beauty. The piece of magic resembled Henrikh Mkhitaryan's stunner from last week, with the main difference being, it was not offside! It was the Frenchman's second goal in as many games, keeping the Gunners in the title race with a shout, in third place, three points behind Liverpool in second, nine behind Chelsea at the top. Hal Robson Kanu's stunner as West Brom beat Saints 1-2 at St Mary's deserves a mention, too, in the Welshman's first Premier League start since May 2013.

What the hell?! Liverpool recorded just five shots in their win against Manchester City, man of the match Georginio Wijnaldum (8') on the scoreboard with the one and only goal. It was a rare defensive performance by the Reds, keeping back and even wasting time at the end. Very unlike Jürgen Klopp and his teams, but the German manager didn't care, the main thing was the clean sheet and three points. City meanwhile looked very laboured, the defeat taking them out of the top four, down to fifth, level on points with Spurs in fourth, Pep Guardiola not happy. Click here for my match report.

My Predictions - Actual Results
(Forgot to make predictions, hence, auto-allocation = 1:0)
Hull City 1:0 Everton - 2:2
Burnley 1:0 Sunderland - 4:1
Chelsea 1:0 Stoke City - 4:2
Leicester 1:0 West Ham - 1:0
Man United 1:0 Middlesbrough- 2:1
Southampton 1:0 West Brom - 1:2
Swansea 1:0 Bournemouth - 0:3
Liverpool 1:0 Man City - 1:0 or click here for my match report
Watford 1:0 Tottenham - 1:4
Arsenal 1:0 Crystal Palace - 2:0

Click here for last week's Premier League Picks.

Pictures taken from the BBC match reports.