Premier League Preview: Match Week Six

Newcastle was exposed in a 3-1 loss last week at Fulham after a misleading undefeated start to its season. Now the Magpies fly home to face table leader Manchester City at St. James Park. Newcastle has been a punching bag for Manchester City. The Magpies have won just one of the last 33 Premier League meetings between the clubs and Newcastle has  more losses to the Citizens than any Premier League side in history. Newcastle’s hopes for Saturday rely on the always vibrant home support and the absence of the injured Rodri in the middle of the Manchester City lineup. Manchester City lost four of the five matches that Rodri missed last season and might well have to play the rest of this season without him after his knee injury last weekend. Manchester City will look to extend its unbeaten Premier League streak to 29 matches as striker Erling Haaland will attempt to become only the second plyer to score in each of the first six league games of a season.

Liverpool trails Manchester City by a single point as the Reds head to Wolverhampton this weekend. Wolves have been dreadful and sit at the bottom of the Premier League table, one of six clubs still hunting for a first win of the campaign.

Crystal Palace will be hoping to separate themselves from those other five teams when the Eagles descend on Goodison Park to face Everton this weekend. Palace has drawn each of its last three matches, including hard fought points away to Chelsea and home to Manchester United. The Eagles face an Everton side which lost its first four matches, two in dramatic late-stage collapses, before drawing with newly promoted Leicester last week. The Toffees have conceded a joint league high 14 goals this season.

Like Crystal Place, Leicester have drawn three of their five matches this season. The Foxes are at the Emirates on Saturday where Arsenal will need guard against a “trap” game which comes between last week’s Manchester City duel and next Tuesday’s Champions League tilt with PSG. Gunner goalkeeper David Raya is a question mark for the match with a “muscular injury” so former Bournemouth keeper Neto could be between the sticks for Manager Mikel Arteta.

On Arsenal 🔴

"We’re coming up against an incredible team who have been in great form for a number of years, but it’s these games that you’ve got to embrace. We back ourselves and it couldn’t be a better time to get the result we’re craving." pic.twitter.com/OE6DB6QtGh

— Leicester City (@LCFC) September 26, 2024

Aston Villa, level on points with Liverpool and a point ahead of Arsenal, face another of the newly promoted sides at Ipswich Town on Sunday. Three consecutive draws, including a surprise point at Brighton, have given the Tractor Boys hope after lost cause losses to Liverpool and Manchester City welcomed them to the league. Only Manchester City and Chelsea have scored more goals than Aston Villa which features two dangerous strikers in Ollie Watkins and super sub Jhon Duran.

Chelsea will tangle with undefeated Brighton this weekend at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea has won three of four to move a point past the Seagulls in the table. The Blues’ young talent, particularly in attack, is beginning to shift focus, at least a little bit, away from the unusual machinations of its controversial ownership. New Manager Enzo Maresca has numerous options in his forward positions such as the Jadon Sancho versus Pedro Neto duel at left wing and Niclas Jackson versus Christopher Nkunku debate at striker. At least for now, the competition seems to be driving performance instead of discord. Brighton, meanwhile, will be without injured forward Joao Pedro for Saturday’s match and is less blessed with the type of depth which Chelsea enjoys. Pedro was injured by the challenge of Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White last week which set off the fireworks that saw not only Gibbs-White but also Forest Manager Nuno Espirito Santo and Brighton Manager Fabian Hurzeler red carded. Both Hurzeler and Santo will be on the touchlines this weekend as they prepare to respond to their charges.

Gibbs White, however, will miss out on Nottingham Forest’s date at the City Ground with Fulham. The Tricky Trees have impressed with an undefeated record to date and a shock victory over Liverpool at Anfield two weeks ago. The loss of Gibbs-White is damaging, however, and Fulham, one point behind the Trees in the table, looked proficient in attack last week with three Arsenal academy graduates involved in goals for the Cottagers. On of the Fulham goal scorers last week, loanee Reiss Nelson, scored versus Forest while playing for Arsenal in 2022.

Spurs and Manchester United are level on points, one behind Fulham in the table as the two “big  clubs’ try to crawl closer to the top six when they face each other at Old Trafford on Sunday. Manchester United’s attack seemed to be awakening after a 3-0 league win over Southampton and a 7-0 Carabao Cup rout of Barnsley. That now seems a false positive as the Red Devils were subsequently unable to find the net in a goalless draw at Crystal Palace and again seemed turgid in a 1-1 Europa League draw with FC Twente on Wednesday. Spurs 3-1 win over Brentford last weekend, meanwhile, contained nothing but positives. James Maddison scored and showed the kind of form he had not flashed since early last season. Newly acquired striker Dominic Solanke scored his first goal with the club. Even Brennan Johnson, who has shown little since his arrival last season, found the net against the Bees. Son Heung-min played facilitator with two assists. A win at Old Trafford would provide much needed positive momentum for Manager Ange Postecoglou’s side which had dropped two straight before exterminating the Bees.

Brentford will host a London derby with West Ham on Saturday which already seems like a must win for West Ham Manager Julen Lopetegui. Things haven’t gone well for the new manager who has West Hm supporters already looking back fondly on the much-criticized tenure of former manger David Moyes. Lopetegui might well be looking forward to Saturday’s match away from London Stadium where he has become the first West Ham Manager to lose the first three home matches of a league season.

