Kickoff chronicles

The 24th week of the Premier League kicked off at the Etihad Stadium with current champions, Manchester City hosting 18th placed Everton. The Toffees had the first chance of the game when Jeremy Doku was disposed of outside the Man.City penalty area. Dwight McNeil threaded a ball through to Ben Godfrey but strong defending by Nathan Ake prevented Godfrey from getting a meaningful shot away. Man.City dominated the rest of the half but failed to find the final predator touch in the Everton area. City finally found the opener in the 71st minute when a corner bobbled around in the Toffees penalty area. Ake managed to get a little flick on the ball to find Erling Haaland who lashed the ball into the back of the net, leaving Everton keeper Jordan Pickford with no chance. The Citizens found their second in the 84th minute when a usual source of service in Kevin De Bruyne played a ball through to Haaland who was in on goal. The Norwegian shoved off a challenge from Jarrad Branthwatie and slotted the ball into the bottom left corner winning the game for the hosts. Everton thought they had found a consolation in the 89th minute when Lewis Dobbin, who had only been subbed on moments before, slipped the ball to Beto. Beto buried the ball past City keeper Ederson but he was flagged offside. The match finished 2-0 taking City to the top of the table but Liverpool still to play. Everton stay in the relegation zone, one point away from Luton Town.

The second game of matchweek 24 was played in West London with Fulham hosting Bournemouth at Craven Cottage. Fulham struck the first blow of the game when Rodrigo Muniz cut the ball into the Cherries penalty area. Lewis Cook was first to it but slipped and Bobby De Cordova-Reid was there to punish him, tucking the ball into the bottom left past Bournemouth keeper Neto. Fulham were rewarded with a second after their constant domination when ever present, WIllian, floated a ball into the Cherries area. De Cordova-Reid headed it across goal with a diving Muniz there to make contact and put the Cottagers ahead by 2. The half ended 2-0 with Marco Silva the more jubilant of the managers. Bournemouth started the second period ideally when Marcos Senesi volleyed in a cutback headed from Dominic Solanke. The Cherries were unable to complete the comeback though when Muniz made it a brace for himself after just 2 minutes. Willan received the ball out on the left wing and crossed a ball over to the back post. There to cushion it in was inform Rodrigo Muniz who had almost got Fulham over the line with the goal that restored their 2 goal advantage. Fulham’s best chance to get back in the game was in the 58th minute when Dominic Solanke’s bicycle kick effort caught a deflection of Fulham defender Issa Diop, and floated just over the bar. The game finished 3-1 with Fulham leapfrogging Bournemouth and taking their place in 12th. 

The 3rd game to be played on Saturday afternoon was held at Anfield with Jurgan Klopp’s Liverpool taking on Vincent Kompany’s Burnley. The game started off slowly but Liverpool found their first on the half hour mark. A Trent Alexander-Arnold corner found the head of Diogo Jota who had an empty net to aim at with Burnley keeper James Trafford failing to get to the ball. With Liverpool dominating the half, it was a bit of a shock to the home fans when Burnley found an equaliser on the stroke of half time. A corner in from Josh Brownhill found the head of Dara O’Shea, whose bullet header found the top right corner, leaving Liverpool keeper Caoimhin Kelleher with no chance of reaching it. The half ended 1-1 with Burnley rewarded for their resilient defending. It didn’t take long in the second half for Liverpool to find the back of the net. Harvey Elliot received the ball in the wide area of the Burnley area and crossed the ball into the box. It caught a deflection off Burnley defender Maxime Esteve, with Luis Diaz improvising and diving down low to head the ball across the line. Burnley didn’t let their heads fall with David Datro Fofana fluffing his lines and not scoring in two huge one on one chances. Liverpool finally put the game to bed when Elliot crossed in another ball from the right wing in the 78th minute. His ball found the back of Darwin Nunez’s head who expertly flicked it inside the near post, winning the game for the Reds. The match ended 3-1 taking Liverpool to the summit of the table, and Burley languishing in 19th.

The next game played on Saturday afternoon was held at Kenilworth Road with Luton hosting bottom placed Sheffield United. United scored the first of the encounter just as the half hour mark ticked over. Cameroon Archer was the one with his name on the scoreboard after missing a sitter minutes before. He spirited past a challenge from Gabriel Osho and progressed into the Luton area. He got into the 6 yard box and slotted it past Thomas Kaminski, unchallenged in the process. The Blades found a second 6 minutes later through a penalty. The man in the middle, Chris Kavanagh didn’t give it at first glance, but VAR recommended a second look after Vini Souza headed it into the outstretched arm of Reece Burke off a Sheffield United corner. James McAtee stepped up to take it and slotted it past Kaminski into the bottom right corner. The half ended 0-2 leaving Luton with much to improve on. They found their way back into the game after just 3 minutes when a mirror image of the first half happened. A Luton corner found a Luton head and then a Sheffield United arm giving Luton a lifeline. Carlton Morris stepped up to take the kick and did not disappoint when he tucked it away, wrong footing Wes Foderingham. The Blades finally found the crucial blow when Ben Osborn found Vini Souza outside the area in acres of space. He took a touch and smashed it into the bottom right corner, taking all three points back to Sheffield in the process. It ended 1-3 with Chris Wilder’s men taking all points available in a pivotal fight for survival. Both teams stay where they are in 20th and 17th, but United close the gap in the relegation zone.

