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Prem r15
As the teams head towards the half way point, here is the round up in week 15.
With 3 points separating 16th and 11th mid table is packed and Leeds resume to the summit….
Burnley, having finally got a win last week hosted Liverpool and having scored 10 in their last 2 went on the attack from the start. Liverpool countered and Mudryk slipped his marker to beat Agirrezabala in the 4th minute to take the lead for the Reds. It got worse for Burnley when Riyadh Mahrez’s overhead kick made it 2-0. Pedri has been on good form for the home side and pulled one back from Pogba’s corner, but Liverpool were looking strong and Rashford restored their 2 goal advantage, again the keeper potentially at fault for the goal. Burnley’s two star men, Pedri and Guedes combined for the latter to make it 2-3 with a brilliant finish and they went in at the break with all to play for. Marcus Rashford scored again in the second half to make it 4-2 and sew up a win for Liverpool which was entirely deserved after a dominant performance which shifts them back up to 9th. Burnley remain level with 19th on points as the bottom 4 start to look a little distant from the rest.
MOM : Marcus Rashford (Liverpool)
After an unreserved apology to the fans Cardiff manager Matt Rose did turn up for the home game against a Man City side desperate to get their season back on track. Want away striker Harry Kane opened the scoring for the Citizens in the 31st minute with a clinical strike that was the catalyst for missiles from the Cardiff fans, thought to be a protest against Rose’s no show last week. 1-0 City at half time, and they looked in control - but after a rousing missile-inspired half time talk Rose’s men came out and found an equaliser, Osborne hitting a curling shot that dipped in to send the Welsh fans wild and this time it was inflatable sheep that filled the air. With 4 minutes left it looked like they had secured a valuable point, but City broke their hearts with a goal from substitute Goodman and then a screamer from John Stones to finish the game 3-1 City in a score line that flattered the Champions a little.
MOM : John Stones (Man City)
Steve Talbot’s first mission was to make Chelsea the top team in London and his side are really starting to look like a big threat to the top of the table. West Ham arrived with a very defensive strategy, top scorer Cole Palmer out for this game and looking to snatch a win. They surprised Chelsea on 16 minutes when Olsson managed to break away and put them in head with Henderson having no chance. Chelsea regrouped and Kayode equalised after a glorious pass from Sanches that was 60 yards, and Todd Fortune went ballistic at his players. At half time it was 1-1 and Chelsea took the lead early in the second half when Lamptey scored his 7th of the season to send Stamford Bridge into celebratory mood. Chelsea managed the last 20 well and cruised to victory against a West Ham team that offered very little in attack, Chelsea keeper Dean Henderson not having a save to make, and drop to the bottom of the mid table cluster.
MOM : Renato Sanches (Chelsea)
Palace came into their home game with Blackburn with only one defeat in their last five against the draw kings who had drawn 4 in 5. It was a really competitive game and Heung Min Son, who openly admits he would love to move to Spurs, put Rovers ahead on 15 minutes when his shot went through Livakovic’s hands. Adama Traore has had a strong start to the season and he scored a contender for goal of the season with an equaliser from the very top drawer. Blackburn took the lead just before the interval with an unlikely scorer, Aguerd blasting one in off the post to make it 2-1 and just as it looked like half time up popped De Paul with another fabulous shot to equalise for Palace and the ref blew for the end of the first half at 2-2. The second half was less entertaining as very few clear cut chances were created and 2-2 was the final score in what was a fair result, Palace dominating possession but Blackburn more clinical.
MOM : Adama Traore (Palace)
Leicester have struggled a little with consistency despite taking some notable scalps, and Arsenal have found some form recently, so it was a surprise when the Foxes went ahead through Simeone in the first half and that’s how it stayed at half time. Rumours that Darren Humphris has been meeting with Tim Davey to discuss half time motivational tactics were confirmed as similar noises to those heard in the Leeds dressing room were audible at the Walkers Stadium. The Arsenal players came out with a similar look of fear to the Leeds players recently and immediately equalised when Timo Werner who was back from injury scored to equalise. With 5 minutes left, Spurs target Rodrigo Bentancur’s through ball to Diaz resulted in a foul from Leicester keeper Areola and a penalty to Arsenal, which Diaz converted to make it 2-1 and all 3 points for the Gunners, their players looking relieved as Humphris looked satisfied with the victory. Arsenal looked good despite making hard work of this and they continue to nudge away at the top of the table in 3rd.
