What a time it is to be a Liverpool fan!! Although I am supposed to be unbiased , the Liverpool fan in me just cannot be contained at this moment! After all the trials we have been through, the Reds have now won their 5th trophy in 3 years after winning just 1 in the previous 12 years. The latest being yesterday’s triumph in the form of the Carabao Cup which helped Liverpool clinch a record 9th trophy in the competition, one more than Manchester City who had previously equalled our record of 8 wins after seemingly owning the trophy for 4 consecutive years!

Liverpool’s victory was by no means straightforward and nor was their path to the finals. The whole squad came to the fore throughout the tournament and all 32 members involved contributed in one way or the other to this trophy, be it Adrian’s heroics in between the sticks against Preston or Minamino capping off a remarkable comeback against Leicester in the dying moments of the match in the quarterfinals! It had been a brilliant journey upto the finals.

Now coming on to the match itself, after the necessary show of solidarity for the people of Ukraine during such horrible times by both sets of fans and players of Liverpool and Chelsea, the match was off and away.

Jurgen Klopp agreed to start young Caoimhin Kelleher in goal as this was his tournament and Klopp starting his showed a great deal of faith and confidence in the youngster while Tuchel opted to start Mendy instead of cup keeper Kepa. The match ebbed and flowed in a beautiful away. Both sides wrestled to gain momentum and kept cancelling out each other’s moves and when they did breach the defensive line, the goalkeepers of either side were upto the task. This was the theme of the match which made it a fantastic spectacle of a football game to watch even from a neutral point of view. Remarkably after 120 minutes of really gripping football on display, the scores remained 0-0 and was to be decided on penalties. The two Premier League encounters between the sides ended in draws as well! During these 120 minutes , there were a total of 31 efforts on goal with 10 on target, the ball was in the back of the net on 4 occasions, thrice from Chelsea and once from Liverpool and all 4 times, the goal was disallowed due to really tight offside calls! The emotions of elation and then dejection following each occasion on both the fans and the players just added to the tension of the occasion! Just prior to the full time whistle though, Chelsea opted to substitute heroic keeper Mendy for the apparent penalty specialist Kepa Arrizabalaga.

So onto the penalty shootout we went and all 10 outfield players of both sides slotted in their respective penalties which was an astounding feat on its own. This meant that the 11th penalty of either side was to be taken by the goalkeepers and Kelleher masterfully stroked his effort into the net. It was not the same though for Kepa as he blazed his effort over the crossbar and into the sea of Red behind the goal to begin scenes of ecstatic celebrations from the Liverpool fans, players and coaching staff!

Henderson did his trademark trophy shuffle as the Reds lifted aloft their 9th trophy of the competition, 5th in Jurgen Klopp’s storied managerial career with Liverpool which funnily enough was his first Domestic cup triumph! The players and fans danced to the tune of “One Kiss” while the players also went bonkers in the dressing room singing “Freed from Desire”. The scenes were just brilliant and this triumph has caused all of us Liverpool fans to believe that the Quadruple may just be on this season!

Jurgen Klopp, please stay with us forever!

YNWA

Hello folks! It feels great to be back writing after a fairly long hiatus. I would firstly like to apologise for my inactivity which has been so due to personal reasons on a professional level. Anyway, with that out of the way ( or rather still ongoing), I hope I will be able to bring you news more frequently.

Enough of this chitty-chatty. Lets get down to business!

So, this is being written at the end of Match Day “25” (after the match between Leicester City FC and West Ham) . The reason I have put the Number 25 in quotes is simply because its apparently supposed to have been Match Day 25. While it is so on paper, it could not be further away from the reality of the situation with multiple teams having games in hand, none more so than Burnley! Covid-19 can be thanked for this mess! Yes, this same virus which brought the world to a halt in 2020 is still ravaging across the globe and causing havoc everywhere and in terms of the Premier League, the virus hasn’t spared anyone either with a lot of teams forced to postpone matches due to a combination of multiple injuries and Covid cases, resulting in a lack of first team players.

Having said that, let’s take a close look as to how each team has fared thus far…

ARSENAL FC

Current Position : 6th

The Gunners have been the definition of inconsistency all season. They started poorly, went on a pretty decent run of games and are back to being a mix of hot and cold. A typical Arsenal season from before 2016. Mikel Arteta has definitely (and finally) brought back some identity to their football. The young guns like Saka, Odegaard and Smith-Rowe along with the new arrivals in the form of Ramsdale, Ben White and Tomiyasu have certainly made their impact resulting in them fighting for a Top 4 finish. Off field issues in the form of the behaviour of Aubameyang did make matters messy but with him having been sent to Barcelona, the Gunners can look to steady their ship and go on a decent run and fight for that Champions League spot which their fans really crave for.

Highlight of the Season : 5 red cards all season till date! Top Performer(s) of the Season : Saka and Ramsdale Predicted Finish : 5th

ASTON VILLA

Current Position : 12th

All eyes were on how they were going to react once they sold off their best player Jack Grealish for 100 mil. They didn’t really splash the cash and with every week, the Villains were moving closer and closer to relegation and the decision was made to sack Dean Smith. Cue the entry of Steven George Gerrard. The man for all seasons , fresh off No. 55 at Rangers and with the Rangers on top of the league again, Stevie G took the brave call to move to England and manage Aston Villa and boy has he had a tremendous impact. His influence ensured the arrivals of Coutinho and Digne and with a youthful midfield in the form of Buendia and Ramsey mixed with a robust McGinn, the team looks solid and its been reflective in their performances as well. Next season will be a proper way to evaluate Stevie G, for I fear that Aston Villa will be a force to reckon with and the team will have Steven Gerrard’s stamp issued all over it.

Highlight of the Season : The appointment of Steven Gerrard and arrival of a rejuvented Phil Coutinho Top Performer(s) of the Season : Jacob Ramsey Predicted Finish : 9th

BRENTFORD FC

Current Position : 14th

After multiple close attempts at promotion, Brentford finally made to the Premier League. They were involved in the first game of the season and produced a wonderful display in front of a buoyant Community Stadium. Since then, they have gone largely quiet which is absolutely fine. Thomas Frank and co have ensured that they have points on the board and despite being in 14th, are well clear from the relegation zone. Although Ivan Toney has not lit up the Premier League, his partnership with Mbeumo has been stable at the top. Brentford do play with a progressive brand of football and they have been a welcome addition to the Premier League. The Bees just need to continue doing what they do best and they will be just fine in their first season since promotion.

