Naij.com sports brings the review of the Round 20 of the English Premier League (EPL) matches.
Arsenal were fortunate to escape with a marginal victory at the Emirates, Manchester City put pressure on the EPL leaders with Aguero’s winner while Leicester lost ground but remained second.
Liverpool got beaten by the Hammers while Aston Villa look doomed for relegation after losing to Sunderland at the Stadium of Light. Wayne Rooney ease pressure on his beleaguered manager, Louis Van Gaal.
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Victor Moses
West Ham 2-0 Liverpool
West Ham moved up to fifth in the table with a composed, determined and efficient performance against a Liverpool side lacking in cohesion despite having the bulk of the possession in the game.
The Hammers were the stronger of the two sides and showed more desire to win the match with the better use of the ball. The match emphasised the story of the Premier league so far this season as teams with lesser possession winning most of the matches.
The home side took the lead in the first-half with a swift counter attack. Antonio started it with a sliding tackle on Moreno and finished it with a flying header into the top corner after a fantastic whipping cross from Valencia. The second goal was a replica of the first with another glorious ball from Valencia for Carroll to plant a firm and decisive header past the hapless Simon Mignolet.
Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle
The Gunners were not at their coordinative and creative best, in fact the Magpies had and created more clear cut opportunities. This is the kind of a match any aspiring Champion of any league must win – when not playing your best football or struggling to get any grip on a match
Newcastle continued where they left off in the second-half by pressing and creating more and better advantages, forcing Petr Cech to a couple of magnificient saves. Newcastle were excellent and showed tremendous commitment. Arsenal rallied in the final 20 minutes which resulted in the winning goal of the match.
The very important and decisive goal for the Gunners came in the 72nd minute with a foxy finish by Kocielny from a corner, after the Magpies defence failed to clear, only for Kocielny to nip in at the far post to tuck the ball in.
The Lucky Arsenal consolidated their lead in the Premiership and Newcastle will rue their missed chances.
Manchester United’s Coach, Van Gaal
Manchester United 2-1 Swansea
Wayne Rooney ended his goal drought to give his side their first victory in nine games as the Old Trafford outfit consigned their Swansea hoodoo to a thing of the past.
The win ease some of the pressure on their beleaguered manager Loius van Gaal with a sublime finish 13 minutes from the end.
Van Gaal’s men dominated the match with the breakthrough coming in the second-half from a cross by the impressive Ashley Young for Anthony Martial to score his eight goal of the season with a downward header.
Gylfi Sigurdsson restored parity with a looping header 20 minutes from the end. Rooney had the final say with an improvised finish to a Martial ball into the box in the 77th minute, sending United into the top five and Swansea remains a point above the relegation zone.
Sunderland 3-1 Aston Villa
Jermain Defoe’s brace breathed a new life into Sunderland’s fight to avoid relegation, conversely pushing Villa to the Premier League relegation.
Villa started the better of the two sides, frustrating the home team but without a cutting edge. Defoe struck in the 72nd minute and in stoppage time to end Sunderland’s run of five successive defeats.
Van Aanolt scored the first goal when his 25-yard shot was deflected off Micah Richards to wrong-foot Brad Guzan. Traore’s introduction paid an instant dividend when his cross found Gill’ who hooked the ball past the Sunderland goalie Mannone with a volley.
Defoe’s left-footed low drive put Sunderland ahead before making sure of the points by firing Ola Toivonen’s cross past Guzan.
Victor Anichebe of West Brom
West Brom 2-1 Stoke
The home side are now nine points clear of the relegation zone with an injury-time winner agaist Stoke that played the last seven minutes with 10 men.
Stephane Sessegnon scored the opening goal in the 60th minute for the Potters at the Hawthorns. Jonathan Walters powered home the equaliser in the 81st minute, after when Stoke lost Geoff Cameron two minutes later to a hash red card.
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West Brom’s onslaught afterwards produced a dramatic winner with Evans stabbing home an opportunity from close range – his first goal for the club, after the visitors failed to clear a corner.
Vardy couldnt score a goal today
Leicester 0-0 Bournemouth
Leicester lost ground at the top of the Premier League by being held to a 0-0 draw by 10-man Bournemouth with Mahrez missing a penalty.
The first half was end-to-end with no end result for either side. The home side stepped-up the momentum in the second-half but failed to find a winner, even with their numerical advantage after Simon Francis was sent-off for a challenge on Vardy, with Artur Boruc saving the resulting spot-kick from Mahrez.
Leicester now trail leaders Arsenal by two points while Bournemouth extend their cushion from the relegation zone by four points.
Norwich vs Southampton. Credit: Reuters
Norwich 1-0 Southampton
Victor Wanyama’s late send-off prompted Norwich to a late surge that resulted in Tettey scoring a superb winner three minutes later.
Southampton manager Ronald Koeman opted to leave out their main-man Saido Mane as a punishment for reporting late for a team meeting to their detriment, missing his creativity in the process.
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The victory is very significant for Norwich by dragging them three points away from the relegation zone, while the Saints slip closer to danger with their woeful run of five defeats from seven games continues.
Watford 1-2 Manchester City
Manchester City pile the pressure on Premier League leaders Arsenal with late goals from Yaya Toure and Sergio Aguero.
Yaya Toure’s superb volley in the 82nd minute cancelled out Alexander Kolarov’s own goal in the 55th minute before Aguero’s 84th minute header sealed the three points on offer for City despite a poor performance at Vicarage Road. It was a typical woeful away display and defending, causing them to win none of their past six away games
The post EPL Review: Villa Look Doomed, Koscielny Foxy Finish, Rooney Ease Pressure And More appeared first on Nigeria News today & Breaking news | Read on NAIJ.COM.
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