Good day everyone,

I hope you are all well and had an excellent weekend, welcome to CryptoGod-1’s blog on all things sports.  This round of games saw City held by Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal obtained big wins, Spurs faltered at home, while United managed to survive their trip to Kenilworth Road while Brighton dismantled Sheffield United.

You can find the preview for this round of games here: https://www.publish0x.com/cryptogod-1-sports/premier-league-202324-match-week-25-preview-xvzpnzz 

Week Predictions & Final Results

So in terms of the predicted scores, I got XX/10 correct scores this weekend. In terms of match-winner/loser, I managed to predict XX/10 correctly this weekend.

Predicted: Brentford 1-3 Liverpool

Result: Brentford 1-4 Liverpool

Toney - Núñez, Mac Allister, Salah, Gakpo

The Bees had the brighter start here, with Janelt dragging an effort wide and Toney wasting a couple of chances. Bradley and Jota each had efforts saved by Flekken and Brentford were made to rue their wastefulness in the 35th minute. Van Dijk hoofed the ball up the pitch to clear and Jota was on hand to head the ball perfectly into the path of Núñez, who ran in and chipped Flekken beautifully. Jones went over on his ankle prior to the goal, and before the break Jota had to be stretchered off while during the half-time break Núñez went off after feeling a niggle. Salah showed signs of rustiness when he wasted an effort in the second half, but in the 55th minute his pass found Mac Allister driving into the box, whose touch took the ball past Collins and allowed the Argentine to poke the ball into the bottom corner. In the 68th minute Salah managed to get past Collins and fire his own goal in to all but seal the game. Brentford responded in the 75th minute when Toney scored the follow up shot after Kelleher had saved from Reguilon's shot. Liverpool got their fourth in the 86th minute when Collins was again at fault as Gakpo got in to score. A deserved win for Liverpool, who play again in the midweek with the Reds off to Wembley next weekend for their Carabao Cup Final against Chelsea.

Predicted: Burnley 1-3 Arsenal

Result: Burnley 0-5 Arsenal

Ødegaard, Saka x2, Trossard, Havertz

Burnley looked bright from the start but were hit by Arsenal on the break after Rice fed Martinelli, who teed up Ødegaard on the edge of the area in the 4th minute to open the scoring. Trossard then wasted a chance to double the lead when he tried to go around Trafford instead of shooting, while Gabriel headed a Saka corner over. Burnley had an Odobert effort parried by Raya before Arsenal doubled their lead in the 41st minute. Trossard was clipped by Esteve in the area allowing Saka to score from the spot. Just after the break, in the 47th minute, Saka got his second when Ødegaard played him in on the right to score high into the net. Ramsey limped off with an apparent knee injury for Burnley while Trossard wasted two chances. In the 66th minute Trossard got his goal when he was first to a loose ball in the area following a Havertz shot being saved. Kiwior's quick long throw allowed Havertz to steal in and score in the 78th minute to seal an emphatic win for Arsenal. They remain two points off league leaders Liverpool as they look forward to their Champions League clash with Porto. Burnley meanwhile are running out of time to save their season and avoid the drop.

Predicted: Fulham 2-2 Aston Villa

Result: Fulham 1-2 Aston Villa

Muniz - Watkins x2

Craven Cottage witnessed an early goal ruled out for Watkins due to the linesman's flag but the away support were seeing their side start fast in their push to break back into the top four. As the game wore on Ream looked to have given Fulham the lead but a VAR review confirmed an offside in the build-up. Finally in the 23rd minute Villa opened the scoring as Watkins got onto Ramsey's layoff before turning Diop and scoring. Bailey hit the bar and Moreno had a goal ruled out just before the break as Villa dominated. After the break Tielemans found Watkins in the 56th minute and the Englishman fired in to double his sides lead. Robinson's run and cross in the 63rd minute allowed Muniz to score at the near post as Fulham got one back, and Martinez was to the rescue late on from an Adama Traore burst of pace and shot. Villa held on for the win and Emery was delighted at full time, ensuring his side continue to push for a Champions League place. 

