Premier League Picks Of The Week 23

Sports - Football - Premier League - Week 23

The 23rd week of the Premier League football action saw:

31 goals - most by West Ham, Tottenham & Liverpool = 4 each
256 shots - most by Tottenham & Man United = 20 each
85 on target - most by Tottenham = 10
90 corners - most by West Brom = 9
222 fouls - most by Crystal Palace = 16
31 yellow cards - most by Southampton = 5
1 red card - Chilwell for Leicester
0 penalties

What a game! What a Super Sunday it was! Liverpool outplayed and -scored league leaders Manchester City, 4-3 at Anfield. Yes, you read right, the unbeatables were beaten for the first time in the league this season. And what a belter of a game it was, the Reds shocking the Sky Blues riding high on top 4-1, before nervously tumbling over the finishing line 4-3, what a game it was, click here for my full match report.
How annoying was the early kick-off at Dean Court in contrast to the Merseyside showpiece?! Alex Iwobi elbowed the ball away in the box for Arsenal against Bournemouth a few minutes before the break, nothing given. Rob Holding with a cheeky shoulder as well, not as obvious, but oh so cheeky, shortly before Arsène Wenger's men took the lead after the break thanks to Héctor Bellerín. Man of the match Callum Wilson levelled the score for the home side and just a couple of minutes later (283 seconds to be exact) Jordon Ibe slashed a low shot under Petr Čech to turn the game on its head and the young Gunners with it. It was the first ever Premier League win for the Cherries against the red London side, red full of embarrassment!

What a team! Leicester were outstanding, Chelsea were nowhere. It ended 0-0 at Stamford Bridge thanks to Ben Chilwell's two stupid yellow cards in the space of five second-half minutes, giving the Blues some glimmer of hope, but the Foxes held on to the point in the end. It's the first time in the Blues' history they have recorded three consecutive goalless draws. Tired? Antonio Conte has enough players to choose from, I'm not too sure whether it's them or the Italian who are more tired of their job.
Stoke City announced Paul Lambert as their new boss hours before their match at Old Trafford and the fans' reaction wasn't exactly grateful. The Potters' struggle continued as the Red Devils cruised to a 3-0 win, thanks to some quality saves by David de Gea and play by Paul Pogba setting up scorers Antonio Valencia and Anthony Martial before Romelu Lukaku completed the scoreline. Good luck Paul. You'll need it. Lots of it.

What a man! David Moyes and Roy Hodgson continued their magic, enjoying life in London. West Ham thrashed Huddersfield 1-4 at the Kirklees Stadium, Mark Noble pouncing on keeper Jonas Lössl's messed-up pass to Joe Lolley, Marko Arnautović and Manuel Lanzini's double completing the onslaught after the break. This Hammers win made Moyes just the fourth boss to win 200 Premier League matches after Sir Alex Ferguson (528), Wenger (468) and Harry Redknapp (236). Bakary Sako's powerful cut and drill over Nick Pope's outstretched leg was enough for Crystal Palace to beat Burnley at Selhurst Park, continuing their revival under the former England boss.
Alan Pardew recorded his first win as West Brom manager, ending Albion's 20-game winless run, beating Brighton 2-0 thanks to goals from defenders Jonny Evans and Craig Dawson.

What a goal! Substitute Joselu equalised through defender Alfie Mawson's legs within four minutes of coming on for Newcastle against Swansea, heartbreak for the bottom side after they were leading thanks to Jordan Ayew's header and denied a penalty for an obvious handball, Mohamed Diamé elbowing the ball away from goal. More to the flop quality refereeing below.
Tottenham's 4-0 thrashing of Everton showed individual as well as team brilliance. Son Heung-min opened the scoring finishing off Serge Aurier's cross nicely. The South Korean set up Harry Kane with a fine run to double Spurs' lead, before the record-breaker made it three, converting Eric Dier's pass to take his Premier League total to 98 goals overtaking Teddy Sheringham's club tally. And last but definitely not least Christian Eriksen smashed in Dele Alli's cheeky back-heel pass to make it 4-0. The visitors never got a look into the game, 10-0 shots on target says it all, Big Sam's face and Sammy Lee's antiques on the sideline said it all, not happy.
As little as it counted in the end as detailed above, Lolley's equaliser for Huddersfield against West Ham was a beauty, the run, the take, the curl, the back of the net.

