Premier League Weekend Review

A review of all the weekends Premier League action; Chelsea left it late to pick up maximum points during their visit to Southampton while the Red Devils triumphed when they hosted Arsenal Sunday afternoon.

Leicester City 1-0 Norwich City.

Leicester kept their status as league leaders when they beat Norwich 1-0 at the King Power. They left it late but thanks to Leonardo Ulloa they remain two points clear of Tottenham in second place.

Shinji Okazaki recorded the first attempt of the afternoon, but his shot was blocked, before Marc Albrighton came close for the hosts, but his free kick was just wide of the goal as the Foxes started to dominate play. Cameron Jerome should have scored when he found himself unmarked and with a free header, his effort flying wide of the post.

John Ruddy prevented Jamie Vardy’s free kick as the visitors started to frustrate the league leaders. Nathan Redmond saw his outrageous long range strike just wide as the Canaries started getting into the game. Albrighton’s impressive cross in the 89^th minute was missed by Vardy, Ulloa made contact with the ball at the back post and gave the hosts the lead, with no time for Norwich to hit back.

 

West Brom 3-2 Crystal Palace.

West Brom were emphatic during the first period and raced into a three goal lead within 31 minutes. Goals from: Craig Gardner, Sadio Berahino and Craig Dawson gave the hosts an impressive lead while a double from Connor Wickham gave the hosts an edgy finale.

The Baggies were ahead in the 12^th minute, Salomon Rondon’s shot was well saved, but Gardner reacted quickest and slotted into an empty net. Dawson rose well to head home the hosts second and the Baggies were looking comfortable. Stephane Sessegnon’s delightful long ball was met well by a strong volley from Berahino to leave Palace needing an incredible come back. Gardner almost made it four as his free kick took a deflection and struck the post.

Palace started the second half much stronger and got their first of the afternoon in the 48^th minute. Wickham forced Jonas Olsson into misjudging the ball and leaving it for his keeper, only for the Englishman to lob the ball over Ben Foster and finish into an open net. Berahino was denied his second, striking the bar from just inside the box. Wickham brought the deficit down to one with a sweetly struck volley that flew into the top corner in the 80^th minute. Scott Dann almost equalized but his headed effort was cleared off the line by Gardner and the hosts held on for maximum points.

Stoke City 2-1 Aston Villa.

Stoke dominated the game throughout but only picked up victory by a one goal that leaves Aston Villa in big trouble, sitting bottom of the league. Two goals from Marko Arnautovic while Leandro Bacuna scored for Villa.

Xherdan Shaqiri saw his free kick just wide of the target in the first half, as both teams failed to test each other’s defence during the opening period. Six minutes into the second half at Stoke were ahead. The Potters were awarded a penalty after Ashely Westwood brought down Phil Bardsley, Arnautovic stepped up and made no mistake from the spot kick.

The hosts got their second in the 56^th minute, Arnautovic yet again, his close range header flew into the net, poor defending from the visitors. Villa did get a consolation goal in the 79^th minute, Bacuna’s low shot beating Jack Butland, but the game remained 2-1 as Villa failed to pose any threats to Stoke.

 

Watford 0-0 Bournemouth.

Despite being goalless, there was lots of action during this clash at Vicarage road. Odion Ighalo and Joshua King came close for both their clubs and the game could have gone in either direction as both teams played with an aggressive manner.

Ighalo saw his shot early on well saved as Watford started brighter of the two teams. Ighalo had another glorious chance of opening the scoring, but his volley flew wide of the target. Bournemouth’s time to attack and they came close with King’s volley just over the bar.

Harry Arter saw his long range strike well saved as both teams were venturing for the opening goal. Ighalo then missed a sitter, the Hornet’s most impressive player of the season saw his close ranged header over the bar, and he’d be disappointed to not hit the target. Max Gradle had the final chance of the game as his shot was well saved.

Southampton 1-2 Chelsea.

The champions needed a late come back to taste victory at St. Mary’s Saturday afternoon. Shane Long opened the scoring for the hosts while Cesc Fabregas and Branislav Ivanovic ensured the points would be heading to London. Fraser Forster now proudly holds the record for the longest time without conceding in the league for Southampton.