The final match of the Week Six Premier League slate features a South Coast battle between Bournemouth and Southampton. The Cherries seemingly get a break in their schedule after difficult losses to Chelsea and Liverpool. The Saints do not seem to have a prayer of Premier League survival with Manager Russell Martin’s crew having found the net only twice in their so far futile search for a first league win. 

Premier League Results Match Week Five: City Salvages Late Point From Ten Man Arsenal; Liverpool Responds With Anfield Win; Seagulls and Trees Share Points To Remain Undefeated; Former Gunners Help Fulham Defeat Newcastle; Chelsea Thumps Hammers; Aston Villa Overtakes Wolves; Spurs Swat Bees; Former Goalkeeper Hendersen Blanks Manchester United; Everton, Southampton Secure Their First Points

Was it cause for celebration that Manchester City scored a 98th minute goal to salvage a point versus Arsenal? Was it a triumph for Arsenal to leave with a point after having to defend the entire second half with 10 men? Neither side was terribly happy after the match. Manchester City seemed the least happy, however, despite their late equalizer in the 2-2 draw.

The Citizens were angry with Arsenal’s tactics as the Gunners perpetrated the infamous “dark arts” of time wasting and resorted to a defensive block after going down a man. There was also accusation that Arsenal’s second goal was ill gotten. Arsenal, for its part, seemed a bit overpleased with their stout second half defending despite having conceded at the death. There is also the point that the 10-man situation was entirely Arsenal’s own fault, one of the Gunners making the same stupid error that had reduced them to ten men just two matches ago. The drama was thick on Sunday between two sides who are battling each other for the title in now a third consecutive season. Erling Haaland, of course, got his usual goal for Manchester City just nine minutes into Sunday’s contest, his 100th career goal in 105 appearances for Manchester City. The moment which might be most telling for this title race occurred in the 21st minute when Rodri went down with what appears to be a serious, and potential season ending, knee injury. Just one minute later the first controversy surrounded an Arsenal equalizer by new acquisition Riccardo Calafiore. Defender Kyle Walker was called to a conversation with Referee Michel Oliver. The referee then allowed crafty Arsenal to take a free kick before Walker could get back into position. The Gunners took advantage of Walker’s vacated space to set up Calafiore’s first goal with his new club, angering  Manchester City Manager Pep Guardiola such that he nastily kicked a chair on the Manchester City sideline. Arsenal would more fairly earn its next goal when Gabriel Magalhaes headed in a corner kick during first half stoppage time. Unfortunately for Arsenal, the Gunners would shoot themselves in the foot before reaching the first half whistle. Leandro Trossard committed the same stupid pet trick as Declan Rice had two weeks ago when Trossard kicked away a dead ball to delay a Manchester City free kick. Trossard was given his second yellow card of the match and Arsenal faced an entire second half with just 10 men. The Gunners, often using infuriating delay tactics, held firm until the 98th minute when John Stones equalized for Manchester City with the two Premier League heavyweights sharing the points on the day. Stones’s goal was followed by a melee between players initiated by Haaland.

Battling each other for the title for a third consecutive season, there is little love between these two sides, perhaps not even the respect that existed between Manchester City and Liverpool when those two clubs battled for the title. Former Liverpool Manager Jurgen Klopp is gone but Liverpool remains a contender and moved past Arsenal into second place with a 3-0 win over Brentford. Manager Arne Slot had made the transition from Klopp seem easy until a jarring home loss in Liverpool’s prior match. The Reds were back at Anfield on Saturday and reasserted their quality with three first half goals to sail past Brentford 3-0. Luis Diaz scored two goals in two minutes and Darwin Nunez validated Slot’s decision to give the Uruguayan his first start of the season by scoring Liverpool’s third goal.

The Reds own second place by virtue of goal differential over Aston Villa. Manager Unai Emery’s side side allowed Wolverhampton a first half goal and waited 73 minutes into the match before asserting itself with a trifecta of late goals. Ollie Watkins equalized for the Villans, Ezri Konsa put Emery’s side ahead and Jhon Duran removed all doubt with a stoppage time insurance goal. Duran now has four goals for the season without having started a single match. Wolverhampton sits at the bottom of the Premier League table, one of six clubs still looking for a first victory this season.

Crystal Palace is one of those winless wonders after the Eagles drew for a third consecutive time in a goalless result with Manchester United. Despite United dominating much of the play, the Eagles had the best chances. Only an outstanding double save by Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana kept the home standing Eagles from grabbing all three points. Onana’s reflexes and agility enabled him to make a diving stop on a shot by Eddie Nketiah and then frustrate Ismaila Saar on the put back chance. While Onana was outstanding, Crystal Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson, who made seven saves on the day, may have found even greater satisfaction in pitching a clean sheet against his former club. Manchester United fell out of the top half of the table with the dropped points despite oft criticized Manger Eric ten Hag claiming his side “ate Crystal Palace alive.” That would seem brave talk from a man whose club’s goal total this season exceeds only that of Crystal Palace, Ipswich Town and Southampton.

