Premier League Review - Matchday Seven
Fixtures/Results 29.09-01.10.18
West Ham 3-1 Man Utd
The first game of this weekend saw West Ham get their second win, whilst Jose Mourinho became the focus of the press after a third defeat for United, who have had their worst start to a season since 1990. Sanchez was left out and McTominay was played out of position in a back three for United.
West Ham took an early lead after Zabaletta's cross was converted at close range by Anderson. Both West Ham players had been offside when the ball was passed forward to Zabaletta. It was 2-0 before the break after a corner from the left and an off-target effort by Yarmolenko took a massive deflection off Lindelof.
Fabianksi made a good low save from a Fellaini header, after Rashford had replaced Lindelof, and Mourinho changed the shape of his side. Pogba was one of two players substituted by the United manager before Rashford made it 2-1 with a clever flick of a Shaw corner. Noble found Arnautovic in the 74th minute and the West Ham striker scored to make it a resounding 3-1 win for the "Hammers", who are finding form ominously with two home matches to come in late October against Spurs.
Arsenal 2-0 Watford
Watford have not won a game now since beating Spurs at the start of September, and slipped down to sixth with this defeat to Arsenal, who remain behind Spurs, only on goal difference. They had to wait till late in the game for their goals though. Arsenal keeper Petr Cech had to be replaced due to a hamstring injury when taking a kick, and was replaced by 26 year old Berndt Leno, signed from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer, making his first Premier League appearance.
Leno made a good low save to his left from Deeney's second half effort, and also advanced to prevent a shot from Gray. Success (who had scored against Spurs in the League Cup this week) replaced Gray and fired across goal, grazing the wrong side of the post.
Arsenal's first goal was courtesy of Cathcart trying to clear at the near post, but putting Iwobi's cross into his own net. Two minutes later it was 2-0 and substitute Iwobi had been involved again, feeding the ball to Lacazette, whose low pass from the right was fired home by Ozil.
Everton 3-0 Fulham
The "Toffees" returned to winning ways with a comfortable win over Fulham, but they had to wait till the second half for their goals, two of which were scored by Gylfi Sigurdsson. Ryan Sessegnon had given the home side a late first half scare when he hit the crossbar with a shot from inside the area on the left. Sessegnon should have put his effort away.
Everton were awarded a penalty when Calvert-Lewin was shoved, but Sigurdsson could only hit the bar. Sigurdsson put a harder strike away from outside the area to give his side the lead. After a good piece of Pickford goalkeeping against the advancing Vietto, Everton made it 2-0 when substitute Tosun converted Walcott's cross. Sigurdsson secured the 3-0 win with a right foot shot from just inside the area after Bernard's pass.
Huddersfield 0-2 Spurs
Two-goal Harry Kane was your man of the match with goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga not far behind. Harry's best two performances of the season so far have come with referee Craig Pawson in charge. The previous game was our 3-0 win at Old Trafford. You can see the spursometer here.
Comment of the week:- "Harry Kane deserves real credit for his mentality and consistency. Gazzaniga also. As third choice he shows the Spurs mentality is in the whole squad"
Man City 2-0 Brighton
City went to the top of the table with this win, but as you would expect, Brighton made the win as hard as possible for Guardiola's men. Raheem Sterling put City in the lead in the 29th minute after good work by Aguero and Sane in the build-up. Sterling had another effort well saved by Ryan.
In the second half, with the Brighton goal under severe pressure, Ryan made another good save - this one from David Silva. Brighton succumbed to the City pressure in the 65th minute in a move started and finished by Sergio Aguero. Running from the middle, he took a return pass from Sterling before making it 2-0.
Newcastle 0-2 Leicester
Newcastle's woes go on, and they are the third team still seeking a win and a way out of the relegation zone. Gareth Southgate was at St. James' Park, but surely to watch Leicester, not Newcastle players, although Shelvey did test Schmeichel with a shot from his own half. James Maddison has been catching the eye this season, but it was retired England striker Vardy who gave the visitors the lead with a penalty and centre-half Harry Maguire who scored Leicester's second goal.
The penalty came after half an hour when Maguire's effort from a corner was blocked by a Newcastle hand. Maguire's goal came with a header from a corner, and Leicester are another team sitting above Manchester United in the Premier League table.
Wolves 2-0 Southampton
Wolves have won three, drawn three and lost just one game so far and climbed into the top eight with this win over Southampton at Molineux (ninth on Monday night). The goals didn't come till late in the game though. The first came from Cavaleiro 94 seconds into his first Premier League game, after Traore's cross was pushed back by Jimenez. The shot went high into the net.
Jimenez had a good header from a corner saved by McCarthy before Jonny made it 2-0 from Doherty's cross.
Chelsea 1-1 Liverpool
Liverpool lost their 100% record and also lost top place in the Premier League after this draw.