Highlight of the Season : 2-0 win over Arsenal in the opening match in front of a full Community Stadium with fans bouncing up and down. What a sight! Top Performer(s) of the Season : Pontus Jannsen and Sergi Canos Predicted Finish : 12/13th

BRIGHTON HOVE AND ALBION

Current Position : 9th

When we talk Brighton we have to talk about Misfortune. Graham Potter’s work at Brighton continues to impress everyone across the world. The brand of football they play is genuinely attractive and fun to watch, from the goalkeeper all the way to the penalty box, bar the end product that it deserves. This has always been the theme for Brighton and their finishing means they are only 9th. Their poor finishing also means that they are the Masters of the Draw (12 out of 23!) , particulary the 1-1 scoreline. Having been critical of them, they are where they are, in the top half of the league because they have atleast begun scoring goals unlike last season where they kept hitting the woodwork. If the Seagulls can improve on their end product, the sky is the limit for this side. For the moment, finshing in the Top half would be a tremendous achievement.

Highlight of the Season : Earning a 2-2 draw at Anfield when 2-0 down Top Performer(s) of the Season : Yves Bissouma and Neal Maupay Predicted Finish : 9th

BURNLEY FC

Current Position : 20th

Is this the end of road for Burnley? After surviving multiple relegation battles in their last 7 seasons in the top flight, is the magic of Sean Dyche waning off? Whilst they have been the team most affected by Covid related postponements, with them playing just 21 games (get ready for multiple Double GWs FPL fans!) , they sit currently 7 points off Newcastle United who are above the relegation zone in 17th. The relegation battle will surely come down to between Newcastle, Norwich, Watford and Burnley but with Newcastle having recruited heavily during the winter transfer window, it seems unlikely that the Clarets will escape this time around. A trip to Turf Moor against a robust Burnley side set up by Sean Dyche in crazy weather conditions will surely be missed if they go down.

Highlight of the Season : Their only win till date, a 3-1 victory over Brentford FC Top Performer(s) of the Season : Nick Pope Predicted Finish : 20th

CHELSEA FC

Current Position : 3rd

The current European Champions and Club World Cup Champions have endured an interesting season thus far. The arrival of Lukaku was supposed to push them forth in their bid to compete for the Premier League. They did do very well in the first 15 games or so and it seemed like a Three Horse Race for the Premier League was heating up. But then the Lukaku interview happened and all has not been smooth sailing since then, coupled that with the injuries to full backs Ben Chilwell and Reece James. They have faltered in tremendous fashion since, dropping points at home for fun. The Club World Cup seemed to have come at a right time for the team and hopefully they can get things back on track in the Premier League or else, their focus will once again be the Champions League with of course, the small matter of a League Cup Final against Liverpool at the end of February.

Highlight of the Season : Tremendous 2-2 match against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge Top Performer(s) of the Season : Edouard Mendy and Antonio Rudiger Predicted Finish : 3rd

CRYSTAL PALACE

Current Position : 13th

The arrival of Patrick Viera at the helm brought a lot of smiles to all of us associated with football. Coupled that with the arrival of Conor Gallagher on loan from Chelsea and the smiles on the fans of the Eagles only widened! While their position only reads 13th, the Eagles have been fun to watch. They are no longer the same Defensive set up that they once was under Roy Hodgson but instead Viera has brought Viera ball to the ground. Some of their build up and passages of play have been top drawer. They lack consistency and quality however in all areas of the field and that has been their downfall. Having said that, there is no particular fault that one could find in their approach. A little more ambition perhaps to finish in the Top Half? That hopefully could be a possibility next season.

Highlight of the Season : 2-0 win over Manchester City with Gallagher being a star performer! Top Performer(s) of the Season : Conor Gallagher Predicted Finish : 12/13th

EVERTON FC

Current Position : 16th

Everton’s season began with the curious appointment of former LFC manager Rafa Benitez and things did not seem right from the very off. Barring a decent run of form in October and November, Everton have been downright poor. Blame the manager or blame the players? In this case, I would say both. Benitez’s tactics just did not suit this crop of Everton players and added injuries to Dominic Calvert Lewin and Richarlison and you have makings off a bad season. Which is what happened, resulting in the Toffees perilously close to the relegation zone. This resulted in Rafa getting the sack and the return of Frank Lampard to the Premier League. There’s a lot to mend at Everton. Although it seems highly unlikely that they would get relegated, Everton seem to be sliding further down the table with each season.

Highlight of the Season : Appointing former Reds manager Rafa Benitez! Top Performer(s) of the Season : young Anthony Gordon Predicted Finish : 16th

LEEDS UNITED

Current Position : 15th

Last seasons entertainers have fallen off the blocks in dramatic fashion. Bielsa ball is far from what we used to see last year. The wheels have totally come off for this Leeds side. This has to do with injuries at crucial junctures to crucial first team players throughout the season as well as to do with the inability to maintain that tremendous high octane football that was a joy to watch last season. Raphinha has been the only bright spark in this Leeds side and without his contributions to goal, they would definitely have been in a relegation battle. It would however be interesting to see how the team would perform if all their first team players like Bamford, Kalvin Philips and Stuart Dallas were fit and firing. For now, they really just want the season to be done with without being relegated.

Highlight of the Season : 3-2 win over West Ham Top Performer(s) of the Season : Raphinha Predicted Finish : 15th

LEICESTER CITY FC

Current Position : 11th

Much like Leeds United, Leicester’s season is quickly becoming derailed and despite last season’s FA Cup triumph, there are growing calls for Brendan Rodgers to resign. Their performances in both domestic and European competitions have been dismal. Having said that Rodgers has been playing with a really thin group of players with most of his first team players always found lying on the hospital bed. Their injury record has been really sad to see and the absence of key players has resulted in them being where they are at the moment. Daka has been a wonderful signing but Iheanacho not partnering with Vardy upfront almost seems criminal. Soyuncu has been a shadow of himself . Leicester are just a few more loses away from a crisis if you ask me. They need to get things sorted and fast.

Highlight of the Season : 1-0 win over Liverpool FC without a recognized defence! Top Performer(s) of the Season : Patson Daka and Youri Tielemans Predicted Finish : 14th

LIVERPOOL FC

Current Position : 2nd

Honestly, I feel really bad for Jurgen Klopp. He has built Liverpool into a force to reckon with and I’m extremely certain that they would have won every Premier League season if their rise did not coincide with rise in power of Manchester City. The Reds continue to play dashing football. They have lost just twice in their last 45 matches in all competitions and despite having a terrific record, find themselves 9 points adrift from Man City albiet with a game in hand. The usual exploits of Mo Salah have been sublime and he seems to have gone up a notch this season. Jota has been a revelation along with our other squad members like Tsmikas putting a shift in when called to do so. The Reds are playing like humans while City seem to be performing like machines. They can only hope for a miracle that Man City drop points in their next 13 games or they will finish 2nd in the league once again.