Just how good was this man today 😳🧤 #CPFC pic.twitter.com/FxLKZZQJV9

— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) September 21, 2024

Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur stepped past Manchester United into the top half of the table with identical 3-1 scorelines over Newcastle and Brentford, respectively. Fulham owes its scoring on Saturday in large part to Arsenal’s development academy. Former Gunners Alex Iwobi and Emile Smith Rowe combined on one of the goals with Smith Rowe finding the net for the second time this season. Arsenal loanee Reiss Nelson scored another as the Cottagers proved unwelcoming hosts to visiting Newcastle. The Magpies had already been thought by many as fortunate and even undeserving of their undefeated record entering the match. Those critics may have been correct as Newcastle’s tendencies towards mistakes and the club’s defensive deficiencies were exposed. Reiss Nelson’s goal for the Cottagers came as a direct result of an errant pass across his own box by Newcastle’s Bruno Guimares and  Fulham was able to launch 22 shots, 11 on target.

Tottenham Hotspur’s 3-1 win over Brentford gave some validation to Spurs’ often underperforming transfer investments of the past few years. Striker Dominic Solanke, acquired this past window from Bournemouth, opened the scoring in the eighth minute with his first league goal as a Tottenham Hotspur player. Brennan Johnson and James Maddison, acquired last year from Nottingham Forest and Leicester respectively, accounted for the next two goals. Spurs star Son Heung-min, meanwhile, played the role of facilitator by assisting on the Johnson and Maddison goals. Brentford lost a second consecutive match and has been on the wrong side of the score in three of its last four matches.

Meanwhile, Brighton and Nottingham Forest are yet to lose after the two undefeated clubs drew 2-2 on the South Coast. Visiting Forest got the final equalizer in a back-and-forth match in the 70th minute when Paraguayan Roman Sosa scored his first goal in English football. The drama from there was provided by the match officials. Anthony Taylor was serving as the fourth official in Brighton after being subjected to online abuse following his record award of 14 yellow cards in last week’s match between Bournemouth and Chelsea. Taylor, however, refused to be “sidelined.” Match Referee Rob Jones initially saw no issue with an 83rd minute challenge by Morgan Gibbs-White on Joao Pedro. Taylor could not contain his card throwing nature, however, and convinced Jones to reverse his thinking. Gibbs-White got the boot with a second yellow card. Both managers were then confusingly red carded and ejected for dissent. The two clubs remain undefeated and level on nine points inside the top half of the table with three draws and two victories from their five matches to date.

Chelsea sits just outside the top four after an impressive 3-0 win in their London derby at West Ham. Niclas Jackson scored twice and assisted Cole Palmer on the third goal as Chelsea won for the third time in its last four matches, having only lost to Manchester City on opening day. Despite continuing noise emanating from the ownership suite, Chelsea’s cadre of young talent is responding to new manager Enzo Maresca. Julen Lopetegui, the new West Ham manager, is struggling. The Hammers are just three points clear of the relegation line after losing for the third time at home this season. Lopetegui has made history by being the first manager to guide a West Ham team to defeat in the first three home matches of season.

Matchups at the bottom of the table were entirely indecisive this past weekend as Southampton drew with Ipswich Town and Everton drew with Leicester by the same 1-1 score. Those four clubs, along with Wolverhampton and Crystal Palace, comprise the current bottom six with all six clubs within two points of each other. Southampton and Everton were each left to celebrate their first point of the season.

Premier League Preview: Match Week Five

The match of the weekend, and the season so far, is Sunday when Arsenal visits the Etihad to face Manchester City. The Gunners have run second to Manchester City in each of the last two title races. Is there any reason to expect a different result this season? City’s Erling Haaland remains the most dangerous scoring threat in the Premier League. The defending champions’ depth is such that even the potential absence of star Kevin De Bruyne for Sunday’s match is largely met with a shrug as Manager Pep Guardiola can merely insert last season’s Premier League Player of the Year Phil Foden into De Bruyne’s midfield spot. Arsenal will be more impacted by the absence of its captain Martin Odegaard in the center of its own midfield. The Gunners survived not only Odegaard’s absence but also that of Declan Rice to put down rival Tottenham Hotspur last weekend, but will they have enough to get a result this weekend? Mikel Arteta’s men posted a clean sheet in both league matches against the champions last season. Goalkeeper David Raya, the returning Rice, and the center back pairing of Saliba and Gabriel could prove problematic for Haaland and friends. Bukayo Saka has been the engine for Arsenal’s attack, assisting on four of the club’s six league goals to date and scoring one of the other two.

Haaland v Arsenal defence. What. A. Match 😳#MCIARS | @ManCity | @Arsenal pic.twitter.com/a8fGLOmpZc

— Premier League India (@PLforIndia) September 20, 2024

Manchester United has suddenly become a goal scoring juggernaut. The Red Devils demolished Barnsley 7-0 in the Carabao Cup during the week, just days after a 3-0 league spanking of Southampton. Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho have both looked lively against lesser competition. The match at Selhurst Park might also see the return of striker Rasmus Hojlund from injury. Crystal Palace, meanwhile, is still looking for a first win this season as the Eagles adjust to life after Michael Olise, the young winger who left for Bayern Munich over the summer. Palace should still offer threat with the newly acquired Eddie Nketiah joining Jean-Philippe Mateta and Eberechi Eze in what should be a competent attack. The Eagles are vulnerable in transition, however, which is where Manchester United shines.

