Premier League Notes - Week 18

Sports - Football - Premier League - Week 18

The 18th week of the 2019-2020 Premier League season saw:

18 goals - most by Southampton and Man City = 3 each
197 shots - most by Man City = 23
67 on target - most by Man City = 12
83 corners - most by Wolves = 11
217 fouls - most by Burnley = 21
41 bookings - most by Burnley, Wolves and Spurs = 4 each
1 red card - Son Heung-min for Spurs
2 penalties - 2 scored (Gündogan for City, Deeney for Watford, Willian for Chelsea)

#EVEARS

The lunchtime kickoff was a dire game, dismal to watch. Both new bosses have a hell of a job ahead of them. Carlo Ancelotti looked miserable in the crowd, watching the Toffees not produce a single shot on target in Duncan Ferguson's last game as caretaker manager, whilst Mikel Arteta looked on pondering, his Gunners firing blanks, the result dragging them down to 11th. 

#AVISOU

Danny Ings put the visitors ahead with a cheeky side-footer after Shane Long’s shot was saved but not cleared (21’). Jack Stephens doubled the lead nodding the ball past the diving Tom Heaton (31’). Ings was gifted his brace and it sealed the victory shortly after the break (55’), making it seven goals in the last seven games for the former Liverpool striker. The Saints were on fire! Jack Grealish did pull one back for the Villans (75’), but the home side couldn’t avoid their fourth defeat on the trot, a disappointing run after their well deserved point at Old Trafford at the beginning of the month (week 14), taking them down to 18th.

#BOUBUR

Like the early kickoff, there wasn’t much action to write about in this match at the Vitality Stadium. Until the final minute. Jay Rodriguez with the winner (89’), a powerful header to break the deadlock, his first goal in eight games for the visitors. It was the only shot on target. Three points is what counts most, taking the Clarets up to tenth, whilst the Cherries remain 14th.

#BHASHU

John Egan’s early goal for United (8’) was disallowed by VAR for handball (9’). Neal Maupay saw his tap-in disallowed for offside, provider Martin Montoya not keeping his line right. The visitors were ahead eventually, record signing Oli McBurnie with a really strong finish (22’), his third goal of the season. Jack O’Connell thought he had doubled the lead (56’), but was disallowed for offside, again, busy flags and VAR! The Blades have now had four Premier League goals awarded on the field only to be ruled out by VAR this season, more than any other club. Overruled, but still worthy winners, climbing up to fifth.

#NEWCRY

The visitors were pinned back by the Magpies for most of the first half, but both sides didn’t make much happen in front of goal. Miguel Almirón broke the deadlock with a top-notch winner (82’), totally unmarked, his first goal for the club after 27 games and 47 shots, the wild celebrations reflected the relief. Roy Hodgson will have been gutted after his men worked hard creating more chances, making up for a disappointing start, but the Eagles just let themselves down overall, dropping down to 12th, whilst Steve Bruce's men climb up to ninth.

#NORWOL

The Canaries bossed the first half. Todd Cantwell gave the home side the lead they fully deserved (17’) after Alex Tettey hit the woodwork early on. Teemu Pukki could and should have had a hat-trick, so many clear chances wasted wide or softly, not discrediting the keeper Rui Patrício’s top saves. Romain Saïss made the home side pay for all those misses, capitalising on poor defending and heading in the equaliser (61’). Raúl Jiménez had enough time and space in the box to net the rebound off Tim Krul’s save (81’). Just one win in the last 13 for Norwich sees them remain stuck in 19th, the Wolves coming back and hurting them, the win taking them up to 6th.

#MCILEI

Jamie Vardy opened the scoring for the Foxes dinking the ball over Ederson with a top-draw finish (22’). Riyad Mahrez levelled against his former team with a fine low take turning/deflecting the ball around and past Kasper Schmeichel (31’). And İlkay Gündoğan turned the game around from the spot, softer than soft penalty, Raheem Sterling making the most of Ricardo Pereira’s contact (43’). Tap-in for Gabriel Jesus off a perfect setup from the right by Kevin De Bruyne made it 3-1 (69’). If it weren’t for Leicester's top stopper, it would have been an absolute thrashing. Brendan Rodgers and his men’s momentum’s halted, their gap in second place is closed to within a point by Pep Guardiola and co in third, ten and 11 points away from the top spot respectively.

