Premier League SRL Round-Up | West Ham hold Manchester United, Everton draw a goal-fest and more
An intense Saturday, the Premier League SRL saw seven games played in the English top tier with both Manchester sides in action. But while the Red Devils walked away with nothing more than a draw, the Cityzens toughed out Watford while Everton earned a point despite a six-goal thril
Norwich City 2 -2Â Burnley
Goals, misses, red cards, drama - the match had it all, with Norwich denying Burnley a win in the weekend fixture. The Canaries were down to 10-men as early as in the 6th minute of the match. The numerical advantage reflected instantly and Burnley capitalized on it to take the lead eight minutes later and doubling it up in the four minutes before the first half break. When Burnely was set to go into the break with a 2-0 lead, Norwich, out of the blue, pulled one back, keeping the momentum with them during the break.Â
The Clarets had no room for complacency and kept the game in control in the second half as well, but in spite of several goal-scoring opportunities, they failed to score the third. One goal lead is not safe at all and Norwich, somehow, with a man less, managed to equalize in the 80th minute of the match against the run of play. The remaining 10 minutes proved to be too little for Burnley to net the winner and eventually settled for a draw.Â
Bournemouth 1 -2 Southampton
Bournemouth plunged into grave danger and are currently at the bottom-placed team in the league table following their 1-2 defeat against Southampton at home. Even though the hosts showed promise in the opening stages of the game, it did not end up being fruitful, with them conceding a penalty and the first goal in the 29th minute did not help their cause either. The uneventful first-half did not have much more to offer.Â
It was actually surprising how Bournemouth turned the tables for a brief period in the second half and which also led to the equalizer in the 73rd minute. Even though the hosts were arguably the better team in the second half, the rub of the green was not on their side as Southampton scored the winner in the stoppage time to log full points from the fixture. The hosts accounted for 19 shots on goal, out of which 10 were on target, while Southampton had only 6 shots on target and converted two of them.Â
Brighton 1 -0 Newcastle United
Brighton answered its critics and scripted a 1-0 victory over fancied rivals Newcastle United. The Seagulls, contesting with a team much above them in the league table, did not allow nerves to get the better of them and played with equal authority throughout the game. Each of the sides managed to take three shots at the goal in the first period, but even then neither did too much to disturb the scorelines.
Brighton’s first goal, just two minutes after the break, was more of a shock to Newcastle, and one from which they never managed to recover. After taking the lead, the hosts pounded on more pressure on the visitors, and registered 9 shots on goal in the remainder of the half, compared to Newcastle’s 3. The hosts held on to the lead till the end and snatched three vital points in the home fixture. Overall, Brighton stitched up 60 dangerous attacks, 8 more than the Magpies.
Manchester United 1-1 West Ham
Both sides walked into the game with form against them and the game target with each side making four saves each. The game-play out on the field was just as bad although but the Red Devils did open the scoring ten minutes into the game.
However, that was most of the action in the first half with the Hammers struggling to create too much as well. They did fire off five shots and earned a yellow card but that was that and yet things certainly changed in the second half. They scored sixteen minutes into the second half and that was all the fat lady sang. While ten more shots were taken by both sides only four found the target with neither threatening either goalkeeper.
Sheffield United 3-3 Everton
The goal-fest of the night, the two sides put up some show. Three goals in the opening eighteen minutes, five in the opening 45 and it saw the Toffees going into the break one down. It also made for what was a fantastic second half of football but, Everton were the better side. The restart saw the away side walkout as the better team and energized from their half-time chat with them scoring less than 15 minutes into the second half.
The Blades, in turn, struggled to cope with them manging just five shots in 45 minutes. Everton, on the other hand, fired off ten shots but only three found the target with them scoring from one. Everything pointed towards them to score the winning goal with them even creating 72 dangerous attacks as compared to Sheffield’s 43. But it wasn’t meant to be.
Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-0 Crystal Palace
While goalless draws might seem boring, this one was on the border. It proved to be Wolverhampton Wanderers’ night but at the same time, it simply wasn’t their night. For one, they walked into the game in better form and proved it. They had more shots on goal, more on target, more corners, more dangerous attacks, more free-kicks, forced more saves and even had a much better defensive performance.
But yet, the Eagles proved to be a tougher nut to crack than Nuno Espirito Santo and his men wanted it to be with them failing to find the net. A couple of hail mary shots towards the end of the first and second half might or rather could have changed the game but luck wasn’t on their side.
Watford 1-4 Manchester City
Watford may have put up a rather impressive fight but it was always going to be Manchester City’s game to lose. The Hornets walked into the clash with three losses in their last four games with the Cityzens’ losing one and drawing another in their last four. Things were always going to go Manchester City’s way and they proved that by netting two goals in the first half. Yet, Watford put up a fight as they knocked back seven shots on goal.
City, in comparison, managed only five with four on target and nothing changed in the second half. The hosts struggled to take advantage at Vicarage Road and City piled on the pressure as they added two more goals before the end of the game. However, the Hornets did walk away with their pride intact as they pulled one back late into stoppage time in the second half.
