Premier League Roundup: Bentancur inspires Spurs in thriller, Liverpool cruise past Saints
Bournemouth - Everton 3-0
AFC Bournemouth defeated Everton for the second time this week, this time a 3-0 victory at the Vitality stadium, which marked their first win in six Premier League games.
The two sides were coming up against each other just four days after meeting in the EFL Cup, which saw Bournemouth ease to a 4-1 victory. Frank Lampard would have wanted a much better display from his Everton side, but for the third consecutive game, the Cherries took a two-nil lead. First Marcus Tavernier was in the right place at the right time around the quarter hour mark, as Jordan Pickford spilled Dominic Solanke’s initial shot on goal, but Tavernier was on hand to slot in the opener.
The goalscorer then turned provider less than ten minutes later, when once again Pickford parried a shot on goal and this time Tavernier headed the ball towards Kieffer Moore who towered above Vitalii Mykolenko to power home. The goal incensed the Everton players though who pointed out that James Tarkowski was down with a head injury but the referee failed to call the game to a halt. Mykolenko was also injured during the goal after going up against Moore in the air, and was forced off with injury, which caused tensions to rise within the Everton players. This was further compounded when an attack of their own was called back before HT for a head injury to a Bournemouth player.
Bournemouth dominated the early periods of the second half and were causing the Everton backline problems every time they approached the box. Pickford wasn’t giving his defence any confidence and was having an afternoon to forget as he spilled another shot, from Solanke again but this time there was no player on hand to pounce on the England goalkeeper’s mistake. Everton struggled to create anything to threaten the hosts who looked the most likely to add a third rather than concede.
And the Cherries did just that in the 70th minute as Jaidon Anthony found himself unmarked to nod in Lewis Cook’s set piece, and the goal wrapped up all three points for Gary O’Neill’s side. The win was vital for Bournemouth who moved three points above the relegation places going into the Winter break, whilst Everton are now just one point above the drop zone, with the break probably coming at a good time to regather and sort their problems out.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Marcus Tavernier (AFC Bournemouth)
See stats from the match at Flashscore
Liverpool - Southampton 3-1
Liverpool dispatched Southampton 3-1 at Anfield in the Premier League (PL), marking their fourth-successive victory over the south-coast club in their last league contest before the FIFA World Cup break.
Liverpool have kept fans on their toes in league action recently, with losses to Nottingham Forest and Leeds diluted with victories over Manchester City and Tottenham. These inconsistencies meant the Reds trailed the top-four by seven points as the players strided out in front of The Kop, though with Jürgen Klopp banned from the touchline, Liverpool initially put paid to a recent trend of uneasiness in the early stages as Roberto Firmino’s looping header snuck past Southampton stopper Gavin Bazunu.
Old habits die hard, and newly-appointed Saints’ boss Nathan Jones, watched his side equalise immediately through Che Adams’ guided header after a typically-fantastic James Ward-Prowse delivery, to mark an action-packed opening 10 minutes. A mixture of that tempo and Anfield’s atmosphere saw Southampton struggle, however, Liverpool retook the lead through Darwin Núñez’s composed finish after a dinked Harvey Elliott through ball. The Uruguayan’s pace continued to be an issue for the visitors throughout and he struck his second of the game before HT, as Robertson’s square-ball found the forward for a tap-in.
Defeat here would see the Saints occupy the bottom spots at Christmas for the first time since they were last relegated in 2004/05 therefore it was unsurprising when they came out with extra impetus after the break. Possibly rejuvenated by the sight of their frontman in imperious form, Liverpool marked their authority in front of The Kop, and Mohamed Salah’s desire for his piece of the pie came at the expense of Southampton defender Mohammed Salisu, who was continually terrorised.
It wasn’t vintage Liverpool, as Salah saw his penalty shouts waved away at one end before Alisson Becker produced a superb stop to deny Mohamed Elyounoussi at the other, but there was a steeliness not displayed in their recent league losses to bottom-half sides. James Milner was brought on for the impressive Elliot in the closing stages, becoming just the fourth player to reach 600 PL appearances, and Liverpool marked that milestone by seeing out the victory with few scares as Klopp smiled from the stands.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Darwin Núñez (Liverpool)
See stats from the match at Flashscore
Nottingham Forest - Crystal Palace 1-0
Nottingham Forest continued their strong recent Premier League (PL) record at the City Ground, overcoming Crystal Palace to make it four home games on the trot without defeat. Victory lifts Steve Cooper’s side off the foot of the table heading into the FIFA World Cup break, at least temporarily.
The visitors dominated possession in the opening exchanges, but struggled to create clear-cut chances throughout the half. Somewhat against the run of play, Jesse Lingard found himself through on goal for Forest, but was brought down by Tyrick Mitchell on the edge of the box. The clumsy challenge prompted desperate pleas for a dismissal from the home side, but Mitchell escaped with a yellow as the game remained level.
