Premier League Review – Matchday 12
Saturday 22nd October, 2022
Nottingham Forest 1-0 Liverpool (12.30 BT SPORT)
One week after their dramatic 1-0 win over League Champions and arch-rivals Manchester City, Jurgen Klopp’s side lost to bottom club Nottingham Forest who lifted themselves off the bottom before Leicester’s win at Wolves the following day. The result was naturally celebrated wildly by home fans.
Dean Henderson had narrowed the angle to save from Carvalho after 9 minutes at one end, and after half an hour Alisson saved a good shot by Lingard. Van Dijk had a bad miss when he headed a Robertson cross back across the goalmouth when he had only the keeper to beat, following a Liverpool corner.
Joe Gomez was booked when he hauled down Awoniyi as he threatened to break at the halfway line after 54 minutes. Following the free kick, taken by Gibbs-White and crossed by Steve Cook from the right, Awoniyi scored with his second attempt after his first had rebounded off the post. Awoniyi began his career with the Anfield club, although he never made their senior team.
Henderson then saved from Elliott at his left-hand post. Forest broke forward following the corner and James Milner made a vital block of a goal-bound shot by Gibbs-White. Henderson saved a header by substitute Alexander-Arnold six minutes from time, following a cross by Robertson. Gibbs-White fed a nice ball to Yates whose shot required a very good save by Alisson. Liverpool had a late free kick, floated across the area by Alexander-Arnold. Van Dijk missed again, this time hitting a shot across the goal.
Liverpool had an added time corner and this time Van Dijk was on target when he powerfully headed down. However, Henderson made a marvellous reaction save low to his left. Henderson saved again, pushing a Salah header over his bar. Alisson had gone up for the resulting corner and had not made his ground when Forest broke out. Brennan Johnson’s shot from the right side rebounded off the post! An offside flag was raised, but it had been an exciting moment. The final whistle was blown, and Forest could celebrate a fantastic win.
Everton 3-0 Crystal Palace (15.00)
Everton bounced back after three consecutive defeats with a convincing win over Palace. Gray had a shot on target held by Guaita after Zaha lost the ball trying to carry it across the field in his final third, before Iwobi passed inside for Calvert-Lewin who scored with a low right foot shot after beating Guehi with strength and a clever touch. Gordon nearly added a second with a powerful 22-yard shot, but Guaita got his fingertips to the ball.
Palace were stronger in the opening phases of the second half and Everton’s one-goal lead was under threat. Olise hit the roof of the net with a 62nd minute free kick. Everton had that precious second goal in the 63rd minute, following a good move where they played out successfully from the back. Mykolenko’s shot was saved but only parried by Guaita and Gordon snapped up the rebound. The offside flag was raised, but overruled by VAR.
There is no love lost between these two sides after Palace’s 3-2 defeat here late last season when Patrick Vieira was accosted as he tried to leave the invaded pitch. There was a melee after a ruckus between Zaha and Guehi, which resulted in both players being shown yellow cards.
Everton’s third goal came in the 84th minute and followed good play when McNeil entered the area, took a clever back-heeled pass from Iwobi and then hit the net.
Manchester City 3-1 Brighton (15.00)
Erling Haaland added another two goals to his collection (now 17 in 11 league games) and City have now won 10 consecutive home games, scoring three goals or more in each of those league games. Spurs remain the last side to beat them in the league at the Etihad.
Welbeck had a pot at goal after 11 minutes when Ederson uncharacteristically gifted him the ball when looking for a pass. The shot was off target. Haaland was denied a penalty when Sanchez appeared to catch his foot after Haaland challenged for a cross by De Bruyne, but VAR Lee Mason agreed with Craig Pawson’s decision not to award a spot-kick. Maybe Mr. Pawson is not a City fan after all if you remember his apparent disappointment at Spurs’ late winner here last season! Haaland did have a goal in the 22nd minute though as he raced onto Ederson’s long ball, leaving Brighton defenders in his wake before despatching his shot into the net after Sanchez had advanced out of his area.
Lewis Dunk managed to clear De Bruyne’s shot after a good City move down the right wing led by Mahrez before Bernardo Silva crossed. Bernardo Silva went down in the box after a combination of Gross’s shove and Dunk’s tackle and eventually VAR advised Mr. Pawson to go to the monitor after which a penalty was awarded. Haaland did his job in the 43rd minute. His left foot strike hit the net with great power, to the left of the despairing Sanchez.
Sanchez saved from Mahrez with an outstretched foot early in the second half. After a long clearance and a good Brighton move down the left side, Trossard hit the net with a powerful right-footed strike from the edge of the area in front of the travelling fans. (53 mins) Later in the half, Trossard left the City defence behind him as he advanced from half way before Ederson saved with his leg when Trossard hit his left foot shot inside the area.
