By Ryan Moran
- Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool were held to a 0-0 draw as Origi heads against the upright.
- Berahino goal sinks Allardyce’s Black Cats.
- Raheem Sterling fills in for Aguero with a hat trick.
New managers at Liverpool and Sunderland took to their new dugouts but neither could muster up three points for their new sides. Raheem Sterling’s hat-trick the highlight of a goal filled weekend of fixtures with a shock result at St James’ Park.
Football: Full Results, Fixtures, Tables & More
Tottenham Hotspur 0-0 Liverpool
After all of the anticipation with the arrival of Jurgen Klopp, the ex-Borussia Dortmund Manager finally reached the part of his job he is judged on. Injuries saw a start for Divock Origi was handed a start with the injuries to Danny Ings, Daniel Sturridge and Christian Benteke. The Belgian was nearly rewarded with a goal only to be denied by the upright.
Tottenham carried the greater threat, Clinton N’Jie forcing a save from Simon Mignolet on two occasions while Harry Kane also called the Belgian keeper into action. Neither sides could force a breakthrough as a highly anticipated game drew a blank on the score line.
Klopp was the entertainment supporters came to see, he produced the goods with his highly animated movements on the side lines as if he was going to be the one putting the ball in the net. Against a hard to beat Tottenham side, a point with a depleted squad could prove to be a good point come the end of the season in the race for fourth place. The reds currently sit four points away from West Ham who occupy fourth spot with a long way to go in the Premier League.
West Bromwich Albion 1-0 Sunderland
Sam Allardyce returned to the Premier League and followed suit with an away loss in his first game in charge. Saido Berahino’s goal was much contested due to a hand ball supposedly noticed as Chris Brunt’s cross was gathered by Costel Pantilimon only to be dropped into the path of on form strike Berahino. After Newcastle’s win, the Black Cats now drop to the foot of the table as the points for survival increases thanks to the Baggie’s win.
Manchester City 5-1 AFC Bournemouth
Sterling silenced his critics in Saturday’s encounter with AFC Bournemouth scoring three goals as City prevailed without key player Sergio Aguero. Wilfried Bony replaced the injured striker up front while the Cherries were forced to make a change in goal before kick off as Artur Boruc picked up an injury in the warm up. Adam Federici was therefore handed his first Premier League start in goal.
Eddie Howe’s side were unfortunate not to take the lead as a flurry of chances never fell kind enough to the Manager’s attackers as City failed to clear on many occasions. A questionable goal for Manuel Pellegrini’s side saw Sterling pick up his first of three goals as Pablo Zabaleta headed to Bony who found the England international in an offside position to open the scoring. Bony’s form had dropped since his arrival from Swansea City however a parried Bacary Sagna cross handed the Ivorian an open goal to prove his doubters wrong.
It was a mixed game for Federici in the visitor’s goal as two great saves denied Kevin De Bruyne another goal to add to his tally for the home side. The first save with the Australian’s fingertips in the top left corner while the second was hit -with such power, the ex- Reading man could only tip onto the bar.
Glenn Murray gave Howe’s side a lifeline as Eunan O’Kane played the ball forward to the striker who hit hard at the front post, beating Joe Hart in the same way Victor Moses achieved only a few weeks ago. The home side restored their lead soon after when De Bruyne found Sterling on the left wing before beating two defenders releasing an effort between a sliding defender and the onrushing goal keeper to claim his second and City’s third.
Pellegrini’s side were not finished there as a long ball caught the away side asleep as Jesus Navas ran onto the kick, rounding Federici however, instead of finishing the winger hit the retreating bodies but as the ball dropped to Sterling it was only going to end in the back of the net. The hat-trick was complete but the goal scoring was not. Winger Navas beat Sylvain Distin on the right before playing into Bony who swivelled, opening up the goal as his left foot strike made it five goals to AFC Bournemouth’s one.
The win kept Manchester City at the top of the table by two points as Arsenal and Manchester United remain on their heels with 19 points.
Newcastle United 6-2 Norwich City
four goals not only overshadowed Sterling’s hat-trick but also helped Newcastle United to leapfrog Aston Villa into 18th place and two points from safety. In a score line that looks ever so one sided was once a close affair between two sides who started the campaign very differently. The mid table Canaries were always chasing the game as Wijnaldum opened the scoring before Dieumerci Mbokani levelled for the away side. The Dutchman then restored the Magpie’s lead before Ayoze Perez extended the deficit to two goals. Nathan Redmond doubled his side’s goal tally with a volley as 34 minutes saw five goals.
The second half saw Steve Mclaren’s side move out of sight and claim their first win of the season. Aleksandar Mitrovic added a fourth as the floodgates opened. Two minutes later Wijnaldum scored his second header of the game before unleashing a long range effort for his fourth to add some positivity St James’ Park has long been missing.
One game certainly doesn’t prove the critics wrong, a consistent run of results is now needed to keep up with the teams above them. The gap increases at the bottom as teams at the foot will struggle to make up the points so Newcastle will hope this is the turning point in their season as other new signings can reach the heights set by Wijnaldum who has been a bright spark in a disappointing start for Mclaren.
Watford 0-3 Arsenal
In a goalless first half, Arsenal took control in the second half running out clear winners as Alexis Sanchez, Olivier Giroud and Aaron Ramsey found the back of the net for the Gunners. Chances fell for both sides in the first half however, the first falling to Sanchez from long distance needing to be pushed over by Heurelho Gomes. Petr Cech had a much easier task than his goalkeeping counterpart as Troy Deeney’s effort was hit hard but straight at the ex-Chelsea man for a simple save.