Highlight of the Season : All of their matches involving the Proverbial Top 6, especially the 0-5 win at Old Trafford Top Performer(s) of the Season : Alison, Matip and Mo Salah Predicted Finish : 2nd ( Me being a Liverpool fan, it hurts to write this)

MANCHESTER CITY

Current Position : 1st

Pep and his band of blue men are just unstoppable. Their record is simply stunning and freakish. The size and depth of their squad is just remarkable. They have atleast 3 options in each position and none of them are average. What Man City have assembled has to go down as the most complete squads in the history of the Premier League. It is just absolutely ridiculous. They embark on multiple winning runs and you just don’t see them dropping points against anyone. The only team, for whatever reason, who always pick up points from them is Crystal Palace. Man City seem on course for yet another PL trophy unless something extraordinary takes place!

Highlight of the Season : Losing to Crystal Palace because it is funny how they drop points to them every season Top Performer(s) of the Season : Everyone? Sterling and Bernado Silva perhaps, along with Cancelo. Predicted Finish : Champions

MANCHESTER UNITED

Current Position : 5th

The curious case of Manchester United is a rather funny one. Nobody has an idea as to what is going on there. The once most terrifying place to play, the Theatre of Dreams has become a Theatre of Nightmares. Teams genuinely look forward to going to Old Trafford because they know that it will be a missed opportunity if they do not secure atleast a point. With Ole’s inevitable departure, there seemed to be an air of optimism with Ralf Ragnick’s appointment but it has been the oppositie. Ronaldo’s arrival was meant to spurn on a comeback of the Red Devils. It has far been from so. Was he bought to win titles or was he bought as a reaction to avoid him from going to Manchester City? De Gea is honestly the only reason why they are in 5th. Without him, I kid you not, they would have been just above the relegation zone.

Highlight of the Season : 0-5 loss to Liverpool at Old Trafford! Top Performer(s) of the Season : De Gea Predicted Finish : 6th/7th

NEWCASTLE UNITED

Current Position : 17th

Newcastle’s season has been nothing short of a rollercoaster ride. They seemed dead and buried at the bottom of the table. The club was in the midst of a takeover and it seemed like they would go down once again. Then the most expensive take over took place, Edie Howe returned to the Premier League and close to 100 million pounds was spent in the Winter Transfer Market and Newcastle seem to have new life breathed into them again. The idea behind the takeover was to make them compete for the PL trophy. But that would only occur if they avoided the drop and given their recent splurge in the transfer market, they seem to be on their way away from the relegation zone. The question is , despite all their acquisitions, can they keep this little momentum going? I think they can and they will JUST avoid the drop.

Highlight of the Season : The Great Saudi Takeover Top Performer(s) of the Season : Allan Saint-Maximin Predicted Finish : 17th

NORWICH CITY FC

Current Position : 18th

Norwich along with Fulham are the aptly termed as the Yo-Yo clubs of English football and this season is just another example of why. They just can’t seem to cope with the Premier League. They do very well at the Championship but cannot replicate the same performance levels in the Premier League which goes to show just how high the standards are in the Premier League. The same issues continue to plague the Cannaries. They seem absolutely toothless going forward and are shambolic in defence. This lead to Daniel Farke getting the sack and within 7 days of Dean Smith getting the sack as Aston Villa, he joins Norwich with the improbable task of keeping them in the Premier League. They have shown some recent fight and even went on a 4 game unbeaten run. But is that enough? I’m afraid not.

Highlight of the Season : Josh Sargent’s fantastic brace in a 0-3 win over Watford Top Performer(s) of the Season : Hard to pick really Predicted Finish : 18th

SOUTHAMPTON FC

Current Position : 10th

Southampton endured an awful start to the season and Ralf Hassenhutl seemed to be one of the candidates who were likely to get the sack early on in the season. And thats when the revival began and The Saints began digging in. So much so that they have been on a wonderful vein of form lately and pushed their way into the Top 10. The acquisition of striker Broja has been tremendous and he has formed a great partnership with Che Adams and these two strikers feed off from Stuart Armstrong and one of the Premier League’s best setpiece specialists in the form of James Ward-Prowse. Ralf Hassenhuttl’s side has lost just one in their last 10 games in all competitions. Their style of play seems similar to Liverpool’s off late , just lacking the quality needed to maintain it. The Saints are in a decent position and if they can keep this momentum going , they could be challenging for European spots next season.

Highlight of the Season : James Ward-Prowse’s knuckleball freekick against Wolves Top Performer(s) of the Season : Armando Broja Predicted Finish : 10th

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

Current Position : 8th

Spurs began the season under new manager Nuno in style, winning their first 3 games and that got all the Spurs fans dreaming. But that dream was cut short as they embarked on a dry run which to be honest was not so poor but cost poor Nuno his job. In came Conte and everyone started to dream again. Life under Conte seemed perfect. They had not lost for a long time and Harry Kane found his scoring boots as well. But this as well was cut short and the work at hand under Conte all of a sudden dawned upon him. Taking on Spurs was never going to be easy and Conte has found that out in rude fashion. But at the same time, the growing frustration of the Spurs fans only deepens and one wonders if Conte will be given the time he needs to mend the club with Spurs not really being known to give too much time to new managers.

Highlight of the Season : That Astonishing victory over Leicester with 20 seconds to go Top Performer(s) of the Season : Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg Predicted Finish : 8th

WATFORD CITY FC

Current Position : 19th

Watford have been abysmal all season long barring a couple of games. They have already had 3 managers this season alone and are just unable to find a solution to their problems which seem to be all over the pitch. In need of goals, they got in Joshua King and Emmanuel Dennis, the latter who has been the only bright light in their season. Their talisman Ismaila Sarr isn’t performing up to his usual standards as well. Their defence is far too leaky. There really seems to be no hope and the Championship looms large upon them yet again.

Highlight of the Season : 2-5 win over Everton at Goodison Park! Top Performer(s) of the Season : Emmanuel Dennis Predicted Finish : 19th

WEST HAM UNITED

Current Position : 4th

Just at the beginning of last season when West Ham lost their opening couple of matches, many touted the Hammers under David Moyes to be in a relegation battle. Fast forward to the present scenario and that claim could not have been more wrong. The Hammers have been the Dark Horses this season and find themselves in contention for a place in next season’s UEFA Champions League. The core members of the squad have been fortunately injury free and Jarod Bowen has taken his game up a few levels. While Antonio isn’t delivering in terms of goals, that burden as well as creating goals has been taken on by young Jarod Bowen. The boy has been sensational along with the rest of the team. They really do deserve a Top 4 finish. The only question is if they can sustain and absorb and ride the pressure that comes along towards the end of the season to maintain their current league standing. If you ask me, I think they can.