Elsewhere in London are two derbies which could be telling. Manager Ange Postecoglou is understandably no longer adored by Spurs fans. The Australian was a big hit last year when he led his club, reeling from the transfer loss of striker Harry Kane, to seven wins and two draws to begin his time with Spurs. Tottenham Hotspur was top of the Premier League table at the end of October last season. Fast forward and the same club won just two of its last seven matches to finish the season outside the top four. The north London side has one win this season and has lost back-to-back games, including last week’s home derby with Arsenal. Postecoglou’s crew can ill afford a third consecutive loss and another losing effort at home when Brentford visits Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday. Fortunately for Spurs, Brentford’s Yoane Wissa was injured in the Bees’ loss to Manchester City. Wissa’s three goals this season had been part of the solution to replacing former striker Ivan Toney’s production in Brentford’s attack.

West Ham is still struggling to solve its own striker problem. The Hammers acquired Niklas Fullkrug from Borussia Dortmund in this summer’s transfer window, seemingly to provide an upgrade on incumbent Michail Antonio. Manager Julen Lopetegui, however, has continued to favor long time Hammer Antonio and now Fullkrug is nursing a calf injury from international duty. Another transfer miss up front would come on the heels of the misguided 2023 acquisition of Danny Ings. Antonio and Ings combined for just seven league goals last season. Chelsea, of course, has also been accused of needing a striker upgrade. The Blues, however, are pretty optimistic about their attacking possibilities. There is still belief in the potential of young striker Niclas Jackson who just signed an extension with the club. Cole Palmer, of course, is world class. Noni Madueke has claimed the right wing with a promising start to the season which included a hat trick versus Wolves. Jadon Sancho had an electric debut on the left wing last week. Add in players such as Christopher Nkunku, who struck the winner at Bournemouth, and Joao Felix and it seems a potent mix. That is not good news for Lopetegui who could find himself presiding over the first West Ham club to suffer three opening league home defeats for the first time in the Hammers’ history.

Another new manager will be looking for his club to bounce back this weekend when Liverpool hosts Bournemouth. Manger Arne Slot and the Reds shockingly lost at Anfield last week to Nottingham Forest. Bournemouth have lost nine times and drawn once in their ten previous visits to Anfield.

Nottingham Forest and Brighton are both surprisingly undefeated this season. One of those records will be blemished when the Tricky Trees head to the South Coast to face the Seagulls on Sunday. A tight low scoring struggle can be expected. Only Arsenal and Liverpool have conceded fewer than the pair of goals that both Forest and Brighton have conceded after four matches this season. Brighton has been involved in half of the eight goalless draws in the Premier League this calendar year. Forest’s Callum-Hudson Odoi is a good candidate to break up such a deadlock in as he did in last week’s 1-0 win at Liverpool. Only Phil Foden and Eberechi Eze have scored more league goals from beyond the penalty box in 2024 than the former Chelsea man.

Two relegation rumbles take place this weekend when Ipswich Town visits Southampton in a battle of newly promoted clubs and Everton has a go at Leicester. Ipswich Town has captured a point in each of its last two matches after opening losses to Liverpool and Manchester City. Southampton, meanwhile, has lost all four of its matches, conceding three goals in each of its last two losses. Everton’s match with Leicester is pivotal. The Toffees, losers of all four of their matches, have relinquished two goal leads in each of their last two defeats and can ill afford another devastating blow to morale with a loss to the Foxes. Other matches this weekend include a daunting visit by presently relegation bound Wolverhampton to Aston Villa and a more entertaining match on paper when Newcastle goes to Craven Cottage to face Fulham.

Premier League Results: Match Week Four

The Arne Slot honeymoon period is shockingly over after Liverpool lost at home to Nottingham Forest on Saturday. Slot entered the match with the chance to become the first Premier League manager ever to have his side not concede a goal in his first four matches in charge. Instead, Slot became the first Liverpool manager to lose at Anfield to Nottingham Forest since 1969. Callum Hudson-Odoi scored the second half goal which kept Nottingham Forest undefeated and left the Anfield faithful stunned. A lackluster performance by Liverpool was entirely unexpected but perhaps attributable to the international break activity of most, if not all, of its front-line players. Some of those players rejoined the club as late as Thursday. In any event, Liverpool appeared outworked by the visitors and the Reds were unable to penetrate the low block which Forest expertly deployed.

Liverpool dropped to fourth in the table with Newcastle crashing the top four party in third after the Magpies’ 2-1 comeback victory at St. James Park over visiting Wolverhampton. Wolves took a first half lead and impressed for much of the match before Newcastle goals in the 75th minute and 80th minute dashed any hope of a surprising upset.

Arsenal is in sole possession of second place in the table after a 64th minute goal by defender Gabriel proved the winner over Tottenham Hotspur in the north London derby. The Gunners were playing without two of their stars as Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice were absent from the heart of the lineup due to injury and suspension, respectively. The Gunners came away with a gutty win which saw a joint Premier League record seven yellow cards just in the first half. The victory should give the Gunners further confidence as they approach next weekend’s match with table leading Manchester City. Meanwhile, The defeat to Arsenal was bitter for Tottenham Hotspur which has now lost matches on either side of the break as the club and is floundering in 13th place in the table with just one win from the first four matches. Losing to undermanned Arsenal was clearly a missed opportunity for Manager Ange Postecoglou who has yet to win against Arsenal. His side continued its susceptibility to opponents’ set pieces, center back Cristian Romero being the guilty party this time who switched off on Gabriel’s goal. Gabriel’s winning header from Bukayo Saka’s corner kick was almost predictable given the difficulties Spurs has had in defending set pieces dating to last season when 16 such goals were conceded. Three of the last four goals Arsenal has scored against Tottenham Hotspur have come from set pieces. Frustration among Spurs supporters is now growing with Manager Ange Postecoglou who has yet to defeat not just Arsenal but also either of London rivals West Ham or Chelsea.

