Tuesday, September 21, 2021

Premier League Match Week 5 Results: Lingard Redeemed in United Win; Chelsea Smothers Spurs; Manchester City Held By Southampton; Mane Torments Eagles; Saar Brace Downs Sorry Canaries

This week was both the worst of times and best of times for Jesse Lingard. On Tuesday, Lingard’s gaffe gave Young Boys the victory in a Champions League loss by Manchester United. Sunday Lingard was the hero as he scored the winner in a 2-1 Manchester United defeat of West Ham. Lingard, a favorite at London Stadium during a successful loan spell with the Hammers last season, substituted on against his old mates in the 73rd minute and scored the decisive goal at the 89-minute mark.

The match’s drama did not end with Lingard’s goal though as West Ham’s Mark Noble was substituted on to miss a penalty kick after a Luke Shaw handball provided the Hammers with stoppage time hope. Manchester United extended its away unbeaten streak to 29 matches in a contest which saw Cristiano Ronaldo scored his third league goal of the season. Said Benrahma gave the Hammers a short-lived lead with own third goal of the league season before Ronaldo’s tying volley.

Chelsea posted a fourth league clean sheet in defeating Spurs 3-0 as backup goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga filled in ably for the injured Edouard Mendy. Chelsea was stifled in a scoreless first half before becoming energized after the break. The halftime substitution of N’Golo Kante seemed to energize the Blues who launched all ten of their shots on target in the second half. The barrage on net was the most in a match by any Premier League club this season. Kante contributed a goal after Thiago Silva opened Chelsea’s second half scoring. Antonio Rudiger closed out the scoring with a stoppage time goal. The result was worrying for Spurs which lost by a 3-0 score line for a second consecutive week despite the return of Son Heung-min from injury. The north London side has scored only once from open play this season as Harry Kane has yet to find the net.

Manchester City may yet rue not procuring a striker as the Citizens were held to a scoreless draw by a determined Southampton squad who allowed City’s only shot on target in the match’s 90th minute. Pep Guardiola deflected the striker narrative in post-match comments where he blamed his defense for failing to get the ball forward to feed the Citizen attack. The Saints, drawing a fourth consecutive match, were deprived a chance at victory when VAR overruled a penalty kick initially awarded to Southampton’s Adam Armstrong.

Liverpool downed Crystal Palace 3-0 as Sadio Mane’s 100th goal in a Liverpool shirt made him the first Premier League player to score in nine consecutive matches against an opponent. Mane’s 13 career goals against Crystal Palace are the most by an opposing player versus the Eagles.

The Eagles were performing well at Anfield before Mane’s goal just minutes before halftime. Mohamed Salah and Naby Keita added second half goals for the Reds. Palace striker Odsonne Edouard missed on a second half chance to close the gap to a single goal before Keita’s injury time strike flattered the final Liverpool margin.

In a relegation battle at the bottom of the table, Ismaila Saar scored a brace as Watford added to Norwich’s misery in a 3-1 victory for the Hornets. With the Canary defeat, Norwich manager Daniel Farke earned the dubious distinction of becoming the first manager to lose 15 consecutive matches in the English topflight. Norwich’s Teemu Pukki and Watford’s Emmanuel Dennis exchanged first half goals before Saar’s second half brace.

Promoted Brentford won for a second time this season and the first time away from home in a 2-0 defeat of Wolves at Molineux Stadium. Strikers Ivan Toney and Bryan Mbeumo scored first half goals for the Bees while Wolves failed to register a single shot on target for the match. Wolves have lost four of five league matches while scoring just once from open play as new  manger Bruno Lage has little to show yet from his Premier League debut season. Newcastle and Leeds are both still seeking a first league win after the clubs drew 1-1 at St. James Park on Friday. Allan Saint-Maximin and Rafinha negated each other with first half goals as the two clubs could not find a decider despite an aggregate 16 shots on target for the match. Newcastle goalkeeper Karl Darlow made a welcome and impressive return from his recent Covid 19 bout as he was challenged on multiple occasions by the swarming Leeds attack.

Aston Villa waltzed to a 3-0 win over a toothless Everton squad missing both Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison from the Toffees’ front line. Matty Cash and Leon Bailey scored for the Villans who also benefitted from an own goal courtesy of Everton’s Lucas Digne. The loss dropped Everton from the ranks of the unbeaten as Aston Villa won for a second time this season.

Brighton and Hove Albion won for a fourth time this season as the Seagulls soared to a 2-1 win over struggling Leicester. Neal Maupay and Danny Welbeck scored for Graham Parker’s side while Jamie Vardy scored his third goal of the season in a losing effort for the Foxes. Vardy was making a club record 250th appearance for Leicester which has now lost three of its past five matches.

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