Highlight of the Season : 3-2 win over Liverpool ! Top Performer(s) of the Season : Jarrod Bowen and Declan Rice Predicted Finish : 4th

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS

Current Position : 7th

What a story it has been thus far for Wolves! Not many were expecting much after Nuno left. Bruno Lage’s tenure began in mediocre fashion and he too seemed tipped to be given the sack. Fast forward to February 2022, Bruno is very much there and Wolves have quietly moved up the ladder to 7th in the table! They have formed a terrific defence and boast of the 2nd best defensive set up in the league, shipping in only 17 goals. Ruben Neves and Moutinho continue to provide that experience in midfield. They are not scoring many at the same time but they are doing enough to be where they are. They can certainly hold their own against the Big Clubs and only narrowly lost to Liverpool and Man City with a 1-0 scoreline. Pedro Neto is yet to feature as well and his partnership with Mexican comeback sensation Raul Jimenz will be fun to watch! I see this team only moving up !

Highlight of the Season : 0-2 win over Tottenham at White Hart Lane! Top Performer(s) of the Season : Jose Sa Predicted Finish : 6th/7th

After a cruel waiting period of 3 weeks, F1 was finally back and this time in Italy. After a sensational opening week to the new F1 season at the Bahrain GP in which Hamilton just managed to pip Verstappen across the line, all eyes turned to the Imola circuit to find out what drama this week had in store, in what is beginning to look like a title rivalry that was long missing in F1 in the last few years. The Red Bulls finally look like they’ve managed to build a car that can match the Mercedes in every aspect and they’ve got 2 excellent drivers to get the most out of the car.

However, fortune was not on the side of Max as despite there being 3 races in Italy last season, Max failed to finish all 3 races and The Red Bulls had a torrid outing all 3 times. They were hoping for a change this time around.

While Red Bull and Mercedes engaged in their battle at the top, Mclaren and Ferrari too have engaged in what seems to be an enticing battle for third place on the Constructor’s Championship Table. Another team that is looking to get into the mix are the Alpha Tauri who would be looking to continue to build on an impressive start to the season.

So let’s get straight into the action.

QUALIFICATION :

Rookie driver Yuki Tsunoda had a crash on his out lap which resulted in him along with the two Alfa Romeos and Haas cars missing out on Q2. A surprise feature in Q2 was the presence of BOTH Williams drivers as Latifi in particular impressed.

Q2 saw a surprise elimination of Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz as he managed only P11. George Russell ensured he started P12 with Latifi sandwiched between 2 World Champions, Vettel and Alonso respectively, in P14.

IN Q3, however, Hamilton did just enough to secure his 99th pole of his career with a surprise P2 from Sergio Perez who managed to outqualify his teammate in P3. Charles Leclerc finished an impressive P4 while Lando Norris, who put in a stellar lap to finish P2 only to see his lap time deleted for exceeding track limits, would start P7 ahead of struggling Mercedes driver Bottas who only managed P8.

LIGHTS OUT AND AWAY WE GO!

It was expected to rain in Italy on Sunday and rain it did. It was pouring through the morning which slowly died down to a drizzle at the time of start of the race and so apart from Pierre Gasly who started on the wet compound of tyres, all the other cars started on the Intermediates. And so with the field of play levelled thanks to the rain, it was all upto the drivers to showcase their skill in these tricky conditions.

The formation lap saw Charles Leclerc spin around but thankfully without any damage while Sebastian Vettel was forced to start from the pits due to an issue with his car. Anyway, once the 5 lights went out, Max Verstappen was quick to get out of the blocks and had a superb opening which saw him take the lead from Hamilton at the end of Turn 1. As expected though, given the conditions, the safety car was deployed within the first lap as a result of Latifi crashing out and Mick Schumacher losing his front wing. Post restart however, Max maintained his composure and held on to his lead. Pierre Gasly’s gamble of starting with the Wet compounds didn’t pay off and he kept getting passed by lap after lap.

At the top end of the pack, Verstappen was the first one into the pits and changed to Intermediates with the driving lane getting drier. Hamilton who was looking for the over cut, stayed out for a lap longer but had a poor pitstop which saw him rejoin the race behind Max. In his bid to catch up, Hamilton spun off the track into the gravel resulting in a damaged front wing. And so with that accident, it seemed that Lewis who was a lap down would have no chance in getting any points. But that’s where Lady Luck came to his rescue . A huge collision between Bottas and Russell saw the Red Flag raised and so on restart, all the lapped cars could complete their laps and that included Hamilton!

Once the race restarted, Hamilton was in P8 and with the confidence of the pace of his car, he slowly started moving up the field. Elsewhere, up in the front, Lando Norris who was driving splendidly all weekend settled into P2 with the two Ferraris behind him. Hamilton though had other plans as he went from P8 to P3 with 10 laps to go and despite a brave fight from Norris, the speed of the Mercedes was too hot to handle and so Lewis Hamilton, despite all the drama that he had, secured P2 ! Max Verstappen though secured a memorable victory on tricky conditions which further underlined just how talented he is and the fact that the Red Bulls are in it to compete. Lando Norris secured a superb P3 for Mclaren while the two Ferraris secured a fantastic P4 and P5.

By virtue of Lewis getting the fastest lap, he leads the Driver’s Championship by just 1 point from Max with Lando Norris in 3rd position!

The season is off to a cracking start and action will continue with the next race in Portugal on May 2, 2021!

Until next time, take care and stay safe!

And then there were 4!

This week saw the second leg of the Quarter finals stage of the European competitions take place with a spot in the semifinals on the table. Unlike the first leg, the action on the field was largely cagey as numerous tactical battles and defensive nuances on display! Not a single match went into extra time as the teams that took the lead in the first leg of the tie, all managed to hold on and progress deeper into the tournament. Having said, lets take a look at all that took place during the week!

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUARTER FINALS :

1. LIVERPOOL FC 0-0 REAL MADRID ( Real Madrid win 1-3 on agg)

Liverpool FC were hoping to continue their recent resurgence in form and produce yet another Anfield miracle. But there was one big difference this time around – the absence of 50,000 stellar Liverpudlians occupying the stands of the famous stadium and producing an atmosphere unlike no other. Read Madrid were hoping for a snatch and grab kind of result in this tie as they had already inflicted damage on the wounded PL champions. And the difference showed as the Liverpool players turned up with their non-goal scoring boots as chance after chance went begging. There were sufficient chances to even win the tie on aggregate but the Reds were wasteful as Zidane’s men held on and marched on to yet another Semi Final!