The next game played on Saturday was held in North London with Tottenham taking on Brighton at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Brighton kicked off well and were too much for Tottenham with Guglielmo Vicario making a crucial save within the opening 90 seconds. Brighton eventually found a way through when good link up play inside the Spurs area between Danny Welbeck and Facundo Buonanotte resulted in Micky van de Ven fouling Welbeck. Pascal Gross stepped up to take the penalty and put it past Vicario professionally, putting the Seagulls ahead on the 17 minute mark. Tottenham dominated the rest of the half but struggled to find the final attacking touch in the Brighton area. The half finished 0-1 with Ange Postucoglu’s men left with a mountain to climb in the second half. They kicked off perfectly in the second half, equalling the game in the 61st minute. Pape Sarr was released into the Brighton penalty area by Dejan Kulusevski and tried to tap it across goal to Richarlison who was unmarked. Lewis Dunk got in the way and cleared it only into the post. It fell back to the feet of Sarr who was selfish this time and scored the goal for Spurs. The next half hour was equal in terms of chances with the game in the balance. Tottenham created one more chance in the last minute of added time. Richarlison played a ball through to Son who was in the left side of the Seagulls penalty area. He passed the ball across the box to Brennan Johnson who was unmarked and smashed the ball into the roof of the net to win the game for the hosts. This result sees Spurs sneak into the top 4 but with Aston Villa yet to play and Brighton drop to 9th after other results on Saturday.

The 6th game of the week was held in the Midlands with Wolverhampton Wanderers hosting Brentford at the Molineux. With Brentford having most of the chances in the opening half an hour, they finally found the back of the net in the 35th minute. Sergio Reguilon’s corner found the head of Christian Norgaard who had made a run into the 6 yard box. Mark Flekken was forced into a brilliant save just before the interval when he somehow clawed out a header destined for the bottom corner from Pedro Neto. The half ended 0-1 with the away fans hopeful they could hold onto their advantage. Early into the second half, Wolves thought they had equalised when Pedro Neto’s inswinging cross caught a little flick off the head of Craig Dawson, sending it into the far corner but VAR found it to be offside. It seemed likely that Wolves were going to find a leveller, but Brentford put those assumptions to bed when they hit the home side on the counter. Vitaly Janelt put a ball into the middle of the Wolves area for Ivan Toney to hit on the half volley and earn Brentford a crucial 3 points in the fight for Premier League stability. The game finished 0-2 taking the Bees to 14th place and Wolves staying in 10th but both team positions are vulnerable to the game at Selhurst Park on Monday night.

The final game played on Saturday afternoon was held at the City Ground with Nottingham Forest taking on Newcastle United. Newcastle started much more fluently and found themselves ahead inside just 10 minutes. Newcastle took a short corner and Kieran Trippier crossed it into the back post. Incoming was an unmarked Bruno Gumiaraes who was able to cushion it into the far corner, past Forest keeper Matz Sels. Forest hit back just 15 minutes  later through a regular source of goal in Anthony Elanga. After having a one on one chance saved just minutes before, he made the most of this chance when once again, he out paced Dan Burn in a race to the through ball from Morgan Gibbs-White. Elanga hit it first time and passed it through the legs of an out rushing Newcastle keeper, Martin Dubravka. Newcastle regained their lead just before half time through another well structured set piece. It was a free kick from the halfway point that lobbed into the Forest area. Sven Botman flicked it down to his fellow Newcastle centre back, Fabian Schar who volleyed it into the bottom left corner, giving the Magpies the advantage. Newcastle thought they were going into the break ahead but Callum Hudson-Odoi managed to level the tie with the last kick of the half. He played a one two with Nicolas Dominguez inside the Newcastle area and then took a shot from just outside. It looked to curl into the top left corner, but it took a deflection and wrong footed Dubravka, finding its way past the Slovakian. The half ended 2-2 with the game now in the balance. Nottingham Forest thought they had gone ahead after just 5 second half minutes when Taiwo Awoniyi was played through into the Newcastle area. He struck it well and it thundered past Dubravka but he had a quick check over and the flag was up. The Forest fans then thought they had won a penalty when Awoniyi was tripped up by Dubravka but referee Anthony Taylor waved it away and the game stayed 2-2. The eventual winner was found in the 66th minute when Guimaraes pounced on a sloppy pass from Elanga just outside the Forest area. He took a touch and curled it beautifully into the bottom right corner and ran to celebrate with the away fans. This time, Newcastle didn’t give away their lead and held out for a huge 3 points at the City ground. This result sees the Magpies go 7th and Forest stay in 16th.

