Chelsea 4-4 Manchester City
An 8-goal thriller saw both Chelsea and Manchester City having to settle for a point. Manchester City were awarded a penalty after Marc Cucerella brought down Erling Haaland. Haaland stepped up and scored to give Manchester City the lead after 25 minutes. However, Man City’s lead didn’t last long as Thiago Silva headed home just 4 minutes late to make it 1-each. In the 37th minute, after a poor mistake from Josko Gvardiol, Raheem Sterling tapped home from close range to give Chelsea the lead. Robert Sanchez then pulled out a great save to deny Erling Haaland, but he wasn’t able to deny Manuel Akanji who headed home from a corner to send the game into the break at 2-2. Right at the start of the Second Half, Manchester City had the lead thanks to a second goal from Erling Haaland. However, the game was once again level in the 67th minute after Nicolas Jackson coolly converted from close range. Ederson has to be doing better. Manchester City then thought they’d won it in the 86th minute as Rodri’s effort took a wicked deflection off the boot of Thiago Silva before the ball went flying into the back of the net. However, the hosts weren’t done there as in additional time at the end of the game, Chelsea were awarded a penalty after Ruben Dias whipped out Armando Broja. It was then Cole Palmer who stepped up and scored against his boyhood club to amazingly make it 4-4 in the 95th minute! In the end, this was a good result for Chelsea. The Blues stay 10th in the table and their next game is away to Newcastle. As for Manchester City, they’ll be disappointed that they couldn’t hold onto the lead (on multiple occasions). City stay top of the league and they host Liverpool immediately after the International Break.
Crystal Palace 2-3 Everton
Everton picked up a great win away to Crystal Palace to keep up their impressive unbeaten run. It only took Everton 52 seconds to take the lead as Vitalli Mykolenko headed home to give Everton the perfect start. However, it didn’t take Crystal Palace too long to respond as after Jarrad Branthwaite brought down Eberechi Eze, Eze stepped up from 12 yards and coolly converted to make it 1-all after less than 5 minutes. Eze was then booked for diving in the Penalty area and it was certainly a close call as to whether he was fouled or not. Anyway, early in the Second Half, Everton retook the lead thanks to Abdoulaye Doucoure. Mykolenko was unlucky not to score again as his volleyed effort hit the post, but it fortunately fell straight to Doucoure who tapped home to give Everton their lead back. In the 73rd minute, Palace had their second equaliser of the day as Odsonne Edouard finished well after a terrible bit of defending by James Tarkowski. And then, in the 86th minute, Idrissa Gana Gueye scored to secure a crucial 3 points for the visitors. In the end, this is a very disappointing defeat from a Crystal Palace point of view. The Eagles drop to 13th in the table and they go to Luton next time out. As for Everton, this is a great result for them. The Toffees are now 14th in the league and their next game is at home to Manchester United.
West Ham 3-2 Nottingham Forest
After just 3 minutes, West Ham had the lead thanks to a good finish by Lucas Paqueta. However, having said that, the pass by Nicolas Dominguez that led to the goal was pretty bad. Alphonse Areola then made a really good save to deny Taiwo Awoniyi from levelling the game up, but a slight mistake right at the end of the First Half by the West Ham Goalie allowed Awoniyi to tap home from close range to get Nottingham Forest their equaliser. In the 63rd minute, Forest had the lead thanks to a nice finish from Anthony Elanga. However, the visitors' lead lasted less than 2 minutes as Jarrod Bowen scored again to make it 2-2. Tomas Soucek then had a great opportunity which he could only hit the bar with before, in the 88th minute, Soucek made up for it with a great header to win the game for The Hammers. Overall, this was exactly the kind of result that West Ham United needed. The Hammers move up to 9th place and their next game after the International Break is away to Burnley. As for Nottingham Forest, they really need to learn how to defend from corners better. Forest drop to 15th in the table and they host Brighton next time out.
Arsenal 3-1 Burnley
David Raya pulled out a good save to deny Johann Berg Gudmundsson from scoring a goal that he and Burnley really should’ve/needed to have. Arsenal then found themselves in front right before Halftime thanks to a really good bit of bravery by Leandro Trossard. Still, this was the worst possible time to concede from a Burnley point of view. However, less than 10 minutes into the Second Half, Burnley were level through Josh Brownhill. Brownhill’s powerful effort took a deflection off of Gabriel which made it impossible for Raya to keep the ball out. Just 3 minutes later though and Arsenal were back in front thanks to a headed goal from William Saliba. In the 74th minute, Saliba’s headed effort this time came back off the crossbar before Oleksandr Zinchenko “karate kicked” the ball into the back of the net to seal the victory for the hosts. However, Arsenal did have to play with just 10 men for the final 10 and a bit minutes as Fabio Viera was sent off for a pretty terrible tackle. In the end, it’s another victory for Arsenal. The Gunners move up to third in the league and their next game is away to Brentford. As for Burnley, they’re really struggling right now. The Clarets are now bottom of the league and they host West Ham straight after the International Break in a must-win game.
Aston Villa 3-1 Fulham
Aston Villa kept up their amazing home record in the league to comfortably breeze past Fulham. Bernd Leno made a good save to deny Moussa Diaby from giving Aston Villa the lead before the referee awarded Villa a penalty for a handball against Timothy Castagne. However, the decision was then overturned as it was clear to see that the ball actually hit the face of Castagne. How the on-field referee didn’t see this in the first place I’ll never know. In the 27th minute, Aston Villa did have the lead thanks to an Antonee Robinson own goal. In the 42nd minute, Villa’s lead doubled thanks to a terrific goal from John McGinn. In the Second Half, a slight touch from Emiliano Martinez meant Raul Jimenez’s effort came back off the post before Villa had their third of the afternoon courtesy of Ollie Watkins. This was a lovely goal from the hosts' point of view. Fulham were then able to get one back in the 70th minute through Raul Jimenez before Aston Villa failed to get their 4th goal of the game when they really should’ve (Watkins certainly should’ve scored). Overall, it’s another good win for Aston Villa. Villa stay 5th in the league and they face Tottenham in a huge game after the International Break. As for Fulham, it’s another difficult result for them. The Cottagers drop to 16th in the table and they host Wolves next time out.
Liverpool 3-0 Brentford
Brentford had a good chance to take the lead early on, but Yoane Wissa completely missed the ball before Ethan Pinnock scuffed his shot well wide of the target. Bryan Mbeumo was then in on goal, but he was denied by a good save from Alisson. Still, Mbeumo should’ve scored. In the 39th minute, Liverpool made Brentford pay as Mohamed Salah scored to give Liverpool the lead. Salah should’ve then made it 2-0, but he poorly skied the ball over the bar. In the Second Half, Brentford were annoyed that Wataru Endo wasn’t shown a straight Red Card and I certainly get their argument. Liverpool were then 2 in front in the 62nd minute as Mo Salah scored again whilst Brentford completely stopped playing. The hosts then sealed their victory in the 74th minute as Diogo Jota scored with a nice finish. Overall, this was a good win for Liverpool. The Reds move up to second in the league and their next game is away to Manchester City in a 1st V 2nd clash. As for Brentford, this wasn’t a very good performance from them. The Bees drop to 11th in the table and they host London Rivals Arsenal next time out.
Wolves 2-1 Tottenham
Two late goals were enough for Wolverhampton Wanderers to stun Tottenham Hotspur at Molineux! Tottenham got off to the perfect start as Brennan Johnson fired them in front after less than 3 minutes. Guglielmo Vicario then pulled out a decent save to keep Mario Lemina’s effort out before Hwang Hee-Chan failed to score from close range in the Second Half. Sasa Kalajdzic then had a really good opportunity which he completely made a mess of before the Wolves defence kept out both Heung-Min Son and Dejan Kulusevski. In the 91st minute, Wolves found their equaliser through a great bit of play by Pablo Sarabia. And then, in the 97th minute, Mario Lemina scored to seal a dramatic victory for Wolves! Overall, what a terrific result for Wolverhampton Wanderers. Wolves rise to 12th in the table and they play away to Fulham next time out. As for Tottenham Hotspur, this defeat will certainly sting. Spurs drop to 4th in the league and they host Aston Villa in a massive game after the International Break.