City’s win was secured in the 75th minute, by a cracking 23 yard shot by De Bruyne after Bernardo Silva had teed him up with a pass from the left.
Chelsea 1-1 Manchester United (17.30 SKY SPORTS)
There was a lot of needle in this game with both sides aggrieved by line calls and officials’ decisions. The action of real note came towards the end of the game when referee Stuart Attwell awarded Chelsea a penalty after substitute McTominay had manhandled Chelsea sub Broja to the ground. Of course, Jorginho scored from the spot in the 87th minute.
United, who had forced good saves from Arrizabalaga early in the game deserved something and they got it in the fourth minute of added time when Casemiro’s looped header made it over the line off the inside of the Chelsea keeper’s right post.
The result suited Spurs, and other teams challenging for the top four, but of course Spurs failed to take advantage when they played Newcastle.
As planned, Ronaldo was left out of the United squad by Erik Ten Hag. Varane left the pitch in tears with an injury he obviously fears will prevent him from being part of France’s World Cup campaign. Chelsea fans gave him no sympathy when he walked the long way round back to his bench after 60 minutes.
Sunday 23rd October, 2022
Aston Villa 4-0 Brentford (14.00)
Villa have since announced the appointment of Unai Emery, once of Arsenal, most lately of Villarreal, to whom Villa have paid a £5 million release fee. However, it was first team coach Aaron Danks who took charge of the team who scored three goals in the first 14 minutes and finished with their biggest win since one in March by the same scoreline against Southampton. McGinn and Ramsey were left out of the starting eleven by Danks. His team included Buendia and Dendoncker, who was making his first Premier League start for the club since his move from Wolves.
Villa played towards The Holte End in the first half and had a dream start, winning a first minute corner, after which Bailey scored with a low left foot shot when he met Douglas Luiz’s cross. (2 mins) An Ashley Young short diagonal through ball found Bailey in the seventh minute when the goal-scorer laid on the ball for Ings to make it 2-0. Watkins fired just over the bar after a quick release and ball forward by goalkeeper Martinez following a Brentford attack and corner.
Tyrone Mings had his shirt tugged in the box by Ajer, and Ings had a second goal, this one from the spot, in the 14th minute. Brentford suffered more pressure after 38 minutes when a Douglas Luiz corner bounced out off the bar and Cash’s shot was saved.
It was 4-0 in the 59th minute. Watkins got the better of Henry when the ball was crossed from the left. Watkins’ first shot was saved. His second rebounded off the post, but he finished off at the third attempt! Jensen did have a shot saved by Martinez, but Mbeumo hit the side netting when the ball ran to his feet.
Leeds 2-3 Fulham (14.00)
Leeds are without a win in 8 games and have now dropped into the bottom three. They had some early desperate defensive work after Harrison Reed’s shot was somehow cleared off the line by Roca after his goalkeeper had been beaten. Leeds took the lead after 20 minutes when Roca had brought the ball forward leading to a move which ended with Harrison’s shot being blocked and looped up before being finished off by Rodrigo’s header from the back post.
Fulham soon responded (26 mins) with a near-post header by Mitrovic after Pereira’s left-side corner. Fulham nearly scored on the break when Willian sent Pereira away, but Meslier saved well having advanced and positioned himself to reduce the angles.
Leeds had their moments in the second half, with Ayling driving a shot just outside the post and substitute Bamford closed down well by Leno coming out of the Fulham goal. A Mitrovic shot was blocked and Fulham had a corner, taken by Pereira. Willian returned the ball to Pereira whose cross from the right was met by the unmarked Decordova-Reid for a 74th minute header into the far corner. It was 3-1 10 minutes later when Reed got to the bye-line on the right too easily and cut the ball back for Willian to finish. Jesse Marsch looked bewildered and is under pressure.
Another Leeds substitute, Summerville did manage to slide home an added time goal from Gelhardt’s short pass inside the box, but that was too late to affect the result.
Southampton 1-1 Arsenal (14.00 SKY SPORTS)
League leaders Arsenal dropped points for only the second time this season. Their player Maitland-Niles who is on loan at Southampton, could not therefore play. Southampton left Che Adams on the bench and gave a start to Stuart Armstrong.
Southampton goalkeeper Bazunu made a good save at his right post from Xhaka’s early and powerful shot. Xhaka slammed the ball into the net from a central position after White’s cross from the right of the box. (11mins) Gabriel Jesus was denied a penalty by referee Rob Jones after Caleta-Car’s challenge, and Martinelli had a shot deflected wide after a penetrating run through the middle. Bazunu saved well at close range from Jesus after good play by Odegaard.