#WATMUN

After a quite uneventful first half, both sides unable to get anything on target, a mad four minutes saw the Red Devils pushing the self-destruct button, which the Hornets gratefully accepted and capitalised on. First David de Gea let Ismaïla Sarr’s weak shot slip through his gloves and into the goal (50’) - since the start of last season, no player has made more errors leading to Premier League goals than the Spanish stopper. Then Aaron Wan-Bissaka brought down the scorer very clumsily in the box, Troy Deeney smacking the spot kick into the back of the net to make it 2-0 (54’). That woke up Vicarage Road, witnessing their first home victory and only their second win of the season. Not bad at all for new boss Nigel Pearson’s first home game! Merry Christmas! How much longer will Ole stay at the wheel after his fifth defeat in the league? They’re eighth, their lowest position at this stage of a season since 1989. Where’s Santa when you need him?

#TOTCHE

Form went out of the window in this Super Sunday London derby. Willian gave the visitors the lead with an absolute cracker (11’), a lovely unstoppable curler from just inside the box into the far corner, beauty. From cracker to comical: the penalty - what was Paulo Gazzaniga and the referee thinking? The keeper bashed into Marcos Alonso with a high boot, the ref Anthony Taylor gave a free kick against the Blue, the French commentators were laughing. VAR revised and corrected it, definite penalty and booking. Willian made it 0:2 from the spot to end the half, which the visitors bossed. And it went from bad to worse for Spurs when Son Heung-min received a straight red after the VAR revised his daft kick-out at Antonio Rüdiger following a fowl by the Blue defender (62’), his third sending off in his last 17 league starts. I don’t know what José Mourinho was arguing about with the fourth official, it looked clear to me and the VAR. Racist chants followed, and eight minutes added on to top it all off! Frank Lampard celebrated thoroughly with the away fans after the FT-whistle, the win against his former boss widens the gap between the top four and the rest to four points.

My Predictions - Actual Results
Everton 1:2 Arsenal - 0:0
Aston Villa 2:1 Southampton - 1:3
Bournemouth 2:2 Burnley - 0:1
Brighton 1:1 Sheff United - 0:1
Newcastle 2:2 Crystal Palace - 1:0
Norwich 1:2 Wolves - 1:2
Man City 1:2 Leicester - 3:1
Watford 1:3 Man United - 2:0
Tottenham 3:1 Chelsea - 0:2
West Ham P:P Liverpool - postponed because of the Club World Cup.

Click here for last week’s Premier League Notes.

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

Premier League Picks Of The Week 22

Sports - Football - Premier League - Week 22

The 22nd week of the Premier League action saw:

20 goals - most by Man City = 3

252 shots - most by Man City = 24

77 on target - most by Tottenham = 11

118 corners - most by Man City = 12

186 fouls - most by Everton = 17

28 bookings - most by Everton = 5

2 red cards - Valery for Southampton, Boly for Wolves

3 penalties - 3 scored (Ward-Prowse for Southampton, Salah for Liverpool, Jesus for Man City)

What a game! There was no real cracker this weekend, there were not many goals, action nor controversies, few and far between... Tottenham had loads of chances against Manchester United on Sunday, but blew them all, so did Leicester against Southampton on Saturday, more to both clashes below. 
Man City had it too easy on Monday night after Wolves had Willy Boly sent off after just 19 minutes. It was just one-way traffic after that at the Etihad, the visitors failing to land a single shot on target in a Premier League game for the first time since May 2012 against Everton. Man of the match Gabriel Jesus opened the scoring after just ten minutes, sliding in Leroy Sané's fine pass, and doubled the Citizens' lead from the spot at the end of the first half (39'), making it seven goals in the last three games for the Brazilian. It was just damage limitation after that for Nuno Espírito Santo's men. Skipper Conor Coady could only deflect Kevin De Bruyne's wicked cross into the back of his own net to add to the travelling fans' misery and make it 3-0 and three points to the champions (78'). With this win, Pep Guardiola's side kept up with Liverpool, maintaining the four-point gap to the Reds at the top. Wolves meanwhile, drop down to eleventh, one point behind Everton in tenth.

