So, last week, I asked whether Wolverhampton Wanderers could possibly beat Premier League leaders Manchester City, and I swiftly ruled it out.
But Gary O Neil’s side have only gone and done it!
Manchester City met Wolves on the back of a Carabao Cup defeat to Newcastle United, albeit with a much changed team, and the SBOTOP odds backed Pep Guardiola’s side to get back to winning ways; but Hwang Lee Chan had different ideas as he finished off a lightning Wolves break to win the game.
It was a classic smash and grab by the hosts, who had 32 per cent possession and lost the shot counts by 23 to three and eight to one on target.
Wolves managed to win with only one shot on target because they went ahead when Ruben Dias diverted a cross from the livewire Pedro Neto, and the Wolves defence, marshalled by the magnificent Craig Dawson, threw themselves in front of every chance or opening City could muster.
The returning Erling Braut Haaland cut a frustrated figure, as did former Wolves star Matheus Nunes who was hooked at halftime.
It looked like the Sky Blues were set to turn the match around when Julian Alvarez scored a brilliant free kick on 58 minutes, but Hwang’s winner just eight minutes later took the wind out of their sales.
Of all the Premier League 2023 results so far this campaign, this was by far the biggest. But does it give the runners in the chasing pack any hope? I’m not so sure because Guardiola’s teams tend to improve as the season progresses.
But it was a great result for Tottenham Hotspur, who later beat Liverpool 2-1 to climb up to second place, and just a single point behind the Sky Blues.
It was a fiery clash in North London as the Reds ended up with nine men and the Spurs winner came thanks to an own goal, six minutes into added time.
Curtis Jones was the first Liverpool player to make the long walk when he tackled Yves Bissouma. Curtis seemed to take the ball, but his boot connected with the Spurs player. It looked bad, but I doubt it was an intentional foul.
VAR then totally messed up a Luis Diaz goal for Liverpool, incorrectly ruling him offside, and PGMOL has already apologised to Jurgen Klopp. Which is nice of them.
The red-hot Heung Min-Son gave Spurs a lead before Cody Gakpo levelled on the stroke of halftime. Diogo Jota was the second Liverpool star to see red when he lunged into Destiny Udogie, just a minute after he had been harshly booked for clipping the same defender.
It looked like Liverpool would hold on, but the pressure finally told as the unlucky Joel Matip put through his own goal.
Luton earn a historic victory
At the other end of the table, Luton Town picked up their first ever win in the Premier League, fighting three points away to toothless Everton.
The Toffees clearly targeted this as a potential three points, and they came out on the front foot, with Dwight McNeil firing a volley close and Idrissa Gueye missing the target when he should have scored.
The Hatters weathered the storm and had a slice of luck when they went ahead. Carlton Morris’ header hit the crossbar and bounced in off the unsuspecting Tom Lockyear as Ashley Young tried to clear.
And the shell-shocked Merseysiders went two down when an unmarked Morris side-footed home at the far post. Everton pulled one back through Dominic Calvert-Lewin before half time, but the hosts failed to break down a resolute Luton defence and the Hatters fans were in dreamland.
The Premier League 2023 betting odds still have Luton heavily odds on to take the drop, alongside Sheffield United, with Everton, winless Burnley, and Bournemouth currently around 3.25.
The Cherries were spanked 4-0 at home by Arsenal, while Vincent Kompany Clarets continued their difficult start to the campaign with a 2-0 defeat away to Newcastle United.
Blades boss Paul Heckingbottom came under serious pressure after his team was walloped 8-0 by the Magpies last week, and his side certainly looked like relegation fodder as West Ham coasted to a 2-0 first-half lead through Jarrod Bowen and Tomas Soucek.
It was a very comfortable afternoon for the Hammers, who have suffered back-to-back defeats and they climb to seventh, while Sheffield remain rock bottom.
So this weekend belongs to Wolverhampton Wanderers and Luton Town, two unlikely winners.
Next up? The Hatters host Burnley on Tuesday, and that has turned into a potential cracker!
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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