Kickoff chronicles

Matchweek 27 kicked off with a London derby when Brentford hosted Chelsea at the Gtech. Both teams shared chances in the opening half hour but Chelsea were the first to make one count. Malo Gusto whipped in a cross from the right wing which found the head of Nicholas Jackson who had made an intelligent run between the Brentford centre backs. The half ended 0-1 with the away fans hopeful their team could hold onto their lead in the second period. Brentford got off to a perfect start in the opening minutes when an awkward ball into the Chelsea box caused confusion between the defenders. Sergio Reguilon’s shot was blocked but Mads Roerslev was there to pounce. Brentford completed the turnaround in the 69th minute when a Reguilon cross was cleared but not well enough as it fell to the foot of Frank Onyeka. His touch was poor and it rose high in the air where Yoanne Wissa jumped to try the spectacular. His bicycle kick was perfect and it nestled into the bottom corner putting the Bees ahead. Chelsea found an equaliser late on when Cole Palmer crossed the ball into the Brentford penalty area for Axel Disasi to head in, making amends for his mistake leading to the first Brentford goal. The game ended 2-2 with both teams sharing the points in an exciting encounter. Chelsea are slowly making their way back into the top ten, left in 11th but with a game in hand. Brentford jumped over Everton and into 15th place.

The second game of the match week was staged at Goodison Park with Everton taking on David Moyes’ West Ham. The Toffees kicked off strongly with Beto forcing one of many big saves from Hammers keeper, Alphonse Areola. The home side found a huge opportunity to go ahead before the break when they won a penalty after a handball inside the box from Kurt Zouma. Beto stepped up to take it but was once again denied by Areola as the Frenchman continued his stellar first half performance, clawing the ball away from the bottom right. The half ended 0-0 with Areola keeping the Hammers level. Everton dominated the opening 10 minutes of the second half and were rewarded with an opener when Beto headed in a James Garner cross. Kurt Zouma soon made up for the penalty he conceded when he headed in a corner from James Ward-Prowse. It was yet another assist for the Englishman proving why he should be on the plane to Germany for the 2024 Euros. Areola continued his star performance, saving everything Everton offered up. Then, in the first minute of stoppage time, West Ham formed a winner. A cross into the box from Mohammed Kudus found Tomas Soucek who had time to control it. He lashed at the ball, hitting it on the half volley and watching it soar past Jordan Pickford and into the top left corner. This was his second late winner at Goodison after he won the game for the Hammers late on 3 years ago with the game ending 0-1. West Ham sealed the three points when Jarrod Bowen sprinted forwards at the Everton backline. Running forwards with Bowen was Mexican international, Edson Alvarez. Bowen timed his pass to perfection and Alvarez was able to lift the ball over outcoming Everton keeper Jordan Pickford. It was a perfect way to wrap up the points for the Hammers but all the credit went to Alphonse Areola for his man of the match performance. This result takes West Ham into 7th, only 2 points away from the top 6. Everton however sit in 16th with Brentford picking up a point.

The next game of the match week was played at Craven Cottage with Fulham hosting Brighton. Fulham found their first inside the opening quarter of the game when Rodrigo Muniz’s strong hold up play resulted in Harry Wilson receiving the ball outside the area. The Welshman progressed into the box and beautifully curled his shot into the top right of the goal. Just after the half hour mark, Fulham found themselves running away with a 2-0 lead. This time it was Harry Wilson with the assist, returning the favour to Brazilian striker Muniz. He whipped a ball into the box for Muniz to power his header past Brighton keeper Jason Steele. The half ended 2-0 with the home side too hot to handle for De Zerbi’s Brighton team. The Seagulls were playing better in the second half but it just was not their day. Fulham wrapped up the three points in the first minute of added time when they hit Brighton on the counter attack. Bobby De Cordova-Reid marked his 200th Fulham appearance with an assist when he threaded a ball through the Brighton centre backs to a sprinting Adama Traore. The Spanish international was one on one with Steele and he professionally placed his shot cooley into the bottom corner. The game ended 3-0 with Fulham closing the gap between them and the top ten, but still left in 12th. Brighton however dropped to 9th with Newcastle and West Ham picking up 3 points.

