Kickoff chronicles

Newcastle United vs Arsenal

The opening game of Premier League matchweek 10 saw Eddie Howe’s Newcastle host Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal at St. James’ Park. A sluggish start to the game from the travelling Gunners allowed Newcastle to find the lead at St. James. Sean Longstaff played the ball into the path of Anthony Gordon who whipped in a brilliant cross with his first touch. Alexander Isak then rose high to head the ball past Arsenal keeper David Raya, rubbing salt in the wounds of the away end. Arsenal came so close to equalising in the 26th minute when Declan Rice saw his corner cause major problems for the Magpies’ defence. Mikel Merino then fired a shot which was only stopped by the back of Lewis Hall. At half time, Arteta’s side found themselves in another hole with the score standing at 1-0.

The start of the 2nd period was dominated by the hosts with Joe Wilock keen to get on the score sheet against his former employer, having one effort saved by Raya and another just rising over the upright. Arsenal then started to realise the potential consequences of a loss at St. James which provoked them to vastly improve. Their best chance of a late leveller came in the 3rd minute of stoppage time where Bukayo Saka’s cross from the right wing was put embarrassingly wide by Declan Rice, who should have at least hit the target for the Gunners. At full time, the score finished 1-0 with Newcastle snatching points from another title contending side at home. Howe’s side sit 10th in the table after a brilliant performance and back to back home wins against Arteta’s team. Arsenal failed to win for the 3rd league game in a row as they sit 5th in the table. Martin Odegaard’s injury is proving an ongoing problem for them, being their skipper and main source of creativity in the midfield.

Bournemouth vs Manchester City

The second game of matchweek 10 saw Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth host Pep Guardiola’s,top of the table, Manchester City at the Vitality Stadium. After having a huge chance saved early on, the Cherries found a fully deserved opener inside 10 minutes. Bournemouth’s young full back, Milos Kerkez, made a strong run down the left wing, taking the ball across the goal line before squaring it to Antonie Semenyo. The Ghanaian showed brilliant strength to hold off Josko Gvardiol before he rolled the ball into the bottom right corner on the spin. It was fair to say it was an even half in terms of big chances, with Erling Haaland missing with a volley from point blank range just before the interval. At half time the score remained 1-0 with Bournemouth threatening to turn over another title contending team at the Vitality.

Bournemouth were showing no signs of slowing down as Evanilson almost scored with just 30 seconds on the clock in the 2nd half. Finally, in the 64th minute, the Cherries doubled their advantage after the sliding Evanilson was able to find the bottom left corner after his outstretched boot met Kerkez’s ball across the penalty area. It was a brilliant goal which could prove costly in City’s title charge. The hosts came so very close to sealing a famous win over the Citizens when Marcus Tavernier hit the post from outside the penalty area before Adam Smith put the ball over the bar with the goal gaping. City pounced on Smith’s miss just minutes later when their goal scoring defender, Gvardiol, put the ball past Mark Travers with a brilliant header into the top left corner from the cross of Ilkay Gundogan. Pep’s side then hit top gear, with Travers being forced into some big saves in the next few minutes, stopping Jeremy Doku’s shot from finding the bottom corner and keeping out an Erling Haaland header from point blank range. With just seconds to play in stoppage time, City created one last chance after Rico Lewis found Phil Foden outside the penalty area. Foden composed himself before thrashing a shot at Travers’ goal, watching as the ball fizzed agonisingly wide of the post. With that being the last action of the tie, Bournemouth saw the game out 2-1 winning their first Premier League game over Manchester City and ending their 33 game unbeaten run. The Cherries sit 9th in the table on a solid 15 points. City dropped to 2nd after Liverpool won earlier on, but Pep will blame this game on a growing list of vital injured players.

