Good day everyone,

I hope you are all well and enjoyed the return to Premier League action over the weekend. Welcome to Cryptogod-1's blog on all things sport. With the North London Derby postponed, with got to see some big relegation clashes, a shocker for Rafa Benitez, and the top two battling it out, this was certainly an exciting return following the FA Cup weekend. If you want to check out my Preview on this round of games, you can find a link to it here: English Premier League Match Day 22 Preview

Weekend Predictions & Final Results

So in terms of the predicted scores, I am happy to say I got 1/8 correct scores this weekend. In terms of match-winner/loser, I only managed to predict 2/8 correctly in this round of games.

Predicted: Brighton 1-1 Crystal Palace

Result: Brighton 1-1 Crystal Palace

Andersen OG - Gallagher

This game really had a bit of everything, with a frantic first half seeing Brighton miss a penalty and have a goal disallowed a few minutes apart. The penalty was awarded after Veltman had been fouled in the box by Hughes at a corner. VAR intervened and after the ref checked the screen, the penalty was awarded. Gross took a tame effort and it was saved by Butland in the Palace goal. A few moments later and Brighton had the ball in the back of the net via Maupay, but after the ref once again checked the pitch side monitor, he reversed his decision in ruling that Maupay had knocked the ball out of the Palace goalkeepers hands. In the second half Brighton remained in the ascendency with Moder's back heel bouncing up over Butland and hitting the top of the crossbar to keep the score level. With just over twenty minutes to goal Gallagher fired Palace ahead against the run of play, hitting the ball into the corner of the goal after Schlupp had pulled it back to him. With just three minutes left on the clock Brighton finally scored, as Maupay danced into the box past Ward and fired a low cross in which ended up being turned into his own net by Palace defender Andersen. The result means Brighton are unbeaten in their last four league games, securing eight points from twelve, the same amount of points they had earnt in their previous eleven matches in the league. Brighton are also the joint top scorers in the last five minutes of games in the league, with six goals the same amount as Chelsea and City have scored. Palace meanwhile continue their abysmal away record of securing just one victory from their previous twelve away league fixtures.

Predicted: Man City 2-2 Chelsea

Result: Man City 1-0 Chelsea

De Bruyne

This was a very disappointing performance for Chelsea, who were pinned in their own half for most of the game thanks to a dominant City side. It took the Citizens seventy minutes to break the deadlock but when they did it was a beautiful goal. De Bruyne managed to spin away from Kante and curled a thrilling shot inside the far post beyond the reach of Kepa. Prior to that Grealish had a glorious chance when played in by De Bruyne, while Sterling always looking a menace. Chelsea were devoid of ideas, without a shot in the first half, although they started the second half brightly with three in the opening four minutes. Lukaku tested Ederson with one of them but throughout the game found it difficult to hold up the ball or be on the receiving end of good passes. Foden had a good chance for City late in the game after a bursting run by Sterling, although he hit his shot over while somewhat unbalanced. Overall Pep will be happy with the win and the 13 points gap opened up before Liverpool played on Sunday. Tuchel felt Chelsea deserved a draw, and they could have won if they front men had been on form. Instead they have lost both games to City this season, showing the difference of class between City and the rest of the league.

Predicted: Newcastle 1-0 Watford

Result: Newcastle 1-1 Watford

Saint-Maximin - Joao Pedro

A result that will once again break Newcastle fans hearts. The late equaliser was especially difficult to take, similar to their result against Man United, and being against a relegation rival sees Newcastle two points off safety. Newcastle dominated this game from the off, with the first hour of the match being all about the team in black and white showing their fans they are serious about getting out of their relegation struggles. New signing Chris Wood started up front, and twice Joelinton should have scored from corners. New signing Kieran Trippier joined Ryan Fraser in taking set-piece duty, and the first chance saw Joelinton flick the ball onto the underside of the crossbar, while the second saw him firing wide from a lovely curling ball sent in by Fraser to the back post. Early in the second half the pressure finally paid off, as Saint-Maximin got the better of Ngakia and powered into the area before firing a low, hard effort into the bottom corner of the goal. Watford came alive from there and had their best chances of the game between Joao Pedro, King, and Sissoko but Dubravkia was solid in the Newcastle goal. On eighty-eight minutes Newcastle were made to pay for letting the tempo drop, when 20-year-old Joao Pedro popped up in the box and headed a fine Kiko Femenia cross into the back of the net. There was boos from the Geordies at full time, and once Saint-Maximin had to be subbed off the dominance switched to the away side. Wood looked decent in the first half even though he couldnt finished off any of his three shots, but Watford marked him out of the game in the second half. Watford still lack a clean sheet in the league this season and look in dire straits when it comes to defending, while Newcastle have seen Allan Saint-Maximin score all of his league goals at St. James Park this season. Both sides are in a big relegation scrap and will need to pick up wins soon to pull away from the bottom three.

