Premier League Review - Matchday Five
Saturday
Spurs 1 Liverpool 2
Lucas Moura has been a bright shining light for Spurs so far, and I can tell you that including the Champions League game against Inter, he has been voted our best player in four of our six games. Lucas also won the Premier League's player of the month award for August. See Saturday's spursometer here.
Perhaps the fact that Lucas did have a full pre-season and did have a summer off, whereas our World Cup stars did not, is one of the biggest reasons for our three consecutive defeats (including Inter)?
Bournemouth 4 Leicester 2
Bournemouth's good start continued. Who would have put them above Spurs and Manchester United in the early season reckoning?
Vardy returned from his suspension and wanted an early penalty when he collided with Bournemouth keeper Begovic, but the referee disagreed. Bournemouth's Ryan Fraser also had a penalty appeal turned down, but then he gave "The Cherries" a 19th minute lead with a shot inside the bottom corner of the Leicester goal.
England centre-back Harry Maguire had already been booked and escaped sanction from referee Craig Pawson for a full-on challenge upon Josh King. Bournemouth then survived two attempts by Vardy and Maddison, the second of which rebounded off the bar. Fraser scored his second after 37 minutes, after Wilson's pass. Bournemouth were awarded a debatable handball decision before the break when King made it 3-0 from the spot. It was surely less of a penalty than the earlier challenges.
Wes Morgan got bookings either side of half-time and was sent off. Former Spur Adam Smith (who had been the victim of Morgan's second challenge) made it 4-0 nine minutes from full-time, but Leicester got two goals back through Maddison (pen) and Albrighton.
Chelsea 4 Cardiff 1
Maurizio Sarri became only the fourth Premier League manager to win his first five games in this league, when Chelsea ran out easy winners against likely strugglers Cardiff. The star of the show was Eden Hazard, who scored a hat-trick. Cardiff actually took a surprise 16th minute lead when Bamba finished off a free kick move, to the delight of their travelling fans.
Chelsea had already threatened to equalise twice before Hazard scored in the 37th minute. It was 2-1 before the break after Pedro crossed, and Hazard's shot was deflected into the goal. Goal number three for Chelsea came after Willian was fouled in the box, and Hazard converted from the spot for the hat-trick (80 minutes). Willian himself then made it 4-1 with a right foot shot from 20 yards.
Sarri joins Ancelotti, Guardiola and Craig Shakespeare with that five-win record, and Chelsea took top spot from Liverpool on goal difference.
Huddersfield 0 Crystal Palace 1
The "Terriers" have managed two goals so far and two points, but they got neither from this game. The home crowd took a dislike to Zaha for his over-reaction when fouled by Jorgensen, who saw yellow, then when the Palace man also got a yellow card.
As is often the case for Palace, Zaha was the difference and he scored the only goal of the game after 38 minutes, following a fine run down the left, a turn into the area and an excellent right footed finish. Aaron Mooy was unlucky with a second half shot which rebounded off the inside of a post, and the score remained 0-1.
Man City 3 Fulham 0
We all know that City are a tough nut to crack, but Fulham gifted them their first goal within two minutes, with Fernandinho setting up Leroy Sane for an easy finish. Sterling hit the bar, but the home side went 2-0 up after 21 minutes when David Silva finished off a move after Bernardo Silva had got the ball to the bye-line, and Aguero's attempt had been blocked.
Sterling had threatened again before half-time before he made it 3-0 soon after the re-start, turning in Aguero's low cross from the right.
Rampant City suffered a Champions League set-back this week, when they were beaten at home by Lyon.
Newcastle 1 Arsenal 2
Early "Mind the gap" comments have to be rescinded now that Arsenal are neck and neck with Tottenham, emulating our 2-1 win at Newcastle. Xhaka gave Arsenal the lead four minutes into the second half with a free kick from 25 yards, before Ozil made it 2-0 after Lacazette was blocked. Clark headed in an added time consolation goal, but "The Toon" are stuck in the bottom three with only one point.
Watford 1 Manchester United 2
Watford were also looking for a fifth successive win but Javi Gracia suffered the curse of "Manager of the month" when United ran out winners. Lukaku scored their first with his abdomen after a cross from the left, and Smalling soon made it 2-0 following a corner and a head-down by Fellaini.
