PL MATCHDAY 22 REVIEW: Liverpool escape the Beehive as Arsenal drop crucial points

By Esosa Osa

Goals characterised this matchday as we witnessed 39 goals, the most in a matchday this season. For some, glee, for others, despair.

The ‘Prodigal’ Son Justin Kluivert dented Newcastle’s Top 4 hopes with a hat-trick as Bournemouth dispatched the Magpies, 4-1 in Saturday’s early kick-off.

The Cherries got off to a brilliant start after Ghanaian winger Antoine Semenyo set up Kluivert’s first. The hosts started to impose themselves as the minutes went by and equalised via a corner through Bruno Guimarães.

However, Kluivert was at it again, restoring his team’s lead just before the break. Newcastle came into the second half hoping to show the doggedness that led to their 9-game winning streak in all competitions, but they failed to create meaningful chances, and Talisman, Alexander Isak was anonymous. Two fine finishes from Kluivert and Milos Kerkez in stoppage time wrapped up the game.

Ruud van Nistelrooy’s cup will certainly be full after a 2-0 home defeat to Fulham left his side two points from safety. Two second-half goals by Emile Smith Rowe and Adama Traore spelt more misery for the Foxes. Crystal Palace’s resurgence continued against West Ham in a tightly contested London Derby. With little action in the first half, Jean-Philippe Mateta set the game on its head with a beautiful shot from just outside the box. Graham Potter made a host of changes not long after but none of them could produce any sort of magic.

In the 80th minute, Konstantinos Mavropanos exuded zero royalty with his tackle on Palace’s Mateta. Missing the ball and kicking the striker’s face earned him a second yellow and a sending-off.
Mateta closed out the game after narrowly slotting home his penalty just before the 90th-minute mark and stretched their unbeaten run in the league to 5 games.

The Bees were stung late on in their Saturday evening encounter with league leaders Liverpool. Thomas Frank’s side were defensively resilient in the first half forcing Liverpool to shots from outside the box, Dominik Szoboszlai came close, hitting the bar. The best chance of the half fell to Cody Gakpo but he strayed his effort wide.

The second-half played out similarly until late in the game which saw two quick-fire stoppage-time goals from the unlikeliest of likely sources, Darwin Nunez. The Uruguayan met Trent Alexander-Arnold’s pass for his first and thundered home the second two minutes later after a counter-attack.

Arsenal relinquished a 2-0 lead at home to Aston Villa. Gabriel Martinelli lifted the Emirates crowd after getting on the end of Leandro Trossard’s cross, 35 minutes in. But 10 minutes after the break, Trossard set up another, this time for Kai Havertz. It looked like joy was coming for the Gunners at the final whistle but Villa had other plans.

Youri Tielemans expertly met Lucas Digne’s sublime cross, which was the standout cross of the week. Things went from bad to worse for Mikel Arteta after Ollie Watkins scored the equaliser. Arsenal continued to push for a winner and thought they had one when Mikel Merino fired his effort past Emiliano Martínez but it was judged to have struck Havertz arm before hitting the back of the net. The scores remained the same at the final whistle as Arsenal find themselves 6 points from Liverpool who have a game in hand.

Nottingham Forest fairytale season continued against Southampton despite a nervy ending. The hosts were rampant in the first half with three goals from Elliott Anderson, Callum Hudson-Odoi, and Chris Wood. Forest continued strongly in the second half but the Saints found an answer from a scrappy goal by Jan Bednarek.

The Saints sent chills down the spines of those at the City Ground with a second at the beginning of 12 minutes of stoppage time by Nigerian, Paul Onuachu for his first Southampton goal. His compatriot Ola Aina denied his team a dramatic equaliser, clearing Bednarek’s header off the line. It proved to be decisive as Forest saw off the game.

Everton were victorious against struggling and injury-ridden Tottenham on Sunday afternoon. Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s opener, Iliman Ndiaye’s Hazard-esque goal, and an own goal from youngster Archie Gray put the hosts 3-0 up at half-time. Spurs responded with a late charge that saw goals from Dejan Kulusevski and Richarlison, but it wasn’t enough to avoid defeat.

Manchester United’s problems continued with a 3-1 home defeat to Brighton on Sunday. Yankuba Minteh opened the scoring in a move started by a defence-splitting pass from Carlos Baleba. United equalised from the spot through Captain, Bruno Fernandes but two goals in the second-half by Kaoru Mitoma and Georginio Rutter leave United 8 points from the relegation zone.

Manchester City returned to their old ways, decimating Ipswich Town 6-0. Mateo Kovacic, Jeremy Doku, Erling Haaland, James McAtee, and a Phil Foden brace reminded Kieran McKenna and his Ipswich side what the Premier League is all about.

Chelsea ended their 5-game winless run with a 3-1 victory against relegation enthusiasts Wolves. A victory highlighted by the brilliance of the recalled Centre-back, Trevoh Chalobah featured goals from Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Cucurella, and Noni Madueke. Chelsea now sit 4th and square up against Manchester City this weekend.