Predicted: Norwich 0-2 Everton

Result: Norwich 2-1 Everton

Keane OG, Idah - Richarlison

Rafa Benitez must have been dismayed by what he saw from his side, especially in the first half. The first goal conceded saw Keane divert the ball into his own net as he met a low cross from Joshua Sargent. Just ninety-two seconds later they conceded another as Adam Idah scored his first Premier League goal when he got onto Brandon Williams' pass to slot home beneath Pickford. Everton had started well but Norwich managed to hold off their pressure before the double sucker punch. Norwich remained in control for the remainder of the half while Everton looked devoid of ideas. In the second half Norwich showed excellent game management to maintain their lead, without showing much threat on the attack. Benitez turned to Richarlison in the second half and he managed to repay his managers faith by scored a beautiful overhead kick from a corner. It wasn't enough, as Norwich held on for their third victory of the season, and also moved above Newcastle and Burnley in the take to sit eighteenth. Everton remain six points above the relegation zone and have only tasted victory once in their previous thirteen league matches. The fans were visibly unhappy and many unfurled banners to show their intent on getting Benitez out. Norwich's two goals in this game in quick succession were more than they had scored in their previous eight league matches combined, and Dean Smith has now managed to oversee two league victories already as manager of the Canaries. Everton have only managed nineteen league points from their nineteen league games so far this season, with the Everton board meeting on Saturday evening to discuss the managers future, with reports on Sunday saying he has been let go.

Predicted: Wolves 2-2 Southampton

Result: Wolves 3-1 Southampton

Jiménez, Coady, Traore - Ward Prowse

The Saints dominated the opening proceedings of this game, clearly buoyed by their recent hammering of Brighton during the midweek game, and won a staggering seven corners in the opening twenty minutes. Unfortunately they didn't managed to test Jose Sa in the Wolves goal, and the home team, against the run of play, managed to score through a winning a penalty seven minutes before half-time. Jiménez scored by coolly rolling the ball home after VAR had judged Bednarek caught Rayan Ait-Nouri in the box. The referee had initially pointed for a corner before looking at the challenge again on the pitch-side TV monitor. Coady scored his first league goal at Molineux via a tap in after Max Kilman headed Joao Moutinho's free-kick against the post. With just six minutes left on the clock, James Ward-Prowse stepped up to curl home a 35-yard free-kick, and one which his manager described as the midfielders best ever. Wolves could have gotten their third when Traore blazed over an open goal, before Southampton nearly draw level when Perraud headed against both the bar and post in the final minute. At the death Traore settled the game when he slotted home in injury time. That was James Ward-Prowse's twelfth goal scored from a free-kick, only bettered by David Beckham who scored eighteen. This was also Traore's first league goal in twenty two appearances, and moved them onto thirty-one points from twenty Premier League games this season.

Predicted: Aston Villa 3-1 Man Utd

Result: Aston Villa 2-2 Man Utd

Ramsey, Coutinho - Fernandes x2

The return of the little magician certainly proved to be instrumental in getting Villa back into this game. With just thirteen minutes left on the clock United were seemingly cruising at two goals up. Once Coutinho came on to make his debut it seemed like a shifting of the tide, with Villa clearly benefiting from his exceptional talents. United were without Cristiano Ronaldo due to a hip injury and also gave a first Premier League start of the season to Anthony Elanga. They started well and on six minutes Fernandes gave them the lead. United worked a free kick to the Portuguese man and his tame strike from range was fumbled by Emiliano Martinez and sneaked into the net through his legs. Villa failed to have a shot or register a touch in the United box during the opening 30 minutes, but upped their tempo in the second half. Just as Coutinho was on the side-line waiting to come on, Sanson sent an under-hit pass for Fred to take and set up Fernandes to score off the underside of the crossbar. Coutinho was involved in the build up for Villa's first, with Ramsey scoring in front of the Holte End. The youngster was then played through by Buendia and sent a lovely ball across the box for Coutinho to tap home and send Villa Park wild. They will certainly love the impact of their new Brazilian magician. It was the first time Manchester United failed to win a Premier League away game in which they led by 2 goals or more since January 2016, as Bruno Fernandes has been involved in thirty-three league goals since his United debut. That is only better by Salah and Kane in the league.