MOM : Luis Diaz (Arsenal)
Man Utd boss Steve Outten has blasted his players recently as ‘not good enough’ and is rumoured to be looking at some big changes at Old Trafford. This week saw his side take on Aston Villa, who came into this game with 4 wins from their last 5, to their opponents 1. Ansu Fati, one of the players who has been rumoured with a move away, put the off field speculation to one side and settled the home nerves with an early goal. Mathias De Ligt made it 2-0 on 21 minutes and it looked comfortable for the Red Devils who were licking their wounds after last week's thrashing at their noisy neighbours. Lautaro Martinez pulled one back to make it 2-1 straight from the kick off and United saw the rest of the game out. It wasn’t comfortable enough for Outten but he was happy to take the 3 points and keep in the race at the top of the table. Villa look a good side and will be contending for the European positions.
MOM: Ansu Fati (Man Utd)
Another of the ‘absent 3’ , Chris Banks managed to attend Newcastle’s home game against Leeds and assured fans that there was no suggestion of a breakaway league being formed by Newcastle, Cardiff and Sheffield Wednesday despite the obvious draw. Leeds boss Tim Davey has lamented his side's luck of late but it was his team that went ahead when Fekir finished neatly to put the away team ahead. Banks attempted to bark at his players who looked a little confused, and it was 1-0 Leeds at half time. Unfortunately for Newcastle keeper Strakosha let one slip through from Kostic’s shot and it was 2-0 Leeds shortly into the second half and Davey was beaming again. The one blot on a good day for Leeds was Alisson in goal who turned on an ankle with 20 minutes to go which will rule him out for their next game but it put Leeds back on top and still looking strong.
Southampton were looking to make it 3 consecutive wins against Sheffield Wednesday who came with 3 at the back. The Saints fans were celebrating as early as the 8th minute when Boniface found Geertruida who smashed one in to make it 1-0. Nianzou made it 2-0 on 18 minutes and Wednesday looked done. Straight after half time Kulusevski put aside the off field rumours linking him with Spurs to find Martinelli who with an accomplished finish made it 3-0 and Saints were cruising. Wednesday have shown a lot of fight in these seemingly hopeless situations, and Matt Targett lobbed the keeper to make it 3-1 and then the defender scored again for his third in 3 and to cut the deficit to one. Ollie Watkins has been a shining star for Wednesday and after recently missing from the spot he stepped up to equalise when Diaby took out Hogan and the ref pointed to the spot. Southampton looked shell shocked but Kulusevski found another piece of magic from the kick off and blasted his side back ahead. The Owls pushed forward to try and find another equaliser and right on time Alex Isak capitalised on tired legs to score his 10th of the season for Saints and a 5-3 win which was thoroughly deserved despite another spirited Owls fight back.
MOM : Dejan Kulusevski (Southampton)
Top of the table Tottenham hosted the mysterious Everton side who arrived with Confais again in the starting line up in defensive midfield. Everton came to attack which surprised the home team, Confais himself hitting the woodwork for the away team. Kocku’s pass then found Tomiyasu who followed up his own shot to score his first goal in a Spurs shirt, and it was 1-0 to the table toppers. Spurs dominated the game completely, but couldn’t find a way past De Gea who kept his side in the game with some terrific saves. Just after the hour somewhat inevitably Everton broke and Carrasco’s header powered past Green for the equaliser. Spurs pushed on but couldn’t find the winner, the last act of the game defining the whole match when Bensebaini’s shot hit Confais in the face and bounced clear. Points dropped for Spurs and back in 2nd spot.
MOM: Takehiro Tomiyasu (Tottenham)
Watford and Barnsley came into this clash at Vicarage Road with very patchy form. James Maddison gave the away side the lead with a dipping shot on 15 minutes and Ant Harris looked pleased with his side’s start. Watford kept fighting though, and Louza’s delightful chip beat the keeper to equalise for the Hornets. With both sides level at the break there was a buzz around the ground and Maximiano in the Barnsley goal looked like he was distracted by a hornet as Under’s underhit shot somehow went through his legs and trickled into the net to put the home side ahead. In truth it was a scrappy game with not many moments of quality but Watford will be delighted with the 3 points and their second win in 4 which just lifts them slightly away from the foot and tied with Burnley and Everton on points, but there is a long way to go!
MOM: Ismaila Sarr (Watford)
Team of the Week: De Gea (Everton), Robertson (Liverpool), Stones (Man City), Lockyer (Cardiff), Tomiyasu (Spurs, Sanches (Chelsea), Savic (Liverpool), Pedri (Burnley), Kulusevski (Southampton), Rashford (Liverpool), Traore (Palace)
Performance of the Week: Liverpool were back to top form as they beat Burnley away at Turf Moor, the Reds ending a run of 3 without a win and dominating with Rashford on fire.
Shocker of the Week: Despite taking an early lead, West Ham parked the bus at Stamford Bridge right from the whistle but Talbot’s men managed to get the win despite the tactics.