Long had a good chance early on, but could not keep his headed effort down as it rose over the bar. Oscar saw his shot well saved as Chelsea started to grow into the encounter. Charlie Austin almost recorded his first home goal for his new club, his effort just wide of the post. The deadlock was broken in the 42^nd minute, Long’s quick thinking intercepted a pass between Baba Rahman and Gary Cahill, he then ran towards goal and chipped Thibaut Courtois.

Chelsea started to dominate play during the second half and John Obi Mikel saw his headed effort wide of the target. Diego Costa could not control his volley as the pressure was starting to build on the home side. Fabregas got the game back to level terms, his cross was misjudged by Forster as the ball rolled into the bottom corner. Chelsea nicked it in the 89^th minute, Ivanovic’s header was too strong for Forster as the Blues take back an important win to London with them.

 

West Ham 1-0 Sunderland.

The Hammers just edged their previous manager’s new team during the early kick off Saturday afternoon. Michail Antonio with the game’s only goal.

Mark Noble hit the bar from an outstanding long range strike, as West Ham were building confidence during the opening exchanges. Sunderland new boy, Wahbi Khazri, hit the bar from his free kick as Sunderland started to threaten. Antonio broke the deadlock for the Hammers with an impressive finish from a tight angle, his shot curling in around the post.

During the second half the Black Cats came out with an attacking attitude. Jermain Defoe saw his effort just wide of the target. Jack Rodwell then had the ball in the back of West Ham’s net, but was ruled out due to a handball from the player himself just prior to his strike. Andy Carroll hit the bar late on, his volley was hit with sheer power but could not force its way into the net.

Manchester United 3-2 Arsenal.

An enthralling encounter between the two heavyweights of English football ended in a narrow win for the Red Devils. Marcus Rashford (2) and Ander Herrera scored for the hosts while Mesut Ozil and Danny Welbeck scored for the Gunners.

David De Gea was called into action early to deny Nacho Monreal from opening the scoring. At the other end, Petr Cech kept out Memphis Depay as both teams looked threatening going forward. Rashford opened the scoring in the 29^th minute, his powerful strike could not be kept out by Cech. The hosts had doubled their lead three minutes later, Jesse Lingard’s cross was met well by Rashford in the air to give the youngster his dream start. Ozil’s free kick was headed home by Welbeck to half the deficit five minutes prior to the interval.

United restored their two goal advantage in the 65^th minute, Rashford laying off Herrera to strike the ball past Cech. Replays showing that it took a huge deflection off Laurent Koscielny. The two goal advantage lasted all of four minutes, as Ozil’s run into the box was not met and he volleyed into the floor, giving De Gea no chance. Late into the game Herrera and Aaron Ramsey clashed which resulted in the two teams holding back the players in question, both players were booked and Manchester United held on for a huge win that keeps the pressure off Louis van Gaal for now.

 

Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Swansea City.

Spurs were made to work for their home victory against a valiant Swansea team. Alberto Paloschi opened the scoring for the Swans while Danny Rose and Nacer Chadli stole the points for Tottenham.

Hugo Lloris was called into action within the opening minutes, his fantastic save to deny Gylfi Sigurdsson from close range pumped life into the home side. Erik Lamela then saw his effort fly over the bar. Harry Kane was denied by Lukas Fabianski, who had an absolutely terrific game between the sticks. Paloschi broke the deadlock in the 19^th minute, his shot beating Lloris at his near post. Fabianski had to then be at his best to deny Eric Dier from levelling the encounter, an incredible save.

In the second half it was all Tottenham, and it really was a question of when they would score. Christian Eriksen saw his free kick just wide of the post as the home side started to crank up the pressure. Kyle Walker saw his low cross converted home by Chadli, the goal sending White Hart Lane into a frenzy. Rose got the winner in the 77^th minute, his shot from just inside the box found a way into the net. Walker was denied a goal late into stoppage time, being ruled offside.