Elyounoussi denied Gabriel Jesus with a great penalty area tackle in the second half. Southampton had not threatened much at all, but they scored a precious equaliser in the 65th minute. Elyounoussi provided the pass for Stuart Armstrong who placed his right-footed shot well across Ramsdale in the Arsenal goal. "The Saints" had a good spell of play in the following minutes and Ramsdale had to save a shot from Aribo. Odegaard put the ball in the net from Tierney’s cross, but the left back had played the ball from beyond the bye-line.
Wolves 0-4 Leicester (14.00)
Leicester climbed out of the bottom three with this second successive win and a third consecutive clean sheet. Steve Davis was told he had charge of Wolves until 2023, but the pressure must be on him now.
Diego Costa hasn’t scored for Wolves yet, but he had a good early left-footed shot go just over the Leicester bar. Jonny took an early booking for a foul on Barnes and Leicester had a free kick on the left wing. Maddison’s kick was headed to the feet of Tielemans who scored with a rocket shot with his right foot from outside the right of the Wolves area. (8 mins) Diego Costa had another shot blocked by Amartey just inside the Leicester area. Dewsbury-Hall offered the pass to Harvey Barnes to the left of the Wolves box and the Leicester number seven accepted the chance with glee.(19 mins)
Diego Costa had had another effort deflected wide for a corner and late in the first half his close range shot was blocked by Justin. The former Chelsea man was involved again as he let a ball run to Podence, whose shot was saved by Ward.
Maddison made it 3-0 to Leicester in the 65th minute. He took a short pass from substitute Vardy and was not challenged as he moved to his right and hit the net with a low 17-yarder. Vardy scored himself in the 79th minute after Castagne’s cross from the right
Spurs 1-2 Newcastle United (16.30 SKY SPORTS)
On the 18th anniversary of the passing of the great Bill Nicholson, Heung-min Son matched "Sir Bill"'s appearance total for Spurs of 341 games. Spurs also lost 2-1 at home (to Bolton) on the day we learned of his passing.
Spurs dropped points in a Premier League home game for the first time since April (0-1 v Brighton), with this defeat ending a run of eight consecutive league wins at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Monday 24th October, 2022
West Ham 2-0 Bournemouth (20.00 SKY SPORTS)
West Ham’s win was achieved on the back of a late first half goal awarded to Zouma for his header after Kehrer had appeared to handle the ball in a volleyball-like pose. "The Hammers" win was secured by a penalty awarded and scored in added time at the end of the game after Zemura handled a cross with raised arms. Benrahma scored from the spot.
Bournemouth also lost goalkeeper Neto and striker Solanke at half-time due to injuries and could be weakened for the game against Spurs on Saturday.
Fixtures & results - 22-24.10.22
Saturday 22nd October, 2022
Nott'm F'st 1-0 Liverpool (12.30 BT SPORT)
Everton 3-0 C. Palace (15.00)
Man City 3-1 Brighton (15.00)
Chelsea 1-1 Man Utd (17.30 SKY SPORTS)
Sunday 23rd October,2022
A. Villa 4-0 Brentford (14.00)
Leeds 2-3 Fulham (14.00)
S'hampton 1-1 Arsenal (14.00 SKY SPORTS)
Wolves 0-4 Leicester (14.00)
Spurs 1-2 Newcastle (16.30 SKY SPORTS)
Monday 24th October, 2022
West Ham 2-0 B'mouth (20.00 SKY SPORTS)
Premier League Table
P W D L F-A GD Pts
1. Arsenal 11 9 1 1 25-11 14 28
2. Man City 11 8 2 1 36-11 25 26
3. Spurs 12 7 2 3 23-14 9 23
4. Newcastle 12 5 6 1 20-10 10 21
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5. Chelsea 11 6 3 2 16-11 5 21
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6. Man Utd 11 6 2 3 16-16 0 20
7. Fulham 12 5 3 4 22-22 0 18
8. Liverpool 11 4 4 3 22-13 9 16
9. Brighton 11 4 3 4 15-14 1 15
10. West Ham 12 4 2 6 11-12 -1 14
11. Brentford 12 3 5 4 18-21 -3 14
12. Everton 12 3 4 5 11-12 -1 13
13. C. Palace 11 3 4 4 12-16 -4 13
14. B'mouth 12 3 4 5 10-25 -15 13
15. A. Villa 12 3 3 6 11-16 -5 12
16. S'hampton 12 3 3 6 11-19 -8 12
17. Leicester 12 3 2 7 21-24 -3 11
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18. Leeds 11 2 3 6 13-18 -5 9
19. Wolves 12 2 3 7 5-18 -13 9
20. Nottm F 12 2 3 7 8-23 -15 9