2. BORUSSIA DORTMUND 1-2 MANCHESTER CITY (Man City win 2-4 on agg)

Borussia Dortmund were hoping to inflict misery on Pep’s men and they very nearly did so. The German outfit were in need of a fast start and they had it in the form of a superb strike by the amazingly mature and talented 17 year old Jude Bellingham. But the young guns of Dortmund couldn’t hold as the might of City was on display in the second half as a Mahrez penalty and a goal by another young Englishman, Phil Foden ensured the tie was put to bed and after suffering 4 consecutive Quarter Finals losses, Pep’s side finally made into the semifinals. There were no complicated tactics on display and the depth of this incredible team showed. One might wonder however as to what would have been had that perfectly good goal by Bellingham in the first leg not been disallowed.

3. PSG 0-1 BAYERN MUNICH (PSG win on away goals, 3-3)

The heavy punching bout of all the matches lived up to its billing across the two legs. Both teams were at it and kept producing waves and waves of attacks. Bayern Munich were in need of atleast 2 goals to win the tie and they got their first one through former PSG player Choupo – Moting. But that was all they could muster as the defensive resoluteness of PSG was finally on display and so was a mastery by Neymar. Although the Brazilian failed to find the net, his talent was on display and helped PSG get out of tight spots. Bayern may have won on the night but PSG were through on the away goals rule. Credit must be given to Maurico Pochetino as well as his defensive tactics paid off and helped PSG secure a memorable QF win!

4. CHELSEA 0-1 FC PORTO (Chelsea win 2-1 on agg)

After producing a dominant display against the Portuguese side in the first leg, it was all about containment in the second. Chelsea under new manager Tuchel have been known for their abilty to shut shop and they did what was needed barring a sensation over head kick in the 93rd minute by M. Taremi. However, given that it wasn’t Ronaldo or Messi or one of the English players who scored, the goal will never be spoken about and that is a sad reality because the goal was as good as any bicycle kick that has been scored. That goal will go down as one of the best goals scored in a losing cause as Chelsea ensured that they made it to their first semi finals since 2012.

EUROPA LEAGUE QUARTERFINALS :

1. ROMA 1-1 AJAX (Roma win 3-2 on agg)

This was the match of the Quarter Final stage in the Europa League and it certainly delivered in terms of entertainment. Ajax were in need of atleast 1 away goal and they got it in the 49th minute from Brobbey. However the Dutch side weren’t able to see out the match as veteran Edin Dzeko came up good for Roma yet again to ensure that it was a 1-1 draw on the night and so Roma sneaking into the Semi Finals just about!

2. SLAVIA PRAGUE 0-4 ARSENAL FC (Arsenal win 1-5 on agg)

Much of the pre match talk was about the 10 match ban handed to Ondrej Kudela of Slavia for alleged racial comments made by him during their bout against Rangers and rightly so. Such disgraceful behaviour is never welcome in any sport and deserves severe punishment. And so, at kickoff, Alexander Lacazette led his Arsenal side in taking a strong knee against racisim and the Gunners backed him up with a 4 goal show as a brace by Lacazette and goals from Pepe and young English sensation Saka, saw the Gunners dismiss Slavia Prague and storm through to the semi finals.

3. VILLAREAL 2-1 DINAMO ZAGREB ( Villareal win 3-1 on agg)

The Spanish outfit under Unai Emery have been on roll in the Europa League as one has come to expect from Emery especially in the Europa League and Villareal backed that win a professional performance as goals by Alcacer and Moreno in the first half ensured that Villareal won the tie on the night and progress into the Semis.

4. MANCHESTER UNITED 2-0 GRANADA CF (Man Utd win 4-0 on agg)

Manchester United went as per script as they coasted to a comfortable 2-0 win over the Spanish side. Goals from Cavani and an own goal in the 90th minute sealed the deal. The deal was infact sealed in the first leg where they expectedly won the tie. And by winning the second leg by the same margin, it ensured that they joined Arsenal as they other English side through to the semi finals!

Here’s how the Semi Finals line up then!

In the Champions League – Real Madrid vs Chelsea FC and Manchester City vs PSG!

In the Europa League – Arsenal vs Villareal and Manchester United vs Roma!

It promises to be a blockbluster event in both competitions with no clear favourites in each tie! The best of the matches on paper has to be the multi-billion dollar clash between Manchester City and PSG as Pep seeks an unprecedented Quadruple while PSG fight for their long elusive Champions League trophy! While in the Europa league, it’s the case of the old vs the new, Unai Emery vs Mikel Arteta , in a clash of egos between two managers , one former and the other the current manager of Arsenal!

The first leg takes place from April 27-29 with the return leg the following week!

Until next time, stay safe and take care and always wear your mask!

VAR! VAR ! VAR! Oh when will there ever be a week without some VAR related controversy!? The already high octane filled drama that is on the football field is constantly marred by some decision courtesy VAR. Anyway, more on that later in this article as this weekend’s round of matches produced some absolute superb football matches yet again. The brilliance of the Premier League has time and time again been highlighted this season and we really owe it all to the Players and the coaching staff of each club to perform in the manner that they have been doing so without the presence of the driving force of the fans!

Let’s dive straight into all the action that took place in this drama filled weekend.

1. MANCHESTER CITY 1-2 LEEDS UNITED

Yes, you read that right! With the Champions League at the back of Pep’s mind, City decided to field a supposed second string team (which could easily be any manager’s dream first XI) against Marcelo Bielsa’s men. Despite all the pressure that Leeds faced in their defensive half, Stuart Dallas fizzed one into the back of the net to give Leeds a 0-1 shock lead. But just before half time, Leeds captain Lee Cooper was sent off for what was deemed to be a reckless foul and so the majority of the second half saw a brave 10 man Leeds unit resist waves of Man City attacks. The resilience finally gave way in the 76th minute and City were smelling a win. But out of absolutely no where, a superb counter led by Stuart Dallas again saw him race down the middle and slot the ball home between Ederson’s legs to hand 10 man Leeds an absolutely memorable win over Pep’s men! And on a side note, Leeds are unbeaten against Man City this season. Let that sink in!

2. WEST BROM 3-0 SOUTHAMPTON

Is the impossible going to be made possible?? 8 goals and 6 points in 2 games has seen Big Sam’s West Brom team turn the relegation battle into an absolute ride at the bottom of the table. Where has this been all season? Who cares, the now is what matters most and West Brom are firing in all cylinders. At the end of the matchweek , the Baggies are still 8 points from safety. But if they manage to keep this up, watch out Newcastle!

3. TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 1-3 MANCHESTER UNITED

Manchester United was hoping to extract some revenge on the earlier 1-6 humiliation they suffered at Old Trafford this season and they did just that. In typical Manchester United fashion this season, the Red Devils once again needed to concede a goal in order to kick start their revival and managed to do so with goals from Fred, Cavani and Greenwood ensuring that Manchester City did not sleep well over the weekend!

4. WEST HAM 3-2 LEICESTER CITY

It was the Lingardinho show yet again! Despite the absence of Mikhail Antonio, the hottest property in the Premier League at the moment was at it yet again as his brace along with a Jarred Bowen goal gave West Ham a stunning 3-0 lead at half time against the Foxes! Despite a Kelechi Ileanacho brace of his own, it wasnt enought for the Foxes as West Ham held on nervously to once again beat all odds and take 3 points and continue their amazing pursuit of finishing in the Top 4!

5. LIVERPOOL FC 2-1 ASTON VILLA

Aston Villa were looking to compound further misery on a miserable home run that Liverpool have been enduring and at 0-1 down at half time, one certainly thought that an astonishing 7th straight home defeat was on the cards. But it was not to be. Despite being denied an equalizer by VAR, Salah netted home from close range to set up a fascinating end to the game. Liverpool though dug deep and finally removed all the hoodoos surrounding Anfield since the start of 2021 as Trent Alexander Arnold came up with superb strike to finally beat an excellent Emi Martinez to hand Liverpool their first home win of the calendar year!

Other matches around the country :

VAR was at it again but failed to deny a much needed win for Wolverhampton as Adama Traore finally scored a goal after 48 matches , in injury time , to dent Fulham’s chances of survival in the Premier League.

Arsenal travelled to rock bottom Sheffield United and came away with all 3 points as a Lacazette double ensured that Mikel Arteta’s men still had a fighting chance to atleast qualify for the Europa League.

Chelsea were hoping to bounce back from last week’s disappointment as they travelled to London rivals Crystal Palace and that is exactly what they did as a brilliant Kai Havertz performance inspired the Blues to a 1-4 win over the Eagles.

Newcastle United have been poor all season and have been dragged into the relegation battle and this weekend saw them face fellow relegation battlers Burnley. But a sensational subsitution performance by Allan Saint Maximain saw the Magpies fightback from 1-0 down to win 1-2 and stay 6 points clear of the relegation zone.

In the last match of the weekend, Brighton held off Everton to a 0-0 draw which helped the Seagulls onto 33 points and rise to 15th while Everton’s hopes for a Top 4 finish were dented by the result.

What extraordinary storylines throughout the weekend! However the impact of VAR has to be mentioned. Wolves, Liverpool and West Brom were denied of a clear goal as VAR ruled their respective players to be offside. The reason I say “clear goal” is because from looking at it with the naked eye, the players looked well onside, but once those silly lines were drawn, they were adjudged to be offside the sleeve of their jersey was offside. Yes, you read that right, THE SLEEVE OF THEIR JERSEY. VAR is needed but its implementation has been absolutely rubbish this season. And in another instance, Manchester United had their goal cut off as Son was adjudged to be fouled in the build up of the play and that decision led to a fun round of words between the two managers. The English FA needs to wake up from their slumber and address these situations or else it is just ruining the most beautiful game ever.

Moving aside from VAR, Manchester City have still not won the league but I dont see a slip up happening? The race for the TOP 4 is still hot with Leicester in 3rd separated from Liverpool in 6th by just 4 points, with West Ham and Chelsea the other teams in the hunt! It is going to go down to the last day and the battle promises to be an absolute belter! While at the bottom of the league, Big Sam’s West Brom has kept all parties near the Relegation Zone on high alert especially Newcastle and Burnley! Brighton too arent away from the slip! Could Big Sam conjure up one of the greatest Premier League escapes? We shall soon know!

Until next weekend, stay safe and please wear your mask and observe strict Covid protocols. Goodbye!

European club football was all set to resume with the Quarter Finals being battled out in both the Champions League and Europa League. The 1st leg of the ties took place over the week and they did not fail to produce some major talking points! So let’s dive straight into all that took place in both the European tournaments!

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUARTER FINALS :

1. REAL MADRID 3-1 LIVERPOOL FC

Klopp’s gamble of starting Keita instead of Thiago backfired in a massive way as Read Madrid deservedly won the tie thanks to a Vinicius Junior brace. Real Madrid like Liverpool were without their main CBs but an abysmmal and shocking first half performance by the Reds ensured that Real headed into the break with a 2 goal advantage. The second half did see an improvement in the performance of the Reds as Salah yet again came to Liverpool’s rescue with a goal but Real restored their 2 goal cushion courtesy V. Junior’s second of the night. Liverpool’s hopes now hang by a thread and they have a massive task ahead of them in the second leg which takes place at Anfield, their home ground in which they have scored just once this year.

2. MANCHESTER CITY 2-1 BORUSSIA DORTMUND

Much of the pre game hype was built up around Erling Haaland setting foot at his possible home ground next season. Kevin De Bruyne gave the Cityzens an early lead as he finished smartly from close range. But that was not before a massive talking point in the tie when the referee blew his whistle for a non-existent foul deemed to have been committed by teenage rockstar Jude Bellingham who despite nipping the ball away from Ederson cleanly , was deemed to have fouled the keeper and thus his goal cancelled. Marco Reus did score a crucial away goal but Man City’s Phoden ensured that the Cityzens won the leg in the 90th minute as he dispatched a close range effort to hand Manchester City a slender advantage after the first leg.

3. BAYERN MUNICH 2-3 PSG

In what was a rematch of last year’s Champions League final, PSG led by Kylian Mbappe raced to a 2-0 lead as the Frenchmen attempted to do what no team has done in the last two seasons, beating Bayern Munich. But the Germans were not to be outdone as the Baverians fought back in the second half with goals from Choupo-Moting and Thomas Muller ensuring a tense final few minutes. Cometh the hour, cometh the sensation as young Kylian Mbappe rose to the occasion to outwit Manuel Neur to help PSG secure a massive 2-3 win over the Bavarians!

4. FC PORTO 0-2 CHELSEA

Porto were riding high after knocking out Juventus and were hoping to cause another upset. But Thomas Tuchel and his men had other plans. Despite the deflating loss over the weekend to West Brom, the Chelsea young guns put on a display as goals from rising English star Mason Mount and a late goal from Ben Chilwell ensured that the Blues have one foot into the semi finals !

EUROPA LEAGUE QUARTERFINALS :

1. AJAX 1-2 ROMA

In what was dubbed to be the match of the Quarters in the Europa League certainly lived to the hype as both teams left nothing behind as both belted each other. Ajax opened the scoring in the first half only for Roma to storm back in the second half and not only score an equaliser but also score a late winner as they took a crucial lead heading into the secong leg.