Salah missed a couple of good opportunities before Alisson had to make a good save from Willian after a great ball by David Luiz. Hazard gave the home side a 25th minute lead with a left footed shot across Alisson after some good midfield play by Chelsea. Salah (once of Chelsea) had a third chance, which lacked strength and was cleared in front of goal before half-time. Hazard now tops the list of Premier League scorers this season with 6, just one ahead of Kane, Aguero and Mitrovic.
In the second half, Liverpool were nearly caught out by a quick free kick by Chelsea from inside their own half, but Alisson came to the rescue saving from Hazard. Salah was replaced by Shaqiri, who also missed a good chance from Robertson's cross. Sturridge was an even later substitution by Jurgen Klopp and scored a stunning last minute equaliser with a left foot shot into the top left corner of Arrizabalaga's goal.
Dropped points for both these sides was good news for Spurs.
Sunday
Cardiff 1 Burnley 2
Sky picked a non-glamorous game to show while they "majored" on the final day of the Ryder Cup. Both teams had started the weekend in the bottom three. Cardiff had their chances with Murphy hitting the bottom of the post, and Zohore testing Burnley keeper Joe Hart in a first half where the home side had been on top.
Burnley took the points though and lifted themselves above the relegation zone. Gudmundsson headed the first after Burnley took a quick throw, and Westwood crossed deep from the left. Camarasa fired over before Josh Murphy swept home a cross from the left on the hour. It was Cardiff's third league goal of the season, but Murphy might have had another had Joe Hart not pushed his shot over with a good save. Vokes headed Burnley's winner on 70 minutes after Gudmundsson crossed from the left of the Cardiff area. Cardiff's next game is at Wembley next week against Spurs!
Monday
Bournemouth 2 Crystal Palace 1
This looked like being an entertaining Monday night game and when Bournemouth's summer signing David Brooks scored his first goal after four minutes, the suggestion was given strength. Brooks scored with a shot beyond Hennessy's right hand, after Adam Smith's cross from the left and Calum Wilson's lay-off.
Meyer tested Begovic with a shot after 10 minutes, but it was end to end stuff, with the home side playing at pace and Ake glancing a header across goal. Steve Cook headed the ball straight at Hennessy after Fraser's free kick from the right after 32 minutes.
Palace dominated the early second half possession and equalised after 54 minutes when Zaha put in Van Aanholt for a shot into the roof of Begovic's net. Andros Townsend had more touches in these stages than he had in the whole of the first half, and he hit a shot across Begovic's goal in the 65th minute. Townsend's former Spurs Academy team-mate Adam Smith had been keeping him busy on the other flank in the first half.
Ryan Fraser raced away with the ball from the half-way line after 82 minutes and passed to Wilson, whose shot was saved by Hennessy. The Palace keeper then had to save Gosling's header from 10 yards out. Referee Mike Dean then awarded a penalty against Sakho, who struck Lerma with a flailing arm. Sakho was booked too. Bournemouth substitute Stanislas scored from the spot in the 87th minute, and that reckless penalty cost Palace the game, with "The Cherries" climbing back to seventh place.
The pick of next week's fixtures has to be the Liverpool v Man City game, and Spurs have to win their game and take advantage of the inevitable dropped points by one or both of the top two sides.
Fixtures/Results 29.09-01.10.18
West Ham 3-1 Man Utd
Arsenal 2-0 Watford
Everton 3-0 Fulham
Hds'field 0-2 Spurs
Man City 2-0 Brighton
Newcastle 0-2 Leicester
Wolves 2-0 S'hampton
Chelsea 1-1 Liverpool
Sunday
Cardiff 1-2 Burnley
Monday
B'mouth 2-1 C. Palace
Premier League Table
P W D L F-A GD Pts
1. Man City 7 6 1 0 21-3 18 19
2. Liverpool 7 6 1 0 15-3 12 19
3. Chelsea 7 5 2 0 15-5 10 17
4. Spurs 7 5 0 2 14-7 7 15
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5. Arsenal 7 5 0 2 14-9 5 15
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6. Watford 7 4 1 2 11-8 3 13
7. B'mouth 7 4 1 2 12-12 0 13
8. Leicester 7 4 0 3 13-10 3 12
9. Wolves 7 3 3 1 8-6 2 12
10. Man Utd 7 3 1 3 10-12 -2 10
11. Everton 7 2 3 2 11-11 0 9
12. Burnley 7 2 1 4 9-11 -2 7
13. C. Palace 7 2 1 4 5-8 -3 7
14. West Ham 7 2 1 4 8-12 -4 7
15. Brighton 7 1 2 4 8-13 -5 5
16. S'hampton 7 1 2 4 6-11 -5 5
17. Fulham 7 1 2 4 8-16 -8 5
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18. Newcastle 7 0 2 5 4-10 -6 2
19. Cardiff 7 0 2 5 4-16 -12 2
20. H'dsfield 7 0 2 5 3-16 -13 2