Ipswich Town vs Leicester City

The following game of the matchweek saw two promoted teams play off at Portman Road with Scott McKenna’s Ipswich Town host Steve Cooper’s Leicester City. The Foxes dominated the majority of the first half and would have gone into the interval with a lead if not for the brilliant saves by Arijanet Muric between the sticks for the Tractor Boys. The hosts did have a chance to go ahead just before the break when Conor Chaplin saw his solo effort from outside the penalty area whisk wide of the top left. At half time the score remained 0-0.

Ten minutes into the second period, Ipswich took the lead in spectacular fashion. Skipper Sam Morsey played a lovely lofted ball into the path of Leif Davies who had made a late run into the Foxes’ penalty area. The full back then unleashed quite a sumptuous strike, watching the ball all the way before lashing it into the far corner, giving the hosts a priceless lead. In the 76th minute, right after Ipswich had asked for a penalty, referee Tim Robinson was forced to send off Kalvin Phillips for a rash challenge on Leicester’s Ricardo Pereira. It was yet another horrendous moment in the sad and diminishing career of Phillips who was shown a second yellow. With only a few minutes of stoppage time to play, Ipswich thought they had held out Leicester for a famous first home win in the Premier League for over 20 years. Unfortunately for the Tractor Boys, substitute and new Midlands hero, Jordan Ayew, had other ideas. The Ghanaian picked the ball up down the left wing where he looked to run at Ipswich. Ayew played a neat and concise 1-2 with Jamie Vardy before slotting the ball into the bottom right corner, tearing apart the Ipswich defence entirely. At full time, the score finished all square at 1-1. McKenna saw his side stay in 18th with 5 points, failing to hold onto the 3 points which would have taken them into temporary safety. Phillips will not be missed in the next game by the Ipswich fans. Leicester sit 15th on the table with 10 points  thanks to another late goal by new signing Ayew.

Liverpool vs Brighton

The next game of the match week saw Arne Slot’s Liverpool host Fabian Hurzeler’s Brighton at Anfield. The Liverpool fans would have felt slightly more relaxed about this fixture after Arsenal failed to pick up any points in the north just hours earlier. Brighton did shock the 53,000 fans at Anfield when Ferdi Kadioglu smashed in his first Premier League goal in white and blue. Karou Mitoma’s ball in from the left wing was not dealt with properly which saw it travel all the way to the back post where Kadioglu had made a late run. It was unintentionally flicked on by Danny Welbeck, helping it fall nicely for the Turk. The full back then unleashed a shot, watching it spin all the way into the bottom left corner. The Seagulls dominated the remaining minutes of the 1st half and would have been disappointed they couldn’t find a 2nd. At half time the score remained 0-1.

Livrpool came out the block fired up for the following 45 minutes with Alexis Mac Allister drawing a superb stop from Bart Verbruggen early on. In the 70th minute, the Reds found the greatly desired goal to tie them level. Cody Gakpo crossed the ball in from the left wing which was not dealt with by the Brighton defenders nor pounced on by the Liverpool players in the penalty area which saw it drop all the way into the bottom right corner. Liverpool then completed a 2 minute turnaround when Mohamed Salah rolled back the years with yet another Anfield screamer. Curtis Jones played the ball down the right wing to Salah who accelerated into the penalty area. The Egyptian king chopped back onto his wand of a left boot before thrashing the ball into the top right corner. The hosts held out the remaining 18 minutes which saw them take top spot in the league, winning 25 points from a potential 30 after the first 10 games. Brighton saw their 0-1 lead at the break slip from their hands, but against a tough opposition. Hurzeler’s team sits 8th on the table with 16 points.

Nottingham Forest vs West Ham United

The following game of matchweek 10 saw Nuno Espirito’s high flying Nottingham Forest host Julen Lopetegui’s underperforming West Ham United. After yet another average start from the Hammers, Forest took a thoroughly deserved lead through their main man, Chris Wood. Villa loanee, Alex Moreno, chipped in a ball from the left wing where the unmarked Kiwi was free to head the ball past Lukasz Fabainski in the West Ham net. The Hammers came inches away from equalising just before the interval when Lucas Paqueta’s volley was cleared off the line brilliantly by goalscorer, Wood. Seconds before the half time whistle, the game was all but sealed when West Ham midfielder Edson Alverez was shown a second yellow card for an absolutely reckless and unneeded challenge on Forest’s Anthony Elenga. Elenga had backed himself into a corner with no one in support where the Mexican stupidly slid in and took the Swede out. At half time, Forest led 1-0 with a 1 man advantage as well. 