What a team! As mentioned above, Liverpool stayed top, winning even if and when they were not impressing at Brighton, thanks to Mohamed Salah's penalty (50'). Of the last 10 Premier League penalties taken by left-footed players, six have failed to score - the other four have all been scored by the great Egyptian. The Reds dominated throughout the match with over 70% possession at the Amex Stadium, manager Jürgen Klopp insisting his side deserved the win and mean the real deal this season. The German has more than a point: Only four sides in English top-flight history have ever had more than the 57 points Liverpool have accumulated at this stage of the season (if league tables are adjusted to three points for a win). And only Chelsea's 2004-05 side have leaked fewer goals (8) than the Reds' 10 after 22 games. Boom..

What a man! Ben Foster starred for Watford and David de Gea for Manchester United, gloving, punching, blocking and kicking away chance after chance at Crystal Palace and Tottenham respectively, keeping their sides ahead to bag the three points in the end. It was ridiculous at Wembley on Sunday, the home side seeing 21 shots, 11 on target, but none of them going in thanks to the Spanish keeper's string of saves. It could have been a very different afternoon and result otherwise. To add to the home side's misery, star striker Harry Kane got injured and looks like he's going to be out for weeks. With yet another win, Red Devils boss Ole Gunnar Solskjær has equalled Sir Matt Busby's all-time record of winning his first five league games in charge of Manchester United. They still remain in sixth, but are now level on points with Arsenal in fifth after their shocking defeat in the early kick-off on Saturday. The Gunners failed miserably at West Ham, but Hammer youngster Declan Rice will never forget that winner two days before his 20th birthday, banging the ball in being in the right place at the right time inside the box (48')!

What a goal! There were not many goals on Saturday, but plenty of own goals! Burnley beat Fulham without recording a single shot on target, Sean Dyche couldn’t believe his luck! A stunning André Schürrle volley had seen the visitors take the lead early on (2') before defenders Joe Bryan (20') and Denis Odoi (23') both diverted the ball into their own net, two goals in three minutes turning the game on its head. The Cottagers are the first side to score at least two own goals in the first half of a Premier League match since Everton did so against Southampton back in April 2014. Craig Cathcart also scored an own goal (38') for Watford at Palace in the clash mentioned above, but made up for it equalising in the second half (67'), before Tom Cleverly's stunning volley won it later on (74'). 

Shane Long’s first goal in nine months earned Southampton a hard-fought win at Leicester despite playing the second half with only ten men. Ralph Hasenhüttl continues his wonders.
Willian's curler (57') spared Chelsea any blushes/dropped points against Newcastle, the disappointing (but not surprising) result seeing the Magpies drop into the bottom three.

What the hell?! Huddersfield were frustrated as well in their goalless draw at Cardiff. The visitors thought they got a penalty after Bluebird Joe Bennett brought down Terrier Florent Hadergjonaj with 14 minutes to go, for assistant referee Stuart Burt to intervene and change referee Lee Mason's mind, saying it was vice versa, the latter fouled the prior. If this was a clash at the top of the table, all hell would have broken loose!!! The officials have to give more explanations, to the players and the watching public, please!!! It was very unclear and confusing watching the situation and decision unravel. The news of David Wagner's departure on Monday night was no real surprise, the side rock bottom, eight points from safety, after nine successive defeats, but it's such a shame after what the German-American had achieved at the club in the four years he was manager.

Leicester boss Claude Puel’s post-match reaction following the boos all round at the King Power Stadium after his side's defeat against Southampton mentioned above was gob-smacking! It's not his business (the boos, the pressure, the results)?! It's not his concern?! What is then?! I think the Frenchman is walking on very slippery and super-thin ice there, the Foxes dropping down to eighth.

