Monday, January 2, 2023

Premier League Results: Matchweek 18

Two of the top four clubs dropped points on Saturday. Everton delivered a particularly gutty performance in holding Manchester City to a 1-1 draw at the Emirates. Erling Haaland scored his 21st goal of the season to give the Citizens a one goal lead at the break before Demarai Gray shocked the defending champions with his 64th minute screamer. The surprising outcome could prove critical to the survival chances of Everton and manager Frank Lampard as the Toffees snapped a three-match losing run with an unexpected point which puts keeps them a point clear of the drop zone. Newcastle was a second top four club to drop points at home Saturday as they were held to a goalless draw at St. James Park by Leeds. The clean sheet by Leeds was the first in the last eight league matches for the Whites. The defensive performance by Jesse Marsch’s men deprived Newcastle of a seventh consecutive league win and the chance to make up ground on Manchester City and Arsenal. The frustrated Magpies suffered a league leading fourth goalless draw of the season.

League leading Arsenal played the late match on Saturday and thus had full knowledge of the Manchester City and Newcastle results and the opportunity to increase their points advantage over their closest rivals. The Gunners burst from the gates to take the lead on a Bukayo Saka goal just past the one-minute mark of their match at Brighton.

Martin Odegaard doubled the advantage before halftime and Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Martinelli scored in the second half as the Gunners prevailed 4-2 to extend their lead at the top of the table to seven points over Manchester City. Nketiah has now scored three goals across two league matches and a Carabao Cup appearance since the club began post-World Cup play with the 23-year-old deputizing for injured striker Gabriel Jesus.

Arsenal supporters could also take some glee in the continued struggles of their crosstown rival Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs Manager Antonio Conte’s side were unaccountably flat in front of a frustrated home crowd in a 2-0 loss to Aston Villa on Sunday. The loss was the third in the last four league matches at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Conte’s future, as well as those of stars Harry Kane and Son Heung-min, could play out elsewhere if the current squad continues to play uninspired football and a boost is not obtained from the January transfer window. Aston Villa Manger Unai Emery remained undefeated versus Spurs, dating back to his time at the helm of Arsenal.

Manchester United leapfrogged Spurs into the top four, landing in the Champions League places for the first time this season. Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford began the Red Devils Saturday match versus Wolverhampton on the substitutes’ bench as discipline for missing a team meeting. The day ended well for the English international and his club, however, when Rashford came off the bench to score the winner in a 1-0 United win at Wolverhampton.

The goal scorer executed a neat give-and-go with teammate Bruno Fernandez before muscling past Wolverhampton defenders in the box to score his third goal in three matches, including a Carabao Cup win. United goalkeeper David De Gea made the goal stand up with a points saving stop on Wolves striker Raul Jimenez in extra time. Capping a good day for the Red Devils was the sight of Manager Eric ten Hag and Rashford embracing after the match with no apparent continuing drama from the now forgotten disciplinary action.

Liverpool was perhaps the luckiest club in the Premier League through this latest round of matches as the Reds captured all three points merely by virtue of watching Leicester self-destruct. After a Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall goal had given Leicester an early lead, the Foxes’ Wout Faes scored the next two goals…into his own net. The two own goals handed all three points to a perhaps undeserving Liverpool. Faes became the fourth Premier league player to register two own goals in a match. 

Problems remain for Chelsea after Graham Potter’s crew dropped points in a 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest. Chelsea squandered an early lead provided from Raheem Sterling’s opportunistic goal which resulted when an attempted clearance by Forest defender Willy Boly deflected off his own crossbar to the feet of Sterling. Chelsea generated nothing else in a match which saw striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang fail to make the scoresheet for an eighth consecutive match. Chelsea Manager Graham Potter has not made an impact on a stagnant Chelsea attack and seemed to be outmanaged on Sunday by Forest Manager Steve Cooper. Forest dominated the second half and earned the point with a 63rd minute goal by Serge Aurier as Willy Boly got the assist in reparation for his earlier error. Nottingham Forest earned a valuable point in its survival fight while Chelsea has now won but once in seven league matches under Potter.

