Manchester City finished the weekend top of the Premier League thanks to a win over Southampton on Saturday, before they watched Arsenal and Liverpool play out a thrilling 2-2 draw on Sunday.
The big Premier League 2024 news at the Emirates was that Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber were both fit to play and it was England man Saka who made his mark, beating Andrew Robertson before smashing the ball high into the net to give the Gunners a lead. Pool equalised from a corner when the suspended William Saliba was sorely missed as Virgil Van Dijk headed home unmarked at the near post.
Arsenal were the better side in the first half and deservedly restored their lead when Mikel Merino met a Declan Rice free kick to head home his first goal for the Gunners. The second half ebbed and flowed, though the hosts looked the more likely to add to the score until the 80th minute when Mo Salah struck to break the Gunners’ hearts. Trent Alexander-Arnold curled a ball round the back of the hosts’ defence and Darwin Nunez found the perfect pass for the Egyptian to steer home.
The point lifted Arsenal over Aston Villa and Chelsea into third, five points behind the leaders while Liverpool climbed to within a point of the Sky Blues.
Manchester City versus Southampton didn’t quite go the way we all expected, nor did the Premier League 2024 betting odds which predicted a comfortable home win; and while Pep Guardiola’s Sky Blues did secure the three points it was with the only goal of the game. It was no surprise that Erling Haaland was the man to score, with just five minutes on the clock, but few would have predicted that would be the final score. Haaland had two more efforts cleared off the line and missed a chance we all expected him to bury and, with 22 shots to five and eight to two on target, there were plenty of chances for the margin of victory to grow; but a win’s a win and it was enough to send City to the top.
Chelsea make their move
Nicolas Jackson made it two goals in two games when he latched on to a brilliant pass from Cole Palmer to slide home the opener on for Chelsea against Newcastle on 18 minutes. Alexander Isak scored his second of the season when he equalised, surviving a lengthy VAR check for a potential offside. 1-1 at half time but a minute after the break ‘Cold Palmer’ burst through and hit a sweet strike past Nick Pope at his near post to make it seven for the campaign. Chelsea were the better side and pushed for a third and when Dan Burn had a hold of Christopher Nkunku for too long the ref pointed to the spot. VAR asked him to take another look and Simon Hooper changed his mind, but the Blues held out for a deserved victory which took their up to fourth and alongside Arsenal before the Emirates kick-off.
Jean Philippe Mateta scored on the half hour for the Crystal Palace against Europe chasing Tottenham and that was enough to beat Ange Postecoglou’s team and take some pressure of Eagles boss Oliver Glasner.
Crycensio Summerville thought he’d given West Ham United a win over Manchester United when he popped up a the far post to score on 73 minutes; but the Red Devils replied within minutes as Casemiro headed home from three yards. But there was more late drama when Matthijs de Ligt fouled Hammers striker Danny Ings and, after another VAR review the referee pointed to the spot. Jarrod Bowen smashed home the spot kick and the stadium erupted. 2-1 to West Ham and the fourth official signalled TWELVE minutes of added time. There were chances at both ends but no more goals so West Ham moved above their visitors into 13th place. He’s picked up four points from two games since the international break but Red Devils boss Erik Ten Hag has plenty to think about.
Wood just keeps chipping away
In an age which has celebrated smaller, niftier, quick-footed forwards it’s nice to see an old fashioned centre forward still grabbing the headlines. Haaland is the poster boy of the big men up front who can bully defenders and know where the net is, but Nottingham Forest’s Chris Wood has been a pioneer for over a decade. Now 32 years of age the 6ft 3in Kiwi is in the form of his life, scoring the second half double which gave Nottingham Forest a 3-1 win away to Leicester City on Friday night.
His well taken brace made it seven goals for the season for Wood, four behind top scorer Haaland, and his looping header for his second made it five in five games, as Forest continue their impressive start to the campaign. Wood arrived in the UK back in 2009 as a fresh faced forward for West Bromwich Albion before helping to fire Leicester City to promotion in 2014. He followed that up with a successful stint in the Championship with Leeds United, scoring 41 goals in 83 games and that earned him a big money move to Burnley where he scored 49 Premier League goals. Wood has plundered 22 goals in 47 games for Forest to become the club’s second highest Premier League scorer of all time, two behind Bryan Roy on 24; and since the arrival of Nuno as manager in December last year, only Haaland has scored more open play goals than Wood’s 17.
This SBOBET writer celebrated plenty of Wood’s goals at Burnley and, still one of the best strikers in the league, he is certainly not a dying breed.
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