Premier League Review Week 9

Tottenham Hotspur 0 – 0 Liverpool

With Jurgen Klopp arriving at Liverpool during the international break, much was made of his first game in charge at White Hart Lane. Unfortunately not much can be said about the match itself.

Tottenham Hotspur were the more attacking of the two sides, with Harry Kane and Clinton Njie threatening Simon Mignolet’s goal on a couple of occasions. Injuries to Daniel Sturridge (yes, again) and Danny Ings saw Divock Origi start up front. He had a chance, but failed to take it.

Tottenham remain in 7^th position in the Premier League after this draw, whilst Southampton’s draw against Leicester saw them move ahead of Liverpool, who sit in 10^th position.

Chelsea 2 – 0 Aston Villa

Diego Costa returned from his three match ban and helped Chelsea to a much needed victory, although the Premier League champions were by no means back to their best.

Despite Chelsea terrible form at the start of this season, Aston Villa didn’t seem too keen to take advantage of it. They offered very little going forward throughout the whole game, registering only one shot on target in the game. It took until the 34^th minute for the home side to make a breakthrough, with Diego Costa latching on to a Willian pass to put the Blues ahead. An Alan Hutton own goal shortly after half time pretty much sealed the victory for Chelsea, but they will want to improve on their performances.

The win takes the faltering champions up to 12^th place in the Premier League table, whilst Aston Villa drop to 19^th place after failing to win any of their last eight matches.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JZoB-PLhmM

Crystal Palace 1 – 3 West Ham

Two late goals for West Ham saw them steal three points against Crystal Palace to take them into the top four of the Premier League.

Carl Jenkinson put the visitors in front after 20 minutes before Yohann Cabaye levelled three minutes later with a penalty. Dwight Gayle was then dismissed just before the half time whistle after two silly challenges saw him pick up two yellow cards. Crystal Palace put up a good fight despite being down to ten men, but they finally broke two minutes before the end when Manuel Lanzini and Dimitri Payet added two late goals.

It will be a bitter blow for Crystal Palace after they fought so hard, and the three points saw West Ham leapfrog them in the table and move into an impressive 4^th place, whilst Palace drop to 6^th place.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YNsE6lZ7Gg

Everton 0 – 3 Manchester United

A bad day was made even worse for everybody involved with Everton, as the death of former manager Howard Kendall was followed by a lacklustre performance against an efficient Manchester United.

Summer signing Morgan Schneiderlin sidefooted his first Manchester United goal home 18 minutes in to put the visitors ahead at a ground that is always difficult to visit. Ander Herrera made a late dash into the box to latch on to a Marcos Rojo cross four minutes later to double United’s lead before Wayne Rooney slotted his first Premier League goal of the season to round off victory. It was an impressive performance from Manchester United after their horror show of a performance against Arsenal in their last match.

This kept the points difference between them and league leaders Manchester City at two points ahead of the derby next weekend, and Everton dropped one place to 9^th.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZVAGqT9e9g

Manchester City 5 – 1 Bournemouth

Raheem Sterling showed his worth with a well taken hat trick to see off a hopelessly outclassed Bournemouth side as the hosts maintained their position at the top of the Premier League table.

It took just seven minutes for Raheem Sterling to open the scoring after Bournemouth briefly threatened. Sterling stabbed it home from an offside position, and then Wilfried Bony made it 2-0 a few minutes later after Federici failed to hold on to a cross. Bournemouth pulled one back ten minutes later through Glenn Murray before Sterling added another two before the half time whistle. Bony rounded the victory off with in the 89^th minute to prove to Manuel Pellegrini that they can perform without the injured Sergio Aguero. It’s a good job since he’s going to be out for a month!

This victory allows Manchester City to hold on to their position at the top of the table ahead of the crucial Manchester derby next weekend, and Bournemouth end the weekend just outside the relegation zone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtE5ykKkQE4

Southampton 2 – 2 Leicester

A typical Leicester fightback earned them yet another point from a losing position against a Southampton side who will be furious with themselves.

