Premier League Notes - Week 1

Sports - Football - Premier League - Week 1

The first week of the 2020-21 Premier League season saw:

16 goals - most by Liverpool = 4

178 shots - most by Liverpool = 22

61 on target - most by Leicester = 7

78 corners - most by Sheff Utd = 12

168 fouls - most by Tottenham = 15

19 bookings - most by Fulham, Arsenal, Palace, West Ham, Newcastle and Sheff Utd = 2 each 

0 red cards

5 penalties - 5 scored (2 x Salah for Liverpool, 2 x Vardy for Leicester, Jorginho for Chelsea)

TOP

#FULARS Willian had his hand in all the goals, including Aubameyang’s curling beauty to make it 0-3 and three points for the Gunners.

#LIVLEE Hat-trick hero Salah made up for his team mates’ mess ups at the back, Liverpool ended up on top, Leeds gutted.

#BHACHE The Seagulls started brightly against the Blues, until they gave away a spot kick halfway through the first half. Two belters within a couple of minutes made 1:2. An evil deflection sealed the deal 1:3. Harsh result.

FLOP

#CRYSOU With Walker-Peters' not red corrected to a yellow card, the ref and VAR did their job, both players went for the ball, high. Zaha's goal disallowed for offside made up for that though, good old VARce, as replays showed he was on, his other two team mates not, but they had no influence on play, with all the lines drawn. Late Saints push, great save by Palace keeper Guaita against Ings, was too little too late. 

#WBALEI Vardy’s penalty brace condemned the Baggies to defeat. All three newly promoted sides were beaten on the opening weekend, 10-0 on aggregate.

#TOTEVE It was classic Miserinho aka Moaninho after Spurs flopped. The Toffees were on top thanks to Calvert-Lewin’s header and deserved the three points.

WTF?!

#WHUNEW Horrendous refereeing at the London Stadium. Carroll should have been sent off in the first minute for a dangerous elbow hit. No mentioning of that howler anywhere (English nor French telly)?! The Hammers should have had a penalty for Hendrick’s handball in the second half as well. And Newcastle’s goal's questionable, too, with a high boot on the keeper. The second goal was a banger though, completing a miserable evening for Moyes and co. 

#SHUWOL Nightmare defending by the hosts, conceding two goals in three minutes. In the first half Wolves were all over the Blades and could have been three or four goals up. The home side played much better after the break, but couldn’t find a breakthrough.

My Predictions - Actual Results

Fulham 1:2 Arsenal - 0:3

Crystal Palace 1:1 Southampton - 1:0

Liverpool 3:2 Leeds - 4:3

West Ham 3:3 Newcastle - 0:2

West Brom 2:3 Leicester - 0:3

Tottenham 2:2 Everton - 0:1

Sheffield United 1:2 Wolves - 0:2

Brighton 0:3 Chelsea - 1:3

Burnley P:P Man United

Man City P:P Aston Villa

Click here for my previous Premier League Notes.

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

Premier League Picks Of The Week 8

Sports - Football - Premier League - Week 8

The eighth week of the Premier League action saw:
28 goals - most by Man City = 7!!!
236 shots - most by Burnley & Man City = 20 each
79 on target - most by Man City = 11!!!
92 corners - most by Tottenham = 9
197 fouls - most by West Ham = 14
33 yellow cards - most by Huddersfield = 5
1 red card - Andy Carroll for West Ham (2 yellows)
3 penalties - 3 scored (Troy Deeney for Watford, Wayne Rooney for Everton, Manolo Gabbiadini for Southampton)

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What a game! The much anticipated lunch-time kick-off on Saturday between arch rivals Liverpool and Manchester United ended up goalless and not being the game of the century. But the way Jürgen Klopp's side dominated, possession and chance after chance, it was surprising to see United not even trying to compete. In the first half Romelu Lukaku at least pushed and pressed trying to create a threat. But after the break there was no sign of the Belgian, or anyone else from the visitors. It was obvious José Mourinho was happy with just the point and he could thank star keeper David de Gea that it stayed that way. The Reds will be happy they didn't concede, showed much more strength at the back and front, but still missed the breakthrough and will feel more like two points dropped than one gained. With this draw, the German manager has only lost once in eight competitive meetings against his Portuguese counterpart (W3, D4). The two sides have drawn three consecutive league meetings for the first time since 1921. Click here for my HT and FT match notes, and here for my LFC match report. Much in contrast to that, Southampton's Super Sunday 2-2 draw with Newcastle at St Mary's was much more of a thriller, it had everything. Manolo Gabbiadini's double including the leveller from the spot saw Mauricio Pellegrino grab a point against his former Red boss Rafa Benitez and deservedly so. The game had everything, both sides giving it all! That's full on football! That's entertainment! That's what you go to matches for!

