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Aston Villa had the pleasure of hosting the runaway leaders Leeds who were looking to get back to winning ways after a couple of draws. Villa themselves were unbeaten in 4, and their striker Martinez surprised the away following on 5 minutes when he scored in front of the home fans to get Villa Park buzzing. Leeds immediately attacked, but left a hole at the back which Martinez nearly profited from, and Raphina fired some from the resultant corner to make it 2-0 Villa and they dropped the defensive line with 7 minutes gone. Leeds kept attacking, and Lenglet got on the end of Kostic’s header to pull one back for them. This just fired up Villa and Raphina found space from Correa’s clearance to lob the keeper from 30 yards and it was 3-1 Villa. Half an hour gone and as the sides drew breath another Leeds defender, Rudiger scored, following up his own header which Lafont could only parry. So 3-2 at half time and all to play for - Villa defended and Leeds attacked, but that man Martinez was on hand to score his 10th of the season and Villa’s 4th with 20 minutes left, and that’s how it stayed. It was a very even game and Villa were just more clinical than Davey’s men who will surely be getting a boot up the arse from the boss.
MOM: Lautaro Martinez (Aston Villa)
Burnley, who are looking for points at the foot of the table, probably didn’t relish the visit of Chelsea who had 3 straight wins behind them including last week's demolition of Spurs. Guedes set the tone for the match when he belted one home in the first minute to take the lead for the home team. Both sides abandoned defence and Chelsea equalised 2 minutes later through the magnificent Kevin De Bruyne. Agirrezabala let one through from Saint-Maximin for the Blues to go ahead, but Pogba replied for the Clarets and it was 2-2 only 16 minutes in. Literally end to end, 2 minutes later Berchiche scored for Chelsea, and from the kick off Henderson’s rash challenge gave a penalty for Guedes to slot his 10th and the equaliser at 3-3. There was a very dull 5 minutes with no goals before De Bruyne again slammed home to give his side the lead. An instant response again, Pedri’s chip over the wall from a free-kick beautifully placed to evade Henderson. 4-4 at half time and everyone took a break. We started in the same vein in the second half, Odegaard’s shot going in off the post for 4-5 to take the lead for 15 whole minutes before Ekikite escaped the offside trap to equalise for a fourth time. With just over 10 minutes left Chelsea thought they had finally secured the win when youngster Zefi came off the bench to grab a goal, but Ekikite replied with an 89th minute equaliser. Pogba still had time to find the bar late on, but 6-6 it ended, a wonderful game of attacking football from both teams.
MOM: Goncalo Guedes (Burnley)
Cardiff hosted Everton in Wales, who put out a relatively sensible starting eleven. The Bluebirds were looking for 3 points against the Toffees, who are struggling with only Sheffield Wednesday keeping them off the foot. Both sides had their chances in a scrappy game, but it wasn’t until a direct free-kick came up for Cardiff that the deadlock was broken, Molitano hitting a rocket from the dead ball to smash past De Gea for 1-0. Cardiff went on to dominate the second half and scored through Zapata with the outside of his boot to go 2-0. Hot shot defender Tom Lockyer made it 3 with his 6th of the season and Cardiff made 3 substitutions, with Everton bringing on Nathan Patterson for a rare outing since he featured so prominently at the start of the season, for the puzzled Tangana. Zapata pulled up for Cardiff to leave them to see the game out with 10 men, and Politano finished the job off with a 4th to give them a 4-0 win where they took their chances brilliantly. Everton had a number of good chances, only 2 less than the opposition, but the scoreline flattered the home side
MOM: Matteo Politano (Cardiff)
Sheffield Wednesday visited London, and Crystal Palace, hoping for anything that they could pick up. Their fans were deflated when a wonderful piece of skill from Eze, where he flicked it over the defender and ran round to smash into the top corner put the Eagles ahead after just 5 minutes. Wednesday defender Matt Targett equalised 5 minutes later though, and Owls hero Ollie Watkins scored 10 minutes later to give his side the lead and hope sprang in the away terraces. Dike finished at the far post to equalise for Palace, and just before half time Tsimikas scored the goal of the game to put them ahead again at half-time, 3-2. Dike completed the double whammy with another just after half time that Gunn hopelessly tried to claw off the line. Fabinho struck another to make it 5-2 and the Eagles fans immediately started ‘We want 6’. Wednesday rarely give up though, and this time Calhanoglu scored an absolute peach to get back to 5-3, then it was Livakovic’s turn to let one through in the Palace goal, from Watkins' shot, and it was 5-4 with 15 minutes left. Now it was all Wednesday, and Watkins was fouled by Livakovic to concede a penalty after VAR had a look. The Wednesday man got up to take the kick which was saved, but the keeper had clearly moved miles off his line. The Wednesday fans let their feelings known as they were cruelly robbed of what would have been a deserved point. Palace will feel that they edged this, but were very lucky to end up with all 3.