The next game of the match week was played at St. James park with Newcastle hosting Wolves. Newcastle got off to an ideal start when they opened the scoring after just 14 minutes. Newcastle hit Wolves on the break through Anthony Gordon as he passed the ball to Bruno Guimaraes who cracked a shot. His shot caught a deflection of a defender leading it right into the path of Alexander Isak who headed it past Wolves keeper Jose Sa. It was a perfect start for the Magpies in their hunt for European football. The hosts found their second when Jacob Murphy crossed a ball into the 6 yard box. There was miscommunication in the Wolves backline and Gordon was there to punish and double their advantage. The half ended 2-0 with everything going to plan for Newcastle. Wolves came back out with more desire and came close to scoring on a few occasions. The home side eventually sealed the 3 points in the 2nd minute of added time. Tino Livramento received the ball out wide and dribbled into the area. Luck played a part when he dribbled around the defenders and then somehow poked the ball through. It was the first goal for the young full back, continuing his great season as a Magpie. The game ended 3-0 taking Newcastle into 8th place. Wolves still sit 10th but Chelsea have a game in hand.

The next game of the match week was played at the City Ground with Nottingham Forest hosting league leaders Liverpool. The half started with both teams sharing opportunities with Divock Origi seeing his shot graze wide of the post and Luis Diaz watching his effort blocked by Forest defender Murillo. The half ended 0-0 with the home fans hopeful they could take at least a point away from the Carabao Cup champions. Forest came close to taking an unexpected lead in the 65th minute when Anthony Elenga’s effort looked destined to find the bottom left but just scraped wide. Liverpool finally found their winner in the last action of the game. It looked like Forest had cleared the Liverpool corner and the game was about to end goalless but Alexis Mac Allister picked up the ball outside the area and floated a ball in. Darwin Nunez rose high and glanced his header in the bottom corner, winning a crucial three points for the Reds. It ended 0-1 with Liverpool going 1 clear of Man.City after they won the Manchester Derby, and Forest staying in 17th, 4 points clear of the drop zone.

The following game was played at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with Spurs hosting Crystal Palace. The first half ultimately ended goalless but was still a very entertaining 45 minutes of football. Both keepers, Sam Johnstone (Palace) and Guglielmo Vicario (Tottenham) being forced into brilliant saves. Despite Spurs’ solid start to the second half, Palace found themselves a goal up when they won a free kick outside the home side’s area. The winner of the free kick, Eberechi Eze, stepped up to take it and superbly curled his shot past Vicario and into the top right of the goal. This was a wake up call for Tottenham who kicked into life. The equaliser came in the 77th minute when the dancing feet of Brennan Johnson were too much for the Palace defence and he played a ball across the Palace 6 yard box. Unmarked at the back post was Timo Werner who had an open net to tap it in to. 3 minutes later, Tottenham found the goal that put them ahead when James Maddison lobbed a ball deep into the Palace area. Cristian Romero was waiting inside the box and jumped high to head it past Johnstone to make it 2-1. The hosts finally sealed the 3 points when Son Hueng-Min found himself behind the Palace defence and onside. He progressed forwards and when he entered the box he buried it into the bottom corner winning the game for Spurs. The game ended 3-1 still leaving Tottenham in 5th, but widening the gap between them and Manchester United in 6th. Palace pick up no points and drop to 14th.

The final game on Saturday was played at Kenilworth Road with Luton taking on Unai Emery’s Aston Villa. Villa dominated the opening exchanges and finally found an opener in the 24th minute when Ollie Watkins headed in a Lean Bailey corner. Watkins made it a brace for himself in the 38th minute when Douglas Luiz played a brilliant pass over the Luton defence and to the feet of the English international. His touch was class and his finish ever better when he controlled it and slotted the ball into the bottom right corner. He was originally flagged offside but VAR found it to be onside minutes after. The half ended 0-2 with Villa running riot at the Kenny. Luton found themselves a lifeline midway through the second period when Tahith Chong poked the ball over the line after a Luton corner. 6 minutes later, to the shock of the home fans, Luton found a leveller. A free kick from Alfie Doughty found Carlton Morris at the back post who was unmarked and smashed in the ball to make it 2-2. Unfortunately for the home support, Villa found a late winner in the last minute of normal time. Two Villa second half subs combined to win the game for the away side when Moussa Diaby crossed a ball from the right wing the far post. Incoming was Lucas Digne who headed the ball past Thomas Kaminski sealing a huge three points for the travelling team. This was a huge result for Villa, retaining their place in 4th in their hunt for Champions League football. Luton still sit in the relegation zone in 18th, 4 points away from Forest in 17th.