Watford's goal was scored in the 65th minute by Andre Gray, and with Watford pressing hard for an equaliser, Matic was shown a red card in added time for two bookable offences.
Sunday
Wolves 1 Burnley 0
Burnley had won themselves a crack at European football with their seventh place finish last season, but in that they have failed and now they find themselves rock bottom of the Premier League.
Joe Hart had a busy time in the Burnley goal under attack from an attractive Wolves side featuring more Portuguese players than one or two top Portuguese sides this weekend!
Jimenez spurned one chance presented by Jota after Bardsley's error, but he did score the decisive goal after 61 minutes when Doherty cut the ball back from the right. Burnley substitute Vydra came closest to equalising, when after Tarkowski's ball he hit a shot which somehow eluded Cork at the back post.
Bonatini failed to score from substitute Traore's cross, and Wolves had to settle for 1-0. Their fans have every reason to be enjoying their Premier League ride this season, and they give every indication of being here to stay!
Everton 1 West Ham 3
West Ham opened their account for the season with a convincing away win against Everton, despite the return of several "Toffees" injured players. Yarmolenko made his first Premier League start, and he gave manager Manuel Pelligrini a fine 65th birthday present with two goals.
Yarmolenko's first goal came in the 11th minute when both he and Arnautovic were afforded too much space on the break by the Everton defence. The second came 20 minutes after the first, and followed Pickford's poor clearance. The ball broke to the Ukrainian on the right when Noble was fouled, and Yarmolenko scored a good left footed goal after running right to left inside the area.
Gylfi Sigurdsson scored with a header in first half added time, but Arnautovic put the game beyond the home side on 61 minutes following a good passing exchange featuring Obiang. Niasse should have scored later, but his shot hit the bar.
Monday
Southampton 2 Brighton 2
I had predicted a 0-0 for this game. How wrong could I be?
Brighton survived a first half goal-mouth scramble and a header by Elyounoussi, before Hojbjerg gave "The Saints" a first half lead with a fine low 28 yarder, after 35 minutes.
Brighton came out with a bit more purpose in the second half, but Danny Ings made it 2-0 from the penalty spot, after he had been sandwiched and fouled. (65 minutes).
The game ended in unexpected drama after Duffy had quickly responded to the Ings penalty with a header from Brighton's free kick. McCarthy made a great save before Brighton were awarded a penalty for a foul on Duffy. Glenn Murray gave the "Seagulls" an added time equaliser from the penalty spot, and Spurs can expect a tough game at The Amex Stadium this Saturday, if the home side plays with the same spirit shown late here. Ryan had to make a late, late save from Redmond's free kick.
Fixtures/Results 05-17.09.18
Spurs 1-2 Liverpool
B'mouth 4-2 Leicester
Chelsea 4-1 Cardiff
Hds'field 0-1 C. Palace
Man City 3-0 Fulham
Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal
Watford 1-2 Man Utd
Sunday
Wolves 1-0 Burnley
Everton 1-3 West Ham
Monday
S'hampton 2-2 Brighton
Premier League Table
P W D L F-A GD Pts
1. Chelsea 5 5 0 0 14-4 10 15
2. Liverpool 5 5 0 0 11-2 9 15
3. Man City 5 4 1 0 14-3 11 13
4. Watford 5 4 0 1 10-5 5 12
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5. B'mouth 5 3 1 1 10-7 3 10
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6. Spurs 5 3 0 2 10-6 4 9
7. Arsenal 5 3 0 2 10-9 1 9
8. Man Utd 5 3 0 2 8-8 0 9
9. Wolves 5 2 2 1 5-5 0 8
10. Everton 5 1 3 1 8-9 -1 6
11. Leicester 5 2 0 3 8-9 -1 6
12. C. Palace 5 2 0 3 4-6 -2 6
13. S'hampton 5 1 2 2 6-6 0 5
14. Brighton 5 1 2 2 7-9 -2 5
15. Fulham 5 1 1 3 7-12 -5 4
16. West Ham 5 1 0 4 5-11 -6 3
17. Cardiff 5 0 2 3 3-9 -6 2
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18. H'dsfield 5 0 2 3 2-11 -9 2
19. Newcastle 5 0 1 4 4-8 -4 1
20. Burnley 5 0 1 4 3-10 -7 1
