Premier League Review - Matchday Six
Saturday
Fulham 1 Watford 1
Watford took the lead within two minutes of the 12.30 kick off through Andre Gray. Fulham's shaky start continued before Vietto had one shot saved before firing the return wide across the goal. Fulham goalkeeper Bettenelli was required to save from Gray after a Mawson error.
Mitrovic, with his fifth league goal of the season, equalised from close range for Fulham after 78 minutes, from Vietto's cross. Foster was required to make a good save from the Serbian too, who then hit the bar with a header from the corner. Mitrovic is level top scorer in the Premier League with Eden Hazard.
Burnley 4 Bournemouth 0
Burnley gave their season and their goal difference a lift with a big win over Bournemouth who had started the season so well. Ake did have a shot which took a heavy deflection and hit the top of the Burnley bar after a Bournemouth corner, but Vydra gave Burnley the lead with his first club goal, after two other shots had been blocked following Gudmundsson's cross. It was 2-0 before the break and it was Aaron Lennon who scored his first league goal since March 2016. As happened in his Spurs days, Burnley have never lost a Premier League game in which Lennon scored!
Brooks had a good effort well saved by Joe Hart in the Burnley goal, before Ashley Barnes scored twice to seal the win. The first was from close range when Gudmundsson's shot rebounded off the post. The second followed a Burnley break when Barnes swept home Lennon's cross.
The scoreline was harsh on Bournemouth who had dominated possession and passed well, without reward.
Cardiff 0 Man City 5
There was a deluge of rain and goals at Cardiff as City beat Cardiff with ease. The first came after 32 minutes, and was scored by Sergio Aguero in his 300th appearance for City in the week he has agreed a contract which keeps him at the club till 2021. A second goal followed a Sane corner three minutes later and was scored by Bernardo's well placed header. It was three before the break as Gundogan hit a right foot shot left of the keeper from 20 yards after a typical City passing move.
Ryad Mahrez, who replaced Aguero, added two goals in the second half, which were his first for City. The first was an easy finish from a Sterling cross. The second followed Sane's run through the middle and a poor clearance following Sterling's effort.
Crystal Palace 0 Newcastle 0
The closest anyone came to scoring in the first half was Palace's Milivojevic, whose free kick floated all the way to the left post. In the second half Sakho somehow headed wide from a Townsend cross when the ball had looked as if it had gone out of play. Zaha fired wide across the goal following another Townsend cross. Newcastle still seek their first win of the season.
Leicester 3 Huddersfield 1
Huddersfield scored only their third goal of the season and took a surprising lead at The King Power Stadium when Jorgensen fired home following a throw on the right. (Note - Spurs would have thrown this ball backwards!) Leicester equalised after 19 minutes with a breakaway attack where both Vardy and Iheanacho made runs ahead of the "Terriers"' defence. Vardy was the provider for Iheanacho's finish.
Depoitre had a great chance to give the visitors the lead again, but Harry Maguire made a precious intervention. James Maddison gave Leicester the lead with a superb free kick from 25 yards after 66 minutes, and Vardy made it three after 75 minutes with a run and shot in typical Vardy fashion.
Liverpool 3 Southampton 0
Liverpool have the only 100% record in the top four divisions after a routine win over Southampton. It was not achieved in the usual fashion though, as their first came from an own goal and their second came from defender Matip. The third goal came from a regular source though - Mohamed Salah.
The own goal came after Shaqiri's shot took two deflections, both from Saints' players. Hoedt was the unlucky man to be credited, or should that be debited with the goal? Matip's goal was a 21st minute header from Alexander-Arnold's corner. Salah had had two previous efforts on goal, one of which was a cheeky back-heel which went wide across the goal, but last season's Golden Boot winner put Liverpool three up on the stroke of half-time when the ball bounced down off the crossbar from Shaqiri's free kick, and Salah finished off from close range.
Salah had a second goal struck off for offside, and goalkeeper Alisson made his first save of the day in added time. Liverpool have won their first seven games of the season for the first time, including their Champions League win over PSG. With two games to come this week against Chelsea (one in the Carabao Cup) they will be hard-pushed to maintain that 100% record.
Man Utd 1 Wolves 1
Sir Alex Ferguson had been presented to the crowd on his first return to the "Theatre of Dreams" after his recovery from a brain haemorrhage earlier this year. The team couldn't give the legendary manager the result he would have liked though.
