This week’s Premier League games treated us to 23 goals, 42 bookings (41 yellows, 1 red) and two of the fiercest derbies – The North London and the Merseyside.
Saturday
Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal
1-1
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang saw his last-minute penalty saved by Hugo Lloris, costing Arsenal victory and ensuring Spurs retained a crucial advantage over their arch-rivals in the battle for the top four.
Some would say the save was poetic justice for an incredibly soft and controversial penalty.
It wasn’t the only disputable spot-kick given, Spurs appeared to be inches offside just before the foul was committed, but referee Anthony Taylor pointed to the spot. Harry Kane stepped up and cooly converted, leveling things after 74 minutes.
Aaron Ramsey had put the Gunners ahead with a beautiful, patient run before rounding the keeper and slotting home.
They were handed a golden opportunity to close within a point of Spurs after Davinson Sanchez fouled Aubameyang, who hit it tamely and it was easily saved low by Lloris.
To add to the late chaos, Arsenal went a man down after Lucas Torreira saw red for a reckless tackle on Danny Rose in the closing seconds.
Arsenal only have themselves to blame for not closing the gap, they wasted chance after chance and Spurs will be happy with the point.
Up Next:
Champions League
Borussia Dortmund v Spurs (0-3 agg) – Tuesday, March 5th (3pm)
Europa League
Rennes v Arsenal – Thursday, March 7th (12:55pm)
Premier League
Southampton v Spurs – Saturday, March 9th (10am)
Arsenal v Man United – Sunday, March 10th (12:30am)
AFC Bournemouth v Manchester City
0-1
Pep Guardiola says his side’s win at Bournemouth was “one of the best performances we’ve ever played”, as the reigning champions overcame injuries to Kevin de Bruyne and John Stones to go one point clear the the top of the table.
Seconds before the break the Belgian went down unchallenged and immediately signaled to the bench that he needed to come off. Stones suffered the same issue at the start of the second half, walking off the field to be replaced by Vincent Kompany.
Riyad Mahrez, on for De Bruyne, scored the only goal of the game early in the second half. It’s the second 1-0 victory City have had in the space of four days.
Despite the setbacks, City continued to push forward and deserved the lead after 55 minutes. Charlie Daniels failed to clear Bernado Silva‘s pass properly, the ball fell to David Silva who set up Mahrez.
Bournemouth goalkeeper and Man of the Match, Artur Boruc could have done better to save the shot, but made up for it with a series of beautiful saves to keep the score at 1-0.
The 39-year-old’s best save came when he tipped Sergio Aguero‘s lofted long-range shot onto the bar before pushing Mahrez‘s point-blank header away.
The Cherries offered little attacking force in response and failed to have a shot at goal or force a single corner.
City’s win puts the pressure back on title rivals Liverpool, who trail City by 1pt after a goalless Merseyside Derby.
Up Next:
Huddersfield v Bournemouth – Saturday, March 9th (10am)
Man City v Watford – – Saturday, March 9th (12:30pm)
Brighton & Hove Albion v Huddersfield Town
1-0
Brighton manager Chris Hughton was left “relieved” after his side recorded their first league win of 2019.
Substitute Florin Andone‘s wonder header was enough to give the Seagulls the victory over the league’s bottom club.
Brighton were sluggish until Alireza Jahanbakhsh hit the crossbar before halftime. They dominated after the break with Jahanbakhsh forcing a fine save from Jonas Lossl, before Andone powerfully headed home Anthony Knockaert‘s cross.
The victory sees the hosts rise to 15th in the table, whilst Huddersfield stay 13pts from safety and anchored at the bottom of the Premier League table.
Up Next:
Palace v Brighton – Saturday, March 9th (7:30am)
Huddersfield v Bournemouth – Saturday, March 9th (10am)
Burnley v Crystal Palace
1-3
Palace put in another superb road performance to win at relegation rivals Burnley and take another step toward securing top-flight play next season.
The two sides went into the game tied on 30pts. It was the Eagles who made the early breakthrough as Jeffrey Schlupp‘s cutback deflected in off Phil Bardsley‘s thigh for an own goal.
Burnley began to show frustration toward the end of the first half and Michy Batshuayi doubled the visitors’ lead just after the break.
Palace continued to keep it tight at the back whilst Wilfried Zaha grabbed another goal, tormenting the Claret defense before firing low past Tom Heaton.
Ashley Barnes scored a consolation goal, before Peter Crouch almost set up a nervy finish, but the Eagles held on to claim their third successive away victory in all competitions.
The victory saw Palace rise to 13th, putting eight points between themselves and the bottom three, meanwhile Burnley dropped a place to 16th, five points clear of the relegation zone.
Up Next:
Liverpool v Burnley – Sunday, March 10th (8am)
Palace v Brighton – Saturday, March 9th (7:30am)
Manchester United v Southampton
3-2
Ole Gunnar Solskjær said it was “like the old days” as his Manchester United team scored a late winner against the Saints to move to within three points of third-placed Tottenham, and a point ahead of Arsenal.
United were two minutes from missing out on fourth place when Romelu Lukaku came to the rescue with a beautiful strike and calm finish to settle the unnerved crowd at Old Trafford.
The Belgian celebrated by taking his shirt off after sealing a 10th win in 12 Premier League games under interim boss Solskjær.
The Norwegian manager, who famously scored a 93rd-minute winner for the Red Devils in the 1999 Champions League Final said, “I’m so pleased for the boys that they managed to claw three points out of this game”.
Yan Valery had given the struggling Saints a surprise lead with a phenomenal finish from about 25 yards before the hosts turned it around with two goals in six minutes after the break.
Andreas Pereira equalized with an even more spectacular long-range strike before beautifully setting up Lukaku to make it 2-1.