Ahead of kick-off, Forest had conceded a goal every 42 minutes, and like clockwork, Palace had a chance to score from the spot in the 42nd minute after Joe Worrall brought down Wilfried Zaha. Looking to celebrate his recent 30th birthday in style, Zaha stepped up, but his effort clipped the outside of the left post on its way out.
Not long after the restart, Morgan Gibbs-White had the ball in the back of the net, but an offside flag halted Forest’s celebrations. However, after a VAR review, the decision was reversed, handing the home side the lead. The Eagles searched for a response, but almost got caught cold on the counter-attack by Lingard as the match reached its defining period.
Ultimately, Forest did enough to see out a much-needed win, extending their unbeaten H2H record to five PL games (W3, D2). Meanwhile, defeat for Palace ends a streak of eight unbeaten matches against newly-promoted PL sides, making it eight league away outings without a win from their last nine.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest)
See stats from the match at Flashcore
Tottenham - Leeds 4-3
Tottenham Hotspur completed the most incredible of turnarounds, coming from behind three times to secure a dramatic 4-3 win over Leeds United. Spurs will spend the FIFA World Cup break inside the Premier League (PL) top-four after Rodrigo Bentancur’s brace rescued victory from the jaws of defeat.
A meeting of two second-half specialists in the capital appeared to promise a lacklustre first half, but there would be a pleasant surprise in store as Leeds flew out of the traps and took the lead within the opening 10 minutes. Crysencio Summerville had netted in each of his previous three PL appearances, all coming after the 80th minute, but he was on target early here. Holding off Eric Dier, the youngster received the ball from Brenden Aaronson and coolly slotted past Hugo Lloris.
Antonio Conte’s men responded in contentious fashion. Illan Meslier was convinced he was fouled as he punched a corner away, but the decision did not go his way, and the ball landed at Harry Kane’s feet to rifle home the leveller. Spurs never looked comfortable though, and parity would not last until the interval as the spirited visitors restored their lead. Seizing on a corner that wasn’t properly cleared, Rasmus Kristensen’s lofted header was volleyed home by Rodrigo, sending Tottenham in at the break behind for the fifth time in their last six games.
With the words of a passionate Antonio Conte doubtless still ringing in their ears, Spurs equalised again at the start of the second half. After Kane’s close-range effort was blocked, Ben Davies’ powerful drive from the edge of the area burst through Meslier and Kristensen on the line to relieve some tension within the stadium.
Both sides are well versed in last-gasp winners, but Leeds thought they’d struck the killer blow as early as the 77th minute on this occasion. Marc Roca, perhaps fortunate to have avoided a red card for a high challenge on Eric Dier, slotted in Spanish compatriot Rodrigo to net his second of the contest, producing a brilliant finish across Lloris into the bottom corner.
For all their faults, Spurs simply don’t know when they’re beaten this term and equalised for a third time moments later. Another cross was cleared to the edge of the area where Bentancur found space and drilled a half-volley through Luke Ayling and into the net. Less than two minutes later, the Uruguayan was on target again to complete an outrageous turnaround. Fed by Dejan Kulusevski, Bentancur slid home the winner to the ecstasy of the crowd inside the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. To make matters worse for Leeds, Tyler Adams was sent off in the closing stages, although they remain two points clear of the drop zone.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Rodrigo Bentancur (Tottenham Hotspur)
See stats from the match at Flashscore
West Ham - Leicester 0-2
Leicester City recorded a fourth win in five Premier League (PL) matches, defeating West Ham United at the London Stadium. The result snaps a four-game unbeaten H2H streak for the Hammers.
Likely still celebrating his England call-up ahead of the FIFA World Cup (WC), James Maddison wasted no time in validating Gareth Southgate’s assessment, netting the opener within 10 minutes. The Leicester talisman smashed a low ball across the box high into the net from close range to give the ever-improving Foxes an early lead. Sadly, with just 25 minutes played, the goalscorer was forced off with a muscle injury, casting doubt over his WC participation. As HT approached, Brendan Rodgers’ side survived a scare as a would-be equaliser from Tomáš Souček was denied by the linesman’s flag.
An improved showing from the home side prompted thoughts of a potential comeback, but as the final 20 minutes approached, the game remained on a knife edge. Each of the last seven H2Hs had featured three or more goals, and with just over 10 minutes to play, the match had its second, as Leicester all but wrapped up the points. Substitute Ayoze Pérez slipped in Harvey Barnes on the break, allowing him to slide the ball past the onrushing Łukasz Fabiański, to effectively kill off the game as a contest.
Leicester saw out the final minutes, recording yet another clean sheet to seal a third consecutive league win on the road for the first time in two years. Meanwhile, West Ham have now lost four of their last five PL matches heading into the FIFA World Cup break.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Boubakary Soumaré (Leicester City)