EPL Week 10 Review: Manchester is Blue After City’s Derby Domination

Questionable refereeing decisions. Incredible saves by Onana in the Manchester derby. A thrashing at the Emirates.

Manchester United 0 – 3 Manchester City

The match started with a minute of silence in memory of the recently deceased Bobby Charlton, who played more than 600 matches for the Red Devils and more than 100 for the England national team.

There was no miracle at Old Trafford, and after this game, the city of Manchester will be painted in blue colors. City, in its characteristic manner, started pressing from the first minutes and rolled the ball for a long time. The first alarm bell for United rang on the 8th minute. A cross into the United penalty area, a pass to Foden, his header, Onana saves, but it seemed Haaland would now put the ball into the net, but Onana incredibly took the ball off his foot.

On the 22nd minute after a free kick, Hojlund hooked Rodri in the penalty area and a penalty was awarded. Haaland confidently converted it, 1-0 City ahead. After scoring a goal, City began to dominate completely on the pitch. Constantly entering the United penalty area and creating danger. Scott McTominay could equalize the score, putting his body well and hitting on the fly, in the only goal-scoring moment for United on the 46th minute. But Ederson also showed that he is a goalkeeper of the highest level.

Andre Onana made his second phenomenal save in the match in added time on the 49th minute. A cross to Haaland in the penalty area and a header almost at point-blank range did not bring results.

Second Half

The second half started immediately with several attacks from City, in one of which the second goal was scored. A flank run by Bernardo Silva and again a cross to Haaland, who was left alone on the far post for some reason. This time the Norwegian was more accurate with his head: 2-0. Jack Grealish could have scored a goal on the 57th minute, but again Onana saved his team. A great attack by United on the 69th minute did not end with a goal. A cross to Rashford’s run into the penalty area, and a shot wide of the goal. On the 71st minute Holland was brought one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but he could not beat Onana. On the 80th minute Rodri tested Onana with a long-range shot which he coped with, but the ball bounced back to “freely roaming” Holland, who passed to Foden in an empty net and scored. 3-0. As expected, the match was very active, Manchester is blue, and the only bright spot in the Devils’ game is Andre Onana.

Crystal Palace 1 – 2 Tottenham

1st place away at 11th. Based on the recent games, everyone expected an active attacking game from Tottenham. But the first half turned out to be equal. Tottenham tried to attack, but for the first half they could not make a single shot on target at Palace. The main game took place in the center, where the referee allowed both teams to fight, which Palace used more actively. The hosts were not given opportunities to enter the penalty area directly, so their main weapon were crosses, but they could not create any danger. The first half ended in a goalless draw.

The first 5 minutes of the second half continued in the same vein. Everything changed on the 53rd minute. After a through ball by Maddison, Palace captain Joel Ward decided to open the scoring in the match, and cut the ball into his own net. The own goal revived the game. Palace finally came out of their half and started pressing. Tottenham, on the other hand, switched to full ball control and lured the opponent to their half and it paid off. Son Heung-min scored the second goal on the 66th minute of the match. Son was almost invisible for the whole match, but as soon as there was a moment, he calmly decided it. Note that Son’s shot was the first on target for the whole match.

Match Ending

The score 2-0 completely suited Tottenham, and the ball control only increased. But complacency played a cruel joke. The referee decided to add 8 minutes to the main time. And added time became the most exciting for the whole match. The guests completely relaxed, and Palace continued to press. On the 4th added minute, another cross bore fruit. Jordan Ayew took the ball on his chest and beautifully hit it on the fly into the net. A long pause for VAR review after the goal, related to Ayew’s handball, ended with a decision in favor of Palace. We are waiting for another refereeing scandal.

The hosts launched an onslaught on Tottenham’s goal, but they held out and the score did not change anymore. 2-1 in favor of Tottenham. We expected a more convincing game from them, but “If Tottenham can’t, Joel Ward will help”. Palace, on the other hand, we wish them to survive this unsuccessful period, because the team looks good even in this lineup, when half of the main players are in hospital.

Chelsea 0 – 2 Brentford

As they say, “if something can go wrong, it will definitely happen”. This phrase characterizes today’s Chelsea. The Blues had more possession throughout the match, but could not score. Noni Madueke, with a curled shot from outside the box, could have put Chelsea ahead on the 10th minute, but shook the frame of the goal, hitting the crossbar. Then Marc Cucurella did not realize a great throw-in to the penalty area, hitting the goalkeeper. Brentford, after the 20th minute, settled the game in defense and counterattacks, so Chelsea had to roll the ball for a long time to find a moment for an attack. The first half ended 0 – 0.

Second Half

The second half started and Chelsea gave up some initiative, which Brentford immediately began to use. The Bees created their first chance of the second half on the 49th minute, playing the ball on the flank, followed by a through ball to the penalty area, but Vitaly Janelt hit right at the goalkeeper. On the 58th minute, center-back Ethan Pinnock took over, heading a cross from the flank after a ball play on the flank as 10 minutes earlier. 1-0 guests took the lead.

