Premier League Review – Matchday 8
Saturday 16th October, 2021
Watford 0 Liverpool 5
Claudio Ranieri made Moussa Sissoko his captain, but that did no good as “The Hornets” fell to their biggest defeat of this season. The new manager has a tough task on his hands it seems! Jurgen Klopp did not have Alisson or Fabinho available, due to their late arrival back from South America. Kelleher and Keita took their places. Firmino was preferred to Jota.
It took Liverpool only 8 minutes to score their first goal. It came from a smashing pass by Salah from deep on the right flank. This was met by Mane and scored inside the keeper’s right post at The Rookery End. It was Mane’s 100th Premier League goal. Three minutes later Ben Foster had to save from Salah with his right hand. Firmino made it 2-0 in the 37th minute from close range after good play by Mane and Milner, who put the ball on the plate for the Brazilian. Keita hit the top of the bar with a 20-yard shot. Liverpool were enjoying 83% possession at this stage.
Foster had to save again from Salah early in the second half, but it was 3-0 inside 52 minutes after a second goal for Firmino. Robertson had passed into the area; Cathcart partially blocked the ball, and Foster could only parry the ball to Firmino’s feet. Two minutes later Salah made it 4-0 with another superb solo effort, despite defenders surrounding him. Salah took the ball on the right of the area, danced and jigged before scoring with his curled left foot shot across Foster. Sarr went close with a rare shot, but Firmino had a hat-trick in added time, finishing off at the back post after substitute Williams crossed from the right of the area.
Aston Villa 2 Wolverhampton Wanderers 3
Villa let slip a two-goal lead and Wolves staged a remarkable late comeback with three goals in the last 15 minutes (including added time). McGinn had goalkeeper Sa worried with a shot from well outside the rea after 13 minutes, but the ball was a yard outside the post. Buendia was also close with a shot inside the area after a cross by Cash. Sa made a good save from Ings after Buendia’s pass. Traore went on a rampaging run through the middle from halfway, but Martinez was equal to bis shot.
Villa took the lead three minutes into the second half and it came from a Danny Ings header after McGinn crossed from the right side of the area. The goal was meet with roars from the Holte End. McGinn made it 2-0 twenty minutes later after Watkins had a shot blocked with the ball falling to McGinn just outside the area. He scored with an unstoppable (deflected) low drive inside Sa’s right post.
Wolves’ first goal came in the 80th minute. It followed a corner and a low cross returned to the area by Podence which was met by Saiss with a shot at the back of goal. Podence and his captain (Coady) were involved in another corner after 85 minutes. Kilman had hit the bar with a header after Fabio Silva’s short cross, but Wolves kept the pressure on with Traore finding Dendoncker whose cross from the right more or less rebounded over the line off Coady. In the fifth minute of added time Traore was fouled by Ramsey 22 yards out. Neves’ free kick took a cruel defection and Wolves had a dramatic winner.
Leicester City 4 Manchester United 2
United lost their record of 29 away games unbeaten in the Premier League, and a third successive game against Leicester this year, including an FA Cup defeat in March. The media focus fell heavily upon Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, whose side fell out of the top four with this defeat. They face Liverpool at home next week before a trip to Tottenham on October 30th.
Jonny Evans made his first Premier League start of this season against his former team, and Brendan Rodgers made four other changes to his side, including James Maddison starting behind Vardy and Iheanacho. United also had five team changes, including Harry Maguire, also playing against his old team. Greenwood, Fernandes and Sancho were behind Ronaldo. Marcus Rashford was on the bench and would make his first appearance of the season late in the game.
Leicester made a bright start with Iheanacho leaving Maguire in his wake before passing to Tielemans, whose cross was cleared by Maguire who did get back to cover his goal. In another move, this time down the left flank, Maddison turned and shot at goal, but the ball was held cleanly by De Gea. United took the lead though after 19 minutes, with a sensational strike by Greenwood, hit on the diagonal from outside the area with his left foot. Ricardo went close 8 minutes later, firing just wide across the goal, following approach play by Vardy and Maddison.
