The Premier League Weekend kicked off with Tottenham taking on Bournemouth and finished off with the biggest PL rivalry – Manchester United vs Chelsea. There were some interesting matches and the title race has been thrown wide open now. Lets review some major fixtures this weekend:
Tottenham vs Bournemouth
Tottenham Hotspur claimed their seventh league win in a row and their 12th at home, easing past AFC Bournemouth 4-0 at White Hart Lane. The Spurs took the lead when Mousa Dembele finished off Christian Eriksen’s corner on 16 minutes. Just three minutes later Son Heung-min doubled their lead from a narrow-angle. Harry Kane marked his return to the starting line-up with a goal just two minutes after the break, taking his tally to 20 in the league this season.
Vincent Janssen added a late fourth goal shortly after coming on. The win sends Spurs to within four points of leaders Chelsea. AFC Bournemouth are 15th, seven points clear of the relegation zone ahead of the other matches.
Southampton vs Manchester City
An unusual Vincent Kompany goal plus strikes from Leroy Sane and Sergio Aguero boosted Manchester City’s hopes of retaining their top-4 finish with a 3-0 win at Southampton. After the first half ended goalless at St Mary’s Stadium, Pep Guardiola saw Kompany head in his first Premier League goal since August 2015 from David Silva’s corner. City doubled their lead with 13 minutes remaining when they scored a goal as Kevin De Bruyne passed to Sane to score easily.
Less than three minutes later it was 3-0, De Bruyne crossing for Aguero to head in the final goal. The win lifted City above Liverpool, who play West Bromwich Albion on Sunday, into third. Southampton remain ninth.
West Brom vs Liverpool
Roberto Firmino’s 11th goal of the season sent Liverpool back into third place with a 1-0 victory at West Bromwich Albion. Firmino struck the only goal in first-half stoppage time, heading home after Lucas Leiva had flicked on James Milner’s free-kick.
West Brom’s Hal Robson-Kanu had earlier hit straight into the hands of Simon Mignolet, while Milner smashed over at the back post in the second half. Mignolet saved a one-on-one with Matt Phillips and, in a frantic finish, substitute Alberto Moreno missed a long-range open goal after Ben Foster was caught upfield while chasing an equaliser.
Liverpool’s first win at The Hawthorns since 2011 lifts them two points above fourth-placed Manchester City. West Brom stay eighth.
Manchester United vs Chelsea
Undoubtedly the biggest fixture of the PL season so far. And the game lived up to its reputation in every aspect of the game. Mourinho surprised Conte with his tactics, resting Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Mata, Mkhitariyan and Rooney.
Manchester United completed their first Premier League win over Chelsea after five years and nine attempts with a commanding display at Old Trafford. Goals in either half by Marcus Rashford and Ander Herrera rewarded Man Utd’s high-pressing performance and reduced the Blues’ league lead to just four points.
Rashford set the tone of the game by racing on to Herrera’s through-ball to clip coolly past Asmir Begovic on seven minutes and Chelsea might have fallen further behind when Ashley Young missed twice. Herrera doubled United’s lead on 49 minutes when his shot deflected off Kurt Zouma, and Rashford almost crowning a wonderful performance with another goal on two occasions.
United, in fifth, are four points off fourth place, while second-placed Tottenham Hotspur have renewed title aspirations.