Sunday’s match had outsize significance for Arsenal which has little margin for error to keep pace with Manchester City in the title chase. Erling Haaland had two goals in the 2-1 Manchester City over Brentford, making the striker the first player to score nine goals in the first four matches of a Premier League season. Brentford initially surprised the Citizens on Saturday with a goal by Yoane Wissa just 23 seconds into the match, the fastest Premier Legue goal of the season so far. Normalcy was restored, however, when Haaland first converted a penalty kick for the equalizer and then scored what would ultimately be the winner before the half was over. Haaland is averaging more than a goal a match in his Premier League career and is one goal short of the century mark across all competitions in now his third season with Manchester City. The Norwegian would have further chances to punctuate the win with a third consecutive hat trick, but two goals was all there was to be for the prolific striker on the day.

Four wins from four in the @premierleague as @ErlingHaaland continues his amazing scoring form! 💪

Highlights 👇 pic.twitter.com/T7eN5asIC5

— Manchester City (@ManCity) September 14, 2024

Ollie Watkins, meanwhile, ended his goal scoring drought in style with a brace in Aston Villa’s dramatic 3-2 comeback victory over Everton. The Toffees took a two-goal lead for a second consecutive match before Watkins brought his side level with his brace. The winner for Aston Villa came in the 76th minute when super sub Jhon Duran unleashed a strike from long range to undo the Toffees, who lost after building a two-goal lead for a second straight match. Aston Villa moved level on points with fourth place Liverpool. Everton is rock bottom in the league as the Toffees are yet to capture a point and are even worse on goal differential than the struggling Saints of Southampton.

The Saints joined Everton as the only two clubs to have lost all four of their matches when the newly promoted side fell tamely at home 3-0 to Manchester United. Southampton missed an early penalty kick and went down to 10 men late in a match where they were outclassed by a Manchester United side which had been embarrassed in a 3-0 loss to Liverpool last week. The Saints proved just the right medicine for the Red Devils and their embattled Manager Erik ten Hag. Even serial underperformer Marcus Rashford had a goal in the easy victory.

While Southampton languishes in the relegation zone, the other promoted sides each captured their second point of the young season. Leicester arguably should have secured all three points against Crystal Palace after taking a two-goal advantage. Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta narrowed the margin, however, with a 47th minute goal just one minute after Leicester had extended the lead. After the early second half fireworks the game settled down and it looked like Leicester might have its first win of the season. Leicester substitute Conor Coady, however, egregiously wiped out a Palace attacker in the box two minutes into injury time. Mateta then stepped up to convert the equalizer as the French striker made a statement shortly after his club recently added another striker in Arsenal’s Eddie Nketiah.

Brighton was yet another club who managed only a point in a home draw to a promoted side. The Seagulls were continually frustrated in a goalless draw with feisty Ipswich Town. The Tractor Boys hunkered down defensively and rode six saves, two of the game saving variety, from goalkeeper Arijanet Muric to grind out the point. The newly promoted side managed just one attempt on the Brighton goal as the focus was on successfully grounding the Seagulls.

Another deadlock occurred in the London derby between Fulham and West Ham where the two sides played to a 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage. West Ham stole their point in the 95th minute of play when Danny Ings, an 82nd minute substitute, found the net.

The Hammers will host another London derby next weekend when an energized Chelsea side visits London Stadium. The Blues took a number of positives away from a 1-0 win over Bournemouth on Saturday. Much of the match was dominated, however, by referee Anthony Taylor who awarded a Premier League record 14 yellow cards for play, which while aggressive, did not meet the eye test for a historic level of misbehavior. Chelsea won for a second time on the road this season as goalkeeper Robert Sanchez made a penalty save in what was perhaps his best performance between the sticks for Chelsea. The Blues may also have found an answer on the left wing. Jadon Sancho, Borussia Dortmund star and Manchester United villain, immediately generated excitement upon his halftime substitution. Raheem Sterling, now at Arsenal, Mikhailo Mudryk, now deep on the bench, and recently acquired and first half starter against Bournemouth Pedro Neto have all failed to give Chelsea a threat on the left wing in the manner that Noni Madueke has recently provided on the other side of the pitch. Sancho teases of being the answer as he frequently dazzled with his agility and footwork before delivering the through ball which led to the winning goal. The recipient of that ball was the oft injured Christopher Nkunku who weaved past three Bournemouth defenders to deposit the 86th minute winner after entering the match in the 79th minute for starter Nicolas Jackson. The oft injured Nkunku scored 58 goals across all competitions in his last two seasons at RB Leipzig before missing most of his first season at Chelsea with injury. The play of Sancho and Nkunku gives Chelsea Manager Enzo Maresca a lot to think about on how he constructs his forward line versus the Hammers next week.

