Kickoff chronicles

The latest match week in the Premier League kicked off at an earlier date of Wednesday night due to the Carabao Cup final this weekend starring Liverpool and Chelsea. Today’s game was at Anfield with Liverpool hosting Rob Edwards’ Luton Town. Despite Liverpool opening the game strongly and creating multiple chances, Luton took the lead in the 12th minute. Tahith Chong received the ball from outside the Liverpool area and progressed inside. He took a shot and the Liverpool keeper Caoimhin Kelleher was unable to retrieve his shot properly and Chiedozie Ogbene was there to head the ball into an empty net. Liverpool continued their dominance over Luton but were unable to find anything in the final third. The half ended 0-1 with Luton looking to throw a spanner in the title race. Liverpool came back out determined and found their first just 10 minutes in. Reds captain Virgil Van Dijk was the man to inspire a Liverpool comeback when he powerfully headed in a corner from Alexis Mac Allister. The home side found another goal only 2 minutes after their first. Liverpool took a quick throw from the left wing where Mac Allister crossed it in to Cody Gakpo. Gakpo had lighting reflexes and headed it into the back of the net before any Luton defender could react. Liverpool found their 3rd just 12 minutes later when Diaz’s tricky feet down the right side of the area were too much for the Luton defence to handle. After he danced his way around, he took it on his left and thrashed it past Luton keeper Thomas Kaminski. Number 4 came in the 90th minute when Cody Gakpo was tackled inside the area. Luton defender Tenden Mengi was unlucky when his challenge fell into the path of Harvey Elliot who curled it into the top left corner. It ended 4-1 proving a great result leading into Liverpool’s cup final and it also takes them 4 points clear of Man.City in the table. Luton however sit in 18th place on 20 points.

The second game of the match week was staged in Birmingham with Aston Villa taking on Nottingham Forest on the Saturday afternoon. The thrilling game got off to a enticing start in the 4th minute when Leon Bailey received the ball down the right wing from John McGinn. He proved too tricky for the Forest defence and he put it on a plate for Villa striker Ollie Watkins to tap into an empty net. Villa found their second down the same side of the pitch when Matty Cash passed it into Jacob Ramsey who was forced into a pass straight away. He calmly laid it away to Douglas Luiz who buried it into the right side of the net, extending his amazing season in finding the back of the goal. It appeared that the three points were going to be all wrapped up after just 45 minutes when Luiz found his second, this time heading in a cross from John McGinn. Fortunately for Forest, they found a goal just before the interval when Moussa Niakhate chested in a ball headed across the box from Taiwo Awonyi, proving Forest weren’t finished just yet. The half finished 3-1 but the home fans were still not 100 percent sure their team had done enough. Early on in the first half, the home supporters’ worries were justified when Anthony Elenga poked the ball to Divock Origi who was placed just outside the area. He didn’t panic and took his time in finding Morgan Gibbs-White. Origi threaded the ball through beautifully to Gibbs-White who chipped the ball over the outcoming Villa keeper, Emi Martinez to reduce the deficit to just one. Villa looked to wrap up the three points when Leon Bailey scored in the 61st minute. Youri Tielemans won the ball and passed it through to Watkins where his shot was saved. It bobbled around in the area but Bailey got the all important touch and tapped the ball into an empty net. The Villans were able to hold out for the win, increasing the gap between them in 4th spot, and Spurs in 5th. Forest however stay in 16th place. 

The second game on Saturday afternoon was to be played on the south coast with Brighton hosting Everton at the AMEX Stadium. 