What a team! League leaders Manchester City rolled over Stoke City from the start to the finish, just with a mini scare in-between when the visitors got a couple of goals back to make it 3-2 just after the break. Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne was just out of this world, setting up three of the goals, taking his PL total to 32 assists, more than any other player since his debut in September 2015. I could reel down the Sky Blues' line-up, they all starred and outplayed their opponents scoring SEVEN! Yes, 7, sieben, sept, siete!!! That's 17 goals in their last 3 home league games! Mark Hughes' face and reactions on the sideline and post-match said it all... Watford frustrated the hell out of Arsenal! Troy Deeney levelled from the spot which some called a controversial penalty. Skipper Per Mertesacker had given the Gunners the lead in the first half, but the home side crumbled a bit after the break. The Hornets could smell the blood, hitting the woodwork late on and just bossing it. And then Tom Cleverley nicked it, 92nd minute, smashing in the rebound after some pinball in the box to make it 2-1 and Vicarage Road erupt. Oh, how they love late goals! Five of their 15 goals have come after the 90th minute. The win takes Watford up to 4th. Never ever write them off! They have been brill and are more than up for it!

What a man! Chelsea loanee Tammy Abraham's double earned Swansea City their first home win of the Premier League season, beating Huddersfield 2-0 and easing some of the pressure on manager Paul Clement. The Blues could have done with him, see below... Harry Kane didn't score!!! But Christian Eriksen did, handing Tottenham their first Premier League win at Wembley, sparing Spurs the blushes and seeing off Bournemouth 1-0. It was not a game to write much about, the paper planes were very missed! Craig Shakespeare has been sacked, with Leicester going six league games without a win, can't say I was surprised. Title winner Claudio Ranieri was given the marching order after a similar run. Big difference: The Foxes are third from bottom after rescuing a point at West Brom on Monday night, clueless where, when and how the next win will come from. The game did not have much to be encouraged or entertained about, apart from Nacer Chadli's sublime free-kick that gave the hard-working Baggies the lead. But Riyad Mahrez levelled the score and snatched a point 10 minutes from time. It was obviously not enough to save his boss. Karma? Just a bit. Sorry, but not sorry. Who will dare to take over?

What a goal! CRYSTAL PALACE HAVE SCORED A GOAL! NO, TWO!!! OMG!!! Their first goals of the season. Their first win of the season. Their first points of the season. Against champions Chelsea!!! Just shocking. Roy Hodgson has certainly worked some wonders there! Wilfried Zaha scored the winner after Tiemoue Balayoko had cancelled out Cesar Azpilicueta's own goal, which ended Palace's 731 minute wait for a league goal. Anthony Knockaert's emotional reaction to his first ever Premier League goal said it all, Everton were just watching rather than defending, downed by Brighton and deservedly so. But experienced skipper Bruno was just daft handing the Toffees a penalty with a big fat elbow, Wayne Rooney netting the equaliser from the spot, pulling his side back from the gutter, in the 90th minute! Lucky bugger! Reckless from the Seagull. Mathew Ryan's late double-save for the home side kept the share at a point each, what a blast of a finish it was to a below-par game!

What the hell?! West Ham manager Slaven Bilić was very "disappointed and angry" with Andy Carroll and rightly so after the striker's daft sending off in just the 27th minute, seeing him booked twice within 99 seconds for using his elbow again and again. How stupid can you be?! Burnley got a draw out of the clash thanks to Chris Wood's late header in the 85th minute cancelling out Michail Antonio's opener to make it 1-1 and a point each. The draw keeps the Hammers dangling down in 15th, just two points from safety.

My Predictions - Actual Results
Liverpool 1:2 Man United - 0:0 or click here for my match report and notes
Burnley 2:2 West Ham - 1:1
Crystal Palace 0:5 Chelsea - 2:1
Man City 4:1 Stoke City - 7:2
Swansea 0:0 Huddersfield - 2:0
Tottenham 3:1 Bournemouth - 1:0
Watford 1:2 Arsenal - 2:1
Brighton 1:1 Everton - 1:1
Southampton 2:1 Newcastle - 2:2
Leicester 1:1 West Brom - 1:1

Click here for last week's Premier League Picks.

All pictures, stats and facts were taken from the BBC match reports, Twitter, Sky Sports and SFR match coverages.