Chelsea did not like this situation, and they organized an onslaught on Brentford’s goal. The defense of the Bees did not fail, blocking dangerous shots and taking crosses. After one of Chelsea’s attacks, Brentford managed to escape in a counterattack 4 vs 1 against defense, but goalkeeper Robert Sanchez saved his team in a one-on-one situation, giving his team hope to catch up. The hope did not last long. A corner kick on the 95th minute led to a stunning counterattack by Brentford on an empty net. Goal, Bryan Mbeumo puts an end to this match. 2-0 victory for the guests. Terrible realization led to a dismal result for Chelsea. In the first half they had chances to lead in the score, but could not execute them.

Bournemouth 2 – 1 Burnley

Bournemouth were the nominal favorites going into the match, and justified that status with their victory. Both teams were weak in ball control and there was a lot of physical battles in midfield. However, sharp attacks were created by the teams throughout the match.

Burnley scored first. Charlie Taylor opened the scoring with a volley from the edge of the box after a corner kick in the 11th minute. Bournemouth could have equalized already in the 20th minute, but after an excellent cross from the flank, Marc Tavernier failed to hit the target. But Bournemouth did not intend to give up. Antoine Semenyo robbed a pondering Burnley player and going solo, sent the ball into the net, already in the 22nd minute. After conceding, Burnley gathered their thoughts and pushed the game away from their goal for some time. In the 38th minute, James Tarkowski saved the first half for Burnley, pulling the ball from under the crossbar after Chris Mepham’s header. The first half ended in a 1-1 draw.

Second Half

In the second half, there were few dangerous moments for a long time, and the ball spent a lot of time in the central part of the field. In the 75th minute, a mistake in the transmission of Burnley players led to a conceded goal. Philip Billing scored a great debut goal in the Premier League. Intercepting the ball, he struck from 40 meters over the stranded Tarkowski who had come out too far from his goal. 2-1 was good enough for Bournemouth, and they set out to hold that score.

Arsenal 5 – 0 Sheffield United

The match prediction was fully justified, Arsenal smashed Sheffield at home. The Gunners dominated the entire match in all aspects. They calmly passed the ball around and looked for ways to break down Sheffield’s fully defensive setup. Eddie Nketiah scored the first goal in the 28th minute, with an assist from Declan Rice. Gabriel Martinelli could have increased the score in the 41st minute, but goalkeeper Wes Foderingham pulled the ball out of the near post. The first 45 minutes ended 1-0.

Then, in the 50th minute, Nketiah scored a brace after a corner kick. By the rules the goal should not have counted, as Ben White was impeding the goalkeeper when Nketiah took the shot, but again this round, the referees decided otherwise. 2-0 to Arsenal. Eddie Nketiah completed his hat-trick in the 58th minute, receiving the ball outside the box, without even looking at the goal, he shoots into the far corner, leaving the keeper no chance. 3-0.

After the third goal conceded, Sheffield completely fell apart, and Arsenal kept having fun. In the 61st minute Foderingham saves his team after a cannon shot from Ben White. Arsenal continued to attack a lot, which angered the Sheffield players and rougher play began. Oliver Norwood in the 84th minute slides studs up into Fabio Vieira’s leg, and after VAR review a penalty is given. Fabio Vieira earned it and scored himself from the spot. 4-0. Takehiro Tomiyasu finishes off the thrashing with a shot after a corner kick in the 96th minute. 5 – 0, Arsenal’s victory, which is not surprising at all. Arteta’s team played great, so great that Sheffield did not have a single shot on target the entire game.

Wolverhampton 2 – 2 Newcastle

Both Newcastle and their opponent scored a couple of goals each. In the first 20 minutes of the match, the teams exchanged dangerous attacks and goal scoring chances, but were not able to convert any. Callum Wilson broke the deadlock in the 22nd minute and put Newcastle ahead. Jose Sa collided with his own defender and could not secure the ball, which bounced straight to Wilson. 0-1 guests ahead. Nick Pope did not allow the Wolves to equalize in the 28th minute, saving a shot into the far corner from Cunha. But Wolverhampton did not give up. Mario Lemina scored with a header from a corner kick in the 36th minute to level the match. 1-1. In the 47th minute Jamal Lascelles goes down in the box and a penalty is given against Wolverhampton. Wilson scores his brace. 1-2 and the guests are ahead again.

Attacks continued both ways in the second half as well, but as the end of the match approached, Newcastle sat deeper and deeper, giving up the initiative. Tote Gomes and Hwang Hee-Chan organized a beautiful goal in the 71st minute. Tote dribbled past several defenders on the wing, cut inside and passed to Hwang Hee-Chan, who beat the last defender and rolled the ball past the keeper. 2-2 draw. Newcastle attempted a few more tries to go ahead until the end of the match, but could not make it happen. The result is a draw. An absolutely even game and a fair result.