The closest the Hornets came was a Deeney cross to find Odion Ighalo only for the back tracking Laurent Koscielny to slide in and block what could have been a dangerous cross. Watford had a penalty shout, quickly waved away by the referee and by an angered Francis Coquelin who made the tackle.
The away side pushed and pushed for an opening and it was Sanchez who found that opening. The Chilean passed into Mesut Ozil who played a one two with Santi Cazorla, a challenge landed the ball in front of Sanchez to open the scoring. Theo Walcott assisted the second, pulling the ball back from the by-line to Giroud who hit first time into the net as Arsene Wenger’s side doubled their lead. Hector Bellerin hurdled a challenge passing to Ramsey whose effort hit off of all the bodies in the way to still find the back of the net.
Unfortunately for Arsenal, Manchester City’s win kept them ahead of the Gunners by two points but still keep the pressure on the league leaders.
Everton 0-3 Manchester United
Prior to kick off, tributes were paid to Howard Kendall, once player and manager at Everton, after he passed away at the age of 69. Goals from Morgan Schneiderlin, Ander Herrera and Wayne Rooney saw a turn in fortune for the Red Devils with their first win in four matches at Goodison Park.
Roberto Martinez’s side played themselves into trouble on the first goal, Steven Naismith’s clearing header going up in the air, beaten to the header by Rooney who found Marcos Rojo. The Argentine headed the ball across towards Schneiderlin volleying the ball past Tim Howard to break the deadlock. Four minutes later, Herrera made it two goals to the good as Rojo was involved in the build-up once again providing a perfectly placed cross onto the head of his Spanish teammate to double the lead for the visitors.
The Toffees had their chances to pull themselves back into the game, Romelu Lukaku having the best chance after Aaron Lennon’s cross found the Belgian who was denied by the legs of David De Gea. The Spanish keeper was called into action once again when a Ross Barkley free kick evaded both groups of players, requiring a save from the United shot stopper.
Phil Jagielka gifted Rooney a goal at his former club playing a loose pass into Schneiderlin who found Herrera on his right playing the England striker through to slot in at the front post. The United captain nearly had his second and his side’s fourth when the ex-Everton player’s chipped effort was saved late on by Howard as bodies raced back to protect the goal line.
With results not going in Louis Van Gaal’s favour, Manchester United remain third with Arsenal and Manchester City above them. Arsenal’s goal difference being two goals better keeps the Gunners in second while City remain two points in front of the trailing pack.
Chelsea 2-0 Aston Villa
The return of Diego Costa added to the defensive mistakes made by Aston Villa earnt Chelsea a much needed three points to pull the Blues away from danger. Early defensive mistakes from the home side nearly cost Chelsea their lead when Alan Hutton beat Abdul Baba Rahman only to be denied by Asmir Begovic, the rebound fell to Hutton whose cross beat everyone and went out for a throw in.
The first key mistake to cost Villa a share of the points when Brad Guzan passed to Joleon Lescott, pressure from Willian won the ball and broke to square the ball to Costa to put the ball into an open net. The second of Chelsea’s goals proved luck wasn’t falling Aston Villa’s way as Cesc Fabregas found Costa, the striker’s cross deflecting off of Hutton and over Guzan to double the home side’s lead. The win takes last season’s champions to 12th in the league, ten points behind Manchester City.
Crystal Palace 1-3 West Ham United
The Hammers maintain their impressive away record against what has been an impressive Crystal Palace side this season. Goals from Carl Jenkinson, Manuel Lanzini and Dimitri Payet overpowered Yohan Cabaye’s penalty which he scored twice. Dwight Gayle caused troubles for West Ham before two yellow cards ended the striker’s afternoon.
West Ham started the brighter of the two sides with Payet spurning the chance to take the lead. Jenkinson was more clinical than his teammate as the ball was moved from the left of the field to the right where Victor Moses split the defence with a through ball for the Arsenal loanee who used the outside of the boot to put the ball in the far corner.
The full back made a mistake soon after to give the home side a way back into the game colliding with Gayle to give Cabaye the chance to level the scores. Encroachment by Gayle prevented the Frenchman’s first converted penalty from being given but the midfielder kept his cool to beat Adrian twice to level the scores.
Gayle earned his first yellow card with a challenge worthy of the card given, off the ground and not touching the ball. The second challenge unlucky to warrant a second yellow as another challenge from behind on Cheikhou Kouyate scraping his heels and the Eagles now down to ten men.
Diafra Sakho nearly made the extra man count only to be denied by the post. Lanzini found the back of the net after Mauro Zarate crossed to Andy Carroll who headed towards bodies in the box, as the ball moved past the crowd, the unmarked Lanzini struck the ball into the net. Two was made three when Payet made up for his early misses to chip over Wayne Hennessey who committed early to diving, away record remains unscathed.
In the weekend’s other fixtures:
A two goal lead for Southampton wasn’t enough to take three points from the high flying Foxes as two late Jamie Vardy goals cancelled out Jose Fonte’s header and Virgil Van Dijk’s second chance goal. A Bojan Krkic penalty four minutes into the game was enough to win the game for Stoke as Swansea slip to another defeat. The penalty was given away by Ashley Williams as he fouled the eventual goal scorer.
Swansea City 0-1 Stoke City
Southampton 2-2 Leicester City
Midweek Champions League action is followed up by six Saturday fixtures including West Ham United vs Chelsea on 24th October.
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