Premier League Roundup, Matchday 35
The Premier League has completed its 35th round of matches, featuring exciting games, standout player performances, and unexpected outcomes. Here is a summary of the events that took place during matchday 35 in the Premier League.
West Ham 2-2 Liverpool
Liverpool’s chances of winning the Premier League title have significantly diminished after they were unable to secure a victory against West Ham, resulting in a 2-2 draw at the London Stadium. This outcome highlights West Ham’s strong home record, with only two losses in their last 19 games. The match ended without a clear winner, leaving both teams with just a single point that does little to advance their respective objectives. Liverpool now trails league-leaders Arsenal by 5 points and with only three matches left to narrow the gap. West Ham, on the other hand, sits in eighth place, facing a setback in their pursuit of European football as the competition for the top seven spots intensifies.
Wolves 2-1 Luton
Wolves broke a bad streak by defeating Luton 2-1 at Molineux, with Luton still searching for their first clean sheet away from home in the Premier League this season. Despite their efforts, Luton once again fell short on a challenging day in the West Midlands. They now urgently need a win as they face Everton in a crucial match next Friday. Wolves, on the other hand, have moved up to 11th place and, while qualifying for European football may be unlikely this season, they can be satisfied with their overall performance, providing a solid foundation for future success.
Newcastle 5-1 Sheffield United
Sheffield United’s demotion from the Premier League was sealed after a 5-1 defeat to Newcastle, who are edging closer to sixth-placed Manchester United as they aim for European competition. A late penalty initially given to Sheffield United was reversed as their drop back to the Championship was confirmed, with a last-place finish almost certain in what has been a highly disappointing season for the team. On the other hand, Newcastle’s eighth victory in nine head-to-head matches keeps them in contention for a spot in the UEFA Europa League, just one point behind sixth place following a recovery from a recent 2-0 loss to Crystal Palace.
Manchester United 1-1 Burnley
Burnley’s chances of avoiding relegation were significantly improved with a draw at Old Trafford, as Zeki Amdouni’s late penalty secured a point for the team and brought them closer to escaping the threat of relegation. It was expected that Muric would eventually concede a goal, and this happened just over 10 minutes before the end of the match. The goal came from Antony intercepting Sander Berge’s pass and scoring. However, Burnley did not give up, and a mistake from Onana led to a penalty for Amdouni, which he successfully converted to earn Burnley a well-deserved point in their fight against relegation and also hinder Manchester United’s chances of finishing in the top six.
Fulham 1-1 Crystal Palace
Jeffrey Schlupp scored a remarkable 87th-minute goal as Crystal Palace secured a 1-1 draw against Fulham at Craven Cottage. This extended Palace’s unbeaten streak to four matches. Fulham’s recent form has been poor, with only one win in their last six league games, hindering their chances of finishing in the top half of the table. Despite their similar aspirations, Palace’s disappointing away record in London derbies continued, as they have only won one of their last 20 such matches.
Everton 1-0 Brentford
Everton narrowly defeated Brentford 1-0 to achieve their second league double over the Bees and secure their spot in the top division for another season. Everton maintained their lead and secured a fourth consecutive home victory without letting in any goals, moving them ahead of Brentford in the Premier League standings. Although Brentford is now safe from relegation, they will be disappointed as this loss marks their first defeat since mid-March.
Aston Villa 2-2 Chelsea
Chelsea managed to come back from a two-goal deficit to secure a 2-2 draw against Aston Villa at Villa Park. This result means that Chelsea has only lost one of their last 10 Premier League matches. Chelsea is still in contention for a spot in Europe, but earning just one point does impact their chances. Despite this, Pochettino will be happy with how his team responded after falling behind.
Tottenham 2-3 Arsenal
Arsenal managed to hold off a late threat to defeat their fierce rivals Tottenham 3-2 and maintain their lead at the top of the Premier League table. This victory adds to Mikel Arteta’s team’s strong record in head-to-head matches against Spurs, with only one loss in their last seven encounters (winning five and drawing one).
Despite a moment of uncertainty caused by Raya, Arsenal appeared to regain their composure as the match entered its final half-hour. A penalty awarded to Tottenham after a reckless challenge from Rice on Davies allowed Son Heung-min to score, setting up an exciting finish. The hosts pushed for an equalizer to disrupt Arsenal’s title bid, but Arsenal’s defense stood strong under pressure to secure a vital win.
Bournemouth 3-0 Brighton
Bournemouth achieved a new club milestone by earning their highest number of points in a single Premier League season with a 3-0 victory over Brighton. This win brought their total points for the season to 48 and propelled them into the top half of the league standings. Despite their tendency to struggle defensively, with only three clean sheets in 16 games, Bournemouth managed to secure another clean sheet in this match and scored a third goal through Kluivert.
This victory also allowed them to match their previous record of six consecutive home games without defeat, which was set between May and October 2018 under Eddie Howe. Bournemouth now have a strong chance of finishing in the top half of the league, while Brighton’s European aspirations have been dampened by a six-game winless streak, leaving them trailing Bournemouth by four points.
Nottingham Forest 0-2 Manchester City
Manchester City marked Pep Guardiola’s 300th Premier League match as manager with a hard-fought 2-0 win against Nottingham Forest, bringing them within one point of league leaders Arsenal. Guardiola brought on Erling Haaland from the bench to secure a crucial second goal against a threatening Forest side. Haaland scored within nine minutes of coming on, netting his 21st goal of the season and sealing City’s first league double over Forest since 1990/91. This victory leaves Forest just one point above the relegation zone.
