Another weekend of Premier League drama, Premier League intensity and Premier League betting.
From injustices to incredulity, from sumptuous moves to super showings, football games in England’s top flight almost always provide talking points.
Arsenal 2-0 Hull City
A miscarriage of justice but Arsenal will not care one jot.
How they needed this as the Gunners extended their record of scoring in every league game to 16 matches – the longest run in the division.
Hull may have gone 12 away league games without a win but they deserved a point here.
Arsenal’s first goal should never have stood, even referee Mark Clattenburg apologised to Hull players for failing to notice Alexis Sanchez’ clear handball.
Kieran Gibbs then could easily have been shown a red card, instead of a yellow, when fouling Lazar Markovic who would have been clean through.
To add to the injustice, Clattenburg then spotted Sam Clucas’ injury-time handball as Sanchez sealed the win from the penalty spot.
Manchester United 2-0 Watford
When Man Utd play like this, it’s just like old times at Old Trafford.
A goal in each half from Juan Mata and Anthony Martial – who must stay in the team when he’s on this form – put a spirited Watford to the sword.
United, who do not now play in the league for three weeks, are suddenly in the race for the top four again.
Middlesbrough 0-0 Everton
A game which seemed to sum up Boro’s season.
Well-drilled and disciplined defensively but lacking punch in attack, they won’t concede many but need to stop firing blanks if they’re to stay up.
They’ve now failed to find the net in 11 leagues games this season.
After their nine-goal thriller with Bournemouth, it was all rather low key for Everton.
Stoke City 1-0 Crystal Palace
After a dressing-down from the club chairman, a 7 am training session and the cancellation of a team training trip to Dubai, Crystal Palace were always going to react to their 4-0 home drubbing by Sunderland.
That they did with a much-improved showing will be of scant consolation to manager Sam Allardyce as they left the Potteries with no points.
Joe Allen’s 67th-minute strike consigned them to a sixth defeat in Allardyce’s eight league matches in charge.
Sunderland 0-4 Southampton
For the first half hour, Sunderland looked the better side.
Then Manolo Gabbiadini scored twice in 15 minutes and Sunderland’s confidence was shot.
Two late goals compounded a miserable afternoon for the Wearsiders who seem to suffer blows like this just when it seems they may be turning a corner.
For the Saints, this performance, as much as the result, was a real boon ahead of the League Cup Final.
West Ham 2-2 West Brom
Slaven Bilic simply couldn’t hide his frustration as Gareth McAuley headed an injury-time equaliser.
It capped off a frustrating day for Bilic and the Hammers who felt Nacer Chadli’s sixth-minute opener should not have stood and was equally frustrated when Sofiane Feghouli had a leveller ruled out for offside.
Feghouli and Manuel Lanzini lightened his mood before McAuley gave the Croatian boss more reason to vent his anger.
Liverpool 2-0 Tottenham
Spurs have won just once in 17 away league games against the other current top six clubs and therein shows where they need to improve.
They offered little at Anfield and, just as at Chelsea and Old Trafford before them, came away empty handed.
That Spurs never got going should not detract from Liverpool’s first league win of the year, however, as Sadio Mane’s quick-fire double prompted boss Jurgen Klopp to declare ‘we finally started 2017’.
Swansea City 2-0 Leicester City
Suddenly champions Leicester are flirting with the drop with just one point keeping them out of the drop zone.
Even boss Claudio Ranieri now admits he may have been too loyal with some of his title-winning stars as relegation becomes a reality for a team which is yet to score a league goal in 2017.
While the Italian considers changes to stop the decline, new Swans boss Paul Clement has completely lifted spirits at a club who are up to 15th after goals from Alfie Mawson and Martin Olsson.
Bournemouth 0-2 Manchester City
Perhaps Bournemouth should have known it wasn’t their day when injury forced Eddie Howe to use two of his substitutes before half-time.
Jack Wilshere and Simon Francis both left the fray injured and, when Francis’ replacement Tyrone Mings put into his own net, the game was up.
That added to Raheem Sterling’s opener as City moved up to second.
Ominous? You decide.
For the latest sports update, promotions and betting picks with SBOBET get social with our official Twitter, Google+, YouTube and Facebook accounts. Visit SBOBET and join us now. Start placing your bets today!
Click for more football betting options.