Having escaped sanction from the referee for a bear hug outside the area, Maguire was the villain of the piece as United tried to play out and the centre-back lost the ball to Iheanacho who crossed to Tielemans just inside the right of the area. Tielemans scored with a delightful shot dipping inside De Gea’s top right corner. (31 mins) After more good football, Iheanacho pulled a shot just wide of the post five minutes before the break.
De Gea made a great save after 76 minutes to push a Tielemans shot onto the outside of his right post. Brendan Rodgers had already replaced Maddison with Perez and now he introduced summer signing Patson Daka for Iheanacho. It was Daka’s second appearance (as sub) for “The Foxes”. He quickly won a corner with a shot towards De Gea’s left post, after which Soyuncu made it 2-1 from close range after a couple of previous touches in the area, including another shot by Daka. (78 mins) Rashford equalised four minutes later when he raced onto Lindelof’s long ball to beat Schmeichel.
Leicester regained the lead within a minute after the referee had played advantage and Perez cut the ball back. Vardy almost sliced the ball into the far corner. “The Foxes” had a free kick when Wan-Bissaka fouled Vardy near the bye-line. Tielemans floated the free kick which took a slight touch in the area before Daka scored at the back post (at the second attempt) for his first Leicester goal, and the first Premier League goal by a Zambian national. Moreover, Leicester had a win which indicated a return to form.
Manchester City 2 Burnley 0
Burnley at least escaped a fifth consecutive 5-0 defeat at The Etihad, but they’ve only even managed to score once in the last 9 meetings between these clubs. Sean Dyche chose a 4-5-1 formation, but his side were a goal down inside 12 minutes when Pope could only parry Foden’s shot, and Bernardo Silva snapped up the rebound. Stellen was in goal for City, and he had to make a good save from Cornet who had advanced onto a good ball by Dwight McNeil. Brownhill went close with a shot across the City goal after Cork’s cross had been only half-cleared.
City dominated possession as would be expected, but this time could not assert themselves fully in terms of goals. Pope managed to push away a dangerous De Bruyne shot and from the corner Laporte fired just over the bar. De Bruyne made it 2-0 in the 70th minute with a left foot shot inside the area, after he and Mahrez had advanced together. Wood went close following a Burnley free kick, but the score remained 2-0.
Norwich City 0 Brighton & Hove Albion 0
Norwich gained their second point of the season and a second consecutive clean sheet. The draw was enough to keep Brighton in the top four.
Tim Krul made a strong save in the centre of goal from a powerful drive by Adam Lallana midway through the first half, and also managed to pick up the instinctive follow-up shot from closer range. Maupay went to the ground after a touch of Krul’s foot, but the referee and VAR decreed there was no penalty. Trossard hit the bar with a left foot shot two minutes before half-time. Krul got a fingertip to this shot. Sargent failed at the other end a minute later when Sanchez mis-kicked the ball outside his area, presenting the ball and an open goal to the young American striker. Sargent hit a weak shot and Duffy was able to recover and clear.
Sargent failed again three minutes into the second half but Burn challenged well with a fair tackle inside the box. Pukki later tried to dink a shot over Sanchez, but his effort was just wide. Burn was to the fore later on when Rashica and Pukki broke forward and threatened. Rashica passed but Burn did enough to stop the Finn from scoring. Maupay put a late close-range shot over the bar when Solly March passed inside from the left.
Southampton 1 Leeds United 0
Southampton got a welcome first win of the season without their captain James Ward-Prowse who was sent off before the International break. Redmond’s shot was saved by Meslier at his right post and after the corner Broja flicked the ball across the area where Elyounoussi lunged but could not convert from close range.
Early in the second half, Harrison made good progress to the edge of the Southampton area, but his shot was well blocked for a corner. After another Leeds attack was thwarted, “The Saints” broke forward with Djenepo feeding Redmond who advanced down the left channel and crossed for Broja who fired high into the Leeds net. (53 mins)
Daniel James failed with a good opportunity after Salisu had lost the ball. The former Manchester United man pushed his shot wide cross goal. Leeds no doubt missed Raphinha, who like other South American Internationals had returned too late to play a Saturday game.