Forest doubled their advantage 20 minutes into the 2nd period when Callum Hudson-Odoi scored from outside the area yet again in what had become almost a trademark goal for the Englishman. Ryan Yates squared the ball to Odoi who immediately shaped to shoot. His shot curled around the West Ham defenders before finding the bottom corner, with West Ham keeper Fabianski left embarrassed that he couldn’t keep the ball out. In the 78th minute, Forest started to have a bit of fun, running riot over West Ham. Ola Aina, arguably the best right back in the league this season, picked the ball outside the area which bounced kindly into his path. The Nigerian unleashed a wicked volley, watching it fly into the top left corner. In the remaining 12 minutes of the game, Forest should have scored many more if not for the brilliant saves from Fabianski and Ryan Yates scoring from close range, only to be offside. The fixture finished 3-0 with Forest knowing it should well have been 5 or 6 given how poor the Hammers were. Forest jumped into 3rd on the table, losing just 1 game this season and continuing to shine under Nuno. Forest were 15th in the table when the Portuguese manager took over last season. West Ham delivered yet another shocking performance as they sit 14th in the table with Everton at home next week a must win for Lopetegui if he is to keep his position as head coach.

Southampton vs Everton

The next game of matchweek 10 saw the winless Russell Martin’s Southampton play fellow relegation threatened Sean Dyche’s Everton at St. Mary’ Stadium. The Saints were playing well in the first half, as they so often do, but failed to convert. Cameron Archer had one of his shots fired just wide of the far post and Adam Armstrong had his dangerous ball into the penalty area deflected away from goal via the outstretched palm of Toffee’s keeper Jordan Pickford. Just before the interval, Taylor Harwood-Bellis had an unmarked header from an Adam Lallana corner which he just put wide of the far post. At half time, the score remained 0-0 with the home fans left frustrated that their side couldn’t take the lead.

Everton came out playing much better in the second half with Aaron Ramsdale forced into making some huge saves to keep the scores level. The Toffees almost snatched the lead in the 85th minute when a free kick was lobbed all the way to the back post where James Tarkowski cushioned it over into the penalty area. Ready to pounce was super substitute Beto who had to watch his headed effort rattle off the upright and start a counter for the Saints. The ball went from one end of the pitch to the other after Harwood-Bellis sent Yukinari Sugawara off down the right wing. Sugawara revived the ball just outside the penalty area, waiting for the perfect pass to arrive. He opted to play the ball directly across the penalty area to Armstrong who curled his shot perfectly past Pickford to give the hosts a valuable lead. Everton thought they had equalised only seconds later after Tarkowski played a perfect lofted ball into the path of Beto who was through on goal. Beto then put the ball past Ramsdale in superb fashion before checking his shoulder to realise he was offside. The Saints held out for the remaining minutes, winning their first game of the Premier League season 1-0 which took them out of 20th place and into 19th. Everton sit 16th on the table with just 9 points, meaning they will have to get a result at the London Stadium next week if they are to keep their heads above water.

Wolves vs Crystal Palace

The final game on Saturday evening in matchweek 10 was a big game for both sides with Gary O’Neil’s Wolves hosting Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace at the Molineux Stadium. The Eagles dominated the first 45 minutes and would’ve scored in the 36th if Palace new signing Ismaila Sarr hadn’t blocked the volley from Jean Philippe-Mateta. At half time, the score remained 0-0 with the travelling side unlucky not to be leading. 