Defensive duo Joe Fonte and Virgil van Dijk gave Southampton a comfortable 2-0 lead at half time, with the hosts looking completely in control. But the introduction of Leicester danger men Riyad Mahrez and Nathan Dyer changed the game at half time, and their pace and trickery helped the visitors back into the game as the hosts tired late on. But it was that man Jamie Vardy who rounded off the moves, heading in their first goal before blasting in his 9^th of the season in the 90^th minute to give Leicester their 7^th point of the season from losing positions.

You can never feel safe leading against Leicester it seems, and this hard fought draw has seen them move into 5^th place in the league. Despite Southampton’s poor start to the season, they have managed to move into 8^th place.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1WImInPdJw

West Brom 1 – 0 Sunderland

It wasn’t exactly a standout fixture in the three o’clock kick offs on Saturday, and it proved to be a dismally boring game. Although it always was going to be with Tony Pulis going head to head with Sam Allardyce.

The new Sunderland manager saw Billy Jones denied by an incredible reflex save from Boaz Myhill, but that was about the only exciting moment in a drab first half. It was a suitably scrappy goal that decided the destination of the points when Saido Berahino took advantage of a Costel Pantilimon mistake to prod home halfway through the second half. The most exciting part of this game was the Sunderland players confronting James McClean at full time after the former Sunderland player decided it was a good idea to celebrate in front of the travelling Mackems.

Sunderland remain without a win this season and move down to the foot of the table after their north east rivals picked up a victory. West Brom, meanwhile, move up to 13^th place.

Watford 0 – 3 Arsenal

An excellent second half showing from Arsenal in Saturday’s late kickoff saw them remain level on points with Manchester United to maintain their position just behind league leaders Manchester City.

Watford had a number of chances in the first half, but failed to capitalise on Arsenal’s defensive mistakes and were ultimately made to pay the price. It was the on fire Alexis Sanchez who opened the scoring with an instinctive finish from close range after Mesut Ozil went down in the box. Substitute Olivier Giroud scored shortly after coming on to make things more comfortable for the visitors, with an excellent Aaron Ramsey rounding off the win with his first goal of the season.

Watford move down to 15^th in the table after incurring this loss, whilst Arsenal keep up with Manchester United to retain their 2^nd place position.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kB-1o8OKxeg

Newcastle 6 – 2 Norwich

Yes, you’re reading that correctly. Who’d have thought it? Newcastle ran away with the game against Norwich to pick up their first win of the season and lift themselves off the bottom of the table.

Summer signing Georginio Wijnaldum struck in the 14^th minute to put Newcastle ahead, his first of what would turn out to be four goals for the attacking midfielder. Diemerci Mbokani equalised for Norwich before Wijnaldum headed the hosts back into the lead half an hour in. Ayoze Perez made it 3-1 to the hosts, with Nathan Redmond volleying in a minute later. Newcastle pulled away in the second half though, with fellow summer signing Aleksandar Mitrovic blasting in a fourth before Wijnaldum headed in for his hat trick and rounded his day off with a stunning long range strike.

This moves Newcastle from the foot of the table and up to a slightly less embarrassing 19^th position, although it will make them feel a lot better that it is fierce rivals Sunderland underneath them. Norwich move down to 16^th position despite their fairly promising start to the season.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63Wj5oyCNjk

Swansea 0 – 1 Stoke

An early penalty for Stoke proved the difference as they battled to a win against Swansea in a disappointingly scrappy match.

Stoke forward Bojan was bundled over by Swansea captain Ashley Williams just four minutes in to win the visitors a penalty. Bojan dusted himself off and converted the spot kick. Stoke had a few more chances through Charlie Adam and Joselu, who almost converted an excellent overhead kick. Jonjo Shelvey and Gylfi Sigurdsson came close to levelling for Swansea, but were slightly wide of the mark.

This leaves Swansea without a win in any of their last five Premier League games, with just two points returned from a possible 15 illustrating a worrying spell for Garry Monk and company. Stoke have come back to life after Bojan’s return, and now sit in 11^th position.