Sports - Football - Premier League - Week 31
The 31st week of the Premier League action saw:
31 goals - most by West Ham = 4
249 shots - most by Tottenham = 26*
78 on target - most by Tottenham = 10*
93 corners - most by Liverpool = 10
208 fouls - most by Everton = 17
33 bookings - most by Watford = 5*
1 red card - Maguire for Leicester
4 penalties - 3 scored (King for Bournemouth, Noble for West Ham, Milner for Liverpool)
What a game! There were not many games this weekend thanks to the FA Cup ties, only three matches on Saturday, but plenty of action and goals, very late goals and awesome comebacks! Huddersfield scored three at West Ham! But still ended up on the losing end yet again as the Hammers hit four, three of them in the last 15 minutes, and turned everything and everyone on their heads at the London Stadium. The Terriers looked like they would climb off the bottom of the Premier League for the first time since December when Karlan Grant's brace (30', 65') had put the visitors 1-3 ahead, adding to Juninho Bacuna's headed equaliser (17') in reply to captain Mark Noble's opener from the spot (pen 15'). But after Angelo Ogbonna's header made it 2-3 with 15 minutes to go, half-time substitute Javier Hernández made all the difference with two goals in seven minutes to make it 4-2 (84', 90'+1'). His boss Manuel Pellegrini showed how decisive changes and experience can be, whilst the Yorkshire club which the Chilean upset remain rock bottom and are still looking for their first win on the road since November. Counterpart Jan Siewert was understandably distraught and angry. Gutted.
What a team! Chelsea are falling to bits! No discrediting Everton and Jordan Pickford’s strong performance with some solid stops and keeping a clean sheet. But after dominating the first half at Goodison Park, the Blues were well beaten thanks to Richarlison's header off a corner (49') and Gylfi Sigurðsson netting the rebound of his own soft penalty take (72'). As a result, Chelsea failed to capitalise on their game in hand and remain in sixth, one point behind Manchester United in fifth, three behind Arsenal in fourth. Blues boss Maurizio Sarri was chewing his fag end as always, saying his side "have reached their mental limit". Looking at the usual lack of patience at the club, the Italian must be sweating through his hotter than hot seat (although I have said that before, so, am surprised he lasted this long)! Much in contrast to that, Marco Silva was finally able to smile, seeing his side record their first home win in nine weeks after four defeats in the last six home games. Finally.
What a man! It was a roller coaster ride at Craven Cottage on Sunday afternoon! I covered all the action on Twitter for ByTheMinLFC. It was so easy in the first half for Liverpool, Sadio Mané with the opener, a nice side-footer set up by Roberto Firmino, his 20th in all competitions, 11th in 11 games (26'). But then, after the break, the normally strong duo of super keeper Alisson and stubborn third-skipper Virgil van Dijk messed up and mixed up the ball between each other and handed Ryan Babel the equaliser for still managerless Fulham (74'). But sub and vice-captain James Milner had the last laugh, scoring the winning goal from the spot after the other keeper Sergio Rico had a nightmare of his own, dropping Mohamed Salah's curling shot and fouling Mané in the aftermath, conceding the penalty (81'). The great Egyptian did everything else, but just couldn't hit the back of the net. The Reds still went to the top of the table for the international break, to Jürgen Klopp's relief, the German looking tense watching his league leaders topple the relegation-doomed London side. Too tense. Just two points separating the top two, Manchester City with a game in hand.
What a goal! Matt Ritchie’s last-breath equaliser for Newcastle against his former side Bournemouth handed Rafael Benítez’s men a crucial point. It was a a spectacular take, super volley, into the top corner, no chance for anyone to stop, cover or recover, to make it 2-2 four minutes into stoppage time! Salomón Rondón had put the visitors ahead at Dean Court with a lovely free-kick deep into injury time as well (45'+5). Joshua King turned the game on its head and completed the comeback for the Cherries with his brace (pen 48', 81'). Or so we thought. Benítez was not happy with the officials decisions, especially with the spot kick, but the Spaniard was left more than consoled with a point thanks to the last-second smacker. "The job is not done" he said after the match. His side are sitting in 13th, on 35 points, seven points clear from the drop zone, two behind Everton in 12th. Not done, but more than alright.
What the hell?! In the only other game played over the FA Cup weekend, last man Harry Maguire was sent off after just four minutes at Turf Moor, a straight red for felling down goal-bound Jóhann Berg Guðmundsson. How daft can you be?! Ten-man Leicester still fought on and ended up 1-2 winners against a stubborn Burnley side. Foxes captain Wes Morgan’s 90th minute header handed new boss Brendan Rodgers his second consecutive win, the Northern Irishman full of praise for his side. Sean Dyche on the other hand, is watching his side continue to struggle, tumbling through their fourth successive defeat and falling down to 17th, just two points away from the drop zone. Only Fulham (68) have conceded more goals than the Clarets (59). Worrying.
My Predictions - Actual Results
Bournemouth 1:1 Newcastle - 2:2
Burnley 2:2 Leicester - 1:2
West Ham 1:0 Huddersfield - 4:3
Fulham 1:3 Liverpool - 1:2
Everton 1:2 Chelsea - 2:0
*(Postponed due to the FA Cup ties. All stats added to this week = week 31 after the fixtures have been played.)
