Premier League Roundup, Matchweek 34
The ongoing long matchweek has already produced some intriguing outcomes and a flurry of goals, with only eight out of the thirteen fixtures completed so far. Here is a review of the weekend’s matches:
Crystal Palace 4-3 West Ham
Crystal Palace won a thrilling seven-goal match against West Ham, reaching their target of 40 points and leaving the Hammers in relegation trouble. Palace scored three goals in a 15-minute spell after Tomas Soucek scored early, with Jordan Ayew, Wilfried Zaha, and Jeffrey Schlupp all finding the net. West Ham responded with goals from Michail Antonio and Nayef Aguerd, but Palace sealed the victory with a penalty from Eberechi Eze. The win puts Palace 11 points clear of the bottom three, while West Ham remain five points above the relegation places with five games remaining.
Brentford 2-1 Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest lost a crucial game in their fight for Premier League survival as Brentford staged a late comeback to win 2-1. Forest took the lead through Danilo just before half-time, but Brentford equalised in the 82nd minute with Ivan Toney’s free-kick. Forest were reduced to 10 men when Danilo went off injured, and Brentford scored a last-gasp winner through Josh Dasilva. Forest were left to rue missed opportunities as they continue to fight for survival.
Brighton 6-0 Wolves
Brighton recorded their biggest-ever top-flight victory by thrashing Wolves 6-0 to reignite their push for a place in Europe next season. Deniz Undav opened the scoring with his first Premier League goal, before Pascal Gross scored twice in sensational fashion. Danny Welbeck also scored twice, and Undav added his second with a perfectly weighted chip. Wolves remain eight points clear of the relegation zone, but manager Julen Lopetegui will be concerned about his team’s poor performance. Brighton are still in contention for a place in the Europa League next season.
Bournemouth 4-1 Leeds
Bournemouth secured a crucial victory in their bid for Premier League survival, beating Leeds 4-1 at the Vitality Stadium. Jefferson Lerma scored twice in four minutes to put the Cherries in control, and although Leeds pulled a goal back through Patrick Bamford, Dominic Solanke restored Bournemouth’s two-goal advantage. Antoine Semenyo sealed the win with a stoppage-time goal. The result leaves Bournemouth in 13th place, 10 points clear of the drop zone, while Leeds remain in 16th place, just one point above the relegation zone.
Fulham 1-2 Man City
Manchester City returned to the top of the Premier League after beating Fulham, with Erling Haaland scoring his 50th goal of the season in all competitions. Haaland also equalled the record for most goals scored in a Premier League season, matching the 34-goal hauls of Andy Cole and Alan Shearer. Despite conceding a 15th-minute equaliser, City secured victory thanks to Julian Alvarez’s 36th-minute strike, moving them one point clear of Arsenal with a game in hand as they chase a historic treble.
Man United 1-0 Aston Villa
Bruno Fernandes scored his 100th career league goal as Manchester United secured a 1-0 victory over Aston Villa, ending their 10-match unbeaten run. Fernandes scored in the 39th minute after Emiliano Martinez had turned Marcus Rashford’s shot into his path. Despite hitting the bar and going close through Marcel Sabitzer and Casemiro, United held on for the win. The result sees them maintain a healthy advantage in the race for a top-four finish, while Villa are now nine points behind United.
Newcastle 3-1 Southampton
Newcastle United came from behind to beat Southampton 3-1 at St James’ Park, with Callum Wilson scoring twice after coming on as a substitute. Southampton took the lead through Stuart Armstrong in the first half, but Wilson equalised nine minutes into the second half. Theo Walcott’s own goal put Newcastle ahead before Wilson sealed the win with a composed finish. The result sees Newcastle strengthen their position in the top four, while Southampton remain bottom of the table facing relegation.
Liverpool 4-3 Tottenham
Liverpool secured a dramatic win over Tottenham Hotspur with Diogo Jota scoring the injury-time winner after Spurs looked on course to rescue a point. Liverpool started strong with Curtis Jones and Luis Diaz scoring in the first five minutes, followed by Mohamed Salah’s penalty. Harry Kane’s volley before the break and Son Heung-min’s 77th-minute goal gave Spurs hope before Richarlison’s stoppage-time header levelled the score. However, Jota capitalised on a defensive error seconds later to give Liverpool a 4-3 victory. The win keeps Liverpool’s slim hopes of Champions League football alive.
Remaining Matchweek 34 fixtures:
Monday 1st May
Leicester vs Everton, 7pm(GMT)
Tuesday 2nd May
Arsenal vs Chelsea, 7pm(GMT)
Wednesday 3rd May
Liverpool vs Fulham, 7pm(GMT)
Man City vs West Ham, 7pm(GMT)
Thursday 4th May
Brighton vs Man United, 7pm(GMT)
(All images via Getty)
Check Out: Serie A Roundup MD32
