EPL Roundup : Arsenal top the table as United and Chelsea draw, but Stoke City and Everton play a thriller
A Mesut Ozil inspired Arsenal won 2-0 at home against Bournemouth to take the Gunners to the top of the table. At Old Trafford, Manchester United and Chelsea played out a goalless draw that was witness to some stunning saves from both goalkeepers. Stoke City grabbed a late 4-3 win away to Everton, that included some stunning goals amidst the goal-scoring excitement.
Tottenham grabbed a dramatic winner at the death against Watford, to push them upto 3rd place with a 2-1 win at Vicarage Road. Elsewhere, Norwich City, West Brom and West Ham notched up victories over Aston Villa, Newcastle and Southampton respectively while Crystal Palace and Swansea City drew.
Arsenal 2-0 AFC Bournemouth
Scorers : Gabriel 27’, Ozil 63’
Bournemouth began the game in bright fashion, with the pace of Joshua King troubling the Gunners in the initial stages. However, Arsenal took the lead midway into the first half, Mesut Ozil chipped in with his 16th assist of the season, as his corner was headed home by Gabriel.
Incredibly, Ozil could have had two more assists in identical fashion, as his corners wreaked havoc with the Cherries’ defence. Gabriel hit the post with his header while Ramsey missed a clear chance at the back post, thus eschewing the opportunity to double Arsenal’s lead as the Gunners went into the break 1-0 up.
Mesut Ozil’s chase for assist’s continued into the second half, but Walcott missed a chance to increase Ozil’s tally. The German maestro consoled himself with a goal typical of Arsenal, as a quick flurry of passes ended with a flicked backheel assist by Olivier Giroud into Ozil’s path, allowing the German to stroke through the keepers legs and put the Gunners 2-0 up in the 63rd minute.
Giroud, Walcott and Oxlade-Chamberlain missed all conspired to miss presentable chances as the second half wore on, but the Arsenal faithful did not mind as the final whistle blew, as the victory propelled the Gunners to the top of the table, while their fellow title challengers Leicester City and Manchester City meet tomorrow night.
The result also meant that Petr Cech broke a Premier League record, his 170th clean sheet being the most by any goalkeeper, while Ozil also notched up another milestone with his 30th assist in his Arsenal career, 5 more than any other player in the intervening period. The German also created 9 chances in the game, the most by any player in a single game this season.
Manchester United 0-0 Chelsea
The final score did not do justice to this peach of a game, as Manchester United and Chelsea played out a pulsating end-to-end encounter that included some incredible goalkeeping. Thibaut Courtois however, could not do much at the start of the game as Juan Mata’s fiercely stuck shot struck the crossbar in the 2nd minute, with the Belgian well beaten.
David de Gea began his goalkeeping heroics soon after, making an incredible one-handed save as he stretched every sinew to palm away a bullet John Terry header from a corner in the 4th minute. Manchester United grabbed the ascendancy as the first half wore on, with Martial announcing himself in the game in the 16th minute, cutting inside from the left and striking a firm shot past Courtois but gazing in agony as it struck the post.
The game descended into a few theatrics as Martial and Willian put on their best acting skills on display, but were unable to convince the referee as the first half ended 0-0.
De Gea continued his superb form into the second half, making a stunning double save from Pedro and Azpilicueta strikes in the 48th minute. Courtois responded in the goalkeepeing stakes soon after, making a stunning save from a point-black effort from Ander Herrara who got on the end of a delicious Martial cross.
Chelsea should have profited from their keeper’s heroics in the 61st minutes, but Nemanja Matic skied the ball when he was put clean through on the counter by a lovely pass from Pedro. Amidst all the action there were a couple of penalty calls that could have gone United’s way, a Willian handball and a foul on Mata being waved away by the referee.
As the game entered the final moments, Wayne Rooney could have rolled back the years and become an Old Trafford hero once again, but his volley from a sumptous Borthwick-Jackson cross at the back post was blazed over. The result puts further pressure on Louis van Gaal, however it is clear from the performance that the Dutchmans has the support of his players. United and Chelsea are separated by 10 points, with the Red Devils in 6th and the Blues in 14th.