The game got off to a slow start and the first half finished goaless but both managers would have been happy with the chances their respective teams were creating. Everton should have found the lead in the 57th minute when a beautiful cross from Dwight McNeil from the left wing was met by a blistering first time volley by Abdoulaye Doucoure. The Toffees would have gone up if not for a timely intervention from Brighton wing back, Tariq Lamptey when he found himself in the perfect position to head the ball off the line. Everton finally  found the lead in the 73rd minute when a free kick fell into the path of Jarrad Branthwatie. He fell as he struck the ball, but that helped it as he watched it rise into the top right area of the goal. Things only got worse for the home side when Billy Gilmour was shown a red card for a dangerous challenge on Amadou Onana in the 81st minute. Brighton weren’t to go away with nothing when Pascal Gross’ cross into the box in the 5th minute of stoppage time found the head of Brighton legend and captain, Lewis Dunk who directed the ball into the far corner past Everton keeper Jordan Pickford. It all finished 1-1 with both teams disappointed they couldn’t pick up all 3. This point takes Brighton to 7th in the table and leaves Everton still in 17th.

The next game of the match week was at Selhurst Park with Crystal Palace taking on 19th placed Burnley. Palace dominated the first half and it only got worse for Burley when Josh Browhill saw red after stopping a goal scoring opportunity. It happened from a bad pass from Burnley Goalkeeper, James Trafford which fell right to the path of Jefferson Lerma where Brownhill was forced to intervene. The half ended goalless but Palace had a huge advantage leading into the second with Burley down a man. Palace found the opener in the 68th minute when Chris Richards got down low to head in a cross from the right wing by Jordan Ayew. It was Palace’s first goal scored under new manager Oliver Glasner. The Eagles found a second in the 71st minute when they hit Burnley on the counter attack down the left wing. Matheus Fanca played a perfect ball across the 6 yard box where Ayew slid in to smash past Trafford in goal. They found a third 8 minutes later when they hit the Clarets on the break again. Franca found himself running into the box where he was brought down by 2nd half substitute, Vitinho. Jean Phillipe-Mateta was the Palace player to take the spot kick which he scored with no problem whatsoever. Burnley thought they had scored a consolation with 3 minutes to go but VAR found David Datro Fofana’s tap in to be offside. Palace held onto their convincing lead with the game ending 3-0. It was a perfect start for Glasner as the new Palace manager. Burnley however are not doing so well still sitting in 19th place and Palace rising to 13th.

The next game of the match week was played at the Theatre of Dreams with Manchester United hosting Fulham. Fulham surprised most fans and pundits when they came out quick and were creating multiple chances. Fortunately for United, they were unable to convert any with Manchester goalkeeper Andre Onana coming to the rescue on many occasions. The half ended 0-0 with Erik Ten Hag’s men left with a lot to improve on. Fulham then threw a spanner in the works for United’s Champions League hopes when they found an opener 65 minutes in. It came through an Andreas Pereira corner which fell to the path of Calvin Bassey. The Nigerian international stuck the ball but it hit his teammate Timothy Castagne. Castagne was not to get in the way of Bassey’s second effort as he watched it fly past Onana and hit the roof of the net. United left it late but they finally found an equaliser in the 89th minute. Captain Bruno Fernandes put a dangerous ball into the Fulham area which forced keeper Bernd Leno to come out and deal with it. He didn’t clear it properly and Harry Maguire was quick to smash in the rebound. There was more drama yet to come though. Fulham forged one last counter attack through second half substitute, Adama Traore. His frighting speed matched with his powerful strength proved too much for Man.United’s midfield as he charged down the right wing. He progressed into the Fulham box and laid it off to Alex Iwobi. Iwobi cut it onto his right foot and curled it into the left corner, winning the game for Fulham. The game ended 1-2 with Fulham picking up a huge 3 points. United however stay 6th with the gap between them and 4th place enlarging. Fulham stay in 12th on 32 points but are slowly making their way up the table.

The next game of the match week on the Saturday afternoon was played at the Vitality Stadium with Bournemouth hosting Manchester City. City started the game the way they planned to when Erling Haaland had his shot saved by Cherries keeper Neto but it fell to the inform Phil Foden who had an empty net to aim for. The travelling side dominated the rest of the half but were unable to find a second leading into the interval. Bournemouth came back out after the first half knowing the game could still go either way. Bournemouth were all over City in the second half and it was a shock to Pep’s team as they usually have most of the ball. The hosts were creating chance after chance but just failed to find the final touch in the City area. The Champions held out for a tough away win and went home with all 3 points, leaving them just 1 point away from league leaders Liverpool. Bournemouth still sit in a comfortable position of 14th but dropped from 13th due to Palace beating Burnley.

