This is quickly turning out to be the most exciting Premier League title race in years with not two, but four teams battling for supremacy; we have three of the usual suspects and one gatecrasher!
In the biggest Premier League 2023 news of the weekend Aston Villa made it 15 top flight home wins in succession for the first time in their history as they followed up a victory over Manchester City by beating Arsenal. That result opened the door for Liverpool to go top on 37 points by beating Crystal Palace, with the Gunners and Villa second and third on 36 and 35. Manchester City make up the top four after they came from behind to win 2-1 away to Luton Town.
Our SBOTOP prediction was that Villa would edge this top four clash and so they did as John McGinn turned and shot superbly to score with just seven minutes on the clock. Unai Emery’s side totally outplayed Manchester City, who they beat in midweek, but they had to tough it out against an Arsenal side which threatened throughout the game. Diego Carlos and Pau Torres were outstanding at the heart of the Villa defence, Carlos making two goal line clearances and when Arsenal did eventually get the ball in the net, Kai Havertz’ injury time effort was correctly ruled out for handball.
Mersey Reds are finding ways to win
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool climbed to the top of the table thanks to a scrappy 2-1 win away to ten-man Crystal Palace. It was the Reds’ third win on the bounce but they needed a slice of luck to see the game out. Having come back from behind to win late in a seven goal thriller against Fulham, then labouring to win away to Sheffield United, Liverpool went behind to Palace when Jean-Phillipe Mateta converted a 57th minute penalty. The Eagles were the better side for much of the game and had a penalty over-ruled by VAR in the first half, and when Mo Salah’s deflected shot found its way home on 76 minutes it was the Reds’ first shot on target.
But it was the magical Egyptian’s 200th goal for Liverpool.
Palace were already down to ten men after Jordan Ayew had picked up a second yellow card and eventually the numerical advantage told when Harvey Elliott hit a superb winner in injury time. It hasn’t always been pretty but if Liverpool keep on picking up grubby wins then they will be serious contenders; the latest Premier League 2023 betting odds have just nudged them in to second favourites.
Red faced United battered by Cherries
All is not well on the red side of Manchester after Erik Ten Hag’s United were humbled on Saturday in a 3-0 home defeat at the hands of Bournemouth. In all honesty the score line flattered the Red Devils who worked hard to beat Chelsea in midweek, but would have struggled to fight their way out of a paper bag when they met the Cherries!
Ten Hag’s players have been accused of a lack of consistency; and never was that claim more accurate than on Saturday as Bournemouth outplayed the tepid Red Devils from start to finish. Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola was under serious pressure five games ago, but four wins and a draw have shot the Cherries up towards mid table. Dominic Solanke gave the visitors a fifth minute lead and he continued to bully the United defence for the next 90 minutes. Second half headers from Philip Billing and Marcos Senesi were all too easy for Bournemouth and the Cherries celebrated a fourth goal, but after a lengthy VAR review Manchester United’s pain came to an end, albeit briefly before they were booed off by those fans who remained at Old Trafford until the final whistle.
Ten Hag said after the game that his team needs to change its mentality, and that’s a pretty damning indictment of his current set of players. This needs sorting out and quickly, otherwise the Red Devils will drift further behind the leading pack.
Wilder returns with a win
One team which did show a lot of character is bottom club Sheffield United who picked up a first win under the returned manager Chris Wilder as the Blades beat Brentford 1-0 at Bramhall Lane. A week after a 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Burnley, which saw the end of former boss Paul Heckinbottom, this was a gutsy response, but the winner was a moment of pure quality as James McAtee curled in a stunner in first half stoppage time.
There’s a whole lot more work to do for Wilder but, for now, he has put a smile on the Blades’ faces.
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