Premier League Picks Of The Week 2

Sports - Football - Premier League - Week 2

Here are my Premier League Picks Of The Week 2:

35 goals - most by Man City = 6

259 shots - most by Man City = 32

102 on target - most by Man City = 14

87 corners - most by Man City = 10

223 fouls - most by Southampton = 20

32 bookings - most by West Ham = 6

3 red cards - Hayden for Newcastle, Vardy for Leicester, Wan-Bissaka for Palace

3 penalties - 2 scored (Arnautovic for West Ham, Milner for Liverpool)

What a game! It was a mad first half at Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening! It could have been 2-5 at halftime, but Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan missed some sitters for Arsenal. Chelsea ran them over and took the lead thanks to Pedro (9') and Álvaro Morata (20'). The Gunners did come back with two goals in four minutes by Mkhitaryan (37') and Alex Iwobi (41'), but they just weren’t good enough. The second half was less crazy, Marcos Alonso sneaking in a cheeky late winner under Petr Čech (81'), who had made a couple of good stops to keep his side in the match. It was the first time since 1992 Arsenal lost their opening two fixtures of the season. So far so not so encouraging nor inspiring for new boss Unai Emery, much in contrast to new Blues manager Maurizio Sarri's 100% start with two wins out of two.

What a team! Newly promoted Wolves have been playing brill but things have just not gone their way, recording just one point from the opening two games. Ten-man Leicester were lucky winners thanks to Matt Doherty's own goal (29') and James Maddison's fine finish (45'), even Claude Puel conceded that much after the tough encounter at the King Power Stadium. Jamie Vardy’s recklessness may cost his side in the upcoming fixtures after his straight red card (66') made the rest of the match very difficult for the 2016 champions and will see him suspended for the next three games. Nuno Espírito Santo was rightly proud of his side, but of course unhappy about the result.

The two Manchester rivals could not have had a more contrasting weekend! The champions thrashed Huddersfield 6-1, including Sergio Agüero's 13th City hat-trick which took him into the top ten of all-time Premier League scorers, whilst United fell apart 3-2 at Brighton, Paul Pogba left pointing out and underlining his side's failures and problems and confirming boss José Mourinho's fears and flaws.

What a man! Kenedy had a shocker for Newcastle in the lunchtime kick-off on Saturday, not just because of the missed penalty in injury time! The whole match was shambles! Sub Isaac Hayden didn’t help the home side with his tackle from behind which saw him sent off after just over twenty minutes from coming on (66'). The spot kick in the final seconds was stopped easily by Cardiff City keeper Neil Etheridge, Kenedy left distraught, but Neil Warnock pointed out correctly the Brazilian was lucky to stay on the pitch after kicking out at Victor Camarasa in the first half. Referee Craig Pawson didn’t cover himself in glory with everything he gave and missed...

Everton stopper Jordan Pickford made a couple of crucial stops, one making up for his own failure of catching the ball, denying Danny Ings, who eventually pulled one back for Southampton to make it 2-1 (54'). Did the keeper foul the striker though??? Either way, new boss Marco Silva seems to have livened up the Toffees, much better and livelier football, with Theo Walcott (15') and Richarlison (31') on the scoreboard to bank the three points.

What a goal! Lucas Moura scored his first goal for Tottenham in the London derby on Saturday (43'), a lovely finish, curling the ball in from distance. Aleksandar Mitrović levelled the score for Fulham, heading in their first goal back in the Premier League, to make it 1-1 (52'). Kieran Trippier’s free kick into the top corner made it 2-1 before Harry Kane scored his first goal in August after going 1,000 minutes without one in the Premier League (77'), a low finish into the right corner, set up by a powerful run from sub Érik Lamela, finishing the game off 3-1 at Wembley.

Callum Wilson’s equaliser for Bournemouth at West Ham was brilliant! A wonderful goal, with a beautiful run and take, the Hammers left reeling after they were leading thanks to Marko Arnautović’s first-half penalty. And six minutes later Steve Cook’s header turned the game around, making it 1-2 and three points for the Cherries, heaping more misery on Manuel Pellegrini's men making it two defeats out of two.

What the hell?! It was Burnley‘s sixth game of the season already, in just 25 days thanks to their Europa League qualifiers. It ended up being an easy win for Watford with some quality goals, a first on the road since January for the London club. But did Sean Dyche complain like Moaninho?! Nope, he conceded his side gave the match away.
The refs generally didn’t impress this weekend though, as mentioned above. Roy Hodgson questioned Michael Oliver’s decisions as well after Crystal Palace’s hard-fought 0-2 defeat against Liverpool at Selhurst Park, especially the penalty and sending off - but replays of both incidents showed both decisions were soft but justified. Believe me when I say my heart was in my mouth for most of the match, it was so tense! Not an easy win, but all three points went to the Reds. Click here for my LFC match notes.

My Predictions - Actual Results

Cardiff 2:2 Newcastle - 0:0

Everton 1:1 Southampton - 2:1

Leicester 2:1 Wolves - 2:0

Tottenham 2:1 Fulham - 3:1

West Ham 3:3 Bournemouth - 1:2

Chelsea 2:0 Arsenal - 3:2

Burnley 2:1 Watford - 1:3

Man City 3:1 Huddersfield - 6:1

Brighton 1:2 Man United - 3:2

Crystal Palace 1:2 Liverpool - 0:2 or my match notes.