My Predictions - Actual Results 

West Ham 3:3 Arsenal - 1:0

Brighton 1:3 Liverpool - 0:1

Burnley 2:1 Fulham - 2:1

Cardiff 1:0 Huddersfield - 0:0

Crystal Palace 1:1 Watford - 1:2

Leicester 2:0 Southampton - 1:2

Chelsea 2:0 Newcastle - 2:1

Everton 2:1 Bournemouth - 2:0

Tottenham 3:1 Man United - 0:1

Man City 3:1 Wolves - 3:0

Click here for last week’s Premier League Picks.

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

Rashford Brace Beats The Reds

Sports - Football - Premier League - MUN 2:1 LIV

Marcus Rashford's first-half brace was enough for Manchester United to beat arch rivals Liverpool 2-1 in the Saturday lunch-time kick-off at Old Trafford, widening the gap between the two sides in 2nd and 3rd place respectively to five points in the Premier League table.

It was only the second time José Mourinho managed to beat Jürgen Klopp in nine attempts, the Red Devils having only lost once at home this season against bitter rivals City, winning 16 and drawing two. The last time they lost against the Reds at Old Trafford was 0-3 in March 2014.

The first real chance, out of nowhere, just under quarter of an hour gone, Rashford headed down and collected Romelu Lukaku's header won against Dejan Lovren off a goal-kick, ran into the box on the left, pulled the ball back to make more space away from Trent Alexander-Arnold and placed the right-footed shot perfectly across into the right corner of the net to give the home side the lead, no chance for fully stretched Loris Karius.

And the number 19 doubled the lead ten minutes later, the ball falling back to him inside the box off Virgil van Dijk, with all the space in the world, the local lad made no mistake of slashing the ball from the left across past Alexander-Arnold and in to make it 2-0. Again Lovren could not cope with Lukaku in the build-up, Liverpool were all over the place, United on top.

It was the first time a Red Devil scored a brace in the first half against Liverpool since Gary Pallister in 1997.

On the other side of the pitch, David de Gea didn't get much to do in the opening half an hour, Sadio Mané and van Dijk putting chances wide, whilst skipper James Milner, in for Jordan Henderson, and Roberto Firmino served the Spanish keeper easy catches.

There was no real threat or sign from the Premier League Player of the Month of February Mohamed Salah either, isolated and kept very quiet by the home side. The Egyptian is the league joint-top goal scorer this season alongside Harry Kane with 24 goals - having scored in every single one of the Reds' league matches last month.

It wasn't the usual LFC trademark of pressing pressing pressing, more watching watching watching and giving the ball away by the Reds. Nicht gut.

And it could have been worse, seven minutes before the break, Juan Mata missed a sitter, all alone in the middle of the box, a couple of yards out, tried a flashy overhead kick, putting the golden chance wide.

Lovren put a Milner corner sky high in the final minutes before the interval after a period of pressure by the Reds on the hosts' box, but again nothing to worry the Red Devils too much and it stayed 2-0 at the break.

A penny for Klopp's thoughts and to be a fly on their dressing room's wall during the halftime team talk by the German boss... No changes were made by either side at the break.

United have not lost a home game in the league that they have been leading at the break since May 7th 1984 (1-2 vs Ipswich Town).

Van Dijk put another header off a corner high shortly after the break before Salah failed to control the ball in the box with Ashley Young all over him, no reaction from the officials.

United captain Antonio Valencia got away with bouncing Andy Robertson's cross off his left hand, blocking any Liverpool threat, the visitors pushing and pressing a bit more after the restart, but still not threatening de Gea.

Seconds after Adam Lallana replaced Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, the sub tried to push and break into the box but failed just like his team mates, Milner firing high from distance afterwards.

The ball finally went in for the Reds thanks to Eric Bailly putting Mané's cross from the left into the back of his own net, de Gea could only punch it in to make it 2-1 with just under 25 minutes to go. Game on.

That was only the second goal United have conceded in the second half in 15 PL matches at Old Trafford this season, the other one scored by Man City's Nicolás Otamendi.

Rashford was replaced by Marouane Fellaini minutes later, the United boss looking to break Liverpool's momentum.