Brentford 0 Chelsea 1
22-year-old Frenchman Malang Sarr made a Premier League debut for Chelsea in their back three which was missing both Rudiger and Thiago Silva. Brentford gave a very good account of themselves and Mbeumo hit the post following a mid-first half corner. Chelsea broke clear and Lukaku had the ball in the net from Werner’s cross but was offside. Werner had a good chance himself from the edge of the area but put his shot over the target. Chelsea’s one goal came from Chilwell in the last minute of the first half when Lukaku challenged for a cross from the right and the left wing-back scored with a powerful strike from the centre.
Mendy made a good save from Toney with less than twenty minutes of the game remaining but was beaten when Mbeumo’s shot rebounded off his left post. Mendy had to save from Ghoddos before Chalobah cleared off his line when Norgaard followed up. Mendy saved at very close range from Jansson when the ball struck his head. In added time, the Chelsea keeper made a sensational fingertip save pushing a Norgaard shot over his bar.
Sunday 17th October, 2021
Everton 0 West Ham United 1
This game was billed in my paper as “The Battle of the European hopefuls” as if to suggest these were the only two teams fighting for such places. West Ham scored the only goal of the game and former Everton manager David Moyes went home happy to have beaten his former Liverpool rival Rafa Benitez. Benitez was still without both Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison. West Ham were missing Coufal at right back so 21-year-old Ben Johnson made his first league start of the season.
In a game of few chances, West Ham dominated the early possession, but Everton had the better chances with Iwobi just failing to reach a good cross by Townsend and then missing a better opportunity completely when Gray crossed from the right after receiving a long Townsend ball down the line. Soucek had the ball in the net after Bowen’s shot was parried by Pickford, but the Czech player was offside. Fornals pushed a shot yards wide of Pickford’s left post after a cross by Johnson.
After 51 minutes, Townsend put in a handy left footed cross, but Rondon’s slight headed touch passed just wide of the keeper’s right-hand post. West Ham won a corner after 73 minutes when Antonio challenged Pickford inside his goal area. Everton were aggrieved not to be awarded a free kick, only to become further aggravated when Ogbonna headed in Bowen’s corner with a near post glancing touch. Pickford made an athletic save from Bowen’s shot two minutes before time. In added time Gray had an on-target shot blocked by Zouma, but Everton couldn’t find an equaliser.
Newcastle United 2 Spurs 3
Thanks to Mark Rose for capturing this image
Tanguy Ndombele was voted the Spurs Odyssey man of the match. This was Tanguy’s first MOTM award since our FA Cup win at Wycombe last season. Here are some of the comments received following Sunday’s win:-
"Much much better Spurs. Faster, more aggression. Another level ball retention. This is the way we should now move on and deploy the same mind-set for all our remaining matches. A few players I marked with a 9 were bordering on 10."
"Super performance under extreme conditions... Ndombele is growing into the great player we all believe he can be."
"This was better team performance! Tanguy was a real nuisance, enabling Hojbjerg/Skipp to support. Dier own goal was due to it being unsighted to him. Harry was superb with a goal/assist! Tanguy was thus edged for MOTM by Harry! Tanguy got 90mins. Fantastic"
"Much better performance and immense character shown by Spurs, after the euphoria of their recent takeover, plus the early goal. I thought Spurs responded remarkably well to the early setback and thoroughly deserved a minimum 3-2 win."
Best 90 mins since Man City. Excellent performances from Romero, Skipp & Ndombele. Much better balance to the side and kept their heads after a difficult start. Great counter-attacking caused Newcastle major problems. Awful season and in fifth spot!
Steve Bruce's departure "by mutual consent" was announced on the Wednesday after this game.
Monday 18th October, 2021
Arsenal 2 Crystal Palace 2
Arsenal were welcoming one of their "Invincibles" Patrick Vieira whose team had to cope without talisman Wilfried Zaha who returned ill from International duty. Christian Benteke took Zaha's place but played between Ayew and Edouard. Arsenal also made one change with Pepe replacing Lokonga.
Arsenal had an eighth minute lead after Pepe's cross/shot could only be pushed away from goal by Guaita, whose save was a good one. However, Aubameyang snapped up the loose ball. After a pass from Saka, Smith-Rowe had a shot on target after 21 minutes, but this was a comfortable save for Guaita.