Predicted: Liverpool 2-1 Brentford

Result: Liverpool 3-0 Brentford

Fabinho, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Minamino

This game was dominated by Liverpool during the first half, controlling possession and constantly putting the Brentford backline under pressure. With Salah and Mané away Chamberlain got his chance in the front three, but the best chances fell to their defenders and midfield. Van Djik could have opened the scoring from a corner, as a loose ball came to him and his poked shot was cleared by Fernandez rushing back across his goal to make a superb save. Liverpool had plenty of crosses into the box and numerous corners, and eventually they made the breakthrough from a corner. Alexander-Arnold flashed a cross into the box and The Bees couldn't deal with it. The ball bounced up and Fabinho got up to head into the net just before half time. Liverpool continued to dominate proceedings in the second half, with Jota hitting the post after a good run which saw him tackled by Jansson. The ball popped up for Alexander-Arnold who dinked the ball back to Jota and his effort smashed off the post just after the hour mark. Liverpool got their second as Oxlade-Chamberlain snuck in ahead of Canos and Pinnock to meet a wonderful Robertson cross with his head and hit the back if the net. Oxlade-Chamberlain had to go off injured but his replacement got Liverpool's third, as Firmino pounced on a short pass out by Fernandez to Norgaard and played it off to Minamino who applied the finish. Brentford were the creators of their own downfall and didn't manage to test Allison in the Liverpool goal with anything of note, with their first shot on target coming via Toney in the ninety-second minute. The win puts Liverpool in second, eleven points behind City with a game in hand. 

Predicted: West Ham 3-1 Leeds

Result: West Ham 2-3 Leeds

Bowen, Fornals - Harrison x3

What a result for Marcelo Bielsa's side. Leeds started brightly, going ahead on ten minutes when Raphina set up Klich for a first time shot which Fabianski saved, but the ball made its way to Harrison who fired a left footed shot across goal and into the net. West Ham rallied and found themselves level form a set piece shortly after the half hour mark. Creswell swung the ball in and Bowen got his head to the ball and got it into the net. A few minutes later Leeds scored their own from a corner to retake the lead as Luke Ayling's flick-on was nudged over the line by the unmarked Harrison. In the second half Antonio got the ball to Fornals who cut across the box and struck the ball into the back of the net to bring the sides back level. Just before the hour mark Harrison got his third by getting onto the end of Raphinas pass and lobbing the ball over the outrushing Fabianski for Leeds to retake the lead again. Both sides had plenty of chances as the game played out, with Leeds seeing goals ruled out and Bowen ruining an excellent chance at the end. Antonio had crossed the ball over and instead of heading it Bowen went with his chest and ended up to the ball over the bar. Leeds will be delighted with the victory, although saw two players go off injured during the game. West Ham will rue their chance to cement themselves in the top four, and although they remain their for now, all the chasing pack have games in hand on them.

Table After Match Day 22

A look at the top half of the table, and the narrow victory for Man City sees them running away at the top. Liverpool are clearly their nearest chasers, being eleven points behind with a game in hand. In the race for fourth, West Ham will be disappointed in slipping up against Leeds, and Tottenham, Arsenal and Wolves will have great hopes of chasing them down, but United have a lot of work to do if they want to become a consistent force once again.

As for the bottom half, Burnley now prop up the table, although have a number of games in hand. Norwich, who many thought were guaranteed for the drop, are now just one point off safety, and Newcastle are just two points off getting out of the drop zone. Watford will be looking over their shoulder, while Everton known five points is a very small gap. Leeds moved up to put a good bit of daylight between themselves and the bottom three with their fifth victory of the season.

Top Goalscorers After Match Day 22

1 - M. Salah - Liverpool - 16 Goals   
2 - D. Jota - Liverpool - 10 Goals
3 - J. Vardy - Leicester - 9 Goals   
4 - Raphina - Leeds - 8 Goals
5 - E. Smith-Rowe - Arsenal - 8 Goals
6 - C. Ronaldo - Man Utd - 8 Goals   
7 - E. Dennis - Watford - 8 Goals   
8 - Son - Tottenham - 8 Goals   
9 - M. Antonio - West Ham - 8 Goals   

10 - S. Mané - Liverpool - 8 Goals

+ 6 players on 7 goals

I hope you found some enjoyment in my post and managed to see the matches over the weekend. We have the Carabao Cup Semi-Final second leg between Arsenal and Liverpool this week, while a number of postponed Premier League games are also due to take place on Tuesday and Wednesday night.

Have a great day.

Peace. CryptoGod-1.

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