West Ham is on a five-match losing run after the Hammers fell 2-0 at home to Brentford. West Ham manager David Moyes is under increasing pressure as his listless charges hover just above Nottingham Forest and the relegation zone only by virtue of better goal differential. West Ham’s 11 losses after 17 matches are joint most in the Premier League along with cellar dwelling Southampton. Brentford, meanwhile, remains in the top half of the table after extending an unbeaten run to five matches. Striker Ivan Toney scored his 12th goal of the season against the Hammers and is third in league scoring behind Erling Haaland and Harry Kane. Toney also assisted on Brentford’s second goal before suffering a late game injury requiring him to be stretchered off. Subsequent messaging from the club indicates the injury may not be as serious as first feared.

Fulham won a second consecutive match and the Cottagers enjoy a lofty seventh place position in the table after defeating Southampton 2-1. Joao Palhinha scored the 88th minute winner for Fulham after Southampton’s James Ward-Prowse had earlier scored a goal for both teams. Ward-Prowse’s own goal had given the Cottagers an early lead before Southampton’s free kick specialist leveled matters with his dead ball prowess. His 56th minute free kick goal moved him to within three such goals of David Beckham’s Premier League record. The Saints alas lost for a fifth consecutive league outing as they look up at the rest of the table.

Crystal Palace responded to their heavy Boxing Day defeat to Fulham with a much-improved performance in a 2-0 victory over Bournemouth. Jordan Ayew and Eberechi Eze scored the goals which ended a two-match steak where the Eagles did not so much as put a shot on target. Michael Olise assisted on both goals for Crystal Palace as the traveling Eagle supporters got a glimpse of the 21-year-old’s as yet unrealized potential.

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Friday, December 30, 2022

Premier League Results; Matchweek 18 Preview

The hectic Premier League holiday schedule merrily rolls along with two matches scheduled on Friday. West Ham will try to pull itself out of the club’s current funk when the Hammers host Brentford at London Stadium which has been the site of the joint greatest number of home defeats by a Premier League side this season. West Ham manager David Moyes needs to find goals from somewhere as only three clubs have scored fewer goals this season than the Hammers. The manager, however, has quizzically been reported to not be interested in pursuing a new striker and to be content with current options Michail Antonio and Gianluca Scamacca. That decision may not end well for Moyes. The Bees, meanwhile, are masters of the draw, having played a league high eight matches with no winner this season. Newcastle is the only other Premier League club with more than four draws.

Anfield is the site of Friday’s other match as Liverpool hosts a Leicester side which hasn’t won a league match at Anfield in more than 20 years.

Leicester manager Brendan Rogers will face his former club without the Foxes’ star midfielder James Maddison who is out with a knee injury. Liverpool has won three straight league matches and has lost but once at Anfield this season. Reds supporters were buoyed this week with the news that PSV winger and Dutch international Cody Gakpo will be joining Jurgen Klopp’s side in January.

Making the transaction all the sweeter for the Reds is the fact that Gakpo had previously been linked with rival Manchester United. United manager Eric ten Hag will no doubt be gritting his teeth over losing out on the Dutch star, but the Red Devil attack did look fluid and dangerous in Tuesday’s win over Nottingham Forest. Marcus Rashford is in good form and even the oft injured Anthony Martial found the net Tuesday. United travels to Wolverhampton Saturday where Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui will look to repeat the success of his debut win over Everton against a much tougher opponent in the Red Devils.

Everton also faces a tougher opponent Saturday when manager Frank Lampard drags the beleaguered Toffees to Manchester City where Pep Guardiola’s title chasing squad has lost only once this season. The Toffees, meanwhile, have only a single away win in what is shaping up to be another relegation fight for Everton. Things could get ugly at the Etihad. Manchester City star Erling Haaland already has eight more goals this season than the entire Everton squad.

Newcastle is just two points behind second place Manchester City as the Magpies prepare to host Leeds on Saturday. Eddie Howe’s surprising contenders are one of only two clubs, league leading Arsenal being the other, not to have lost a home match all season. Leeds have lost six of their last eight matches, though one of their two wins during that poor stretch was a shocker over Liverpool. The defense of Leeds manager Jesse Marsch has conceded more goals than all but three clubs in the league this season.