Palace's best chance to date fell to Edouard towards the left of the area after he received Mitchell's short cross. Edouard's shot passed over the target. (34 mins) Palace had seen more of the ball in the second quarter of the game but rarely offered a real threat on goal. However, almost on the stroke of half-time Ramsdale denied Gallagher who had met a half-cleared corner at the back of the area with a shot just inside the keeper’s left post.
Saka suffered an injury towards the end of the first half when challenged by McArthur (who was booked). Saka was replaced by Lokonga at the start of the second half.
Partey had a good shot at goal from over 25 yards after 47 minutes worrying Guaita as the ball flew outside his left post. At the other end, Partey's error let in Palace and Benteke levelled the scores with a low right foot shot in the 50th minute, after Ayew slipped him the ball. 6 minutes later Edouard advanced to the area and passed to Ayew to his right. Ramsdale had to fingertip a shot over his bar in front of the Palace fans who were crowing.
Partey and Lokonga had space in the Palace half after 64 minutes and Partey put another long range shot wide of Guaita's left post. There were changes on both sides after 67 minutes with Lacazette replacing Odegaard for Arsenal and Kouyate taking over from the booked McArthur. Three minutes later Olise replaced Ayew.
Aubameyang and Lacazette had shared two or three combinations and when Aubameyang put in Lacazette, his shot was only just wide of the far post. Palace quickly responded and took a 73rd minute lead. Gallagher and Olise carried the ball forward along the inside left channel with Olise making the final pass to Edouard who lifted a shot over Ramsdale into the net.
Arsenal soon had a free kick at the other end just outside the box, taken by Pepe but blocked by the wall. Arteta's final throw of the dice was to take off Partey for Martinelli. Vieira took off Edouard for defender Tomkins.
Palace fell back and let Arsenal come forward, putting the pressure on. Tierney hit the bar with a shot from the left of goal. With one minute of normal time remaining Lacazette found space for a left foot shot, but that went over the bar.
There were four minutes of added time, increased when Gallagher needed treatment. Lacazette snatched an equaliser after Guaita parried one shot, but the Arsenal striker fired home with virtually the last kick of the game.
Arsenal play again on Friday night, at home to Aston Villa. This draw against Palace means our rivals will be below us at the end of next weekend, come what may.
Fixtures and results - 06-08.10.21
Saturday 16th October, 2021
Watford 0-5 Liverpool
A. Villa 2-3 Wolves
Leicester 4-2 Man Utd
Man City 2-0 Burnley
Norwich 0-0 Brighton
S'hampton 1-0 Leeds
Brentford 0-1 Chelsea
Sunday 17th October, 2021
Everton 0-1 West Ham
Newcastle 2-3 Spurs
Monday 18th October, 2021
Arsenal 2-2 C. Palace
Premier League Table
P W D L F-A GD Pts
1. Chelsea 8 6 1 1 16-3 13 19
2. Liverpool 8 5 3 0 22-6 16 18
3. Man City 8 5 2 1 16-3 13 17
4. Brighton 8 4 3 1 8-5 3 15
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5. Spurs 8 5 0 3 9-12 -3 15
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6. Man Utd 8 4 2 2 16-10 6 14
7. West Ham 8 4 2 2 15-10 5 14
8. Everton 8 4 2 2 13-9 4 14
9. Brentford 8 3 3 2 10-7 3 12
10. Wolves 8 4 0 4 8-8 0 12
11. Leicester 8 3 2 3 13-14 -1 11
12. Arsenal 8 3 2 3 7-12 -5 11
13. A. Villa 8 3 1 4 12-12 0 10
14. C. Palace 8 1 5 2 10-13 -3 8
15. S'hampton 8 1 4 3 6-10 -4 7
16. Watford 8 2 1 5 7-15 -8 7
17. Leeds 8 1 3 4 7-15 -8 6
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18. Burnley 8 0 3 5 5-13 -8 3
19. Newcastle 8 0 3 5 10-19 -9 3
20. Norwich 8 0 2 6 2-16 -14 2
