Premier League Review – Matchday 16
Friday 10th December, 2021
Brentford 2 Watford 1
“The Bees” stung Watford with this welcome win, achieved through late goals. Toney was absent through Covid and Wissa partnered Mbeumo up front. Sissoko proudly captained “The Hornets,” whose goalkeeper (Bachmann) had to make an early save from Baptiste. He saved again after 21 minutes, pushing Mbeumo’s shot around his right post. Two minutes later, Josh King’s right foot shot had Fernandez beaten, but not his left post. A corner resulted. This was taken by Cleverley and headed in by Dennis.
Urged on by the home crowd, Brentford put Watford under pressure in the second half. Janelt had a shot well saved by Bachmann after 74 minutes. Josh King hit a fairly weak shot at the Brentford keeper soon after. Brentford had a corner after 83 minutes, following which they equalised. The ball was crossed from the right and headed on by Forss allowing Jansson to score at the back post. In added time, Norgaard pushed a ball into the Watford area where Ghoddos was fouled by Troost-Ekong. Referee Michael Oliver pointed to the spot and Mbeumo coolly scored with Bachmann on the floor going the wrong way.
Saturday 11th December, 2021
Manchester City 1 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0
Raul Jimenez foolishly was booked twice within the second minute of added time, giving his team an even more momentous task at The Etihad. The game was won by a Raheem Sterling penalty.
Bernardo Silva went closest after 9 minutes with a curving shot that passed the far corner of goal. Two Wolves players (Neves and Kilman) required treatment after a clash of heads, but both recovered. Jimenez’s first booking was for a needless midfield foul on Rodri. His second was for standing too close when the free kick was taken. He also said something to referee Jon Moss between bookings, which no doubt upset the official. In added time City wanted a penalty when Grealish’s cross hit Kilman’s arm, but he had withdrawn his arm close to his body and the officials agreed there was no handball.
Conor Coady headed off the line when Gundogan met Cancelo’s cross from the right after 55 minutes. The penalty was given when Bernardo Silva’s cross hit Moutinho’s raised arm just inside the area. Wolves argued that he had been struck under the armpit, but the decision stood, and Sterling scored his 100th Premier League goal in the 66th minute. Sa went to ground to his right and Sterling struck low down the middle.
Grealish failed in front of goal when Sterling crossed from the right. The £100 million boy scooped his shot over the bar. The ten men nearly equalised in added time when Ederson had to push over Kilman’s header from a Podence cross.
Arsenal 3 Southampton 0
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang made the headlines again for the wrong reasons – of a club disciplinary nature. Arsenal won comfortably without him. Aubameyang has since been stripped of the captaincy. Southampton’s changes included 40-year-old Willy Caballero, making his club debut, having last played (for Chelsea) in September last year. He let in three goals then too. Caballero was signed on a short-term deal to cover the injured McCarthy. Fraser Forster was also injured.
Southampton made a decent start and Ramsdale had to dive low to his right to save from Adam Armstrong. Ramsdale also went down to get a touch on a Ward-Prowse free kick. Arsenal nearly slipped up when playing out, but from this situation they attacked down the right flank and Lacazette scored with a first-time right foot shot from Saka’s cross. (21 mins) It was 2-0 five minutes later after Tierney ultimately headed back a deep cross by Tomiyasu and Odegaard headed home.
Gabriel had had one goal disallowed for offside following a corner when Caballero failed to collect, but he did have a legitimate headed goal in the 62nd minute from Martinelli’s corner kick. Martinelli hit the keeper’s left post with a curling shot and Odegaard’s follow-up was blocked by Walker-Peters. The goalkeeper was left standing when Saka’s shot also rebounded of the post. Ramsdale made an excellent tipped save from Redmond’s shot within the Arsenal area.
Chelsea 3 Leeds United 2
Penalties were the order of the day and there were three in this game, with Chelsea just one of the top teams to benefit from such incidents. There was also plenty of rancour on and off the pitch in a fixture with a history that goes back to the 1970 FA Cup Final replay at Old Trafford in April 1970. Leeds were missing Liam Cooper, Kalvin Phillips, and Patrick Bamford (hamstring), along with Koch and Rodrigo.
Leeds had a free kick after 19 minutes, taken by Raphinha and pushed around the corner by Mendy. 8 minutes later referee Chris Kavanagh awarded Daniel James a penalty after Alonso’s challenge. Raphinha stuttered in his run-up but scored past Mendy’s right hand. Mason Mount equalised in the 42nd minute. Leeds had lost the ball when playing out and Alonso stole it off Dallas, and after an exchange with Werner, the left wing-back crossed and Mount swept the ball into the net with his left foot. Another failed play-out by Leeds, led to pressure and a free kick when Ayling fouled Loftus-Cheek just outside the area. Alonso’s free kick was too high. Meslier made a good save from Havertz in first half added time.
In the second half, Raphinha slid in on Rudiger, and whilst the referee did not initially give a penalty, after viewing the monitor he reversed his decision. Jorginho sent Meslier the wrong way. (58 mins) Alonso cleared a Raphinha shot off the line, before the offside flag was raised. Seven minutes from time Leeds equalised when Roberts crossed low from the left and 19-year-old substitute Joe Gelhardt became the first teenager to score for Leeds since a certain James Milner in 2004.
