Premier League Review – Matchday 28
Tuesday 26/02/2019
Cardiff 0 Everton 3
Cardiff fell back into the drop zone on Wednesday night after Southampton’s win. Everton’s first goal was scored by Gylfi Sigurdsson after 40 minutes when right back Coleman cut the ball back to his feet nicely. “Siggy” scored the second in the 66th minute after good work by Bernard, whose cross was pushed out by goalkeeper Etheridge to Sigurdsson’s feet. Many Cardiff fans had left before Calvert-Lewin scored Everton’s third goal in added time. Gueye had performed well in midfield leaving Cardiff opponents literally standing in his wake.
Huddersfield 1 Wolves 0
Huddersfield got only their third win of the Premier league season, two of which have been against Wolves! This was indeed the “Terriers” first win in any game since their trip to Molineux where they had won 2-0 in November, but they had to wait till added time here. It was Steve Mounie who got the final touch after Pritchard’s cross and a scramble where the Wolves keeper could only parry the ball to the feet of the Huddersfield man, who had missed a couple of earlier chances. Huddersfield celebrated the win with unmitigated joy, but they need a miracle to survive.
Leicester 2 Brighton 1
Leicester’s new manager Brendan Rodgers was at The King Power Stadium to watch Leicester’s first win since New Year’s Day. Demarai Gray opened the scoring after 10 minutes receiving Tielemans’ pass with plenty of room towards the right of the Brighton area. Pascal gross had a dipping deflected shot well saved by Schmeichel at the other end. Schmeichel made another good save from Knockaert, after a cross seemed to take a touch off Jonny Evans hand on its way to the Brighton player.
Vardy made it 2-0 for Leicester in the 63rd minute, receiving a good pass from Maddison begore scoring from the inside right position within the Brighton box. Propper got one back three minutes later, but Brighton find themselves in the relegation battle, although they will fancy their chances at home to Huddersfield on Saturday.
Brendan Rodgers’ first game in charge will be at Watford on Sunday lunchtime. He’ll have to wait till next season though for a pop at his old team Liverpool.
Newcastle 2 Burnley 0
It was somewhat upsetting to watch the team that had beaten Spurs lose at St. James’ Park, but for the Tynesiders this was a highly significant and morale-boosting win which lifted them above their opponents.
Schar opened the scoring after 24 minutes with a spectacular right footed shot from 25 yards which beat Heaton in his top left corner. St James’ Park erupted. It was 2-0 after 38 minutes and Longstaff was a very popular scorer of his first Premier League goal, scored with his right foot inside the area after a cross from the left.
Burnley had been denied a penalty when Ritchie seemed to hit the man and not the ball in the Newcastle area and then Tarkowski missed an easy chance at the other end for the away side. Substitute Peter Crouch caused moments of trouble in the Newcastle box late in the second half, but the “Toon” defended well and preserved their lead and clean sheet.
Wednesday 27/02/2019
Arsenal 5 Bournemouth 1
Arsenal’s run of good form continued with this fifth win in their last six Premier League games. It was a big one too against a Bournemouth side who have lost 11 of their 14 away games, conceding 35 goals in the process.
Ozil was making only his second Premier League start of 2019, and scored the first goal after only four minutes, receiving from Kolasinac before chipping the ball over Boruc, although the keeper did get a touch. Leno had to make a left handed save from Ryan Fraser after the midfielder had run onto Josh King’s pass. It was 2-0 after 27 minutes with Mkhitaryan and Ozil exchanging passes inside the area before Mkhitaryan delivered the final shot.
Bournemouth got a goal back on the half-hour after Guendouzi lost possession on the edge of his area and Gosling passed to Mousset, who scored his first Premier League goal in his first league start for “The Cherries”. King was subsequently booked for simulation inside the Arsenal area.
Koscielny scored Arsenal’s third goal two minutes into the second half after a cross by Mkhitaryan. Ozil hit the post with his shot from Aubameyang’s pass, and Gosling hit the crossbar with a speculative shot from over 25 yards at the other end. Aubameyang had acres of space to take on Mkhitaryan’s ball, before planting his shot into the Bournemouth net. Lacazette completed the scoring after 78 minutes with a right footed free kick from 20 yards. Bournemouth have now lost 9 consecutive away games.
Southampton 2 Fulham 0
Southampton were the side beaten by Fulham in Ranieri’s first game in charge, but they turned the tables in this game. Fulham have not won away and have lost 13 of their 15 games on the road. Romeu scored his first goal of the season for “Saints” after 23 minutes after the Fulham keeper punched a corner out to his feet. Romeu’s shot did take a deflection on its way into the net.
It was 2-0 after 40 minutes when Rico couldn’t hold Redmond’s shot which landed at the feet of James Ward-Prowse who scored. Babel did hit the bar with a shot, but Ranieri had lost the support of his fans who sang “You don’t know what you’re doing”. The win lifted Southampton out of the bottom three at Cardiff’s expense.
Fulham announced on Thursday that Ranieri, their second manager this season, had been sacked after just 106 days in post. Scott Parker has been appointed as caretaker manager.