Southampton fought back to make it 2-2- through James Ward-Prowse‘s exquisite free-kick before the dramatic winner.
In an incident-packed game, Paul Pogba missed the chance to make it 4-2 when Angus Gunn saved his late penalty with his trailing foot.
The victory sees Manchester United leapfrog Arsenal for fourth place, whilst Southampton remains 17th with 27pts from 29 games.
Up Next:
Champions League
PSG V Man United (2-0 agg) – Wednesday, March 6th (3pm)
Premier League
Arsenal v Man United – Sunday, March 10th (12:30am)
Southampton v Spurs – Saturday, March 9th (10am)
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Cardiff City
2-0
Diogo Jota and Raul Jimenez scored for Wolves, who ended a three-match winless run in the league with a 2-0 victory over struggling Cardiff.
Jota opened the scoring in the 16th minute, finishing confidently and calmly past Neil Etheridge following a free-flowing move.
Jimenez doubled their lead two minutes later when Jota teed him up, he fired low for his 11th league goal of the season.
Leander Dendoncker came close to making it 3-0 in the first half but hit the post from point-blank range before being denied by Etheridge on the follow-up.
Cardiff’s night was over when Sol Bamba was carried off on a stretcher before half-time with what appeared to be a knee injury.
Wolves remained seventh but improve to 43pts, more than they’ve ever previously amassed in the top-flight. Cardiff meanwhile, remain 18th, 2pts from safety following their third defeat in a row.
Up Next:
Chelsea v Wolves – Sunday, March 10th (10:05am)
Cardiff v West Ham – Saturday, March 9th (10am)
West Ham United v Newcastle United
2-0
Declan Rice‘s goal and Mark Noble‘s penalty in the first half was enough to ensure victory for West Ham.
Rice headed home Robert Snodgrass‘ corner after seven minutes to give the Hammers an early lead.
Noble doubled the hosts’ advantage from the penalty spot just before the break, after Newcastle’s Florian Lejeune fouled Javier Hernandez.
The Magpies failed to show any attacking threat, though Salomon Rondon did go close to getting the consolation when his free-kick struck the post.
Victory for Manuel Pellegrini‘s side lifts them up to ninth in the league, whilst Newcastle remain 6pts above the relegation zone in 14th.
Up Next:
Cardiff v West Ham – Saturday, March 9th (10am)
Newcastle v Everton – Saturday, March 9th (10am)
Sunday
Watford v Leicester City
2-1
Brendan Rodgers got off to a losing start with a 2-1 defeat in his first game in charge of the Foxes, thanks to an injury-time Andre Gray winner earned Watford all three points.
Troy Deeney capitalized on Kasper Schmeichel‘s poor clearance, before playing in Gray, who finished smartly past the Leicester goalie. He was then booked for removing his shirt amid ecstatic celebrations.
Deeney had given the Hornets an early lead after heading Gerard Deulofeu‘s cross past Schmeichel.
Jamie Vardy appeared to have earned the visitors a point with a low finish, but Gray‘s goal clinched the three points for the hosts.
Watford move level on points with seventh-placed Wolves, whilst Leicester remain 11th following their seventh defeat in 10 league games.
Up Next:
Man City v Watford – Saturday, March 9th (12:30pm)
Leicester v Fulham – Saturday, March 9th (10am)
Fulham v Chelsea
1-2
Fulham fell closer to relegation as Scott Parker‘s first game as caretaker manager ended in a 2-1 defeat by neighbors Chelsea.
Gonzalo Higuain set the Blues on their way to their first league away win of 2019 with a nice finish from Cesar Azpilicueta‘s cross.
The Cottagers, who sacked Claudio Ranieri on Thursday, produced an energized display and equalized through Calum Chambers from a corner.
Unfortunately, they were level for just four minutes, with Joringho‘s well placed fish from 20 yards out left Chelsea just two points adrift of the top four.
Craven Cottage erupted when the home crowd and Ryan Sessegnon though he’d scored an equaliser in the dying moments, only for the 18-year-old’s effort to be ruled offside.
The hosts remain 19th with just 17pts from 29 games, three points ahead of bottom club Huddersfield and 10pts from safety.
Up Next:
Leicester v Fulham – Saturday, March 9th (10am)
Chelsea v Wolves – Sunday, March 10th (10:05am)
Everton v Liverpool
0-0
Liverpool missed out on the chance to go back to the top of the Premier League with a goalless draw in the 233rd Merseyside Derby. They trail title rivals, Manchester City, by one point.
Everton dented their local rivals’ title hopes by holding them to a goalless draw at Goodison Park. Had the Reds won, like most pundits thought, they would have reclaimed top spot in the League.
It’s the first time since December 7 that Jurgen Klopp‘s side haven’t been top of the table having played the same number of games as City.
Liverpool’s best chances fell to Mo Salah who was twice denied by excellent goalkeeping from Everton’s Jordan Pickford and class defending by the Toffees. Pickford stopped the Egyptian on a one-on-one and Michael Keane rebuffed him again with a brilliant second half challenge in the box when Salah looked to be through on goal.
Left-back Lucas Digne denied Fabinho with a perfect last-ditch tackle to prevent the Brazilian shooting from close range.
Alisson was rarely troubled in the Liverpool goal, making a routine catch to deny Dominic Calvert-Lewin‘s header in the 52nd minute. The hosts only had three shots on target the whole game.
If Everton’s offensive game had been as strong as their defensive game they could easily have won the affair, instead they sit 10th with 37pts in 29 games, two points behind ninth-placed West Ham and two ahead of Leicester.
Up Next:
Newcastle v Everton – Saturday, March 9th (10am)
Liverpool v Burnley – Sunday, March 10th (8am)
ALL TIMES U.S. EASTERN
Artistry of Sport 
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