Leeds’ hopes were extinguished in added time when Rudiger went down inside the edge of the area with Klich at his back. The referee pointed to the spot, and Jorginho sent the keeper the wrong way again, but this time fired low to his left. There were eight minutes of added time at the end of which there was a melee near the corner flag where Chelsea had been playing keep-ball.
Liverpool 1 Aston Villa 0
In his last game Steven Gerrard had faced his former manager. Now he returned to Anfield to face the current Liverpool manager. Gerrard left empty handed, and Mo Salah delivered the killer blow from another spot kick. Ray Kennedy was remembered before kick-off.
Liverpool started well and remained the dominant force in the game. Mane was denied an early penalty before Alexander-Arnold’s goal-bound shot was blocked by Targett. Robertson had a header saved low by Martinez at his right post. The Liverpool left back was another to be denied a penalty when tackled by Cash. Alisson stumbled when Ashley Young threatened in front of The Kop, but Matip rescued his goalkeeper with a headed clearance from Young’s attempted cross. Martinez saved from Salah just before the break.
Liverpool won a corner after 52 minutes, taken by Robertson. Van Dijk’s powerful header was pushed over by the busy Villa goalkeeper. Salah was awarded a penalty by referee Stuart Attwell when Mings challenged. VAR supported what looked a harsh decision and Salah was merciless, scoring inside the keeper’s left post. (67 mins)
Villa were denied a penalty four minutes from time. Firstly, Ings had been blocked off outside the area by Matip, then after the ball rebounded off both the goalkeeper and defender, Ings tried to take the ball to the left inside the area and seemed to be felled by the arm of the goalkeeper. The referee and VAR said, “No penalty.” Jota missed a chance to make it 2-0 in added time when set up by Salah.
Norwich City 0 Manchester United 1
A Ronaldo penalty fifteen minutes from time gave United the points. United had an early free kick for a foul just outside the area on Rashford. Telles took the kick which was deflected and then tipped onto his crossbar by Tim Krul. Krul made another good save after 37 minutes from Ronaldo’s left foot shot. Ronaldo had delayed his shot twice with his turns to right and left inside the Norwich box. Krul had to save again, this time from Maguire’s looping header from the edge of the box after a cross by Dalot.
De Gea got his fingers to a powerful left foot shot by Pukki in the second half. This was Norwich’s best effort to date. United were awarded a penalty when Aarons pulled down Ronaldo in front of goal. Ronaldo scored his 91st United League goal with a powerful shot as Krul picked the wrong direction.
De Gea made another excellent save, this time one-handed, as he dived to the right to stop a Kabak header following a Norwich free kick from the left wing. Gilmour had two shots. The first rebounded to his feet. The second was deflected wide. Four minutes from time Ronaldo somehow hit his shot over the goal in the middle of the 6-yard zone, after Rashford’s run down the left flank, and a cross. De Gea saved again from Kabak in added time after a free kick, but Kabak might well have been offside.
Sunday 12th December, 2021
Brighton v Spurs (Match Postponed – COVID)
Spurs are now two games behind most teams, following our second postponement in recent weeks. Tonight’s game (Tuesday 14th December) between Brentford and Manchester United has been called off because United have a number of Covid cases which, like Spurs, has led to the first team training centre being closed. Leicester had several absences from their European game last week because of Covid and injury, but as reported on this page they played against Newcastle and won convincingly. In these Covid threatened times, checking this Pinnacle VIP code might help you pass the time.
Alasdair Gold’s tweet (see below) offers hope that our next scheduled game at Leicester on Thursday will go ahead.
Results of games that have been played have generally not been as much of a disadvantage to Spurs as was possible. The top four is very much within reach. However, our next two games are away to Leicester and at home to Liverpool.
Burnley 0 West Ham United 0
There was a penalty incident (not awarded), but no goals in this game. “The Hammers” are still fourth, but a long way from third. Burnley remain in the bottom three. West Ham’s back four was Coufal, Dawson, Diop and Masuaku. Ogbonna and Zouma are notable ad ongoing injured absentees.
Masuaku hit a shot just wide after 10 minutes, and later, after a West Ham free kick, Pope saved well from Diop’s glanced header. The penalty claim followed a corner with Dawson going down as the ball was going out of play. Dwight McNeil escaped sanction from referee Graham Scott and VAR. Dawson got in the way of a goal-bound Rodriguez shot in the second half. Pope saved a header by Benrahma after Declan Rice delivered the ball from the right. Rice had a powerful right foot shot go just over the bar, minutes from the end.
Rodriguez just failed to get a touch in front of the West Ham goal from a low cross by Taylor a minute from time. Pope was required to save again, this time from Bowen, in added time. It is fair to say that West Ham looked the more likely winners.
Leicester City 4 Newcastle United 0
After their first win of the season last week, Newcastle lost for the eighth time, and face Liverpool and both Manchester clubs in their next three games. They will have to spend well in the January window!