Arsenal could be tested Saturday when the Gunners head to the south coast to face Brighton. Brighton knocked the Gunners out of the Carabao Cup earlier this season and won the last league encounter between the clubs at the Emirates in April. Seagulls Manager Roberto De Zerbi has seen his side win three of their last four league matches although that stretch has included a disappointing home loss to Aston Villa.

Crystal Palace will also be on the southern coast when they face Bournemouth Saturday. Palace has failed to put a shot on goal in losses either side of the break and the Eagles’ attack is yet to see any consistent production from young players such as Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise despite their much-ballyhooed potential. A loss at Bournemouth on Saturday could result in the first real questions being asked of Palace manager and league legend Patrick Vieira. Bournemouth, meanwhile, are descending towards the relegation fight after losing five of their last six.

Southampton has already sunk to the bottom of the table after four straight losses. The Saints travel to London on Saturday to face a Fulham side which is currently in the top half of the table in its first year back in the league. Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic has 11 goals for the Cottagers as the league’s fourth highest scorer despite being hampered before the World Cup break by a persistent foot injury.

Sunday matches will see Tottenham Hotspur at home to Aston Villa while Chelsea travels to Nottingham Forest. Spurs are battling to keep their place in the top four with fifth place Manchester United just a point back in the table and Liverpool lurking behind United. Harry Kane became the league’s all-time Boxing Day scorer this past Monday and a goal on Sunday would make him the Premier League’s all-time New Year’s Day scorer. Villa Manager Unai Emery, meanwhile, will be trying to get his club back on track after being smashed by Liverpool on Boxing Day.

All three of Nottingham Forest’s victories have come at home this season and they will be hosting a Chelsea squad which has lost its last three road contests across all competitions. Chelsea snapped a five-match winless run with its win on Tuesday while Forest was hammered by Manchester United that same day.

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Thursday, December 29, 2022

Premier League Results Matchweek 17: Moaning Monday For Home Sides; Gunners Blast West Ham; Newcastle Continue Top Four Form; Eagles Crash Land; Wolves Show Some Bite Under New Management; Saints Take Over Basement; Chelsea Snaps Winless Streak; Haaland Fastest Ever To 20

It was quickly clear which clubs were prepared for Monday’s restart and which clubs need to seriously refocus. Saturday was also a bad day for the home teams. Home supporters were disappointed as away squads went undefeated in the first six Boxing Day matches by an aggregate margin of 15-5.

Arsenal, despite a worrying 1-0 halftime deficit at the Emirates, would ultimately end that trend with the final match of the day at the Emirates. A 3-1 win over West Ham kept Arsenal as one of only two clubs to be undefeated at home this season. Bukayo Saka ignited the Gunners with a 53rd minute goal as the English international opportunistically found the net after collecting a mishit shot from Martin Odegaard. Gabriel Martinelli tied matters just five minutes later and Eddie Nketiah delivered the insurance goal in the 69th minute to complete the trifecta. Nketiah’s goal could be important going forward as Arsenal will need the young winger confident and in good form as he stands in for the injured Gabriel Jesus.

Despite first half frustrations, the league leaders dominated possession in the match and displayed the quality of a title contender. Applauding from the stands was former longtime manager Arsene Wenger who returned to the Emirates for the first time since his 2018 departure from the club. West Ham lost a fourth league match as the disappointing Hammers hover just a point above the relegation zone.

Newcastle is on a much different trajectory from struggling West Ham. The Magpies served notice that they intend to continue their top four quest as the Magpies dominated Leicester in a 3-0 victory. Eddie Howe’s side were already up by two goals inside of the first ten minutes of play as shellshocked Leicester were embarrassed at home. Newcastle, playing without ill striker Callum Wilson, easily won its sixth consecutive outing in the league. Leicester was unable to put a shot on target until the 82nd minute as the Foxes were able to generate very little in the absence of injured playmaker James Maddison.

Another disappointed home crowd on Monday saw Crystal Palace play a sloppy match at Selhurst Park. The Eagles fell 3-0 to Fulham and finished an ugly performance, in which they failed to have a single shot on target, as the first side this season to go down to nine men. There are storm clouds over south London as Crystal Palace has now put in terrible performances on both sides of the World Cup break. Reportedly there are differences festering between Crystal Palace President Steve Parish and Manager Patrick Vieira regarding how active the club needs to be in the January transfer window as recent results highlight a seeming talent deficit. Fulham feasted on the disorganized Eagles and striker Aleksandar Mitrovic had the most fun, setting up the first two goals and scoring the third for the Cottagers.