What the hell?! Similar to the denied Swansea and Bournemouth penalties mentioned above, Abdoulaye Doucouré's last-minute leveller for Watford to make it 2-2 against Southampton was an obvious handball. Maradona-esque. How did the referee(s) not see that?! The visitors led comfortably at Vicarage Road thanks to James Ward-Prowse's double in the first half, great team play, great goals, utter dominance. Marco Silva's men fought back after the break, Andre Gray heading one in before the late drama and controversy. Cruel cruel cruel for Mauricio Pellegrino and his men, who are now 10 league games without a win, the Argentine's days numbered as Saints boss.

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

Click here for my previous Picks Of The Week.

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

Reds Drop 2 Points In PL Opener

Sports - Football - Premier League - WFC 3:3 LFC

Liverpool's all too familiar defensive frailties showed as they dropped two points in an entertaining 3-3 draw at Watford in the early kick-off on Saturday.

Manager Marco Silva will have been very happy seeing his side fight out a draw with some great stamina and character in his debut match at Vicarage Road.

The home side took an early lead after eight minutes thanks to Italian striker Stefano Okaka's header and the Reds' non-existent defence.

Red forward Sadio Mané levelled the score with just under half an hour gone, a moment of brilliance, a fantastic diagonal finish from inside the box into the top right corner of the net.

But not even three minutes later, youngster Trent Alexander-Arnold was unable to clear and French midfielder Abdoulaye Doucouré put the Hornets ahead again ruthlessly.

Man of the match Roberto Firmino's penalty kick levelled the score again shortly after the break, sending the keeper the wrong way to make it 2-2.

And it was debutant Mohamed Salah again, minutes after winning the penalty, who pounced and tapped one in to give Jürgen Klopp's men the lead for the first time, 2-3.

The visitors pushed and dominated from there, Joel Matip hit the bar and Dejan Lovren forced a good save out of Heurelho Gomes, before Simon Mignolet made a crucial save, conceding a corner late on.

And it was that set piece that broke Liverpool once again, headed over the line by Uruguayan defender Miguel Britos after the Red keeper had gloved it, making it 3-3 in the 93rd minute.

Thoughts: Clumsy, cringy goals, but they all count!

Some argued the latter two Watford goals should have been flagged and disallowed offside.

I feel it still doesn't cover how Liverpool were torn to bits at the back, Mignolet just left picking up the pieces.

The Reds have a great, hungry, dangerous attack at the front, but are all worthless and cracked to bits with the defence unable to do their job.

No one covered the opposition players, they were left free to roam.

By the time any one even just thought of intervening, it was too late.

Familiar failings by the Reds, even Klopp didn't show any reaction at the late enqualiser.

And of course Philippe Coutinho was the hot topic after his transfer request was rejected on Friday, not even 24 hours before kick-off.

Will he stay? Will he go? Yes or no, before or after, the Reds knew before and know after which positions need filling and strengthening... And the transfer window is open till end of the month... So... A lot can still happen...!!!

Anyhow, anyway, this was a faire result for Silva and Co, who worked hard and didn't deserve to lose, denying the Reds their fifth consecutive season opening win!

And there is not much rest for the Reds, as they face Hoffenheim in their Champions League qualifier on Tuesday.

Watford Goals: Okaka 8', Doucouré 32', Britos 90'+3.

Liverpool Goals: Mané 29', Firmino pen 55', Salah 57'.

Watford Team: 1 Gomes, 2 Janmaat (21 Femenía Far 18'), 4 Kaboul, 3 Britos, 25 Holebas, 8 Cleverley, 16 Doucouré, 14 Chalobah, 7 Amrabat, 33 Okaka (18 Gray 63'), 37 Pereyra (11 de Andrade 49').
Subs not used: 5 Prödl, 23 Watson, 29 Capoue, 30 Pantilimon.

Liverpool Team: 22 Mignolet (booked 88'), 66 Alexander-Arnold (booked 61') (12 Gomez 90+1'), 32 Matip, 6 Lovren, 18 Moreno, 23 Can, 14 Henderson, 5 Wijnaldum, 11 Salah (7 Milner 86'), 9 Firmino (27 Origi 81'), 19 Mané (booked 37').
Subs not used: 1 Karius, 16 Grujic, 17 Klavan, 29 Solanke.

Match Stats: WFC 3-3 LFC
Possession: 46%-54%
Shots: 9-14
On target: 4-5
Corners: 3-3
Fouls: 14-8
Yellow cards: 0-3

Referee: Anthony Taylor
Man of the match: Roberto Firmino
Ground: Vicarage Road
Attendance: 20,407

Click here to read my previous LFC match report.

Pictures, facts and stats taken from the MOTD coverage and BBC match report.