The first game on Sunday afternoon was played at Turf Moor with 19th placed Burnley hosting 14th placed Bournemouth. The Cherries kicked off ideally when Justin Kluviert netted his 6th of the season in all competitions inside 13 minutes. He picked the bouncing ball up inside the Burnley box and sat down Dara O’Shea. He then hit the ball on the volley and watched it fly past Burnley keeper James Trafford and into the roof of the net. Burnley enjoyed the rest of the chances and should have gone level on multiple occasions if it wasn’t for the heroics of Cherries keeper Neto. The half ended 0-1 but Burnley were still in the game. The Clarets thought they had made a perfect start to the second period when Josh Cullen poked the ball in from close range but it was ruled out as Jacob Bruun Larsen had pushed Adam Smith in the back when he headed the ball to Cullen. After missing multiple second half chances, Antonie Semenyo finally made one count when he received the ball on the right wing. He dribbled into the box and drilled a shot goalwards. The Ghanaian international watched his shot catch a deflection and whizz past Trafford, winning the game for the Cherries. The game ended 0-2 taking Bournemouth up to 13th in the table. Burnley still languish in 19th with relegation creeping closer and closer.

The second game on Sunday afternoon was a big one with reigning champions Manchester City hosting Manchester United at the Etihad. United got off to an electric start when Marcus Rashford scored a belter of a goal inside 8 minutes. A long pass from Andre Onana found Bruno Fernades on the outside of the area. The Portuguese international controlled the ball and laid it off to Rashford. He ran onto it and struck the ball first time, watching his blistering strike fly over Ederson, hit the crossbar, and bounce in. City should have drawn level just before the interval when Phil Foden headed a pass across the box to Erling Haaland. The Norwegian maybe should have used his head when attempting to score but he went to volley it from 3 yards out and watched his effort soar over the bar. The half ended 0-1 but this game was not over yet. City made a perfect start to the second half when inform Phil Foden scored a wonder goal 10 minutes in. He received the ball from Rodri outside the area and took it central. He struck it from about 18 yards out and lent back as he hit the ball, helping it curl past Onana and finding the top left corner. After many more chances and 25 more minutes, City found their goal to put them ahead. Foden played a one two with Julian Alvarez and progressed into the United area. He struck it well and watched it travel past Onana and find the far corner. City finally wrapped up the derby when Rodri stole the ball off Sofyan Amrabat outside the United area and played it through to Haaland. After a poor night for the usually prolific striker, he left his mark on the derby when he passed the ball into the bottom left corner, winning the game for the Citizens. It was a crucial 3 points won for City, keeping the distance between them and Liverpool at 1 point. United however aren’t doing as well; the gap between them and Villa in 4th at 11 points.

The final game of the matchweek played on a Monday night was at Bramall Lane with rock bottom Sheffield United hosting high flying Arsenal. The Gunners made a perfect start to the game when Declan Rice cut the ball back from the left side of the area to Martin Odegaard to tap it in inside 5 minutes. It went from bad to worse for the Blades when the quick feet of Bukayo Saka dribbled into the United area. He passed it across the box for Jayden Bogle to tap into his own net. Arsenal were just too much for the poor Sheffield United defence and they made it 0-3 at the 15 minute mark when Gabriel Martinelli’s effort inside the area caught a handy deflection to help it on its way to goal. No.4 came in the 25th minute Kai Havertz progressed into the box down the left side. His strike was well hit and he watched it fizz past Ivo Grbic and find the far corner. Arsenal made it 5 after 39 minutes when Saka cut it back from the right wing to Rice whose first time strike found the back of the net perfectly. The half ended 0-5 with most of the home support nowhere to be seen. No.6 came not too far into the second period when Ben White received it outside the area from Havertz. He struck the ball hard, forcing it into the side netting of the United goal. The Gunners took off some of their key players, happy with the scoreline. It ended 0-6 with this result almost the final blow for United as relegation to the Championship looks just about certain. Arsenal however continued their brilliant start to 2024, sitting in 3rd and only 2 points from top of the table Liverpool.

Written by Ollie Wade