A very eventful weekend for the Barclay’s English Premier League. Manchester City handled Newcastle and Burnley forces a draw with first place Chelsea.
Photo Credit: @ChelseaFC
Chelsea 1-1 Burnley
The current Premier League leaders had what seemed to be an easy match ahead, Burnley the 19th place team had to visit Stanford Bridge and take on the Blues.
Chelsea went up one-nil early in the half after a creative individual play by Eden Hazard. Hazard took three Burnley defenders and made a low cross to Branislav Ivanovic, who beat the goalkeeper to his first post. This is Ivanovic’s third goal in the last four games.
Things were looking good for the Blues, but it was not until the last twenty minutes when center midfielder Nemanja Matic lost his head and got a red card after confronting Ashley Barnes, who had cleated him on his left leg. Matic’s reaction was understandable after what Barnes had done to him and got away with it, with no foul or yellow card. Matic will now miss the Capital One Cup final at Wembley against Tottenham.
Burnley, with a one man advantage was able to find the back of the net ten minutes before the game was over. MVP of the game, Benjamin Mee, scored the equalizer off a corner kick. He lost his mark and was able to get a header past Thibaut Courtois from the six yard box.
Everybody was surprised of the result, Chelsea continue as leaders with 60 points and will face West Ham United next after the Capital One Final. Burnley was able to get a valuable point and place 18th with 22 points. Burnley will have another tough game as they receive at home Swansea City.
Photo Credit: Michael Regan/Getty Images
Manchester City 5-0 Newcastle United
Manchester City had the opportunity to get closer to Chelsea after the Blues’ draw against Burnley. Newcastle United, sitting in 11th, would try to get something out of the very talented Citizens.
Manchester City showed great offensive work and went up ahead in the first minute with a penalty kick that was well taken by Sergio Aguero.
Ten minutes later, Samir Nasri scored the second goal for the Citizens after dribbling inside the box and finished with a left shot in the upper left corner.
In the 21st minute, Edin Dzeko scored a marvelous goal after a tremendous ball by MVP of the game, David Silva, who found him open. Dzeko controlled with his chest and simply beat the goalkepper with a left shot. Dzeko showed high technical class in that third goal and made it look very easy.
Six minutes into the second half, the Citizens countered Newcastle. Aguero carried the ball and opened it wide inside the box to Samir Nasri, who assisted David Silva. David Silva controlled and finished the play with a simple left footed shot.
It was not over yet, with enough time ahead in the second half, Yaya Toure found Aguero and put a deep ball in. Aguero brought it down to David Silva with his chest who hit it one time and scored another beautiful goal.
Manchester City showed great offensive skills as a team and individually, now they are only five points behind the current leaders Chelsea. Next week the citizens have a difficult match ahead as the visit Anfield. Newcastle stayed in 11th with 32 points, and will receive Sunderland at home.
Photo Credit: BPI/Kieran McManus
Swansea City 2-1 Manchester United
Manchester United had to go on the road and face Swansea City who sit 9th with 34 points. Tough game ahead for the red devils, they had to collect three points if they wanted to stay in 3rd.
Ander Herrera put the reds ahead 1-0 in the 28th minute after a well done triangle play by Manchester United. Manchester attacked by the left side and got a ball across to the outside of the eighteen to Wayne Rooney. Rooney laid it off to Angel Di Maria, who assisted Herrera. Herrera put a very technical shot across that hit the woodwork and was enough to beat Lukasz Fabianski.
Manchester United did not celebrate for too long and two minutes later Swansea scored the equalizer. Jonjo Shelvey put a cross through the right side to Ki Sung-Yeung who made enough contact with his left foot to beat David De Gea.
Swansea City with not much ball possession were able to score their second one in the 73rd minute, after a powerful shot by the MVP of the game Jonjo Shelvey that was deflected by Bafetimbi Gomis‘ head.
After this defeat Manchester United dropped to 4th place and Swansea City remains in 9th with 37 points. Manchester United will go back home and receive Sunderland as for Swansea City will visit Burnley.
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Southampton 0-2 Liverpool
Southampton were looking to get three points as they received Liverpool in order to go to third place. Liverpool wanted to get closer to the top four spots, as they sat 7th with 42 points.
Just in the third minute, the reds went up one nil after a superb shot by Phillippe Coutinho. Coutinho shot was from wide range and hit the top of the woodwork and bounced in. Definitely one of the best goal in this weekend.
Southampton tried to draw the game with so many different opportunities but slipped in the 73rd minute after they lost a ball in their third and were not able to clear the ball inside their box and was well taken advantage by Raheem Sterling who found the back of the net with a powerful close range shot. Fraser Forster got a hand one it, but unfortunately for Southampton it was not enough to stop the powerful shot.
Liverpool now sit 6th with 45 points, just three points away from Arsenal who currently sit 3rd. Liverpool will receive the citizens at Anfield for tough battle against the second place team of the Premier League. After losing to the reds, Southampton dropped to 5th with 46 points. Next weekend Southampton will have to visit West Bromwich Albion for a good opportunity to get closer to the top 4 places.