Predicted: Newcastle 3-2 Bournemouth

Result: Newcastle 2-2 Bournemouth

Gordon, Ritchie - Solanke, Semenyo

The Cherries started brightly here, with Solanke at the heart of everything. Tavernier's long-range effort was saved before Dubravka denied Solanke from a Kluivert cross. Almiron put an effort wide for Newcastle but they struggled to build any momentum and after the break Almiron put another good chance over the bar. He would rue that miss as in the 51st minute Solanke opened the scoring after Dubravka slipped trying to control Botman's back pass and it made for a simple goal. The Magpies got themselves back on terms in the 58th minute when Gordon scored from the penalty spot following Smith's challenge on Schar inside the area. The Cherries survived Senesi putting the ball just beyond his own post and the Cherries continued to throw players forward in search of a winner. In the 69th minute Semenyo gave them the lead when he smashed a a low shot past Dubravka. Newcastle managed to get level in the second minute of injury time when Ritchie scored against his old club after his initial shot had been blocked by Cook. Iraola was unimpressed with the referee after the game and felt there should never have been a penalty awarded. Newcastle meanwhile are now winless in their last four home Premier League games.

Predicted: Nottingham Forest 2-2 West Ham

Result: Nottingham Forest 2-0 West Ham

Awoniyi, Hudson-Odoi

The Hammers are without a win in eight games following this result, and Moyes has plenty of questions hanging over his management at the club. They have managed to score just four goals in 2024 with Forest looking stronger here and Elanga forcing a save from Areola within five minutes. Gibbs-White then forced a save and it looked like Areola would get his side in at the break level, but Awoniyi had other ideas. In the fifth minute of first half stoppage time he turned in box and finished following a pass by Dominguez. Awoniyi continued to cause havoc after the break for Zouma, but it was Phillips who paid the price and got his second yellow in the 71st minute. Forest dominated from there and Elanga twice wasted good chances. Areola bundled the ball into his own goal but was spared his blushed when the offside flag went up. In the fourth minute of injury time Forest finally got their second when Hudson-Odoi got Forest their first Premier League win of 2024 after a Williams cross came back out to him. Nuno Santo can breath a sigh of relief as they moved away from the relegation battle, while West Ham need to find a solution quickly as their dreams of European football next season begin to fade.

Predicted: Tottenham 2-0 Wolves

Result: Tottenham 1-2 Wolves

Kulusevski - Joao Gomes x2

Wolves beat Spurs in a Premier League match for the third time in a row as they outclassed Spurs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Vicario had to save from Semedo early on while Hwang put the rebound over the bar. One of Tottenham's best efforts of the first half saw Maddison burst forward before finding Kulusevski, who fired wide. Wolves took the lead in the 42nd minute after Richarlison conceded a corner and Joao Gomes headed home from Sarabia's cross. It took Spurs 34 seconds after the break to draw level, with Kulusevski scoring from an acute angle after Wolves failed to clear a throw. Spurs dominated the possession and both sides tested the oppositions keepers, but a Wolves counter in the 63rd minute saw Neto driving forward before cutting the ball back for Joao Gomes to score his second. Tottenham continued to dominate looking for an equaliser, while Wolves looked dangerous on the counter. Davies headed wide late on in a last ditch chance for Spurs, and they lost ground in the Champions League race. Wolves continue their push for a top half finish as O'Neil's side continue to impress.

Predicted: Manchester City 2-2 Chelsea

Result: Manchester City 1-1 Chelsea

Rodri - Sterling

Big wins for Liverpool and Arsenal earlier in the afternoon meant all the pressure was on City going into this one. Chelsea proved formidable, with an improved defensive display causing City plenty of problems. Alvarez's left-wing cross was headed over by Haaland early on but Chelsea had the better chances in the first half. On the counter-attack they threatened and Jackson's poor touch allowed Ederson to smother the ball when the striker should have scored. Jackson made up for that in the 42nd minute when he found Sterling, who cut inside before curling the ball into the net against his former side. After the break De Bruyne curled a free-kick over and Haaland put an effort wide while Chelsea continued to play on the counter. Ederson saved when Sterling looked set to score from a Gusto cross, while Haaland continued to put efforts wide as City struggled. Rodri stepped up in the 83rd minute as his effort deflected off Chalobah before going into the net. Pochettino's team will feel hard done by but a point at the home of the champions is a vast improvement from their thrashing at Anfield last month. With a Carabao Cup Final with Liverpool next, Chelsea will need to bring this form to Wembley. As for City they slipped further behind Liverpool and Arsenal in the title race but Pep knows there is a long way to go yet.