Click here for last week’s Premier League Picks.

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

Premier League Picks Of The Week 25

Sports - Football - Premier League - Week 25

The 25th week of the Premier League action saw:

24 goals - most by Swansea, Liverpool & Bournemouth = 3 each
256 shots - most by Tottenham = 22
68 on target - most by Man City = 10
82 corners - most by Man City = 9
181 fouls - most by Crystal Palace, Newcastle & Burnley = 15 each
22 yellow cards - most by Arsenal, Crystal Palace, Southampton & West Brom = 3 each
0 red cards
5 penalties - 4 scored (Noble for West Ham, Salah for Liverpool, Murray for Brighton, Vardy for Leicester)

What a game! A lot of my predictions went out of the window once again, more to Arsenal's and Manchester United's embarrassing shockers below. Stamford Bridge witnessed a surprise-and-a-half too. Defending champions Chelsea didn't record a single shot on target in the first half. Man of the match Callum Wilson was a constant threat and woke the home side up when the former Coventry striker gave Bournemouth the lead six minutes after the break. Two goals in three minutes by former Hammer Junior Stanislas and former Chelsea centre back Nathan Aké totally downed the Blue ship, where was the defence?! Antonio Conte wasn't a happy man, having a dig at the fact his side had to play on transfer deadline day. I don't think the display nor result cheered the fiery Italian man up... Eddie Howe on the other hand and much in contrast was a very happy and proud man and rightly so, the Cherries unbeaten in six league games and scoring three goals at a top six side in the Premier League for the first time.

What a team! Swansea are flying high, climbing out of the relegation zone for the first time since November (at least for the night, they are still off the bottom after Wednesday's matches) after recording another shock win, this time against Arsenal, 3-1 at the Liberty Stadium. More to that match below.
Manchester City beat West Brom nice and comfortably at the Etihad, widening the gap at the top to 15 points thanks to Fernandinho, an excellent Kevin De Bruyne, Sergio Agüero of course and their utter dominance, no surprise there. Pep Guardiola was still shouting and gesturing till the end but surely couldn't have been happier, especially with everyone else around them crashing and crumbling. 15 POINTS!!! FIFTEEN!!!

What a man! Carlos Carvalhal is working wonders at Swansea after seeing the Welsh side record back-to-back wins for the first time this season, shocking Liverpool last week and Arsenal this week, and I believe the Portuguese when he said the win tasted "like honey". Sweet. Arsène Wenger on the other hand is not winning over any fans with this kind of display and only three wins in 13 away league games this season. A top four finish is looking less and less likely for the Gunners. Merde! Ex-Arsenal man Theo Walcott's double that helped Everton beat Leicester on his debut after the January transfer must have added salt to the wound... Putain!

What a goal! Taxi for Petr Čech! What a giveaway it was by the Arsenal keeper to hand Jordan Ayew a tap-in which gave the Swans the lead. Sam Clucas' double either side of that blooper levelled the score just about a minute after Nacho Monreal had given the Gunners the lead and then sealed the win for the Welsh side.
It was a smacker-and-a-half by Emre Can that gave Liverpool the lead at Huddersfield and calmed the nerves. Roberto Firmino doubled the lead from a tight angle before Mohamed Salah made it three goals and three points from the spot for the Reds. Click here for all my match notes.
It was a massive goal for Newcastle against Burnley, especially after their penalty miss, scored by captain Jamaal Lascelles, set up by new signing Kenedy's corner. Clarets keeper Nick Pope saved Joselu's tame spot kick denying the Magpies a breakthrough earlier on. Rafael Benítez's men are the 18th team to win a penalty in the PL this season, Sean Dyche's side and Swansea the only clubs yet to be given one in 2017-18. But the visitors had the last laugh at St James' Park, Sam Vokes levelling the score late on thanks to an evil bounce coming off keeper Karl Darlow, an own goal in the end. More misery on Tyneside. Loved Kevin Keegan's quote in the crowd (see pic). All over the crowd. Wow.

What the hell?! Christian Eriksen put Tottenham ahead against Manchester United with only the sixth touch of the match, 10.44 seconds in! David de Who? The Red Devils (tried to) hit back from the restart, but Spurs held solid, what a start it was at Wembley! But, as it turned out and replays showed, Harry Kane was in the opposition's half on kick-off, the goal shouldn't have stood. VAR anyone? The England top striker kept mocking, beating and running United's defense into bits. Defender Phil Jones' own goal off Kieran Trippier's cross doubled Mauricio Pochettino's side's lead, United boss José Mourinho fuming on the sideline. Not so fuming I bet you when seconds later Antonio Valencia fouled Dele Alli in the box but nothing was given. That's what the English midfielder gets from all his diving... Who wants to be a ref, ey?! It could have been 7 or 8 for Spurs after that, if it weren't for the Spanish stopper that has saved United so many times. It stayed 2-0, three big points for the London side in the race for the top four, their opponents nowhere near them on Sunday, chasing shadows. Mourinwho?