West Ham 0 – 1 Everton

West Ham, after two consecutive defeats, could not regroup and lost their third match in a row. The hosts nominally had more possession throughout the game, however they failed to capitalize on this advantage. Jarrod Bowen could have opened the scoring for the Hammers in the 22nd minute after a cross into the box, but he simply missed the target. Everton had a chance right after. After winning the ball in midfield, Jack Harrison opted not to pass to his 3 teammates making a run, and took a terribly weak shot right at the keeper. 0-0 at halftime.

In the second half it already seemed like the teams would never score, so sluggish was the game in midfield. However, in the 51st minute, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, in a regular attack, received the ball outside the box, was allowed to turn and take a step and shoot into the far corner past the keeper. 0-1 guests take the lead. The goal inspired Everton. Abdoulaye Doucoure could have doubled the lead in the 60th minute, but produced an incredibly awkward save from Areola to concede just a corner. Our prediction came true, Everton withstood half the match against the Hammers’ pace and then managed to score and hold the score.

Liverpool 3 – 0 Nottingham Forest

Liverpool outplayed Nottingham at home without any problems. Until the first goal the game was roughly equal, both teams were probing each other’s defenses. But a Forest player, overplaying with dribbling, lost the ball in midfield, cutting off half the team, and Liverpool’s attack went 3 vs 2. Salah played it to Darwin Nunez, a shot into the far corner, saved by Matt Turner, and knocked in on the rebound by Diogo Jota. 31st minute and 1-0. Darwin Nunez doubles his team’s advantage in the 35th minute. Salah again played the role of playmaker, driving at Dominic Solanke and he crossed it to Nunez. 2-0. The Forest defense struggled to recover for a long time, and Matt Turner had to save his team twice in the 40th minute. 2-0 at halftime.

After the break the game calmed down a bit, Liverpool calmly passed the ball around, while Forest either couldn’t take it away, or when they did get the ball, couldn’t create a meaningful attack. Matt Turner makes an error leading to a goal in the 77th minute, coming out to clear the ball far upfield. Salah calmly collects the loose ball and slots it into the net. 3-0. After scoring the third, Liverpool relaxed a bit and Forest had chances to pull a couple back. Anthony Elanga had two great chances within a couple minutes, but couldn’t convert them. The first cannon shot almost broke the crossbar, and the second went high over the goal. A confident 3 – 0 win for Liverpool and a lackluster performance by Forest at the start of this season.

Brighton 1 – 1 Fulham

Our prediction for the match did not come true. Of all things, a draw in this clash between the teams was unexpected by everyone. Brighton had the first real chance take the lead in the 8th minute. However, Bernd Leno took the ball off Simon Adingra’s foot. Evan Ferguson scored against Fulham in the 26th minute. Another loss of the ball by Fulham in midfield, Groß’s run and pass to the open Ferguson, because of a failed offside trap, and the goal, Brighton are ahead. After scoring, the Seagulls calmed down and there were no changes to the score before halftime. Lewis Dunk almost scored directly from a free kick in the 49th minute, but the crossbar saved the Londoners. Fulham did not intend to lose and turned on the press, which soon bore fruit.

Alex Iwobi won the ball off a Brighton player in the 65th minute, dribbled past several opponents and passed to Harry Wilson, who one-touched it to João Palhinha, who put the ball into Brighton’s net. After equalizing, Fulham sat back again, because the draw suits them just fine, while Brighton threw everything forward into attack. In the 81st minute Ansu Fati could have put Brighton ahead, but couldn’t beat Bernd Leno in a 1v1. Anthony Robinson saved his team in the 88th minute by heading the ball off the goal line after Webster’s header. The referee added 9 minutes to the match, during which Brighton increased the pressure, going forward with all their might, but couldn’t manage to score again.

Aston Villa 3 – 1 Luton Town

As expected Villa won and scored three goals past their opponent again. Nicolò Zaniolo could have opened the scoring already in the 4th minute after a beautiful team move, but missed the target. It seemed Wally Watkins would score for Villa in the 11th minute, but Thomas Kaminski made a great save and prevented the goal. But Villa’s pressure paid off in the 17th minute. A rehearsed free kick led to a goal by John McGinn, who on a dummy run shook off a couple defenders and shot into the far corner. After scoring, Villa continued attacking, but no more goals before halftime.

The second half started right away with Villa’s second goal. Mussa Diabi finished with a volley into the corner an excellent combination down the flank and a cross into the box. 2-0. Mussa Diabi got his brace in the 63rd minute by a shot after the ball was played into the box for him to run onto, but the goal was credited as an own goal by Luton’s Lockyer. 3-0. Ezri Konsa decided not to lag behind in defensive “heroics”. In the 83rd minute he deflected the ball into the goal with his head, Emiliano Martinez not expecting it could not deal with the shot. 3-1 the final score. Luton could not match up against Aston Villa’s players, while the latter in turn forgave a lot, because had the Lions been a little more precise, they could have scored 5-6 goals.

Archi Fernando

Archi is our passionate football expert.