The opening game of the weekend saw Manchester United held at home by a resilient, 10-man Bournemouth side. Swansea marched on, on their path to progress, impressing in a stylish comeback win over visitors Burnley as Fernando Llorente scored twice.
Stoke City swept aside Middlesbrough at the Britannia courtesy of a Marko Arnautovic brace, while Jamie Vardy returned to form in the Foxes’ win against Hull City. Crystal Palace finally climbed out of the drop zone, comfortably seeing off West Brom Albion and keeping a clean sheet during the process.
A goal-fest at Vicarage road saw Southampton come up trumps as they put their cup final heartache behind to grab three points. Liverpool’s unbeaten record against the current top six was not disrupted as the Reds beat the Gunners at Anfield to (temporarily at least) get back into the top four.
Mauricio Pochettino’s men kept Everton at bay, dominating and turning out an eye-catchy display at the White Hart Lane. Sunderland pressed and bayed for first blood against Manchester City but were thwarted by the post before the Citizens showcased a display worthy of their price tags and potential.
Chelsea continued their gallop towards the Premier League title, clinching victory in the London derby against a relatively tepid West Ham.
In this article, we take a look at the best / worst performances, along with players and moments that proved to be turning points in their games.
#1. Best goal(s):
(a) Andros Townsend
Match: West Bromwich Albion vs. Crystal Palace
After a superb win of the ball in his own half near the penalty area, Townsend set off on a sprint and shrugged off a couple of the Hawthorns players – including Craig Dawson - during his mazy run.
At the edge of the six-yard box, he toyed with Gareth McAuley and dinked the ball home with his left foot from a tough angle.
A solo goal – so pleasing to watch - that was the hallmark of how effective the Eagles were at West Brom also helped them seal three points and climb out of the relegation zone.
(b) Harry Kane
Match: Tottenham Hotspur vs. Everton
The young Englishman continues to defy every negative and cynical perception of his consistency.
He created a goal out of nothing and what a stunner it was! Some simple passes were played in the Everton half before Kane did well to keep possession, turn away and run to a central position.
The Spurs striker then swivelled, aimed for goal from range with his right foot and hit bull’s eye; all Joel Robles could do was watch.
Honourable mentions: Martin Olsson (vs. Burnley), Nathan Redmond (vs. Watford), Troy Deeney (vs. Southampton), Marko Arnautovic (1st vs. Middlesbrough), Eden Hazard (vs. West Ham)
#2 Defensive bedrock: Artur Boruc
Match: Manchester United vs. AFC Bournemouth
Boruc jumped, punched, kicked and dived to his left and right – all the while being at the right place at the right time and denying Paul Pogba, Wayne Rooney, Anthony Martial and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
There was also the small matter of a penalty save with the scores tied at 1-1.
Let’s just put it this way – if it were not for this man, there is no way in the world that the Cherries would have managed to hold off the Red Devils and steal a vital point at Old Trafford.
It also ended Bournemouth’s run of losses and Eddie Howe must have been a pleased man.
Honourable mentions: Jan Vertonghen (vs. Everton), Glen Johnson (vs. Middlesbrough), Mamadou Sakho (vs. West Brom), David Luiz (vs. West Ham)
#3 Standout player: Eden Hazard
Match: West Ham vs. Chelsea
The little Belgian is back to his very best and on this night, delivered a performance that served as a worthy (almost weekly now) reminder of why he was player of the season just over one year ago.
With the ball at his feet, he weaved magic on the pitch; his goal was every bit as sublime and catchy as it looked.
West Ham defenders would not want to be anywhere in his vicinity when he is in this sort of form – just one silky touch away from leaving them for dead. This would, of course, be a sentiment likely to be echoed by most of Premier League outfits’ backline.
Against the Hammers, Hazard fashioned one exquisite goal and tormented the home side all evening; the highlight of the game, though, was when he took down the ball with the most wondrous of touches with his back! (If you missed the game, it is your loss; at least get rolling on the highlights – it is worth every bit!)
Honourable mentions: Adam Lallana (vs. Arsenal), Leroy Sane (vs. Sunderland), Harry Kane (vs. Everton), Nathan Redmond (vs. Watford), Marko Arnautovic and Ramadan Sobhi (vs. Middlesbrough)
#4 Best team performance: Swansea City
Swansea capped off an exhilarating team performance with a deserved win over the Clarets at the Liberty Stadium.
Needless to say, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Fernando Llorente were at the heart of everything good about the Welsh side as Leroy Fer and Lukasz Fabianski showed their true value.
Paul Clement’s side took a lead through a thumping header by Llorente but were shocked out of their wits by referee Anthony Taylor’s decision to award a penalty to the visitors despite the ball coming off a Burnley player.