Fifteen minutes into the 2nd period, Palace found a fully deserved opener after Trevoh Chalobah scored his first in red and blue. A Will Hughes free kick was punched out awkwardly by Wolves keeper Jose Sa. Sa had come a long way off his line, leaving his goal wide open for Chalobah to volley the ball into an empty net. Only 7 minutes after Chalobah scored for the travelling side, he found himself heavily involved in Wolves’ equaliser. Chalobah failed to deal with an aerial pass to Mathues Cunha which left Wolves in a 2v1 situation. Cunha squared the ball to Wolves talisman Jorgen Strand Larsen who was left with the easy task of controlling the ball before slotting it past the so far unbeatable Dean Henderson. Just 5 minutes later, Wolves completed the turn around. Cunha, Wolves’ star man so far, played a brilliant diagonal into the path of Goncalo Guedes who had acres of space in the Palace penalty area. The Portuguese international then dummied a shot before cutting the ball back to Joao Gomes who slotted the ball into the bottom right corner. Crystal Palace then set up a grand finale when they equalised in the 77th minute. Palace scored yet again through a set piece, this time it was another centre half, Marc Guehi. You could say the Palace skipper used his head in more ways than one to put Daniel Munoz’s cross into the back of the net and past Sa in goal. The away fans then went wild with just seconds to play after Mateta passed the ball into the back of the net after Munoz dispossessed Sa leaving the Frenchman with an open goal. Unfortunately for the Eagles, their last minute winner was disallowed as Sa had both hands on the ball when Munoz dispossessed him. The score finished 2-2, with both sides seeing this as a chance wasted to claim 3 points. Wolves drop to 20th in the league, still winless with just 3 points. Palace remain 17th in the league, only safe by 2 points.

Tottenham Hotspur vs Aston Villa

The first game played on Sunday in matchweek 10 saw Ange Postecoglu’s Tottenham host Unai Emery’s Aston Villa at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. After a slow start to proceedings for the hosts, Aston Villa started to create chances. Eventually, the Villains stole the lead in the 32nd minute when they exposed Tottenham Hotspurs inability to defend set pieces. John McGinn’s corner was not dealt with by the Spurs defenders or keeper and their own Pedro Porro flicked the ball over right into the path of Morgan Rodgers who had an uncontested net to smash the ball into. At half time, the score was standing at 0-1 with Tottenham staring down consecutive league defeats.

Ange’s side then found a much needed equaliser just minutes into the 2nd half through Brennan Johnson, who has been brilliant in front of goal this season. Skipper Son Heung-Min whipped in a brilliant cross from the left wing to the back post where Johnson was able to tap the ball past the recent Yashin Trophy winner (Best goalkeeper in the world), Emiliano Martinez. Spurs completed their turnaround in the 75th minute after they finally broke the resilient Villa defence for the second time in the afternoon. Pape Sarr played a nice ball into the path of Johnson whose deft touch gave Dejan Kulusevski time and space outside the penalty area. The Swede then played a quality reverse pass to Dominic Solanke who had timed his run to perfection. The ex-Cherry then dinked the ball over the outcoming Martinez to give Spurs the lead. Four minutes later Solanke completed his brace and sealed the 3 points for the hosts. Sarr was once again heavily involved, intercepting a poor pass from Pau Torres before driving into the penalty area and spreading the ball wide to Richarlison. The Brazilian drilled the ball dangerously across the 6 yard area where Solanke was able to bundle the ball over the line making it 3-1. Tottenham finished the game off in style when James Maddison left his calling card on the pitch with only seconds to play. The hosts won a free kick just outside the penalty area which Maddison took quickly, beautifully curling the ball into the top right corner and leaving Martinez with no chance of saving it. At full time the score finished 4-1 with Spurs turning over 2 of last season’s top 4 in the past week (Man.City 2-1 in the Carabao cup Rd of 16). Ange’s side sit 7th in the table on 16 points, 2 points behind Emery’s Villa who sit in 6th. 

