Premier League Roundup, Matchday 34
The Premier League has finished its 34th round of matches, which included thrilling games, impressive player displays, and surprising results. Here is a recap of the events that occurred during matchday 34 in the Premier League.
Sheffield United 1-4 Burnley
In a match between two historically underperforming teams in the Premier League, Burnley emerged victorious with a 4-1 win over Sheffield United. This victory not only boosted Burnley’s chances of survival but also marked their first win at Bramall Lane since 2008. Burnley had everything going their way on this day, with Jóhann Berg Guðmundsson scoring just 30 seconds after coming off the bench. His goal led to an exodus of fans from Bramall Lane. Despite hitting the post with another shot shortly after, Guðmundsson’s performance was inconsequential to the final result as Burnley secured three points.
Luton 1-5 Brentford
Brentford dominated with a convincing 5-1 victory over Luton Town, who are struggling to avoid relegation in the Premier League. This defeat marked Luton’s 21st loss of the season, equaling a club record. With a comfortable four-goal lead, Frank’s team controlled the game in the final 20 minutes and added a fifth goal late in the match courtesy of Kevin Schade. This win secured consecutive victories for Brentford, helping them alleviate relegation concerns as they now have a ten-point cushion above the bottom three. Despite a late goal from Luke Berry, Luton remains in 18th place with only five games left in the season.
Wolves 0-2 Arsenal
Arsenal bounced back from a tough week by defeating Wolves 2-0 at Molineux, moving them to the top of the Premier League table. They achieved a club record of six consecutive clean sheets in away league matches. Mikel Arteta’s team held onto a one-goal lead by dropping back and absorbing pressure from Wolves to protect their advantage. Despite some tense moments, Arsenal had opportunities to seal the victory, with Martin Ødegaard scoring to secure their sixth consecutive win against Wolves. On the other hand, the hosts are now without a win in five matches, leaving Gary O’Neil’s team in 12th place with little left to play for this season.
Everton 2-0 Nottingham Forest
Everton improved their chances of avoiding relegation by securing a vital 2-0 victory against Nottingham Forest, who suffered their fourth loss in five away games in the Premier League. Despite some fortunate moments, Dyche’s team managed to hold on for only their second win in the last 16 PL matches. This outcome puts them 8 points ahead of the relegation zone, while Forest are just one point above Luton Town in the dangerous bottom three with four games remaining in the season.
Crystal Palace 5-2 West Ham
Crystal Palace put on an impressive display in the first half, defeating West Ham 5-2 at Selhurst Park and securing back-to-back wins in the Premier League for the first time this season. Despite this, West Ham, managed by Moyes, were left humbled. With challenging matches against Liverpool and Manchester City ahead, Moyes faces a tough task in keeping West Ham’s hopes of European qualification alive.
Aston Villa 3-1 Bournemouth
Aston Villa improved their chances of qualifying for the Champions League by coming from behind to win 3-1 against Bournemouth at Villa Park in the Premier League. Bournemouth has only won once away from home since Christmas. Despite late chances from Enes Ünal, the result allowed Unai Emery’s team to earn three important points and move six points ahead of fifth-placed Tottenham, although they have played two more games. Bournemouth, managed by Andoni Iraola, is not in a disastrous position after the defeat as they have secured safety mathematically. They still have a chance of finishing in the top half of the table, despite facing tough away matches against Arsenal and Chelsea in the remaining fixtures.
Fulham 1-3 Liverpool
Liverpool maintained their position in the Premier League title race by securing a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Fulham, handing the Cottagers their first consecutive home league defeats of the season. The Reds knew the importance of earning three points to remain competitive in the title race, and despite a goal from Tom Cairney, they managed to secure the win without much trouble. On the other hand, Fulham faced a tough afternoon, but with their Premier League status secured, their main objective for the season has already been achieved.
Arsenal 5-0 Chelsea
Arsenal remained at the top of the Premier League table thanks to a convincing 5-0 win over Chelsea, thanks to two goals each from Kai Havertz and Ben White. This victory further solidified Arsenal’s strong record against Chelsea, with just one loss in their last nine encounters (6 wins, 2 draws). Following White’s fortunate goal, Arsenal comfortably controlled the game, allowing key players to rest ahead of the upcoming North London derby.
Wolves 0-1 Bournemouth
Wolves’ winless streak in the Premier League extended to six games as they suffered a 1-0 loss to Bournemouth at Molineux. Bournemouth, on the other hand, ended their three-game winless run with the victory. Bournemouth faced a challenge when Kerkez was red-carded for a reckless tackle on Matt Doherty with ten minutes remaining. Despite this setback, the Cherries held on for the win, even surviving 10 minutes of added time that saw Kilman’s late equalizer disallowed for offside. The win propelled Bournemouth into the top half of the table, while Wolves remained in 12th place following their fourth consecutive home defeat.
Manchester United 4-2 Sheffield United
Manchester United improved their chances of qualifying for Europe by coming back twice from being behind to secure a hard-fought 4-2 victory over Sheffield United, ending a streak of four winless matches in the Premier League. In a moment that highlighted the unpredictable nature of United’s season, Fernandes scored a spectacular goal with a powerful left-footed shot from long range that beat Foderingham.
This moment of excellence helped United secure the win, with Fernandes then setting up Højlund to secure all three points. While the victory keeps United’s hopes of finishing in the top four alive, it is more realistic to aim for sixth place and qualification for the Europa League. On the other hand, this defeat pushes Chris Wilder’s team closer to relegation from the Premier League, as they extended their winless streak to 10 games.
Everton 2-0 Liverpool
Everton’s position in the Premier League is now almost guaranteed after a 2-0 victory in the final Merseyside derby with Jürgen Klopp as manager, effectively ending Liverpool’s hopes of winning the title. The game was expected to be tense as Everton had not won a derby at Goodison since 2010, but Sean Dyche’s team managed to keep a clean sheet, preventing their rivals from matching their club record of scoring in 21 consecutive away matches, which was set in 1956. Klopp’s defeat meant he missed the opportunity to become the first Liverpool manager to achieve 10 league wins against Everton, but the bigger setback for Liverpool is that their chances of winning the title are now almost non-existent.
Crystal Palace 2-0 Newcastle
Crystal Palace, under the management of Oliver Glasner, secured their third consecutive Premier League victory, a feat they had not achieved since April 2023, by defeating Newcastle 2-0 in a hard-fought match. The Eagles maintained control throughout and sealed the win with a goal in the 88th minute. Mateta, who was in good form, scored the second goal after a reverse pass from Will Hughes. This victory, their first in seven meetings against Newcastle, propelled Crystal Palace to 14th place in the league standings. On the other hand, Newcastle dropped out of the Europa League positions due to their loss and Manchester United’s victory over Sheffield United.
Brighton 0-4 Manchester City
Manchester City dominated on the southern coast, maintaining their pursuit of another Premier League title. No team has ever won four consecutive English titles, but Pep Guardiola’s team is now just one point behind leaders Arsenal with a game in hand after defeating Brighton 4-0. Brighton suffered frustration when João Pedro was not given a penalty despite appearing to be tripped in the box by Joško Gvardiol.
However, even if the penalty had been awarded, it would have only been a consolation goal as Brighton’s winless streak extended to five matches, diminishing their chances of reaching European qualification spots. Despite City’s significant victory margin, their goal difference is eight goals lower than Arsenal’s. Nevertheless, if City wins all their remaining matches, they will be crowned champions regardless.