The first game played on the Sunday afternoon of matchweek 24 was held at the London Stadium with West Ham taking on local rivals Arsenal. The game stayed goalless for the first half an hour but what was to come next was not going to be a pretty sight for the home fans. In the 32nd minute, a corner from ex West Ham skipper, Declan Rice, curled over to the back post where William Saliba was there to head it past Alphonse Areola. Their next came just 9 minutes later when Bukayo Saka was tipped in the area by Areola. He stepped up to take it and sent it the other way leaving the French keeper with no chance. They got their 3rd three minutes later when Gabriel headed in a free kick from Declan Rice. Arsenal were already up by three but decided to make it 4 just before the break. Martin Odergaard played it into Leandro Trossard whose fancy feat and curling shot was too much for the West Ham defence and the Belgian attacker made it 4 in just the 47th minute. The half ended 0-4 with 15,000 unhappy Hammers leaving to catch an early train home. Arsenal found no.5 when Saka cut in from the right wing and curled another past Areola, capping off a spectacular display from the Englishman. No.6 hurt the most for all the remaining Hammers fans.Ben White cut it back to Trossard just outside the area, but miscommunication between him and Odegaard meant it rolled to Rice around 30 yards out. The ex Hammer ran onto it and hit it first time, watching it curl into the top left side of the goal. It was a quite brilliant goal but he refused to celebrate in front of his old fans. Arsenal decided 0-6 was enough and held out for the rest of the game. West Ham were unbeaten in their three ties against Arsenal last year but the Gunners had humiliated a West Ham side missing a certain Lucas Paqueta. This meant the Gunners jumped into 3rd, level on points with Man.City, and West Ham dropped to 8th after Newcastle picked up a victory.

The second and last game played on Sunday afternoon was held at Villa Park with Unai Emery’s men taking on Erik Ten Hag’s Manchester United. United started quickly, dominating the ball and having all the chances. They finally made one count in the 17th minute when Harry Maguire headed the ball down after a Bruno Fernandes corner. Inform Rasmus Hojland saw it coming, turned, and volleyed it past Villa keeper Emi Martinez to put the Red Devils in front. The rest of the second half saw Villa control the game but unable to get anything past Man.Utd goalkeeper Andre Onana. The half ended 0-1 but the game still anyones for the taking. Villa continued where they left off in the first half crossing lots of dangerous balls into the box for United to deal with. They found their equaliser in the 67th minute when Leon Bailey’s corner was bobbing around the box and then eventually cleared by Raphael Varane. It came back out to Bailey in the wide area of the box. The Jamaican international crossed it in where Douglas Luiz got a little flick guiding it into the roof of the net past Onana. It looked like both teams were happy to settle for a draw but 2nd half sub, Scott McTominay had something to say about that. Diogo Dalot received the ball on the left wing after the tricky feet of Kobbie Manioo laid it off to him. Dalot ran onto it and whipped it in first time. McTominay had made a strong run into the box and powerfully won the header to potentially earn the three points for Manchester United. With the help of some tactical substitutions, Erik Ten Hag’s men held out for the win, closing the gap between them and Villa by another 3 points with Villa 5th on 46 points and United 6th on 41.

The final game of the latest Premier League match week was played at Selhurst Park with Crystal Palace taking on Chelsea. Despite Chelsea’s domination of possession and chances, Palace found themselves in front at the half hour mark. After stuffing up a volley just outside the area, Jefferson Lerma won the ball back just outside the area. He lined it up and hit it perfectly watching his blistering strike thunder past Blues keeper Djordje Petrovic. Chelsea almost found their equaliser when ex Eagles player, Conor Gallagher’s effort brushed wide of the post in one of the last kicks of the half. It ended 1-0 with the Palace fans impressed with their team’s first half showings. The second half took a while to start due to some technical issues with the referee Michael Oliver but Chelsea certainly didn’t. Malo Gusto received the ball wide out on the right wing. He crossed it into the area where Gallagher hit it on the half volley leaving Palace keeper Dean Henderson with no chance. The game looked like it could go either way with both teams creating chances. There were no more goals to be scored in normal time but Chelsea came in clutch for added time. Cole Palmer dribbled the ball down the wing and passed it into Gallagher who was sitting outside the area. The ex Palace player hit it first time and drilled it into the bottom left corner, running off to celebrate with his new Chelsea fans. Just to rub it in a bit more, Chelsea made it 3 when Palmer sprinted forwards at the two Place centre backs. He had Christopher Nkunku down the middle but he chose to lay it off to Enzo Fernandez who had made a run to his left. He took his time and didn’t panic, sitting down Daniel Munoz and placing it into the top corner to win the game for the away side. It finished 1-3 with Palace devastated they had given away potentially a huge point in the fight for survival. Chelsea jumped back up into the top 10 after their win and Palace dropped to 15th after Brentoford picked up a win over Wolves.

Written by Ollie Wade

For the latest matchweek click here-Premier League Matchweek 29