Predicted: Sheffield United 1-1 Brighton

Result: Sheffield United 0-5 Brighton

Buonanotte, Welbeck, Robinson OG, Adingra x2

It was a fast start to this game, with Bogle forcing a save from Verbruggen before Foderingham stopped Ahmedhodzic from turning the ball into his own net. Holgate lunged in knee-high on Brighton's Mitoma and got a straight red card in the 13th minute. The Seagulls took control and in the 20th minute Buonanotte scored from a corner. In the 24th minute Brighton doubled their lead when Welbeck scored the rebound following a Mitoma shot. Mitoma and Gross both had efforts cleared off the line while the Blades were unfortunate for Osborn's deflected goal to be ruled out for offside. Brighton continued to dominate after the break with 82 per cent possession in the second half. While Brighton created chances, it was in the 75th minute when they finally got their third after Mitoma's cross was turned into his own net by Robinson. Three minutes later Adingra got his first when he scored from Gross' cross, and in the 85th minute Adingra got his second when his effort took a deflection and looped over Foderingham and into the goal. Another poor display by the Blades, who had made unwanted history at they became the first team in top-division history to concede five or more goals in three consecutive home games. Brighton meanwhile have seen teenagers score 12 times for their side this season, the most in the division. 

Predicted: Luton 1-2 Manchester United

Result: Luton - Manchester United

Morris - Höjlund x2

Höjlund needed only 36 seconds to opening the scoring here after Bell's slack pass went straight to the Danish forward who skipped past Kaminski and scored. Luton struggled and Casemiro saw a chance blocked from a corner, before the rebound by Rashford was saved by Kaminski. Garnacho also saw an effort saved, before Uunited got their second in the 7th minute as Garnacho had a long range effort chested into the goal Höjlund. The Hatters did get one back in the 14th minute when Chong saw his effort deflect into the path of Morris, who applied the finish. Luton were the more dominate side then, with Morris and Osho wasting free headers which sailed over the bar. Woodrow had a chance in the area blocked by Maguire, while Casemiro avoided a second yellow for lunging at Barkley. Doughty missed the chance to draw his side level before the break as he shot wide from the edge of the area, and Ten Hag decided to take off Casemiro and Maguire at the break. United looked more in control afterwards, with Dalot wasting his chance when found in the area by Onana. Rashford and Garnacho both saw efforts saved, before Lokonga made a last ditch tackle after Bruno Fernandes had rounded Kaminski. Garnacho did similar moments later but his cut back was cleared by Luton. Barkley almost made United pay late on as his header from a corner hit the bar and went over. All in all United survived their test at Kenilworth Road to keep their hopes of Champions League qualification alive. Luton meanwhile were valiant and deserved more from the game, and the Hatters have shown this season they are more that capable of surviving at this level.

Predicted: Everton 1-0 Crystal Palace

Result: Everton 1-1 Crystal Palace

Onana - Ayew

The Toffees saw Calvert-Lewin waste a number of chances in this game, with the England striker failing to find the net from many of McNeil's crosses. Palace had new manager Glasner watching as a spectator and his side impressed, although Everton should have been ahead before the break from a McNeil corner. The same happened after the break, with Calvert-Lewin again wasteful. In the 66th minute after Mateta held the ball up brilliantly before Ayew fired past Pickford to score. Finally in the 84th minute Everton got level when Onana jumped highest to head in from a McNeil corner to head in past Johnstone. The point was a huge result for both sides facing a relegation fight. Everton moved out of the bottom three, while Palace put five points between themselves and the dotted line with hopes the change of manager will bring renewed fortune following Hodgson's spell in charge.

Table After Match Day 25

A look at the top half of the table and Liverpool remain on top with 57 points, while Arsenal are in second on 55. City sit in third with 53 points having played a game less, with Aston Villa making up the top four on 49 points. Spurs dropped down to fifth on 47 points, while United remain in sixth on 44 points. Brighton are seventh with 38 points while Newcastle are eight with 37 points. West Ham are ninth with 36 points, while Chelsea sit in tenth on 35 points.

As for the bottom half, Sheffield United remain bottom with 13 points while Burnley are ahead on goal difference alone. Luton make up the bottom three on 20 points, with Everton are seventeenth on goal difference. Palace sit in sixteenth on 24 points, with Forest ahead of goal difference. Brentford sit a point ahead in fourteenth, with Bournemouth in thirteenth on 28 points. Fulham are twelfth with 29 points, and Wolves sit in eleventh with 35 points, just out of the top half on goal difference.

Top Goal scorers After Match Day 25

1 — E. Haaland —  Manchester City — 16 Goals
2 — M. Salah —  Liverpool — 15 Goals
3— D. Solanke — Bournemouth — 14 Goals
4 — O. Watkins — Aston Villa  — 13 Goals
5 — B. Saka — Arsenal — 12 Goals
6 — Son — Tottenham Hotspur — 12 Goals
7 —  J. Bowen — West Ham United — 11 Goals

+ 4 players on 10 goals

Check out my 2023/24 Season Predictions here: Predictions 23/24 Season

Have a great day, I hope you enjoyed the review of the matches and had a wonderful weekend. 

Peace. CryptoGod-1.

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