2. ARSENAL FC 1-1 SLAVIA PRAGUE

In yet another enticing affair, Arsenal finally had the breakthrough in the 86th minute courtesy of a rare goal from Pepe and thought that they would have secured a vital advantage. That was not to be however as Slavia’s Holes managed to secure a dramatic headed goal deep into stoppage time to give the visitors a massive away goal advantage heading into the second leg.

3. DINAMO ZAGREB 0-1 VILLAREAL

Villareal despite being the favourites in the tie, had to rely on a 44th minute penalty from Moreno to ensure that they go into the second leg with a slender but crucial away goal advantage. The hosts though should take comfort from their performance, that a turnaround is possible!

4. GRANADA CF 0-2 MANCHESTER UNITED

Manchester United entered the match as overwhelming favourites and Marcus Rashford ensured that status was maintained as he scored the opener and his 20th of the season. Despite some resillience from the Spanish side, a trademark Bruno Fernandes penalty in the 90th minute ensured that the tie was all but over as Manchester United carried a massive 2 goal lead into the second leg.

Its never over till the Fat Lady sings as they say and the teams trailing behind will be hoping for a turnaround in the second leg that comes as soon as next week! The teams will be hoping to restructure and reorganize their game plans and use their respective league matches as a foundation for the next leg, with the exception of Manchester City of course who boast of a crazy talented squad and so can afford to rotate all XI of their players if needed and still win! Will Erling Haaland rise to the occasion, will Liverpool produce yet another Anfield Miracle, will we have new champions this season , will Arsenal find their mojo and progress? There’s a lot that remains to be asked and next week will answer all of these questions!

Until then, stay safe, wear a mask and be responsible!

Hey there folks! After an enforced break, we are back this month (and hopefully the next) to bring you latest action from the world of the Premier League as the season begins its final leg, the home stretch! With the 1st and last placed team more or less finalized (in case you arent aware, Manchester City in 1st place while Sheffield United at the bottom), the remaining 18 slots continue to be fought for in this unpredictable season!

And so without further ado, lets dive straight into the action that took place over the weekend following the International break, with all 20 teams in play!

Wolves 2 – 3 West Ham United

Although this was the last match this weekend, this particular result deserves a special mention as West Ham are surviving all odds and producing fabulous results week after week. And yet again, current hot property Jessie Lingard (or Messi Lingard or Jessie Ronaldo or Lingardinho) was at it again. The boy has found his spark and this was on display in his solo slaloming runs that were the main highlights of the match! David Moyes deserves special praise for what he has been doing with the side as well as rejuvinating a dying Lingard. The Hammers managed to fend of a comeback of sorts from a depleted Wolves outfit, to earn 3 points and end the week in the Top 4!

Arsenal 0 -3 Liverpool FC

Liverpool FC finally seem to be getting their mojo back after a horrendous run since the beginning of the year! They clearly prefer playing away from Anfield at the moment and finally have a stable CB partnership in the form of Kabak and Nat Philips, who together have now kept 3 clean sheets in a row! Diogo Jota, another current hot property ,displayed just how much he was missed in the 3 months that we was out, as his introduction in the second half made the difference with a stellar brace while Salah chipped inbetween as well! Arsenal meanwhile continue to be as inconsistent as ever and Arteta and his men have their work cut out if they are to qualify atleast for the Europa League!

Chelsea FC 2-5 West Brom

Much was spoken about Thomas Tuchel’s wonderful start to his reign at Chelsea. But nobody could have foretold what was to come on Saturday evening! Big Sam’s West Brom finally turned up and tore apart the Chelsea midfield and defence as they smashed 5 past Chelsea keeper Mendy! And what was even more staggering was the quality of goals on display! The loss meant that the race for the Top 4 was thrown wide open while the race for the escape from relegation continued to be a 3 way battle between West Brom, Fulham and Newcastle!

Other matches :

Leeds United hosted bottom placed Sheffield United and managed to trump the Blades in a narrow 2-1 win thanks to an own goal by Phil Jagielka in the second half!

Manchester City traveled to the King Power stadium in what was dubbed to be a mouth watering match. But what followed was yet another example of the utter dominance of the would be champions Man City as they romped home to a comfortable 0-2 win!

Southampton who have been in woeful form lately hosted Burnley and were in deep trouble , trailing 0-2 midway through the first half. But a superb rally led by Danny Ings saw the Saints claw back from 0-2 down to win the game 3-2 in a super show of resilence by the Saints!

Mourinho and his Spurs side were looking for some redemption from their shock exit from the Europa League as they visited a struggling Newcastle side who were battling relegation. But despite a Kane brace, Newcastle ensured that both teams ended the match with a share in the spoils as the match ended 2-2 courtesy of a late equalizer by Arsenal loanee Joe Wilock!

Aston Villa continued to be without Jack Grealish ( who despite being stated that he was fit by manager Dean Smith, did not even make it the squad. This trend (as indicated by my fellow football mate Prashanth) has been continuing ever since the team sheet leak through players’ FPL lineups and since then, Dean Smith has been playing with his words in the pre-match press conferences). Despite that however, in yet another game of comebacks, The Villains came back from 0-1 down to win the game 3-1 as they shot down Fulham’s chances of a win , with their goals coming late in the second half in a 9 minute spell!

Manchester United were also involved in another comeback game as Brighton once again for the umpteenth time threw away a lead , only for Rashford and Greenwood to score and give Man Utd a 2-1 win over the Seagulls!

Everton’s chances of a Top 4 finish were dealt with a big blow as Crystal Palace scored a late equalizer to ensure that the match ended 1-1!

And so, with just 8 Match weeks to go, the title looks all set to fall into the Hands of Manchester City. The battle for the 4th spot continues to remain intriguing with 5 teams battling it out for that spot! West Ham deserves a special mention for their tremendous season thus far! While at the bottom of the table, Sheffield United’s run in the Premier League looks all but over while West Brom’s stunning win has ensured that they live to fight another day and make it a 3 way battle for the last 2 relegation spots with Fulham and Newcastle the other teams involved in the relegation scrap! Thus ends yet another wonderful weekend of Premierfootball as European football takes centre stage during the week with the Quarter Finals underway featuring some brilliant mouth-watering battles!

Until next time, take care , wear a mask and stay safe!

Its taken 23 match days but the gaps are slowly appearing between the teams. The results lately have ensured that the battle at the top and at the bottom seem to be heading into the inevitable. Yes there are 15 match days still to play but the probability of change is decreasing with each passing week. Let’s take a look at all that took place over the weekend to give you a better idea of what exactly the above mentioned lines mean.

