Premier League Review – Matchday 21

Manchester City have reduced the gap at the top of the Premier League after beating Liverpool 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium on Thursday evening.

Aside from a few late challenges which resulted in yellow cards, the game was fairly uninteresting for the first half an hour with the hosts just on top and it was indeed they who got the breakthrough five minutes before the break with Sergio Aguero scoring – as he usually does at home against the Reds.

Then after the break, the game really came to life with Roberto Firmino drawing the leaders level on sixty-four minutes before Leroy Sane, who was a constant threat throughout netted the winner soon after.

The result was enough to see Pep Guardiola’s men leapfrog Tottenham Hotspur into second place and move to within four points of first place though the bookmakers still have the Merseysiders as favourites for the title, with City priced at 5/4.

Third

Spurs did what they needed to do to keep pace with the North West duo, easing past Cardiff City at Wembley on Tuesday while Chelsea are ten points behind the leaders after they only managed a goalless draw with Southampton.

Arsenal are in fifth after thumping Fulham 4-1 at the Emirates Stadium – Granit Xhaka, Alexandre Lacazette, Aaron Ramsey and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang all on the scoresheet for the Gunners.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer continued his perfect start to life as interim Manchester United manager with a 2-0 victory at Newcastle United – Marcus Rashford and Romelu Lukaku with the goals.

Super-sub

With Solskjaer’s reputation largely built on being a threat from the bench, Lukaku is certainly following suit with the Belgium international scoring less than two minutes after coming on for the second straight game.

Leicester City made it three wins from four by edging past Everton at Goodison Park, that man Jamie Vardy getting the only goal of the game while Watford are up to eighth after drawing 3-3 with Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium – all six goals coming in the first half of the game.

Wolverhampton Wanderers slipped to ninth place after they were beaten 2-0 by Crystal Palace at Molineux, with West Ham United tenth after they came from two goals down to draw with Brighton and Hove Albion at the London Stadium – all four goals coming in the second half.

Finally, Burnley came from behind to beat bottom-of-the-table Huddersfield Town at the John Smith’s Stadium.

Six-pointer

Steve Mounie had put the relegation favourites ahead, though that lead lasted for just seven minutes with Chris Wood, who after almost two months without a goal now has two in two, levelling for Sean Dyche’s side.

A minute later the Terriers were reduced to ten men with Christopher Schindler being shown a second yellow card while Ashley Barnes fired in the winner deep into the second half.

Robbie Brady was sent off in stoppage time to ensure the sides finished with ten men each, though the Clarets held on the for victory which moves them out of the bottom three at the expense of Southampton.