MOM: Ollie Watkins (Sheff Weds)
Leicester hosted Liverpool, who were unbeaten in 5 and starting to look strong under Graeme Edwards. The Foxes had only one win in 4 so were expecting a stiff test.They were handed a massive boost when in the 10th minute the referee stopped play to brandish a yellow card and gave a penalty to the home team which Simeone converted. He seemed to overhear something said by Onana but it wasn’t clear - in any case the home side were ahead. As the Reds composed themselves, they were dealt another blow, Akanji penalised for a holding foul this time. Simeone loves a dead ball opportunity and this time curled one around the wall to make it 2-0 and the fans went mad. On 20 they were in heaven as Sequeira hit a volley that smashed home, and Liverpool looked done and dusted at 3-0 down at half time. Leicester never looked in doubt of winning and sealed the fine win with a 4th as Elanga hit a snap shot , with 10 minutes left, and were thoroughly worth the victory.
MOM : Giovanni Simeone (Leicester)
Man City started at home against Arsenal needing to catch up fast, starting the game 11 points away from top of the table Leeds. The champions have not been on it this season yet, and seem to be mirroring PSG in their indifference so far. Harry Kane, who was quoted as saying that he would love to move back to Tottenham in the week, scored an absolute worldie on the 16th minute to take the lead. Darren Humphris was serving a touchline ban for this one and joined the away fans. Unfortunately he was seen throwing a missile at the pitch after his side went behind but luckily some of his loyal fans took the blame and were ejected. On 27 minutes Ruben Dias made it 2-0 and Humphris looked furious. Arsenal were dealt a further blow when Timo Werner had to go off injured, and it looked like it was all over for them. Michale Olise was making his debut for the Gunners, and he led the comeback with a goal on 28 minutes, and came very close minutes later to equalising. Iggy Houben came on for Arsenal with 20 minutes left, and the 19 year old Dutchman was Arsenal’s hero with an equaliser with 4 minutes to go to share the points and City’s run without a win extends to 4 games.
MOM : Michael Olise (Arsenal)
Man United at home to Blackburn saw both sides go into it with an unbeaten record to protect in recent weeks. Adeyemi who has been in terrific form for United scored their first 5 minutes before half time for them to take the lead, and it was 1-0 at half time. Mathias De Ligt had a moment of madness straight after the break, fouling Starfelt badly for his second yellow and a sending off for the home side. Blackburn came back, and just after the hour Dumfrieds found space and nutmegged Oblak to equalise. Neither side could find the net after a few chances before the final whistle, and both went away with unbeaten records in tact but no 3 points.
MOM : Diego Carlos (Blackburn)
Newcastle were breathing down Spurs neck in 3rd position, having won 4 of their last 5, and this week West Ham were their visitors. The Geordie’s were whipping their shirts off in the 2nd minute when Santos hit a wonderful long range shot to open the scoring. West Ham thought they had equalised through Toloi straight after only to be disallowed for a pull, and then the lethal Newcastle combination of Canales and De Tomas combined for Canales to nutmeg Pope and make it 2-0. In the second half, defender Clauss curled one in just on the hour to make it 3-0 Newcastle and West Ham were already on the bus home, totally dominated and Newcastle march on
MOM : Sergio Canales (Newcastle)
Southampton v Watford was another one where both teams were hoping for points. It was a cagey opening, but just before half time Diaby fired in off the post to put the Saints ahead. Watford tried and tried to equalise and had by far the best of this game, but not for the first time this season Saints were saved by keeper Jose Sa who made 13 saves and stopped anything that came his way. Watford had 25 attempts on goal to Saints 6 and will feel extremely hard done by here
MOM : Jose Sa (Southampton)
Tottenham were looking to get back on track against fellow European position challengers Barnsley, neither of which would have been considered likely to be where they are in the league. Spurs were looking to bounce back from last week's schooling at the hands of Chelsea, and were forced to play Victor Eletu in midfield due to manager Tim Brown’s strange transfer decision to let Daniel Podence go in the week. This wasn’t helped when Calabria picked up a second yellow on 34 minutes and Spurs were down to ten men. Another man who has expressed a desire to be at Spurs, James Maddison, scored for Barnsley straight after the break to take the lead, and the crowd started to expect a Spurs collapse. However, Leon Bailey, who has been a little quiet in recent weeks, got the equaliser after a stunning shot was saved by the keeper and he followed up, to score his 10th of the season, and it looked like the point was rescued. With 6 minutes to go Stephen Bergwijn found the net but was ruled offside amazingly as the crowd celebrated. 4 minutes into time added on and the Spurs fans had a new hero. Rasmus Hojlund, in to replace Podence for his debut, scored a beautiful chipped goal reminiscent of Hoddle’s chip against Watford and claimed all 3 points. White Hart Lane went mad, and the new king of spurs was born in Hojlund who had a superb game.
MOM : Rasmus Hojlund (Spurs)
Team of the Week: Sa(Southampton), Hateboer (Villa), Carlos (Blackburn), Justin (Cardiff), Dunk (Leicester), Olise (Arsenal), Raphina (Villa), De Bruyne (Chelsea),Canales (Newcastle), Politano (Cardiff), Martinez (Villa)
Performance of the Week: Aston Villa surprised Leeds with a wonderful performance to win 4-2
Shocker of the week: Liverpool came straight back down to earth with a bump losing 4-0 at Cardiff