Everton 3-4 Stoke City
Scorers : Lukaku 22' 64’, Deulofeu 71’ - Shaqiri 17' 45’ Joselu 80’
Xerdan Shaqiri scored his first goal in the Premier League to give Stoke the lead, after a wonderful one-touch sweeping move involving Bojan Krkic and Marko Arnautovic gave the Swiss winger a tap in. Romelu Lukaku restored parity for Everton 5 minutes later, as a lovely disguised pass from James McCarthy found the striker unmarked on the penalty spot, giving the Belgian time to swivel and calmly slot the ball past Jack Butland.
Shaqiri restored Stoke’s lead in stunning fashion just before the break, scoring a wondergoal that had many labelling it their goal of the season. The Swiss international ran onto a long ball from Bojan, and clipped a looping stike on the half volley that completely bamboozled Tim Howard in goal. Lukaku, however, refused to let Shaqiri hog the headlines, scoring his 15th goal of the season after he brilliantly controlled Tom Cleverley’s long ball with his chest onto his right foot, finishing from an acute angle.
Just minutes later, Everton took the lead as Deulofeu tapped home at the end of a swift counter-attack that was set up by Lukaku and Barkley, sending Goodison Park into rapture. The Toffees’ faithful were quietened in the 80th minute as an Arnautovic cross from the left squirmed through to Joselu, who scored his first goal for the Potters and made it 3-3.
The topsy turvy encounter achieved ‘game of the season’ status in the 90th minute, as referee Mark Clattenburg controversially awarded Stoke a penalty after Arnautovic had deceived Stones with a stepover but the Evertonian’s last ditch tackle had him touch the ball. Arnautovic stepped up to slam home the penalty in injury time, peeling away to celebrate a win with the travelling Potters faithful.
Watford 1-2 Tottenham Hotspur
Scorers : Ighalo 41’ – Lamela 17’, Son Heung Min 90’
Red Cards : Ake 63’
Erik Lamela scored an early goal as he ran through and put Tottenham 1-0 up with a crisp finish. Odion Ighalo’s determination earned him his 14th goal of the season, equalising for the Hornets as the first half came to a close.
Nathan Ake made things difficult for the hosts as he was sent off midway in the second half for a reckless tackle on Lamela. As the game looked to be heading for a draw, Son Heung-Min scored with a cheeky backheel in the last minute, thus dramatically taking Spurs to 3rd place in the Premier League, with Watford not to far behind in 7th.
Norwich City 2-0 Aston Villa
Scorers : Howson 24’, Mbokani 87’
Norwich City got the three points at Carrow Road, after a couple of well crafted goals from Howson and Mbokani gave them a much needed win that takes the Canaries into 15th place. Aston Villa were mediocre in attack and defence, and now have 8 points from 19 games, with Remi Garde’s side surely staring down the barrel of a relegation dogfight.
West Bromwich Albion 1-0 Newcastle United
Scorers : Fletcher 78’
West Brom grabbed a late win over Newcastle United as the Baggies won for the first time in 6 league games, easing their relegation fears as they climb to 13th in the table. Newcastle’s wretched luck of conceding late goals continued as they allowed Darren Fletcher to run into the box unmarked, and head home Claudio Yacob’s cross. The Geordies lie in the relegation zone, with only 17 points to their name.
Crystal Palace 0-0 Swansea City
Crystal Palace’s efforts to close the gap to the top four took a hit as they drew with Swansea City at home, with their striker Marouane Chamakh faltering in front of goal. The Swans’ caretaker boss Alan Curtis made plenty of changes to his side as they ground out a third successive clean sheet, thus keeping them two points clear of the drop zone in 17th.
West Ham United 2-1 Southampton
Scorers : Antonio 69’, Carroll 79’ – Jenkinson (OG) 13’
A late Andy Carroll winner meant that West Ham recorded their first league win in more than two months, after a couple of comic moments from Carl Jenkinson and Michail Antonio nearly conspired against them. The defeat means Southampton stay in 12th while the Hammers move up to 7th.