Bournemouth 2-0 Newcastle
AFC Bournemouth pulled out their best performance of the season to stun ex-boss Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United. Both Nick Pope and Neto made decent saves respectively to keep the game at nil-nil before Pope made a couple of better saves to keep Bournemouth out. In the Second Half, Neto just about got away with one at the back for Bournemouth before the hosts had the lead in the 60th minute through Dominic Solanke. Solanke was fortunate that the ball fell to him, but his finish was still good. In the 73rd minute, Bournemouth’s lead doubled as Dominic Solanke had his second of the evening. Luis Sinisterra’s effort hit the post before Solanke was able to bundle the ball home to put the hosts in a commanding position. Nick Pope then pulled out a terrific save to keep Sinisterra out, but it mattered little in the context of the result. Overall, this is exactly the kind of result that AFC Bournemouth needed. The Cherries climb out of the Relegation Zone (and into 17th) and their next game is a big one away to Sheffield United. As for Newcastle United, this was a pretty terrible performance from them. The Magpies drop to 7th in the table and they host Chelsea next time out.
Brighton 1-1 Sheffield United
Sheffield United made it back-to-back games without defeat as Brighton and Hove Albion once again slipped up. Gustavo Hamer nearly put Sheffield United in front from absolutely nowhere before Brighton took the lead after just 6 minutes through a sensational bit of play by Simon Adingra. Wesley Foderingham then denied Ansu Fati from making it 2-0 before Adam Webster really should’ve scored for the hosts. In the 69th minute, the game changed as Mahmoud Dahoud was shown a straight Red Card for his studs being high. Personally, whilst I understand why he’s been sent off, the fact he wasn’t even making a challenge when this happened is enough for me to believe that Dahoud shouldn’t have seen Red. In the 74th minute, Sheffield United had their precious equaliser thanks to Adam Webster firing the ball into the back of his own net! Jayden Bogle then had a terrific opportunity to score the winner for United, but he scuffed his shot wide of the target. In the end, it’s another disappointing league result for Brighton and Hove Albion. The Seagulls drop to 8th in the table and their next game sees them play away to Nottingham Forest. As for Sheffield United, this was a great result for them. The Blades move off the bottom of the table and into 19th and they host Bournemouth in a big game next time out.
Manchester United 1-0 Luton
Rasmus Hojlund thought he’d got Manchester United in front early on, but he was denied by a great save from Thomas Kaminski. Andre Onana then pulled out a good save to deny Carlton Morris before Alejandro Garnacho made a mess of a 1-on-1 situation. In the Second Half, Hojlund missed again before Man United finally had their lead in the 59th minute through Victor Lindelof. Marcus Rashford then had a really good opportunity which he hit straight at Kaminski before the Luton Goalie kept out Scott McTominay. In the end, it’s a win (and nothing more) for Manchester United. United are now 6th in the league (somehow) and their next game is away to Everton. As for Luton Town, they need to get better at going forward. The Hatters drop back inside the Relegation Zone (in 18th) and they host Crystal Palace next time out.
Premier League Table at the End of Gameweek 12
Manchester City: 28pts (+20)
Liverpool: 27pts (+17)
Arsenal: 27pts (+16)
Tottenham: 26pts (+9)
Aston Villa: 25pts (+12)
Manchester United: 21pts (-3)
Newcastle: 20pts (+14)
Brighton: 19pts (+4)
West Ham: 17pts (-1)
Chelsea: 16pts (+5)
Brentford: 16pts (+2)
Wolves: 15pts (-4)
Crystal Palace: 15pts (-4)
Everton: 14pts (-3)
Nottingham Forest: 13pts (-4)
Fulham: 12pts (-10)
Bournemouth: 9pts (-16)
Luton: 6pts (-12)
Sheffield United: 5pts (-21)
Burnley: 4pts (-21)
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