Premier League Review Match Week 9: Ole Moly! Liverpool Humiliates Manchester United; Canaries Sing Blues; Seagulls Swoon; Hammers’ Derby Win; Mad Hornets Sting Everton; Gunners Crack Top Half

In a stinging indictment of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s project at Manchester United, Liverpool humiliated their longtime rival with an easy 5-0 victory before a stunned crowd at Old Trafford. Cracks which had already been appearing for Manchester United in recent weeks were fully exposed in embarrassing fashion as Liverpool’s sharpshooters and full field effort overwhelmed the Red Devils. Mohamed Salah scored a hat trick for the victors as he pulled away in the league scoring race.

It’s just another Salah Sunday…

Your Player of the Match from today’s 5-0 victory at Old Trafford 😁 #MUNLIV pic.twitter.com/nYpxBxsHes

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) October 24, 2021

The speed and grit of the Liverpool side frustrated a disorganized Manchester United which could only respond with unsportsmanlike swipes at the opposition, several dangerous plays being tolerated by referee Anthony Taylor before Paul Pogba, a second half substitute, was dismissed in the 60th minute. Liverpool showed mercy in the second half by not pressing for further scores and  merely exerting superior technical skill to manage ball possession. Discussion of Solskjaer’s job security now dominates the British press after one of the club’s all- time defeats.

League leading Chelsea maintained their one-point advantage over Liverpool with a 7-0 destruction of Norwich at Stamford Bridge. Mason Mount scored a hat trick in the massacre of defenseless Norwich. Chelsea’s defense, meanwhile, has conceded a league best three goals all season and swallowed the Canaries who failed to score for a fourth consecutive match and seventh time in their nine league matches.

Manchester City stayed third, two points behind Chelsea, with a 4-1 defeat of upstart Brighton. Starting the weekend in the table’s top four, Brighton was done in by a Phil Foden brace and individual goals by Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez for Manchester City.

West Ham moved to fourth in the table with a 1-0 London derby victory over Tottenham Hotspur. Michail Antonio scored his sixth goal of the season as the Hammers won for a third time in their last four league matches. Harry Kane’s frustration continued as he failed to add to his solitary league goal and was defensively culpable on Antonio’s winner.

Watford responded to its prior week spanking by Liverpool and a poor start to its game at Goodison Park by exploding for four late goals to sweep by Everton 5-2. The Hornets’ Joshua King led the swarm with a hat trick against his former club.

A hat-trick on his return to Goodison Park! 🎩✨

Take a bow, Joshua King 👑 pic.twitter.com/u1RjKUAgvC

— Watford Football Club (@WatfordFC) October 23, 2021

Leicester won back-to-back matches for a first time this season as the Foxes defeated Brentford 2-1. James Maddison’s first goal of the season proved the winner for Leicester and inflicted a second consecutive loss for the Bees.

Arsenal extended their unbeaten run in the league to six matches as the Gunners downed Aston Villa, 3-1, at the Emirates. Thomas Partey scored his first league goal for Arsenal in his 30th Premier League appearance with the club. Emile Smith-Rowe and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang completed the scoresheet for the Gunners, Aubameyang putting in the rebound of a missed penalty try against former Arsenal keeper Emiliano Maritnez. Aston Villa suffered a third consecutive defeat.

A stoppage time penalty goal by Rodrigo salvaged a point for Leeds in a 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton. Leeds moved three points clear of relegation. The disappointing loss by Wolves snapped a three-match win streak for the Black Country side.

Crystal Palace drew for a fourth consecutive time in a 1-1 home final against Newcastle. A seeming winner by the Eagles’s Christian Benteke, which would have been his second goal of the game, was disallowed by a teammate’s foul uncovered by VAR. The Eagles are five points clear of relegation as victories continue to elude them. Newcastle remained next to bottom, above only Norwich, despite the point gained by Callum Wilson’s goal in Graeme Jones’s first outing as interim manager.

Burnley stayed winless on the season and mired in relegation despite a spirited effort in a 2-2 draw with Southampton. Summer transfer acquisition Maxwell Cornet scored twice for the Clarets. 20-year-old Armando Broja and 18-year-old Tino Livramento delivered the goals for the young Saints who remained four points above Burnley, and relegation, in the table.