 

Premier League Preview: Match Week Four

The Premier League resumes following an international break which paused the young season. Only three matches are in the books but some trendlines are clear. Manchester City continues to dominate as Erling Haaland is scoring goals for fun. Liverpool looks just fine under their new manager Arne Slot. Manchester United’s performance continues to edge Manager Erik ten Hag toward the exit. Chelsea shows flashes but not consistency amid continuing self-imposed drama. Surprises include an undefeated Brighton led by 31-year-old manager Fabian Hurzeler who was named Premier League Manager of the Month for August.

An unpleasant surprise has been how hopeless Everton looks as the prospect of yet another relegation battle beckons for Toffee supporters. Tottenham Hotspur, entering this weekend’s north London derby, is a question mark. Spurs have won one, drawn one and lost one over three matches. The loss was to a stubborn Newcastle side at St. James Park, but the Magpies are a club that Spurs should beat if Europe is the goal. A thumping win over helpless Everton means little. An opening draw with newly promoted Leicester was embarrassing. Son Heung-min needs help up front and injuries to forwards Dominic Solanke and Richarlison have not been helpful towards that end. Reports that Solanke returned to training this week could provide an unexpected derby boost. More certain is that center back Micky van de Ven will make his return for Spurs.

Arsenal, meanwhile, is likely to be without two key players with an injured Martin Odegaard likely to join suspended Declan Rice on the sideline. Odegaard injured his ankle playing for Norway earlier this week and was sporting crutches upon his return to England. Remarkably, however, Arteta refuses to rule his captain out of the rivalry match. If Odegaard plays, it will be a tribute to modern medicine. If he sits or is ineffective, the Gunners, already damaged by the absence of Rice, could be in trouble at the home of their rival.

Manchester United has had its share of injury woes but it should not matter at winless Southampton on Saturday. The Saints look to be in store for a long prayerful season, the full sum of their scoring to date being a 95th minute consolation goal in a 3-1 loss at Brentford.

The Bees will be facing a bit more firepower this weekend when they visit the Etihad to face Manchester City  though that firepower could be diminished if league leading scorer Erling Haaland is absent for compassionate leave, an open question on Friday after Haaland suffered the loss of a close family friend. Brentford, to its credit, has been dangerous in attack despite the loss of striker Ivan Toney. Only five clubs have scored more goals than the Bees’ front-line duo of Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa. The two will be up against a Manchester City defense which will be missing Nathan Ake who was stretchered off with a hamstring injury during the Netherlands’ draw with Germany on Tuesday.

Mbeumo x Wissa x Dreaming

Modern #Barclaysmen pic.twitter.com/wN8hvqR24w

— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) September 10, 2024

Aston Villa should boost its goal total this weekend when Everton’s porous defense takes to the pitch at Villa Park. Striker Ollie Watkins is yet to find the net this season and will be happy to see the generous defenders from Merseyside who have conceded a league leading 10 goals this season. That Everton has scored only two goals to date is not a surprise after the club scored fewer goals than any surviving club last season. However, the unexpected defensive debacle, so unusual for a Sean Dyche managed club, could spell doom for the Toffees if not corrected.

Wolverhampton is the other returning club which is currently rattling around in the relegation zone. There was some encouragement in capturing a point at Nottingham Forest before the break, but the competitiveness of Manager Gary O’Neil’s squad was diminished by a debilitating transfer window which showed little support for the manager. Wolves will host Newcastle at Molineux Stadium where their last home match was a 6-2 humiliation by Chelsea.

Nottingham Forest was expected to be in the survival fight this season at the bottom of the table. That may still be the case, but Manager Nuno Espiritu Santo has his side off to a surprisingly solid start, unblemished yet by defeat. Unfortunately, the Trees are almost surely going to be chopped down this weekend at Anfield by Liverpool. New Liverpool Manager Arne Slot has won all three of his matches to date with his club yet to concede a goal. A clean sheet against the Trees on Saturday would mark the first time a Premier League manager has posted a clean sheet in his first four league matches. On the other end of the pitch, only Manchester City has scored more goals though three matches than the seven that Liverpool has deposited in opponents’ nets. Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz each have three goals with Diogo Jota having contributed the other Liverpool score.

Salah also has three assists this season, putting him one behind league leading facilitator Cole Palmer. The Chelsea ace and his revolving cadre of high-priced teammates are at Bournemouth this weekend but as is common, most of the talk surrounding the London club this week focuses on its eccentric ownership doings. The current drama revolves around a reported rift between ownership groups. Each side, one led by Todd Boehly and the other headed by Behdad Eghbali, wants to buy the other out. Neither side seems to want to sell though. Chelsea supporters are not happy with any of the owners. Bournemouth enters Week 4 without a defeat after two draws and a rollicking win over Everton which saw the Cherries overcome a two-goal deficit by scoring three late goals after the 86-minute mark.

