Liverpool continued its unbeaten road rampage with a 2-0 victory at Bournemouth. The Premier League leaders relied on a brace from Mohamed Salah, the league’s leading scorer, to secure the ninth win of a twelve-match undefeated run away from home. Salah’s goal total moved to 21 on the season as he raised the ante on his next contract, with the Reds or elsewhere. Only Alan Sherer, Sergio Aguero and Harry Kane have exceeded Salah’s five seasons with 20 or more Premier League goals. Salah’s second goal on Saturday was his 178th goal in the league, moving him ahead of Frank Lampard to sixth on the list of all-time Premier League scorers. He remains unsigned, however, past this season. The Liverpool victory, which snapped an 11-match unbeaten run by Bournemouth, keeps the Reds six points ahead of second place Arsenal with the league leaders having played one fewer match.
— Mohamed Salah (@MoSalah) February 2, 2025
Arsenal unleashed years of frustration on reeling Manchester City as the Gunners routed their tormentors of the past two years 5-1 at the Emirates. Arsenal ran second each of the past two seasons to the defending title winners. This, however, is not Manchester City’s year while Arsenal continues its chase of a title, this time in pursuit of Liverpool. The rout of their struggling nemesis on Sunday will give added confidence to an Arsenal side which has overcome injuries to remain in striking distance of Liverpool. Five different players scored for Arsenal in the win over Manchester City but there will be question as to whether this was fool’s gold as the Gunners failed to land a true Number 9 in the now closed transfer window, the club still lacking what many perceive to be the final piece necessary to the club’s final ascent of the Premier Leage mountain. Manchester City, meanwhile, slipped out of the top four following the loss but remains part of a crowded field contending for European qualification for next year.
Chelsea jumped over Manchester City into the top four with a 2-1 comeback victory over West Ham at Stamford Bridge though it was not pretty for a Blues side which has seen its attack stall in the new year. An opportunistic put back by substitute Pedro Neto and an own goal by the Hammers’ Aaron Wan-Bissaka overcame a first half West Ham lead and made for an unhappy return by former Chelsea and current West Ham Manager Graham Potter.
Another of Potter’s former teams, Brighton, was thrashed by Nottingham Forest in a 7-0 massacre perpetrated at the City Gound. Chris Wood had three goals and Anthony Elanga had three assists as the Trees responded in in the best way possible to their own thrashing at the hands of Bournemouth last weekend. The routing of a fellow European contender in Brighton will have restored any lapsed confidence as Forest posted its eighth win in the Tricky Trees’ last ten matches, a stretch which included a close fought draw with current table toppers Liverpool. The Seagulls, meanwhile, have lost altitude after flying as high as fourth place at the close of November only to now nest in 10th position after Saturday’s loss.
Brighton’s hated rival, Crystal Palace, has closed to within four points of the Seagulls after a 2-0 win over Manchester United, the Eagles third victory in their last four matches. JP Mateta had a second half brace to send Manchester United to a fifth defeat in its last six Premier League matches at Old Trafford. The Palace striker has found the net six times in his last five league appearances and now has 10 goals on the season. Manchester United’s seven defeats in 13 home matches this season is the worst Red Devils’ league performance in front of the home crowd since the 19th century. Manager Reuben Amorim’s claim that this might be the wort Manchester United team ever appears to be an accurate assessment. The Red Devils also lost defender Lisandro Martinez to a knee injury during the match as the tale of woe continues for Amorim and home supporters. Meanwhile, the club sent Marcus Rashford and Antony out on loan without any appreciable additions to its attacking force.
The problems at Manchester United made for a real headscratcher when the Red Devils won at Fulham last weekend. The Cottagers had lost only one other time in their preceding 10 matches which included draws with the league’s top two clubs, Liverpool and Arsenal. The Cottagers returned to form this weekend by going to St. James Park and taking all three points from Newcastle in a 2-1 final. Down a goal at halftime, Fulham’s comeback began with a goal by Raul Martinez and was complete when Rodrigo Muniz found the net for the winner in the 82nd minute. The collapse by Newcastle, which dropped a second consecutive match at St. James’s Park, allowed Chelsea to leapfrog the Magpies in the table as Newcastle and Manchester City sit level on points just outside the top four.
Aston Villa’s hopes for European qualification, meanwhile, took a wrong turn with its trip to Molineux Stadium. Wolverhampton’s 2-0 victory over the Villans moved Wolves out of the relegation zone for the first time since November.
Replacing Wolves among the doomed is Leicester, 4-0 losers to suddenly dangerous Everton. The Toffees won their third consecutive league match and are nine points clear of the endangered Foxes.
Danger does not begin to describe the survival prospects of Southampton. Saturday was a rare day to cheer for the Saints, however, as the beleaguered club notched only its second win of the season in a 2-1 victory at Ipswich Town. The loss by the Tractor Boys bodes ill for their own survival. Ipswich Town is three points from safety after the weekend’s results. Happy New Year to Tottenham Hotspur, which won a Premier League match for the first time this year in a 2-0 win at Brentford. The win by Spurs snapped a four-match losing run and was the first victory in eight matches for the north London side.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please leave a comment: