Good day everyone,

I hope you are all well and had an excellent weekend while enjoying the latest matches, welcome to CryptoGod-1’s blog on all things sports. This weekend saw Newcastle get back to winning ways, Spurs and Chelsea dropped points in the race for Europe, while Leeds got a big win towards their relegation battle.

If you would like to check out the preview on this round of games it can be found here: https://www.publish0x.com/cryptogod-1-sports/premier-league-2223-match-week-28-preview-xrgmrmw 

Week Predictions & Final Results

So in terms of the predicted scores, I got 0/7 correct scores this week. In terms of match-winner/loser, I only managed to predict 1/7 correctly in this round of games in what really was a strange weekend of results.

Predicted: Nottingham Forest 1-1 Newcastle

Result: Nottingham Forest 1-2 Newcastle

Dennis - Isak x2

A late shocker by Niakhate handed Newcastle the three points here as he gave away a penalty in second half stoppage time. Newcastle had been the better team from the off, and almost went ahead from a free kick in the 12th minute when Isak's shot across the six-yard box was deflected onto the bar. Against the run of play Forest managed to take the lead, as they made the most of a mistake by Botman. Dennis snuck in behind the defender and executed a brilliant chip over both Pope and Tripper to give his side the lead. Longstaff hit the bar ten minutes from the break as Newcastle pushed on for a leveller, and with basically the last kick of the half Isak got their goal. He volleyed home a cross from Willock when it seemed the ball was behind him for a wonderful goal. Newcastle pushed on in the second half for a winner, with substitute Anderson looking to have found midway through the half after outjumping Aurier and heading home, only for VAR to rule it out for a Longstaff offside. Newcastle keep pressurising Forest and eventually in stoppage time got their rewards. Niakhate, for reasons unknown, decided to handball in his own box as the ball was crossed in from the left and left the referee with no choice but to award the penalty. Up stepped Isak to calmly slot home past Navas who he sent the wrong way. It was a huge win for Newcastle as the three points puts them in a commanding position ahead of Liverpool by five points with the same amount of games played, and one behind Spurs with a game in hand. As for Forest, their long unbeaten run at home has finally come to an end and although they have opened the scoring in ten games at home this season, they have failed to win in five of those which includes three defeats.

Predicted: Aston Villa 1-1 Bournemouth

Result: Aston Villa 3-0 Bournemouth

Douglas Luiz, Ramsey, Buendía

From the off it was Villa applying the pressure here and they took advantage of it on seven minutes when Watkins' attempted shot landed for Bailey, who fired the ball into the middle of the box for Douglas Luiz to tap home. Bournemouth reacted well and created plenty of their own chances to level the score, with a McGinn backpass almost gifting Anthony a chance before Billing and Solanke failed to score with good chances. Aound the half hour mark Watkins had a chance after Buendía played him in, but his effort was saved. Villa thought they had a penalty late in the half for a Stephens handball but VAR did not give it. Villa began the second half in the same manner, with a few half chances but it was the Cherries who should have scored on the hour mark. Billing sent a free kick over the wall only for Martinez to produce a wonderful save and deny them the leveller. Villa prodded on, and on 80 minutes got their second. A deep Luiz free kick was headed on by Watkins and Ramsey then easily drove past Stephens before seeing his deflected shot go in. Villa started to turn the screw and on 89 minutes they got their third as a Luiz corner was headed on by Mings with Buendía on hand to apply the finish. Prior to that Villa had seen another goal ruled out after the ball had gone out of play, but they secured a big and deserved win. Only Arsenal and the two Manchester clubs have earnt more points for their side since Emery took charge of Villa, and their push for the top half seems very realistic at this point in time. As for Bournemouth, they could not follow up their emphatic win over Liverpool last weekend and look ever more likely to go down, although things are so tight in the bottom half of the table that anything is possible between now and the end of the season.

Predicted: Brentford 3-1 Leicester

Result: Brentford 1-1 Leicester

Jensen - Barnes

Leicester managed to end their five game losing streak with a point here, although they still remain in big danger of relegation. Rodgers decided to drop Ward and hand a debut to Iversen between the sticks. Brentford were direct from the off, and while Leicester somehow managed to survive the onslaught, they were wasteful with their own limited chances. Both Barnes and Daka shot off target as Leicester took control of the ball, but on 32 minutes they fell behind. Brentford played a well-worked corner to Jansen who saw his effort take a deflection and go in. Leicester looked bereft of ideas, but in the second half came out with more control and conviction. They produced a fine team move on 52 minutes to level the scores as Dewsbury-Hall played the ball to Maddison, who in turn played in Barnes to lift the ball over Raya and level the scores. For all their bright start, Brentford failed to register a shot on target in the second half and Toney was kept mostly quiet. With the game becoming more dogged at the end, Baptiste picked up two yellows in the space of just three minutes and 12 seconds to leave Brentford with ten men in the second minute of second half stoppage time. Leicester have now conceded first in then Premier League games in a row, but they did manage to score with their only shot on target in the entire game. Brentford meanwhile have made the most of their set pieces this season, having scored more than any other side from dead ball situations with nineteen.

Predicted: Southampton 1-2 Tottenham

Result: Southampton 3-3 Tottenham

Adams, Walcott, Ward-Prowse - Porro, Kane, Perisic

Incredibly there were four substitutions required in the opening half for injured players, with two from each side going off. Southampton lost both centre-backs in Bella-Kotchap and Bednarek, while Spurs lost Richarlison and Davies. Spurs had looked the better, and had the better chances, in the opening half as Porro wasted two good opportunities to put his side ahead. He did not miss the third time, as in the first minute of first half stoppage time he was picked out by Son and finished in off the crossbar. Southampton got straight back into it in the first minute of the second half as Walcott picked out Adams to score. With a fierce game going on, Kane pulled his side ahead once more and he headed in on 65 mnutes from Kulusevski's cross. From there Spurs push on and in the 74th minute got their third and that two goal cushion as substitute Perisic scored his first Tottenham goal with a lovely volley. However the Saints were not going to give up without a fight, as three minutes later they pulled one back.  Mara knocked the ball down from close range and Walcott was on hand to apply the finish. In the third minute of stoppage time Sarr caught Maitland-Niles in the area at a corner and gave Southampton a chance to get level with a penalty. Up stepped Ward-Prowse, who had missed his last two spot-kicks, to score past Forster and give his side a share of the points. Kane scored his ninth headed goal of the league campaign, equalling the record held by Duncan Ferguson for a single season back in 1997-98. Southampton remain bottom of the table but ensured they have a fighting chance as every point gained in this relegation race could be vital come the end of the season. After the game Conte admitted his side do not have that winners mentality as his tore into his players in the post match interview, stating they don't want to play under pressure.

Predicted: Wolves 2-0 Leeds

Result: Wolves 2-4 Leeds

Jonny, Cunha -Harrison, Ayling, Kristensen, Rodrigo

A huge relegation battle which ended with six goals and two red cards, there was plenty of action to see here at Molineux. Leeds started better, with Gnonto causing havoc with his runs, and he was a main component in the opener as he cut the ball back from the left for Harrison to fire home on 6 minutes. Wolves had chances in the first half to get level, as Podence, Pedro Neto and Semedo all wasted good opportunities. Graica and his side saw out the half with the lead, and while it was short of goals the second half was anything but. Four minutes and Ayling doubled the score for Leeds as he found space at the far post to head in from Roca's corner. Just past the hour mark and they made it three, as substitute Kristensen scored 23 seconds after coming on by dispossessing Jonny and slotting home. It should have been comfortable for Leeds from there, but Wolves found a way back into it when on 64 minutes Meslier came out to clear the ball but Jonny got to the clearance and fired a long range effort into the goal. On 73 minutes Wolves got their second as the comeback looked to be on, as Cunha scored the first goal by a striker for Wolves in over a year when his deflected shot wrong-footed Meslier. All looked good for Wolves until Jonny got a red card for a studs up challenge on Ayling on 84 minutes. Tempers flared after that and in the seventh minute of added time Rodrigo scored to seal the win for Leeds. The controversy did not end there however, as the referee had checked for a foul on Traore in the buildup to the Rodrigo goal and although he looked fouled, the referee gave the goal. That sparked anger and frustration on the Wolves bench and Nunes got a red card even though he was not playing. 

Predicted: Chelsea 3-0 Everton

Result: Chelsea 2-2 Everton

Joao Félix, Havertz - Doucouré, Simms

From his announcement that Chelsea will try to f*cking win the Champions League, Potter saw his side brought back down the earth in this one. Everton frustrated Chelsea throughout this one, especially in the first half where very few chances were created. That all changed after the break however, as on 52 minutes Félix made the most of a weak Keane clearance to guide the ball into the far corner. Undeterred, Everton battled back on on 69 minutes Doucouré drew them level. It was partially complacency which had crept in Chelsea's game, but all credit to Doucouré for getting on the end of a Tarkowski header to turn it past Kepa from close range. Chelsea thought they had surely sealed the three points when on 76 minutes James won a penalty after Tarkowski and Godfrey managed to foul him, allowing Havertz to slot home past Pickford. Everton kept going and Simms scored his first ever senior goal on 89 minutes as he burst past Koulibaly into the Chelsea area and sent his shot past Kepa to level the score. It was a hard fought draw from Everton, who under Dyche have managed to earn eleven points in his first eight league games in charge compared to the mere two points Lampard managed in his final eight Premier League games. As for Chelsea, their three game winning run in all competition is over and Potter’s team missed the chance to close the gap on fourth-placed Spurs.

Predicted: Arsenal 4-0 Crystal Palace

Result: Arsenal 4-1 Crystal Palace

Martinelli, Saka x2, Xhaka - Schlupp

Arsenal made the most of Manchester City not playing with a resounding win against managerless Palace, who had sacked Vieira in the days leading up to the game. Andersen was injured in the warm up for Palace so Tomkins took his place in the starting line up, and Palace nearly took an early lead when Zaha was played in behind and hit the post. Edouard got in one on one but saw his effort saved before he was ruled offside. Arsenal came alive from there, but it took 18 minutes for them to test teenage goalkeeper Whitworth, who pushed away Odegaard's effort. Ten minutes later they got their opener as Saka played the ball from the left to Martinelli, who shifted it onto his left foot before finishing into the bottom right corner. Arsenal were in control from there and in the 43rd minute got their second as Saka was played in by White and slotted the ball into the far corner. Palace looked to threaten a comeback early in the second half as Zaha tested Ramsdale, but Xhaka put any chance of that to rest in the 55th minute as he bundled home from close range. Palace did manage to get one back on 63 minutes as Schlupp turned the ball in from a corner, but Zaha sent a wonderful chance wide afterwards in what could have turned the game on its head. Instead on 74 minutes Saka got his second when he curled the ball in from Tierney's cut back. Arsenal have now won their last six in the league as they focus soley on the Premier League following their exit from the Europa League. Palace meanwhile will need to act fast in replacing Vieira as they have been dragged down into the relegation mix, although their toughest run of fixtures is behind them and the remainder of the campaign sees them playing the eight teams below them, with only Spurs and Fulham in their schedule as teams above them. Possibly Vieira deserved more time with favourable fixtures ahead.

Table After Match Day 28

A look at the top half of the table and Arsenal remain top after their convincing win over Manchester City, now sitting eight points clear albeit with a game extra played. City remain in second with United in third and Spurs a point behind them, although United have played two games less than Spurs. Newcastle, who also have two games in hand on Spurs, remain two points behind their top four rivals, with Liverpool a further five points behind Newcastle. Brighton have a game in hand on Liverpool and are level on points with them, while Brentford are also level on points but have played a game more than the Reds. Fulham remain three points behind, with Chelsea sitting tenth a further point behind Fulham.

As for the bottom half, Southampton are still bottom but only two points from safety, with Bournemouth and West Ham making up the bottom three. Leicester are a point clear of them, but have played a game more than West Ham, as have Forest who are two points clear of the drop. Everton have played a game more than all those below them and are two points above the relegation zone, with Leeds having the same amount of points but having played a game less than Everton. Wolves and Palace are both three points clear of the drop but have played a minimum of a game more than all those below them, bar Everton. Villa make up the bottom half a comfortable eleven points ahead of Palace and only in the bottom half on goal difference.

Top Goal scorers After Match Day 28

1 - E. Haaland - Manchester City - 28 Goals
2 - H Kane - Tottenham - 21 Goals
3 - I. Toney - Brentford - 16 Goals
4 - M. Rashford - Manchester United - 14 Goals
5 - G. Martinelli - Arsenal - 13 Goals
6 - B. Saka - Arsenal - 12 Goals
7 - A. Mitrović - Fulham - 11 Goals
8 - M. Salah - Liverpool - 11 Goals 
9 - M. Almirón - Newcastle - 11 Goals 
10 - Rodrigo - Leeds United - 11 Goals

Check out my 2022/23 Season Preview and Predictions here: Premier League 2022/23 Prediction

You can also find my updated predictions after the Round of 16 Champions League draw here: Champions League 22/23 Round of 16 Draw & Prediction

Have a great day, I hope you enjoyed the review of the weekends matches.

Have a great day.

Peace. CryptoGod-1.

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