Liverpool FC 1 – 4 Manchester City

Perhaps the result of the season in more ways than one as a professional performance by the Cityzens aided by some uncharacteristic mistakes from the reds, saw Manchester City move 10 points clear of Liverpool with a game in hand and 5 points clear of Manchester United. Liverpool’s nightmare run at Anfield continued and for the first time in more than 50 yrs, the reds have lost 3 consecutive home matches.

Manchester United 3 – 3 Everton FC

Manchester United’s quest for an unlikely league win took a blow as The Blue side from Merseryside salavaged a point from Old Trafford with literally the last kick of the game courtesy DCL and with that give the impetus further to Manchester City to reclaim the title of being the Premier League Champions once again.

Other matches over the weekend :

An Ollie Watkins goal in just 74 seconds coupled by some heroic saves by former Arsenal keeper Emi Martinez was enought to hand Aston Villa all 3 points over the Gunners and continue their stellar start to the campaign.

Draw speacilists Brighton and Fulham were at it again as they drew 1-1 and 0-0 against Burnley and West Ham respectively.

Newcastle United continued their resurgence by picking up a hard fought 3-2 win over Southampton. The Magpies have seemingly found their Mojo back (would love to think it due to my recent criticism of their performance ) with Saint-Maximan back from injury while the same cannot be said about The Saints who have been sufferring from an indifferent form over the last 5-6 matches which has seen them drop from 4th to outside the top half of the table.

Tottenham and Chelsea picked up 3 points over relegation threathened West Brom and Sheffield United with a 2-0 and 1-2 scoreline. The 3 points were vital as it brought them back into the discussion of the Top 4 while on the other hand it further condemned West Brom and Sheffield further into inevitable relegation.

Leicester City failed to capatilized on gaining on 2nd place as they were held to goalless draw away to Wolverhampton Wanderers while Leeds United finished the weekend in the top half of the table thanks to a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace.

STOP THE COUNT! The results over the weekend in addition to the game in hand put Manchester City as clear favourites to lift the Premier League trophy. They look absolutely unstoppable at the moment aided especially by their rock solid defensive duo of Ruben Dias and John Stones. Is there anyone who can stop them? I think not.

Liverpool’s recent woeful form has meant that only 5 points separate them, who are currently in 4th place, from Aston Villa in 9th.

Down at the bottom, it seems more and more likely that Sheffield United, West Brom and Fulham will be the teams to be relegated as there is now an 8 point gap between them and 17th place Burnley.

Is the X factor of the Premier League this season slowly petering out or are we in for more surprises? Well only time will tell. Until next time, take care and stay safe!

The Premier League rolled onto the second half of the season, I mean atleast theoretically with 8 teams still playing catch up in terms of the matches played. But having said that, the entertainment has been non stop with plenty of eye catching results. Oh and I almost forgot, we had a managerial casualty prior to this Game Week with Chelsea unsurprisingly but surprisingly at the same time sacking Frank Lampard and in place of him Mr. Abramovich appointed former PSG boss Thomas Tuchel!

So let’s dive into the results over the week :

Manchester United 1 -2 Sheffield United

The Red side of Manchester have been on a roll lately, topping the league as well as knocking off rivals Liverpool from the FA Cup. So, this particular fixture seemed like an inevitable result especially considering Sheffield’s woes. But this season is like no other and Sheffield United pulled off one of the upsets of the season as goals by K. Bryan and Ollie Burke ensured that the Blades secured their second win of the season and the result also meant that Man Utd slipped down a place!

West Bromwich 0 – 5 Manchester City

Manchester City have been unstoppable lately and their title challenging credentials were further highlighted as they romped home , smashing 5 goals past relegation battlers West Brom with Gundagon and Cancelo the star of the show. Man City have hit their stride recently and look completely unstoppable, conceeding only 1 goal in their last 10 games and scoring freely at the other end. Their recent victory took them to the top of the league for the first time this season!

Tottenham Hotspur 1 – 3 Liverpool FC
Liverpool’s struggles off late have been magnified lately especially due to their lack of goals, with no goals in nearly 450 minutes of Premier League action. But if Sunday’s loss to Man Utd was a sign of improvement, their performance and eventual result against Spurs was a stamp that the Reds were back in business . The goals flowed in and so did their fluency on and off the ball, as they outplayed Mourinho’s men in all departments. Liverpool’s concerns however continue to be at their centre back position with both Fabinho and Matip injured, leaving them very thin at the back!

Other results over the week :

West Ham continued their superb run in the Premier League as a brace by inform lanky midfielder Thomas Sucek helped the Hammers to a 2-3 win over Crystal Palace. The result saw the Hammers climb into the Top 4 albiet briefly as Liverpool’s win over Spurs saw them drop back to 5th.

Leeds United have been enduring a torrid time lately with no goals in 2021 but all that changed as goals from Rafinha and Harrison were enough to put away Newcastle (1-2) and send the Magpies closer into the relegation zone.

Arsenal FC too continued their fine form lately as yet another all round performance ensured that they secured all 3 points in a tough away fixture against Southampton. Goals from Lacazette, Pepe and Saka sent Arsenal into the Top 10, level on points with Chelsea.

Speaking of Chelsea, with new boss Thomas Tuchel at the touchline, the blues started life under another new manager with a 0-0 draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Aston Villa had an golden opportunity to move further up the table in their stellar campaign but a spirited fight by a goal shy Burnely helped Sean Dych’s men to a valuable 3 points, winning the tie 3-2!

Brighton and Fulham failed to capatilise on an opportunity to move further away from the relegation zone as they played out a 0-0 draw.

And lastly, Everton welcomed the return of James Rodriguez with a goal, but was cancelled out by a Tielemans strike as Leicester and the Toffees played out a 1-1 draw!

And so, with all those results. what it has meant is that Man City are on top of the league heading into the weekend round of fixtures and also have a game in hand while Liverpool moved back into the Top 4. 5th place West Ham on 35 points are seperated from 11th place Southampton by just 6 points as the tight mid table grouping continues to ensure that every week is vital for each team as results for or against could see them climb many places up or down respectively.

At the bottom quarter of the table, Sheffield United will have their confidence at their peak after their win over Manchester United as those 3 points meant that they are now 10 points from safety. Also the Blades are currently on a run of 4 wins from their last 6 games in all competitions! Newcastle and Brighton look increasingly likely to join the relegation battle if their poor form keeps up as they remain just 6 and 5 points above safety.

The season continues to defy logic and the idea of predictability seems to be thrown out of the window and that is exactly the reason why the Premier League will always be known as the toughest league in the world!

Unitl next time, with Match Day 21 occuring over the weekend, take care and stay safe!