The last game on Saturday was at the Emirates with Arsenal hosting Eddie Howe’s Newcastle. Arsenal found their first in the 18th minute when Gabriel headed the ball off a corner at the Newcastle goal. This caused confusion between their defences and Loris Karius, the Newcastle keeper and it eventually went in off Centre Back, Sven Botman. Their second came 5 minutes later when Gabriel Martinelli received the ball out wide in the Newcastle box from Martin Odergaard. He cut it back for Kai Havertz to knock in the Gunner’s second. The half ended 2-0 with Arsenal running riot in this game. It didn’t take long for the hosts to pick up where they left off. Bukayo Saka received the ball just outside the area and progressed in. He cut back and placed his shot perfectly into the bottom left corner. No.4 came 4 minutes later when Jakob Kiwor got his head to an inswinging Declan Rice corner. Arsenal made a few tactical substitutions, taking off some key players to rest them for their upcoming fixture list. Newcastle found themselves a consolation in the 84th minute through ex Gunner Joe Willock. Dan Burn crossed a ball into the box for the sprinting Willock to head past Arsenal Goalkeeper David Raya. The game finished 4-1 taking Mikel Arteta’s men to 3rd in the table but 1 point behind Man.City and 2 behind Liverpool. Newcastle however sit 10th after Wolves and West Ham picked up wins later on in the week.

The next game of the match week was played on a Sunday afternoon with Wolves hosting Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United. Despite United opening the game with multiple chances, Wolves found the first goal on the half hour mark when Pablo Sarabia rose high to nod in Rayan Ait-Nouri’s cross. It was a perfect header to give the home support something to cheer about. Wolves saw out the first half 1-0 but there was still work to be done for Gary O’Neil’s men. Sheffield United however were left with a mountain to climb. The second half saw both teams create big chances but neither could capitalise on the opportunities they formed. Wolves held on to a huge three points in their hope for European football again. It only goes from bad to worse for United as they still sit rock bottom of the league.

The final game of the match week was played in East London on a Monday night with West Ham taking on Brentford. The Hammers got off to an electric start with Jarrod Bowen opening the scoring after just 5 minutes. Emerson dribbled down the left wing and cut it back to Bowen who took a touch and smashed it into the near post on the volley leaving Bees keeper Mark Flekken with no chance. 2 minutes later, West Ham found another. Vladimir Coufal received the ball down the right wing from Mohammed Kudus. He passed it into the box where Bowen side footed the ball calmly into the corner making it a brace for himself. It was a bit of a shock to the system for Thomas Frank’s side and they got one back just 6 minutes later through Neal Maupay. Keane Lewis-Potter found himself with acres of space outside the area and he passed it into the box to Maupay whose shot flew past Alphonse Areola and into the top corner. After three goals in the opening 15 minutes, there was no more to come in the first half but West Ham continued to create more opportunities. The Hammers kicked off the second half exactly how the home fans would have wanted when the tricky feet of Kudus dribbled down the right wing. He chipped a beautiful ball into the box for Bowen to head in and score his first senior hat trick of his career. West Ham found their 4th 6 minutes later when a clearance from the Brentford area fell to the feet of Emerson. The Italian heard a few calls for a shot around the ground and let one fly. His left footed strike fizzed past Flekken and rippled the back of the net to make it 4-1. Brentford didn’t give up and found a consolation in  the 84th minute through Yoane Wissa. He picked up the ball outside the West Ham area and curled one into the bottom right nicely. The hosts were able to hold out for a first win of 2024 taking them to 8th in the table. Bretford are left in 16th with Everton having their deduction reduced to just 6 points instead of 10.

Written by Ollie Wade