Wolves had the early chances and De Gea was required to make a good save from Boly's header after a Wolves corner. However, soon after that Fred gave United the lead with his first club goal after Pogba's short but astute pass. Patricio made a good diving save to his right from Pogba's free kick just before the break, pushing the ball onto the woodwork.
Moutinho equalised for Wolves in the 53rd minute, after Costa crossed from the bye-line, and Jimenez's touch ran back to the former Monaco player, who scored with a left foot shot. There were chances at either end, but Wolves got a deserved draw. Their manager Nuno Esperito Santo was Jose Mourinho's goalkeeper when Porto won the Champions League in 2004.
Brighton 1 Spurs 2
The scorer of what turned out to be our decisive goal - substitute Erik Lamela - was your man of the match. Erik also got the Spurs Odyssey man of the match award when he came off the bench in our 2-1 defeat at home to Liverpool, but he was an impactive substitute, and also scored in that game.
Here is what one of our voters said about Erik, and the team:- "Erik Lamela is showing great class and after terrible injury, so when the whole squad is up to par they will kill the unfair critics."
Here's hoping! You can see the spursometer here.
Sunday
West Ham 0 Chelsea 0
Chelsea lost their 100% record and West Ham got a good point, despite the injury to Arnautovic. Antonio played in the forward's position and after Yarmolenko's run he hit a shot which was saved by Arrizabalaga's feet.
Fabianski made a good but involuntary close range save from Morata in the second half, and Yarmolenko somehow headed wide from a cross by Snodgrass. That was the closest that anyone came to scoring, until Ross Barkley's late shot was well saved by Fabianski. West Ham survived late pressure from Chelsea, and this was probably the best result for Spurs fans who wish neither team well!
Arsenal 2 Everton 0
There were early saves at each end as Petr Cech came out to thwart Calvert-Lewin and Pickford saved from Monreal. Richarlison returned for Everton following suspension and Cech also saved a right foot shot from the Brazilian. Walcott, returning to his former home, of course, was fouled just outside the area and Cech pushed over Digne's free kick. Cech was the saviour again, coming out to his former team-mate Walcott. Aubameyang's cross hit the top of the bar for Arsenal, before Cech was again in action, pushing over another shot by Richarlison.
Everton seemed to have had the better chances in the first half, but succumbed to second half goals by Lacazette and Aubameyang. Aubameyang's goal should have been disallowed for offside. It was Arsenal's first clean sheet of the season and they are only behind Spurs on goal difference. Cech was required to make two more decent saves, and Everton also hit the woodwork late in the game.
Fixtures/Results 22-23.09.18
Fulham 1-1 Watford
Burnley 4-0 Bournemouth
Cardiff 0-5 Man City
C. Palace 0-0 Newcastle
Leicester 3-1 Huddersfield
Liverpool 3-0 Southampton
Man Utd 1-1 Wolves
Brighton 1-2 Spurs
Sunday
West Ham 0-0 Chelsea
Arsenal 2-0 Everton
Premier League Table
P W D L F-A GD Pts
1. Liverpool 6 6 0 0 14-2 12 18
2. Man City 6 5 1 0 19-3 16 16
3. Chelsea 6 5 1 0 14-4 10 16
4. Watford 6 4 1 1 11-6 5 13
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5. Spurs 6 4 0 2 12-7 5 12
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6. Arsenal 6 4 0 2 12-9 3 12
7. Man Utd 6 3 1 2 9-9 0 10
8. B'mouth 6 3 1 2 10-11 -1 10
9. Leicester 6 3 0 3 11-10 1 9
10. Wolves 6 2 3 1 6-6 0 9
11. C. Palace 6 2 1 3 4-6 -2 7
12. Everton 6 1 3 2 8-11 -3 6
13. Brighton 6 1 2 3 8-11 -3 5
14. S'hampton 6 1 2 3 6-9 -3 5
15. Fulham 6 1 2 3 8-13 -5 5
16. Burnley 6 1 1 4 7-10 -3 4
17. West Ham 6 1 1 4 5-11 -6 4
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18. Newcastle 6 0 2 4 4-8 -4 2
19. Cardiff 6 0 2 4 3-14 -11 2
20. H'dsfield 6 0 2 4 3-14 -11 2