Swansea then fell behind to a lovely Andre Gray goal but then shook off the setbacks to score two more cracking goals – the first from Martin Olsson and a second from Llorente - that sealed the three points and took them further towards safety.
Honourable mentions: Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Leicester City, Stoke City
#5 Worst / most ineffective player: Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Match: Manchester United vs. Bournemouth
The United striker was missing his A-game while facing the Cherries. Not only did his first touch let him down on more than one occasion, he also overran the ball a few times and failed to score from about two yards when Artur Boruc had gone AWOL.
At a vital stage of the game with the scores evenly poised at 1-1, United were awarded a penalty. The Swede stepped up to take it but missed – Boruc made a decent save, but we all know Zlatan is more than capable of burying those.
This was the perfect setting for the Red Devils to grab all points and move out of sixth position but they faltered splendidly on home turf.
Honourable mentions: George Friend (vs. Stoke City), Heurelho Gomes (vs. Southampton), Francis Coquelin (vs. Liverpool), Mark Noble (vs. Chelsea), Funes Mori (vs. Tottenham Hotspur)
#6 Unlucky miss(es)
(a) Divock Origi (vs. Arsenal)
Origi was brought on with just over 10 minutes of regular time left and immediately began to assert himself in at the top end of the pitch with his hold-up play. An aerial ball was well-controlled by the Belgian using first his head and then his feet; he drew a foul for his troubles after Shkodran Mustafi had tried to peg him back with a hold of his shirt.
The resultant free kick was taken by James Milner whose inviting cross was met by Origi’s header in the box but the shot rattled off the inside of the post.
At the closing stages as Arsenal were pushing for an equaliser, this goal - if in - would have put the game to bed.
(b) Jermain Defoe (vs. Manchester City)
Fabio Borini and Defoe combined well together, also involving Didier N’dong in a well-crafted attacking move against the Citizens.
The Italian striker’s flick through to Defoe was taken on superbly by the Englishman but he only managed to find the post from a central position a few yards outside the box.
This was an extremely crucial and the most unlucky of misses; buoyed by a goal, the Black Cats could have gone on to get something out of the game but alas, it will go down as another instance of ‘what could have been’.
(c) Alfie Mawson, Luciano Narsingh and Fernando Llorente (vs. Burnley)
With less than a quarter of the game gone, Burnley’s left back Stephen Ward had been booked and Swansea had a free-kick in an attacking position.
Gylfi Sigurdsson’s cross was met by Mawson but his header came off the top of the crossbar and back into the six-yard box. A couple of turns and touches later the ball fell for Narsingh who was unmarked but his strike came off the edge of the post as well.
A few minutes later in the first half, the Swans were denied by the frame of the post for the third time. Fernando Llorente struck the crossbar after Sigurdsson had flicked a through ball to Martin Olsson who crossed in.
(d) Ramadan Sobhi (vs. Middlesbrough)
The Egyptian winger was everywhere on the evening and was hard done by not to have his name on the score-sheet.
He engineered an attack in the final third for the Potters and struck the post with a well-taken volley off a sumptuous Arnautovic cross but was unlucky to see it come off the top of the frame of the goalpost.
#7 Controversial decisions
(a) Kevin Friend had a howler at Old Trafford during Manchester United’s early kick-off against Bournemouth. He (incorrectly) sent off Andrew Surman - without even realising it until Rooney reminded him. Earlier, Surman had gone into the notebook for a tackle on Luke Shaw (which was an exact replica of the tackle Shaw made on him but got away with nothing). The midfielder then received another yellow for a push on Zlatan (although it is commendable that such a tame shove could hack down one of the strongest strikers in the game).
Additionally, he should have sent off Zlatan and Tyrone Mings for some seriously ridiculous offences – the former elbowing Mings in the face in retribution for the defender’s boot at the back of his ear during a ‘stepover’. He should also have cautioned Adam Smith for his handball and sent off Harry Arter but well, it was just not a good day in the office for the match official.
(b) Anthony Taylor must have been ball-watching when he awarded a penalty to Burnley while it was clear as daylight that Sam Vokes handled the ball. The decision gave the Clarets a way back into the game and shook the Swans (but thankfully didn’t cost them 3 points).
(c) Emre Can could have seen red at Anfield following a clip at Theo Walcott; unfortunately for Arsenal Joel Matip, Walcott and Can all clashed together, making it difficult for the official (Bobby Madley) to make a decisive call.
In the end, Can stayed and Liverpool were also allowed the benefit of an offside goal in the dying minutes that took the wind out of the Gunners’ sails. Divock Origi (or some part of his head?!) was a fraction ahead of the Arsenal defenders but in fairness to the officials, both decisions were too close to call in real-time.