Chelsea, meanwhile, was stung before the break when a second half goal by Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze saw the Blues drop points in a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridger. The Eagles will return home to Selhurst Park on Saturday to host newly promoted Leicester City. The transfer window, which saw the early defection of winger Michael Olise to Bayern Munich, was not nearly as calamitous as feared for Crystal Palace. The club was able to fend off Newcastle’s interest in defender Marc Guehi, striker Eddie Nketiah was added from Arsenal, and Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah joins the Eagles on loan to help replace the departed Joachim Andersen. Crystal Palace Manager Oliver Glasner should now have the pieces to work with to continue the positive trajectory for the Eagles which began with his arrival in Croydon last season. Leicester, meanwhile, remains a prime candidate for demotion, with or without an expected point deduction from the Premier League for financial misdealing. Leicester Manager Steve Cooper is reportedly already feeling his seat become warm as he attempts this weekend to win for just the second time in his last 17 Premier League matches dating to his time at Nottingham Forest. Leicester’s Jordan Ayew will experience a homecoming at Selhurst. The goal starved but hard working Ghanian forward spent six years with Crystal Palace before moving to the Foxes this past window.

Elsewhere in London on Saturday, Fulham will play host to a derby with West Ham. The Cottagers won both contests against the Hammers last season and Fulham Manager Marco Silva has won all six of his matches versus the Hammers. Silva, however, has been less successful facing new West Ham Manager Julen Lopetegui who he hasn’t beaten in their three prior matchups.

Brighton Manager Fabian Hurzeler, fresh off winning the Manager of the Month award, will look to extend his Seagulls’ undefeated run against newly promoted Ipswich Town. The Tractor Boys pulled out an encouraging 1-1 draw at Fulham after being rudely greeted back to the Premier League by Liverpool and Manchester City in two opening losses. 

More Bad News For Arsenal

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard had to be helped off the field with an ankle injury during Norway’s win over Austria on Monday. The Arsenal captain boarded a flight back to England on crutches. That is more bad news for Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta as a north London derby at Tottenham Hotspur awaits this weekend. Recently acquired defender Riccardo Calafiore suffered a calf injury during this international break and left the Italian team for treatment back in England. Another Gunners newcomer, Mikel Merino, was unavailable for Spain this break because he fractured his shoulder on his first day of training with Arsenal. Declan Rice, meanwhile, is healthy and even scored a goal for England versus Ireland but is suspended for Sunday’s Premier League match after his red card versus Brighton prior to the break.

The availability issues increase the challenge for Arsenal against their rivals in a match which seems more important than it should be in just the fourth week of the season. Arsenal disappointingly dropped points in the 1-1 draw with Brighton. Serial Premier League titlist Manchester City, meanwhile, remains perfect as does a Liverpool side which does not seem diminished by the departure of iconic manager Jurgen Klopp. More dropped points from the Gunners, particularly against rival Spurs, would most certainly fray the nerves of Arsenal supporters.

Now Arteta must puzzle what his lineup will look like. The manager could call on former Chelsea man Jorginho in Rice’s place for the game against Spurs. That is if the Italian international is still a Gunner. Rumors are circulating this week that Turkish side Galatasaray is seeking to acquire Jorginho before the Turkish window closes September 13. The midfielder is restless after not seeing the pitch in Arsenal’s first three matches. That could change this weekend. If Odegaard is out, we could see super sub Leandro Trossard begin the match although where he would play is another question. The Belgian could slide directly into Odegaard’s vacated spot in midfield. Alternatively, Trossard could play up front with one-time central midfielder Kai Havertz dropping deeper from his current forward role.

Taking over Trossard’s “spark plug” off the bench role might then be the newly acquired Raheem Sterling. The Premier League veteran is poised to debut for his fourth “top six” club after Chelsea shuffled him off to Arsenal on loan in notorious fashion before the window closed. Sterling featured for Chelsea during preseason but then was abruptly told he was not in the plans of Chelsea Manager Enzo Maresca. Forbidden to train with the Chelsea regulars and stripped of his uniform number, Sterling was then quickly shipped off to Arsenal amid uproar over his poor treatment. Chelsea will reportedly be paying the greater part of Sterling’s wages as Arsenal becomes the beneficiary of Chelsea’s self-induced drama. The former Liverpool and Manchester City winger might also be a candidate to replace the underperforming Gabriel Martinelli in Arteta’s lineup against Spurs. Sterling has had success in the past against Arsenal’s rival, scoring six goals and notching five assists in 21 Premier League appearances versus Tottenham Hotspur.

Finally, some good news for the Gunners is that Gabriel Jesus could return from a groin injury which has kept him out of the last two matches. The Brazilian’s readiness and Arteta’s willingness to employ him remain a bit fuzzy, however. The manager though will need as many hands as possible on deck over the next two weeks. After the weekend’s derby, Arsenal plays a Champions League match in Italy the following Thursday at Atalanta. Three days after Atalanta comes a Premier League match that the entire world will be watching when the Gunners pay a visit to Manchester City.  

Premier League Results Match Week 3: Arsenal Drops Points At Home To Brighton; Another Haaland Hat Trick Leads Manchester City Over Hammers; Liverpool Sails By Manchester United; Chelsea and Crystal Palace Draw At Stamford Bridge; Everton Makes History In Epic Loss To Cherries

Mikel Arteta was, of course, in full voice as he criticized the second yellow card that sent Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice off in the 49th minute at the Emirates. Brighton would score a tying goal nine minutes later as the surprising Seagulls remained undefeated by securing a 1-1 draw at the Emirates. Rice’s second infraction was, of course, both obvious and silly as the English international was carded for delaying a restart. The Gunners had earlier taken the  lead when Kai Havertz scored in the 38th minute, his second goal of the season, assisted by Bukayo Saka. All momentum changed, however, when Rice received his first Premier League red card when he nudged the ball as Brighton’s Joel Veltman was trying to take a free kick. Rice had earlier fouled Veltman for his first yellow card and the second yellow left the Gunners to battle most of the second half with ten men. Brighton pressed its advantage and broke through in the 58th minute when Joao Pedro scored the equalizer. Both clubs now have identical records of two wins and a draw from three matches. Brighton should be ecstatic at their undefeated start under new manager Fabian Hurzeler.