Goodison Park was the site of another humbling home loss as Everton fell 2-1 to Wolves as new Wolverhampton Manager Julen Lopetegui enjoyed a successful Premier League debut. Rayan Ait-Nouri scored the winner in the fifth minute of extra time on a cross from Adama Traore to ruin Boxing Day for the Toffee faithful. The home loss to what was the league’s bottom most club entering the day was damaging for Manager Frank Lampard who saw his side fail to win for an eighth consecutive league match and left the pitch to the boos of the home fans. Wolverhampton, meanwhile, won on the road for the first time this season as Lopetegui made a fine first impression with two of his second half substitutes providing the extra time assist and goal.

Brighton banked a 3-1 away win at Southampton as the Seagulls won for a fourth time in their last five league matches under Manager Roberto De Zerbi. Brighton’s win helped remove the bad taste left by their Carabao Cup loss to lower tier Charlton earlier in the week. Southampton manager Nathan Jones, who took over in November, has his work cut out for him after a fourth consecutive league loss by the Saints saw them settle to the bottom of the Premier League table.

Mohamed Salah took only five minutes to score for Liverpool as the Reds sailed to a 3-1 away victory over Aston Villa. 18-year-old Stefan Bajcetic scored his first senior squad goal for Liverpool in the 81st minute to end the hopes of the Villans as Liverpool, with a game in hand, moved to within five points of Tottenham Hotspur in the chase for fourth position in the table and automatic Champions League qualification. Aston Villa, meanwhile, lost for a third time this season at Villa Park, a record of home defeats exceeded only by the table’s bottom five clubs.

Disappointment for home sides (not playing at the Emirates) had begun with the first match on Monday when homestanding Brentford squandered a two-goal advantage to drop points as Tottenham Hotspur rallied to salvage an away point in a 2-2 final at the home of the Bees. Spurs striker Harry Kane responded to the disappointment of his World Cup penalty kick miss for England by scoring in the 65th minute to set a new Premier League record with his tenth career Boxing Day goal.

Teammate Pierre Emile-Hojbjerg scored six minutes after Kane to secure the away point. Despite the comeback effort, falling behind for a ninth consecutive match needs to be a worry for Tottenham Hotspur Manager Antonio Conte. Spurs were also the only club in the top six of the table to drop points this week. Brentford will rue dropping points Monday, but the greater concern for the Bees will be the potential gambling related suspension of one of their Boxing Day scorers, Ivan Toney. The striker recorded his 11th league goal of the season but is under investigation for more than 250 alleged betting violations under English Football Association rules.

Tuesday’s Premier League matches featured dominant performances by Chelsea and Manchester United in 2-0 and 3-0 victories over Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest, respectively, as the two upper tier home sides had little difficulty in squashing the hopes of their visiting undermanned opponents. Both newly promoted clubs are prime contenders for relegation this season with Bournemouth having invested little in their roster and Forest seeming to have spent unwisely. Former Manchester United player Jesse Lingard, one of Nottingham Forest’s poor investments, was lifted in the 53rd minute after his latest unproductive performance for Nottingham Forest. Lingard’s former United teammate Marcus Rashford had a goal and assist in the Red Devils’ easy win at Old Trafford. Chelsea’s win over Bournemouth, meanwhile, snapped a five-match winless run for Graham Potter’s Blues and featured goals from Kai Havertz and Mason Mount, two key players who have struggled to produce for Chelsea this season. While gaining a much-needed victory, Chelsea appears to have lost Reece James for up to a month after the young defender reaggravated knee problems which have already cost him much of the current season. Bournemouth, meanwhile, lost for a fifth time in their last six league matches, the only victory for the Cherries coming against a poor Everton side.

Manchester City concluded Matchweek 17 with a 3-1 win at Leeds as Erling Haaland scored two of City’s goals to become the fastest Premier League player to the 20-goal mark in league history. Jack Grealish assisted both Haaland goals as the Citizens remain five points behind league leading Arsenal.

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