Chelsea 2 Spurs 0
Davinson Sanchez was deemed the best of our players, but even his grade was only 6 out of 10. There was some worry that Harry Kane might be subject of a post-match ivestigation by the FA over a possible head butt upon Azpilicueta. However, referee Andre marriner reported that he had seen the incident and deemed that no action was necessary. Therefore the matter is concluded. See the full spursometer here.
Crystal Palace 1 Manchester United 3
The idiotic Adrian Durham had gone on record on Talk Sport suggesting this game should have been postponed because of United’s decimated squad due to their injury list. United proved the folly of such talk with a 3-1 win. Both Fred and Sanchez made rare starts in Solskjaer’s team.
Lukaku and Townsend had early chances at either end. There two for Townsend. One with a flick at the near post, and the other a left footed shot from outside the area, which passed wide. United took the lead after 33 minutes with a well-placed right footed shot inside Guaita’s left post after a good run by Luke Shaw. Townsend crossed from the right but Schlupp put his header wide.
Lukaku made it 2-0 in the 52nd minute following a corner on the right and two touches in and around the area before the striker hooked the ball high into the net with his left foot. Ward got one back for palace with a diving header the back post after Schlupp crossed from the left. Ashley Young wrapped it up for United with a low shot from 10 yards at an angle on the right, after Pogba’s pass. That was Unit3d’s eighth consecutive away win in league and cup matches, all since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over.
Liverpool 5 Watford 0
Watford have an awful record at Anfield, and this result certainly continued the trend as Liverpool ran out convincing winners to maintain their leadership of the Premier League. Origi started in place of Firmino up front for the “Reds”.
Alexander-Arnold returned to the starting line-up and delivered the perfect cross for Mane to head in the first of two goals after only 9 minutes. Mane’s second goal was a nonchalant back-heel from 12 yards out, after he had taken one touch after gain receiving what was a shorter ball from the Liverpool right back. Salah hit the post after a long forward ball by the excellent Alexander-Arnold. Oh, for a right back with his pace and skill!
Deulofeu and Deeney between them had delivered 5 goals for Watford last Friday at Cardiff, but when Deulofeu delivered a short ball from the right inside the Liverpool area, Deeney hit his shot wide.
Origi made it 3-0 for Liverpool after 66 minutes, coming into the area from the left before firing a neat low shot past Foster’s right hand. Gray had a chance in front of goal for Watford but failed to score.
Alexander-Arnold got his first assist with a 79th minute free kick headed in by Van Dijk, who scored again with 8 minutes of the game remaining. Alexander-Arnold had hit another free kick which had been cleared and passed to Robertson on the left and this time the left back provided the final delivery for the centre-back to score his second and Liverpool’s fifth goal. Watford had simply been overwhelmed.
Manchester City 1 West Ham 0
City maintained their position, but not as emphatically as their rivals for this year’s title. Guardiola made 5 changes to the side which had started their victorious League Cup Final including Vincent Kompany. Fernandinho was absent from his usual position in front of the defence.
City had two good early chances with Mahrez firing over when he should have scored from David Silva’s pass, before Silva himself turned De Bruyne’s ball against the post.
Andy Carroll was making a rare start and should have scored with West Ham’s first shot on goal in the second half, but his shot was saved by Ederson. City’s goal came from the penalty spot after 59 minutes, when Bernardo Silva had gone down inside the area to win an arguably soft penalty. Aguero sent Fabianski the wrong way. Bernardo Silva had a subsequent close-range shot cleared off the line by Ryan Fredericks, and Fabianski punched clear Sterling’s shot with both fists. The West Ham keeper made another save from Danilo’s shot, but City were just not in a lethal frame of mind tonight.
Fixtures/Results 26-27.02.19
Tuesday
Cardiff 0-3 Everton
Hds'field 1-0 Wolves
Leicester 2-1 Brighton
Newcastle 2-0 Burnley
Wednesday
Arsenal 5-1 B'mouth
S'hampton 2-0 Fulham
Chelsea 2-0 Spurs
C. Palace 1-3 Man Utd
Liverpool 5-0 Watford
Man City 1-0 West Ham
Premier League Table
P W D L F-A GD Pts
1. Liverpool 28 21 6 1 64-15 49 69
2. Man City 28 22 2 4 75-20 55 68
3. Spurs 28 20 0 8 55-29 26 60
4. Arsenal 28 17 5 6 60-38 22 56
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5. Man Utd 28 16 7 5 55-36 19 55
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6. Chelsea 27 16 5 6 47-29 18 53
7. Wolves 28 11 7 10 35-35 0 40
8. Watford 28 11 7 10 39-40 -1 40
9. Everton 28 10 6 12 39-39 0 36
10. West Ham 28 10 6 12 35-41 -6 36
11. Leicester 28 10 5 13 34-39 -5 35
12. B'mouth 28 10 4 14 39-53 -14 34
13. Newcastle 28 8 7 13 26-34 -8 31
14. C. Palace 28 8 6 14 32-38 -6 30
15. Burnley 28 8 6 14 31-50 -19 30
16. Brighton 27 7 6 14 29-41 -12 27
17. S'hampton 28 6 9 13 30-46 -16 27
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18. Cardiff 28 7 4 17 25-55 -30 25
19. Fulham 28 4 5 19 26-63 -37 17
20. H'dsfield 28 3 5 20 15-50 -35 14