Manchester United vs Chelsea

The final game played on Sunday evening in matchweek 10 saw Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Manchester United take on Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea at the Theatre of Dreams. Van Nistelrooy has been appointed the United manager for the next 2 Premier League games until Sporting CP head coach, Rubin Amorim, takes over on November the 17th after the international break. It was fair to say Chelsea dominated the possession for the first 45 minutes but it was the Red Devils that missed the bigger chances. Alejandro Garnacho had a shot from close range easily saved by Spanish and Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez and Marcus Rashford almost scored a spectacular volley with the last kick of the half, if not for hitting the upright. At half time, the game was tightly poised at 0-0.

After 70 goalless minutes, United finally opened the game through a spot kick. Casemiro played a lofted pass into the path of Rasmus Hojlund in the penalty area who immediately took it down before rounding Sanchez. Sanchez made an attempt to grab the ball but the Dane was quick, rolling the ball around him and winning the foul once the Spainard’s outstretched arm brought Hojlund down. Bruno Fernandes stepped up and dispatched the penalty perfectly, finally opening his Premier League account for the season and making it 3 goals in his last 2 games under Ruud. Fast forward 4 minutes and it was Chelsea who equalised in spectacular fashion. Cole Palmer’s corner looked to have been dealt with by Casemiro who had headed the ball out of the penalty area. Unmarked with time to strike the ball was Moises Caicedo who conjured up a strike from the football heavens, watching the ball all the way before thrashing it into the bottom left corner, making for an unstoppable goal. With the game tied at 1-1, neither side ever looked convincing in the final 3rd, resulting in the game finishing all square at 1-1. Manchester United picked up a point which took them to 13th in the table while Chelsea dropped to 4th after Forest won at home to West Ham.

Fulham vs Brentford

The curtain draw to the 10th week of the 24/25 Premier League campaign saw Marco Silva’s Fulham host Thomas Frank’s Brentford in what looked like an exciting Monday night fixture at Craven Cottage. After a promising start from the Cottagers, it was actually the Bees who took a shock lead in the 24th minute through Vitaly Janelt. The German received the ball from Christian Norgaard about 25 yards out where he shaped to shoot on his favoured left boot. Janelt hit it wonderfully, watching as it bent around Fulham keeper Bernd Leno and rolled down the far side netting. Fulham continued to dominate afterwards but failed to score meaning Brentford went into halftime as 0-1 leaders, with Marco SIlva left frustrated his team couldn’t convert.

Fulham were once again the dominant side in the 2nd half, with Thomas Frank subbing off star attackers such as Yoanne Wissa and Bryan Mbuemo to put more defensive players on the pitch to keep the hosts at bay. Finally, in the 2nd minute of stoppage time, the Cottagers scored a fully deserved equaliser. It was the 2 subs, Adama Traore and Harry Wilson, who combined to score the goal, Traore crossing the ball in and Wilson with the acrobatic backheel, to poke the ball past the so far unbeatable Mark Flekken in the Brentford net. Wilson’s goal then sprung the Bees back into life, with ex Fulham midfielder, Fabio Carvalho, coming so close to scoring on his return to Craven Cottage. Mads Roerslev played a direct and dangerous ball across the penalty area where Carvalho drew a strong save off the wrist of the German Leno. Then, with quite possibly the last touch of the fixture, Antonee Robinson chipped the ball into the penalty area with referee Stuart Atwell seconds away from blowing his whistle. With the majority of Craven Cottage left with their hearts in their throats, the super sub Wilson threw himself at the American’s cross, watching as his spectacular headed effort found the top corner, completing one of the great Premier League comebacks. With that the last effort of the game, the hosts won an exhilarating game at the Cottage, taking them to 9th in the league with Wilson the protagonist. Frank’s side will be distraught they threw away a lead they had worked so hard to protect as the Bees sit 12th in the league, this time on the wrong end of a superb Premier League fight back.

Written by Ollie Wade