The weekend’s action produced some queer stats, a few standout performances and a handful of excellent goals. The most poignant moment of the week came on Saturday during the clash between hosts Burnley and the visiting Cherries. One year to the day since Bournemouth number 8, Harry Arter’s daughter, Renee’s death, the little one was remembered with a round of gentle applause all around Turf Moor in the eighth minute of the game.
Saturday’s action saw all home sides bar one score 3 goals in their wins; this list included Arsenal, Burnley and Swansea while Hull remained unbeaten, drawing 3-3 against Crystal Palace.
Also read: EPL 2016/17: 10 things we learned from Gameweek 15
The exception were champions, Leicester, who beat Manchester City by 4 goals to 2.
Three of Sunday’s four games saw the hosts – Chelsea, Southampton and Manchester United - nicking away all 3 points with 1-0 scorelines while Liverpool defied the trend to draw 2-2 against a struggling West Ham at Anfield.
In this article, we take a look at the best / worst performances - players and moments that proved to be turning points in a game.
#1 Best goal: Jeff Hendrick
Match: Burnley vs. AFC Bournemouth
A goal kick up the field from Burnley keeper Tom Heaton was headed down into the path of Matthew Lowton, whose searching pass found Jeff Hendrick on the run. Hendrick’s first touch was superb, taking control of the ball as he continued his run before scoring a stunner that left Turf Moor gasping in awe.
Oh boy, was this a screamer! The Burnley midfielder’s half-volleyed shot - packed with pace and power - curled away from Artur Boruc to rustle the top corner of the net.
Burnley’s record signing finally set the ball rolling and the Clarets fans will hope he continues with his form from here on.
Honourable mentions: Stefano Okaka (first goal; vs. Everton), Sofiane Boufal (vs. Middlesbrough), Jamie Vardy (third goal; vs. Manchester City), Andy King (vs. Manchester City)
#2 Defensive bedrock: Phil Jones
Match: Manchester United vs. Tottenham Hotspur
In the absence of Eric Bailly and Chris Smalling, two Manchester United fringe players in Marcus Rojo and Phil Jones have been called on by Jose Mourinho to shore up the backline.
Against Pochettino’s side, Jones was once again imperious and stood strong against anything that threatened to get too close to the United goal. His performance and resilience offered David de Gea the necessary protection in front of goal and also helped keep the Spurs frontline at bay.
Jones’ blocks and interceptions came at crucial times, ensuring that the visitors did not have a chance to come back into the game, especially as United held only a slender 1-goal lead.
Honourable mentions: Jonny Evans (vs. Chelsea), Jordan Pickford (vs. Sunderland), Virgil Van Dijk (vs. Middlesbrough), Hugo Lloris (vs. Manchester United)
#3 Standout player: Jamie Vardy
Match: Leicester City vs. Manchester City
When it rains, it pours they say; it was certainly raining goals for Jamie Vardy at the King Power Stadium during Saturday’s showdown against Manchester City.
After a 741-minute long parched spell without goals, Vardy scored a hattrick against Pep Guardiola’s side as the forward was back to his lethal best – tormenting defenders, running in behind and constantly making a menace of himself, winning balls in midfield and making surging runs.
Mahrez and Slimani combined well and it was the latter’s final ball which was dispatched into the net within three minutes of the start for the Englishman’s first goal since a tap-in against Liverpool.
The second brought back memories of last season as an excellent ball from Fuchs was lightly prodded on by Mahrez into the path of Vardy, who wrapped it up with the finish it deserved.
His third came in style. With confidence coursing through his veins as the home crowd cheered on their hero from last season, Vardy got on the end of John Stones’ ridiculous back-pass and sent the ball into the goal from an impossible angle.
Honourable mentions: Stefano Okaka (vs. Everton), Wilfried Zaha (vs. Hull City), Diego Costa (vs. West Brom), Jermain Defoe (vs. Swansea)
#4 Best team performance: Leicester City
The champions came back from the wilderness with a resounding all-round performance worthy of title-holders against an insipid Manchester City. After a midweek drubbing at the hands of Porto in the Champions League, this was a perfect comeback by the Foxes.
Last season’s heroes Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez combined excellently with Islam Slimani while the midfield was rock solid and kept ticking by the likes of Andy King, who also chipped in with a lovely goal.
Leicester romped to a 3-goal lead within the first 20 minutes as the Citizens were left in their wake more than once.
Besides a sore defence that required serious impetus, Guardiola’s side acutely missed the services of Kun Aguero and Fernandinho as both players were serving suspensions.
On the other hand, Robert Huth, the ever-dependable Fuchs and stand-in keeper Ron-Robert Zieler all played their part to perfection when called upon to ensure victory for Ranieri’s men.
Honourable mentions: Swansea, Arsenal, Manchester United
#5 Worst / most ineffective player(s): Claudio Bravo and John Stones
Match: Leicester City vs. Manchester City
Manchester City’s defensive unit was in shambles against the Foxes and the most culpable of the lot were keeper Bravo and centre-back John Stones.
Neither Bravo nor Stones could handle any pressure inside the box; the keeper wasn’t commanding enough of his area while the former Everton defender was ball-watching for Andy King’s goal.
It was also Stones’ erroneous back pass that resulted in Leicester’s fourth goal and a hattrick for Vardy.
Honourable mentions: Aleksander Kolarov (vs. Leicester City), Loris Karius (vs. West Ham), Roberto Firmino (vs. West Ham), Harry Kane (vs. Manchester United)
#6 Unlucky miss(es)
(a) Joel Matip
Match: Liverpool vs. West Ham
Deep into the added two minutes at the end of the first half, a corner kick was flagged in favour of Liverpool. Matip managed to make excellent contact with captain Jordan Henderson’s kick but his powerful header was thwarted by the underside of the crossbar, with Randolph at sea.
It was very nearly an equaliser after West Ham had managed to take the lead again but wasn’t to be.
(b) Paul Pogba
Match: Manchester United vs. Tottenham Hotspur
A couple of minutes past the hour mark, Manchester United were awarded a free kick from range and Paul Pogba stood over it. On the referee’s whistle, the Frenchman launched a rocket at the Spurs goal but it ricocheted off the crossbar, denying what would have been a brilliant finish.
It would have meant putting Spurs under immense pressure with a solid 2-goal lead; however, the post had other plans.
There were a host of close misses and a pick of choicest saves this weekend. However, these two shots had been given their all and their not resulting in a goal had nothing to do with human intervention as a result of which they are our top picks.
#7 Controversial decisions
(a) Benik Afobe disallowed goal vs. Burnley
With a couple of minutes of regular time still left, Afobe had made a superb run into the box to get on the end of a perfect overhead ball by Jack Wilshere. He found the net but Martin Atkinson incorrectly disallowed the strike for a handball by the striker.
Charlie Daniels’ goal for the Cherries arrived in the first minute of added time; if Afobe’s strike had stood, Daniels’ would have been the equaliser.
Howe and his team will rue the referee’s mistake which cost them three points instead of earning them one for a strong comeback performance.
(b) Robert Snodgrass dive vs. Crystal Palace
A disgraceful dive by the Hull front-man, supposedly to evade Scott Dann’s tackle that never came, was rewarded with a penalty instead of earning him a booking for simulation.
Dann was rightly frustrated but Snodgrass converted from the spot to give the Tigers the lead. Minutes later, however, Snodgrass certainly got his payback; his clumsy challenge and tug on Wilfried Zaha meant that the visitors were awarded a spot kick and eventually equalised.
