The Premier League truly delivered on a jam-packed Wednesday with eight matches, including Darren Fletcher’s Manchester United at Burnley.
He probably ruined his chances of landing the permanent job at Old Trafford. Newcastle rose above them in the table because they are ludicrous. But the day’s other games were a bit daft too.
Wednesday’s Premier League results
Man City 1-1 Brighton
Everton 1-1 Wolves
Bournemouth 3-2 Spurs
Fulham 2-1 Chelsea
Crystal Palace 0-0 Aston Villa
Brentford 3-0 Sunderland
Burnley 2-2 Man Utd
There was lots on the line regarding the Premier League title race, the race for the Champions League places, and the battle at the bottom of the table. Even the mid-table fodder have plenty to play for, with little separating Chelsea in fifth (31 points) and Crystal Palace all the way down in 14th (27 points) ahead of the night’s action.
Amazingly, the least interesting thing this season has been the relegation battle, even if West Ham being involved makes it slightly more compelling.
That being said, Wolves are looking to pull off one of the greatest escapes after winning for the first time this season on matchday 20. They travelled to Everton after being smashed 4-2 by Brentford, who hosted fellow overachievers Sunderland.
More eyes were on Tottenham Hotspur at Bournemouth and Chelsea at Fulham, though we were bitterly disappointed to see Liam Rosenior in the stands rather than the dugout.
In regard to the title race, Manchester City dropped more points at home, while Aston Villa couldn’t find a way past Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
Frank sack inevitable as Dr Tottenham prescribe winless Bournemouth
The writing is on the wall for Thomas Frank.
It’s been on the wall for a long time, to be honest.
A trip to Bournemouth, winless in 11 Premier League matches, presented an opportunity for a statement win. Instead, it might be the final nail in the coffin as Dr Tottenham did what they do best: hand a team in dire need of a win exactly that.
The football is rubbish. The supporters – and seemingly the players – are totally disconnected from Frank. It’s surely a case of when, not if, he gets sacked.
Joao Palhinha scoring an overhead kick is the only witchcraft that will benefit Frank this week. He’s a dead man walking.
What rubs salt in the wounds is that Antoine Semenyo scored the injury-time winner after rejecting Spurs. What a final touch for Bournemouth, by the way.
Liam Rosenior already rueing his forced BlueCo promotion
Liam Rosenior didn’t have a choice when it came to replacing Enzo Maresca as Chelsea boss. If he did have the choice, he probably would’ve said yes, because what an incredible opportunity, but he’s smart enough to know it’s a huge risk taking on what seems to be an impossible job.
The 41-year-old was in attendance to watch his new players lose 2-1 at Fulham. He watched Marc Cucurella get sent off, the Blues’ fifth red card in the Premier League this season. At 11 v 11, Fulham were, as they have been for most of this season, passive and vulnerable. But once they had a player advantage, they were much the better side, and a one-goal win actually flattered Chelsea.
Harry Wilson thought he had put Fulham ahead but was narrowly offside, having no luck after a slice of misfortune against Liverpool. But Raul Jimenez gave the hosts a deserved lead before Liam Delap’s equaliser. Unfortunately for Chelsea, they fell behind again courtesy of Wilson’s eighth goal involvement in his previous nine games, and that was that.
Chelsea’s season is threatening to unravel even further, and Rosenior is tasked with ensuring that doesn’t happen. He needs to get a tune out of Cole Palmer, who was disappointing yet again when he really had to prove a point.
It’s a big ol’ job, and one we have no idea if Rosenior is good enough for, but we’ll soon find out. Despite the youth of his squad, the club’s hierarchy want instant results. The rookie Premier League boss has been thrown in so deep, so early – likely against his own wishes – and what he watched at Craven Cottage won’t fill him with much confidence.
Congratulations to Premier League champions Arsenal
The biggest winners of the night were Arsenal, who didn’t even play.
Manchester City dropped points for the third game in a row, and Aston Villa also failed to win at Crystal Palace. The gap between the league leaders and their closest rivals is now five points, with a game in hand to be played tomorrow against Liverpool. It might only be January, but win on Thursday and Arsenal have one hand on the trophy that has eluded them for over two decades.
Pep Guardiola will rue the injuries to key defenders Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol. Recalling Max Alleyne from his Watford loan and throwing him straight into the starting XI against Brighton was possibly a message to the board to sign Marc Guehi.
Brighton were wasteful and will feel they should’ve won, but City will feel the same after a couple of cock-ups from Erling Haaland.
It’s not often you say that Haaland’s misses cost City, but they really did on a night when Guardiola’s side should’ve put pressure on Arsenal. Champions-elect Arsenal, that is.
Keith Andrews for Manager of the Season?
Elsewhere, Brentford hammered Sunderland to go a bloody fifth, and Wolves were unfortunate not to win at Everton, who ended the match with nine men after a straight red card for Michael Keane and two yellows for Jack Grealish.
Keith Andrews is genuinely a contender for Premier League Manager of the Season, with Brentford fifth in the table after such dramatic summer change. But the biggest moment of their win over Sunderland was a disgraceful Enzo Le Fee penalty miss. A panenka attempt, comfortably saved by Caoimhín Kelleher minutes before Brentford went 2-0 up, was the turning point. And there’s no way Le Fee should take another penalty this season. Jeez, it was bad.
As for Everton, we don’t know what to say or what to expect, really. It was another calamitous night from the most unpredictable team in the Premier League.
Keane’s red card was a shocker as well, pulling Tolu Arokodare’s hair in an aerial duel, Peter Crouch v Brent Sancho style. Ouch.
Wolves, meanwhile, are now unbeaten in three games and on seven points. And Ruben Amorim lost his job for failing to beat this superteam? FFS, Jason Wilcox. What have you done?