When the ball drops for João Pedro , you know what’s about to happen next.

Refreshingly clinical. pic.twitter.com/vSuTUMUFZC

— Ryan (@ryanadsett) August 31, 2024

Arsenal, on the other hand, may already be worried about losing ground to fellow title contenders Manchester City and Liverpool, both of whom remain perfect after three matches. Erling Haaland continued his torrid start to the season, finding the net three times in Manchester City’s 3-1 win over West Ham. The Norwegian goal machine has seven goals on the season after his second consecutive hat trick and has now scored 70 Premier League goals in 69 matches for Manchester City.

Liverpool kept pace with the defending champions by defeating Manchester United 3-0 at Old Trafford. Luis Diaz scored a brace and Mohamed Salah had a goal and two assists as Liverpool Manager Arne Slot continued his perfect record in the Premier League. Manchester United’s midfield was overrun by their quicker Liverpool counterparts. Casemiro was dispossessed in the lead up to both Diaz goals and the former Real Madrid great was given the hook at halftime by Manchester United Manager Eric ten Hag. Casemiro’s midfield partner, promising youngster Kobbie Mainoo, also had a rough afternoon and lost the ball to Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister leading to Salah’s goal. The Red Devils certainly rued not having newly acquired defensive midfielder Manuel Ugarte registered in time for the match. Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch, meanwhile, continues to play like he is the answer to the Reds’ own defensive midfield concerns. Liverpool remains the only Premier League club not to have conceded a goal this season.

Newcastle United is level with Arsenal and Brighton on points after a 2-1 win at St. James Park over Tottenham Hotspur in a match where Spurs dominated play but was unable to capitalize upon its chances. Newcastle played conservatively but succeeded with its counterattack. The winner came when Spurs center back Cristian Romero was caught going forward as Newcastle attacked the space left in the Spurs defense. Joelinton found Jacob Murphy who crossed to Alexander Isak for the winner. Sandro Tonali made his return for the Magpies on Sunday after a lengthy betting suspension and received a warm welcome from supporters.

Brentford and Aston Villa each have two victories on the season after defeating newly promoted clubs on the weekend. Brentford pounded winless Southampton 3-1 as the Bees’ Bryan Mbeumo scored twice and forward partner Yoane Wissa added the third and final goal. The teammates have scored all five of the Bees’ goals this season with the Bees’ former striker Ivan Toney now having finalized a transfer to Saudi Arabia.

Aston Villa were 2-1 winners at Leicester as Villa’s super sub Jhon Duran scored in the 61st minute after coming on in relief of striker Ollie Watkins. It was Duran’s second match winner of the young season.

Newly promoted Ipswich Town got its first point of the season with a 1-1 draw versus Fulham. Twenty-one-year-old forward Liam Delap, acquired from Manchester City this summer, staked the Tractor Boys to the lead in the 14th minute. Not even an equalizer from Fulham’s Adama Traore could detract from the joy of Portman Road supporters in securing their first Premier League point in 22 years.

Less excited were the Chelsea supporters at Stamford Bridge who saw Crystal Palace take home a point when Eberechi Eze equalized after an opening goal by Chelsea’s Niclas Jackson. It was an all too typical day for the Chelsea forward. He scored a goal but bottled two later opportunities that could have given Chelsea the winner. His immaturity was on display when he received a yellow card for delaying play. Still, his contributions at the center of Chelsea’s attack are likely underestimated amid Chelsea’s perpetual search for  a different striker. Cole Palmer facilitated Jackson’s  goal against the Eagles on Sunday with  his league leading fourth assist. Crystal Palace, meanwhile, relied on Eze’s strike and some fine goalkeeping from Dean Hendersen, who notched six saves on the day, to end a steak of 13 consecutive losses against Chelsea and register the Eagles’ first point of the season.

The unhappiest fans of the weekend were likely those streaming out of Goodison Park after Everton collapsed in the late stages of a 3-2 loss to Bournemouth. The Toffees, who had failed to win, draw or even score going into the day, were leading by a 2-0 margin until Bournemouth began its comeback with an 87th minute goal by Antonio Semenyo. Stoppage time goals by Lewis Cook and Luis Sinisterra stole all three points for the Cherries in classic “smash and grab” fashion. The epic collapse by Everton was the first time in Premier League history that a club had lost after holding a two-goal lead into the 87th minute of play. The concern after two disappointing Everton losses to start the season had waned just a bit for 86 minutes until exploding into a cacophony of despair for the club that now sits dead last at the bottom of the Premier League table.

Wolverhampton resides with Everton and Southampton in the relegation places despite gaining a point in a 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest on Saturday. Forest remarkably stayed undefeated after Saturday’s draw despite scoring only three goals in three matches. Wolverhampton earned its first point of the season when Jean-Ricner Bellegarde scored in the 12t minute, just two minutes after Nottingham Forest’s Chris Wood had opened the scoring.