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

Click here for my previous Premier League Picks.

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

Cherries Shock Reds In 7-Goal Thriller

Sports - Football - Premier League - AFCB 4:3 LFC

Bournemouth beat Liverpool for the first time, coming back from two goals down, scoring three goals in the final 14 minutes, to win 4-3 and end the Reds' 15-match unbeaten run.

It was a game of two halves with a dramatic grand finale at the Vitality Stadium.

The visitors started comfortably and dominant, taking the lead in the 20th minute thanks to Sadio Mané's easy tap in, his seventh league goal of the season.

Not even two minutes later, Divock Origi broke free, keeper Artur Boruc storming past him, the Belgian forward striking from a tight angle, the stadium gasping, utter silence, waiting, expecting, goal, 0-2, all the dominance paid off.

Junior Stanislas was the only ray of hope for the home side, creating chances, only to see the ball given away and wasted on numerous occasions.

And the Cherries were in uproar when they were denied a penalty by referee Robert Madley after Nathan Aké was clipped in the box surrounded by Liverpool defenders.

The half-time whistle could not have come soon enough for Eddie Howe's men, and it would have been more than interesting to be a fly on the wall of that dressing room during the interval.

Former Liverpool man Jordon Ibe was brought on in place of Joshua King for the home side after the break, ringing change.

More change was enforced soon after, Stanislas injured thanks to Jordan Henderson's clumsy tackle that put him in the ref's book, to be replaced by Ryan Fraser. Little did they know how much that sub would change for them.

Moments later James Milner conceded a penalty, netted by striker Callum Wilson to make it 1-2. Game on. Liverpool not so dominant anymore, Jürgen Klopp furious on the sideline, warned off by the officials.

Emre Can restored the two-goal cushion a few minutes later, hitting a nice curling shot, scoring his third league goal of the season, stopping the Bournemouth comeback in its track. Or so they thought.

The Reds thought they had the ball over the line off a Milner corner, keeper Boruc taking it, nearly over the line, replays showing it was really close. But all sound and vibration alerts stayed silent, by a millimetre or two.

Then the last sub for the home side Benik Afobe missed a chance to see man of the match Fraser net it after a nice counter by Bournemouth to make it 2-3. Then all hell broke loose for the Reds.

Seconds later defender Steve Cook levelled the score collecting super-sub Fraser's fine cross, turning and converting nicely, 3-3.

Liverpool's defence looked all over the place at this point, keeper Loris Karius forced into a save by Afobe again, Bournemouth bossing it, Klopp looking lost for words.

Origi and sub Adam Lallana had late chances to nick a win, but it was not to be.

The shocking turnaround was completed by the hosts in the third minute of stoppage time, Karius spilling the ball, Aké pouncing on it to make it count, 4-3!

Bournemouth looked the hungrier in the second half, Liverpool all over the place, the complete opposite of the first half. What a turnaround!

The Red bubble was well and truly burst by the Cherries. The Scousers had not conceded for over 5.5 hours and now netted four, costing them three points, seeing them slip down to third, four points behind league leaders Chelsea, one behind Arsenal in second, ahead of City in fourth just on goal difference.

The Christmas fixture list will now look very different to Klopp and his men.

Click here to read my full ByTheMinute match coverage

Bournemouth Goals: Wilson pen 56', Fraser 76', Cook 78' & Aké 90'+3'.

Liverpool Goals: Mané 20', Origi 22' & Can 64'.

Bournemouth Team: 1 Boruc; 15 Smith, 2 Francis (c) (booked 50'), 3 Cook, 5 Aké; 8 Arter, 4 Gosling (9 Afobe 75'); 17 King (33 Ibe 45'), 32 Wilshere (booked 48'), 19 Stanislas (24 Fraser 55'); 13 Wilson. 4-2-3-1
Subs not used: 7 Pugh, 14 Smith, 23 Federici, 26 Mings.

Liverpool Team: 1 Karius; 2 Clyne, 21 Lucas, 6 Lovren, 7 Milner; 23 Can (booked 87'), 14 Henderson (booked 53'), 5 Wijnaldum; 19 Mané (20 Lallana 69'), 27 Origi, 11 Firmino. 4-3-3
Subs not used: 17 Klavan, 18 Moreno, 22 Mignolet, 53 Ejaria, 58 Woodburn, 66 Alexander-Arnold.

HT Stats:
Bournemouth 0-2 Liverpool
Attempts: 1-5
On target: 0-2
Offside: 0-1
Corners: 1-6
Fouls: 5-4
No bookings
Possession: 41%-59%

FT Stats:
Bournemouth 4-3 Liverpool
Attempts: 12-10
On target: 8-3
Offsides: 1-1
Corners: 4-9
Fouls: 9-17
Bookings: 2-2
Possession: 39.9%-60.1%

Referee: Robert Madley
Man of the match: Ryan Fraser
Ground: Vitality Stadium
Attendance: 11,183

Pictures taken from the BBC match report & stats from Sky Sports live coverage

Click here for my previous LFC match report