Lovren and Fellaini clashed a couple of times as United threatened on the left, the ref ignored it all, but had a word with Klopp who was fuming, before bringing on Georgino Wijnaldum for a struggling Alexander-Arnold for the last ten minutes.

Firmino back-footed the ball in the box instead of taking the chance himself, Mané and Fellaini tumbling and falling all over each other in the box, neither getting the ball nor a call from the ref.

Klopp brought on Dominic Solanke for the final minutes, in place of Robertson in a last desperate offensive change, just when United were having a rare period of play in and around the Liverpool box, winning their first corner.

Valencia was booked for felling down Mané shortly after Mourinho had brought on Jesse Lingard in place of Mata, but United cleared any threat once again, waste for Liverpool.

Six minutes were added on, the visitors desperate to get something out of the match, the home side surrounding them and keeping the wall/bus solid at the back, in and around the box.

Mané won a late corner unable to release a shot surrounded by Red Devils, who broke on the counter after the set piece, Karius having to come out to clear the threat.

Liverpool's 11th corner in the 95th minute, Klopp told Karius to stay put and not come out for it, their 12th corner followed 96th minute, Salah smashed the ball high.

It was just not meant to be. A late change for the home side killed the last seconds, Alexis Sánchez replaced by Matteo Darmian. It stayed 2-1, United frustrating and topping their rivals in the game and in the table.

Liverpool have only won one in seven games immediately following a CL match, unable to capitalise on Paul Pogba's pre-match injury, which brought Mata into midfield, Bailly and Rashford also starting, making up the three changes for the home side.

Manchester United have won 50% (10/20) of league games without the Frenchman starting since the beginning of last season, 60% (28/47) when he did start.

Liverpool made one change after their Champions League draw against Porto, Milner in for Henderson with the captain's armband, as mentioned above.

No team in the top five European leagues have scored more goals away from home this season than LFC = 35.

It was the 200th meeting between the two rivals, 170th in the league - United edging it with 68 wins to Liverpool's 55, the most defeats the red Merseysiders have suffered against any other side.

There has never been four successive draws in the 170 league meetings. Klopp felt his side had deserved something out of the match, crucial refereeing decisions going against his side.

But the German cannot deny his side were just that one step behind, that final touch missing, because the Red Devils stayed on top and in control, despite the lack of possession.

Frustrating indeed, and rare to see the front trio not clicking and scoring. They will face Watford at Anfield next Saturday evening to pick themselves up and get back into the groove again.

HT Stats: MUN 2-0 LIV
Possession: 36%-64%
Shots: 3-5
On target: 2-2
Corners: 0-5
Fouls: 6-5
Yellow cards: 1-1

FT Stats: MUN 2-1 LIV
Possession: 32%-68%
Shots: 5-14
On target: 2-2
Corners: 1-13
Fouls: 10-16
Yellow cards: 2-1

Man United Goals: Rashford 14' & 24'.

Liverpool Goal: Bailly OG 66'.

Man United Team: 1 De Gea; 18 Young, 3 Baily, 12 Smalling, 25 Valencia (c) (booked 89'); 31 Matic, 39 McTominay; 19 Rashford (booked 27') (27 Fellaini 70'), 7 Sánchez (32 Darmain 97'), 8 Mata (14 Lingard 88'); 9 Lukaku. 4-2-3-1
Subs not used: 2 Lindelöf, 16 Carrick, 20 Romero, 23 Shaw.

Liverpool Team: 1 Karius; 26 Robertson (29 Solanke 84'), 4 van Dijk, 6 Lovren, 66 Alexander-Arnold (5 Wijnaldum 80'); 23 Can, 7 Milner (c), 21 Oxlade-Chamberlain (booked 35') (20 Lallana 62'); 19 Mané, 9 Firmino, 11 Salah. 4-3-3
Subs not used: 12 Gomez, 14 Henderson, 22 Mignolet, 32 Matip.

Referee: Craig Pawson
Man of the match: Romelu Lukaku
Ground: Old Trafford
Attendance: 74,855

Click here for my last LFC match report.

All pictures, facts and stats were taken from BBC match report, Sky Sports app, Twitter and SFR coverage.