Leicester lost Jonny Evans to a hamstring injury early on, and he was replaced by Soumare. Harvey Barnes was fouled just outside the area by Willock after 15 minutes, but Maddison’s free kick passed over the bar. Newcastle survived another free kick, delivered by Maddison. This was headed back across goal by Ndidi and kept away from danger by Dubravka’s touch. Newcastle gifted Leicester their first goal, after Shelvey lost the ball on the edge of his area when trying to play out. Lascelles fouled Maddison inside the box, and Tielemans powered home the spot kick. (38 mins)
It was 2-0 in the 57th minute. Maddison found Barnes with a delightful pass. Barnes timed his run well and slid the ball to Daka who scored with ease. Shelvey had a powerful shot well blocked by Ndidi. Schmeichel was probably most tested by an errant back pass by Castagne. The goalkeeper just managed to clear off his line. Leicester went three up in the 81st minute after Newcastle lost the ball on their right wing near the half-way line. From there, “The Foxes” basically passed the ball all the way to goal with Daka passing inside to Maddison who teed up Tielemans for his second goal.
Maddison delivered the coup de grace in the 85th minute after Daka’s pass, scoring with a powerful left footer. The happy clappers happily clapped!
Crystal Palace 3 Everton 1
After their resurgence when beating Arsenal last Monday, Everton reverted to type, losing a seventh Premier League game in nine. Chelsea loanee Conor Gallagher was the star man with two goals and will command a big fee if his home club ever let him go.
Will Hughes made a first start for Palace and Edouard was a preferred starter to Benteke. Andros Townsend was returning to his last club. Everton were again without Mina and now Allan to add to the continuing absence of Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Jordan Ayew hasn’t scored yet this season and not since November last year for Palace. He didn’t score when put through after seven minutes, allowing Pickford to make a comfortable save. Gallagher had a left foot sighter after eleven minutes, after taking a pass from Edouard. Pickford saved from Zaha a minute later after Ayew had crossed deep from the right.
Godfrey made a good run for “The Toffees” midway through the first half, crossing from the left. Gomes hit a shot straight at Guaita. Palace had the lead after 41 minutes. One attack had been resisted, but then Demarai Gray inexplicably passed the ball into his area for Jordan Ayew to cross and for Gallagher to score inside Pickford’s left post with a right foot shot.
Early in the second half, Gallagher rose at the back post to head a Zaha cross just wide. Richarlison and Everton’s fan were not happy when Benitez replaced the Brazilian with Salomon Rondon after 58 minutes. Palace had a corner in the 58th minute before which Seamus Coleman had been fouled. The corner was delivered by Hughes and Tomkins scored with a shot at the back post. Everton’s protests before and after the corner fell on deaf ears.
It was Rondon who got a goal back for the visitors in the 70th minute. Coleman had crossed and Doucoure had an effort deflected into the path of Rondon who scored from close range. Everton were now showing some spirit and Townsend had a shot deflected wide. Guaita made a good close range save from Gordon who had made a good run down the right flank, aided by a wall pass from Townsend.
Coleman had been the victim of a rash foul by Benteke. In added time, Everton had a free kick near their corner flag and Coleman was too eager to hit the ball, passing inside where Gomes lost possession to Gallagher who scored with a right foot shot (top left corner) to put the game beyond Everton, who had been the architects of their downfall.
Fixtures and results - 10-12.12.21
Friday 10th December, 2021
Brentford 2-1 Watford
Saturday 11th December, 2021
Man City 1-0 Wolves
Arsenal 3-0 S'hampton
Chelsea 3-2 Leeds
Liverpool 1-0 A. Villa
Norwich 0-1 Man Utd
Sunday 12th December, 2021
Brighton P Spurs
Burnley 0-0 West Ham
Leicester 4-0 Newcastle
C. Palace 3-1 Everton
Premier League Table
P W D L F-A GD Pts
1. Man City 16 12 2 2 33-9 24 38
2. Liverpool 16 11 4 1 45-12 33 37
3. Chelsea 16 11 3 2 38-11 27 36
4. West Ham 16 8 4 4 28-19 9 28
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5. Man Utd 16 8 3 5 26-24 2 27
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6. Arsenal 16 8 2 6 21-22 -1 26
7. Spurs 14 8 1 5 16-17 -1 25
8. Leicester 16 6 4 6 27-27 0 22
9. Wolves 16 6 3 7 12-14 -2 21
10. Brentford 16 5 5 6 21-22 -1 20
11. Brighton 15 4 8 3 14-16 -2 20
12. C. Palace 16 4 7 5 22-22 0 19
13. A. Villa 16 6 1 9 21-25 -4 19
14. Everton 16 5 3 8 20-28 -8 18
15. Leeds 16 3 7 6 17-25 -8 16
16. S'hampton 16 3 7 6 14-24 -10 16
17. Watford 16 4 1 11 21-31 -10 13
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18. Burnley 15 1 8 6 14-21 -7 11
19. Newcastle 16 1 7 8 17-34 -17 10
20. Norwich 16 2 4 10 8-32 -24 10
