2020/21 Premier League & General Football Discussion

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Fulham 1-1 Liverpool
Arsenal 0-1 Burnley
Leicester 3-0 Brighton

An excellent first half hour for Fulham saw them go ahead thanks to Reid's great strike, Liverpool woke up soon after and then dominated but their equaliser was controversial, it was a penalty awarded after the ball struck an elbow in the box whilst the Fulham players were in the wall for a free kick (where are the players supposed to put their arms in that situation?!) Salah scored from the spot 10 minutes from time but Liverpool missed the chance to go top after Spurs could only draw at Palace earlier in the day.

Arsenal's bad run continues, Xhaka had a moment of madness when he grabbed Westwood by the throat during a tussle between the two, that resulted in a red card and then Aubameyang scored an own goal after turning the ball into his own net from a Burnley corner, just one win in eight league games for Arteta and Arsenal now.

All three goals came in the first half for Leicester with two for Maddison and Vardy getting the other, Leicester move up to fourth.

More PL games on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week, pick of the games is Liverpool v Tottenham on Wednesday, all games will be on Amazon Prime.
 
Here are the games for midweek.

Tuesday.
Wolves v Chelsea (6pm)
Man City v West Brom (8pm)

Wednesday.
Arsenal v Southampton (6pm)
Leeds v Newcastle (6pm)
Leicester v Everton (6pm)
Fulham v Brighton (8pm)
Liverpool v Tottenham (8pm)
West Ham v Crystal Palace (8pm)

Thursday.
Aston Villa v Burnley (6pm)
Sheffield United v Man United (8pm)

All games are streamed live on Amazon Prime.

London will be entering a tier three lockdown from Wednesday, which means the likes of Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea, West Ham, Palace and Fulham wont be able to have supporters in their stadiums from Wednesday.

Former Liverpool, Aston Villa and France manager Gerard Houllier has passed away aged 73.
 
Wolves 2-1 Chelsea.
Man City 1-1 West Brom.

Chelsea took the lead thanks to a Giroud volley early in the second half but Daniel Podence equalised on 66 minutes before Pedro Neto scored a 95th minute winner! Two defeats in a row for Chelsea, and they are four points worse off than they were this time last season.

Gundogan scored in the first half for City before Sam Ajayi equalised for West Brom, City had nearly 80% possession and 27 shots on goal but found a Sam Johnstone in inspired form in the WBA goal, Points dropped for City.
 
Liverpool beat Spurs 2-1 thanks to a Firmino winner in the 90th minute, Salah and Son got the earlier goals, Liverpool now three points clear at the top with Spurs in second.

Elsewhere..

Leeds 5-2 Newcastle
Leicester 0-2 Everton
Arsenal 1-1 Southampton
Fulham 0-0 Brighton
West Ham 1-1 Crystal Palace

Leeds ran riot in the second half, Walcott took the lead for Southampton against his former club before Aubameyang equalised and Arsenal had Gabriel sent off for two bookables, Haller scored a fantastic over head goal for West Ham against Palace.

West Brom appointed Sam Allardyce as new manager after they sacked Slaven Bilic today. It was a harsh sacking if you ask me.
 
Aston Villa 0-0 Burnley
Sheffield United 2-3 Man United.

Villa had 27 shots on goal but couldn't break Burnley down.

Dean Henderson stood in for De Gea in the Man United goal and almost immediately made a mistake to gift Sheffield United the opening goal after just 5 minutes, Man United have been notoriously slow starters this season and it took around 15 minutes for us to wake up until Rashford equalised with a great finish (nice play from Pogba in the build up) Martial gave Man United the lead just before half time, some nice build up play lead to Rashford's second and MU looked comfortable until the last 10 mins or so when SU put some pressure on and got a late consolation with McGoldrick getting his second. Nice win for us which puts us up to sixth with a game in hand, Sheffield United remain rooted to the bottom of the table with just one point from 13 games.

Kai Rooney has signed for Man United, he is the 11-year old son of United legend Wayne Rooney.
 
It makes me laugh when you see people clamoring for De Gea to be dropped for Henderson. I really like Henderson, but he's not as good right now as De Gea is right now. De Gea's had a couple of poor seasons for him, but he's having a good season so far. There's no need to think about replacing the keeper when we have much bigger problems elsewhere in the squad such as at centre back.

We are still conceding goals from set pieces, although that second goal was headed away it just hit the Sheffield player in the face and deflected in. If I want to be harsh you could argue Henderson should have been in a better position for that one. A goalkeeper should be nearer the far post for a corner, and as the ball didn't drop early or couldn't be claimed there was no reason for him to be in the middle where he was. But he did make a cracking save later on.

A good win, but a game we should have won looking at Sheffiled's form this season. Leeds next, I think we have enough to win, but we just need to make sure we don't give away too many chances. Leeds will play at a high tempo I think.
 
Dave A
the Sheffield player ... at Sheffiled's form
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I knew Manchester was having a bad time right now, but I wasn't expecting to see Manhecster in the Northern Premier League Division One.
 
Games this weekend.

Saturday.
Crystal Palace v Liverpool (12.30 BT)
Southampton v Man City (3pm Amazon)
Everton v Arsenal (5.30 Sky)
Newcastle v Fulham (8pm Sky)

Sunday.
Brighton v Sheffield United (12pm Sky)
Tottenham v Leicester (2.15 Sky)
Man United v Leeds (4.30 Sky)
West Brom v Aston Villa (7.15 BT)

Monday night.
Burnley v Wolves (5.30 Sky)
Chelsea v West Ham (8pm Sky)

@Famine its quite easy to make that spelling mistake, I have done it a few times.
 
Famine
I knew Manchester was having a bad time right now, but I wasn't expecting to see Manhecster in the Northern Premier League Division One.
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How rude of me, the Sheffiedl United player :lol:.
 
I'm no Tony Pulis fan - he might be what we need to not get relegated, but he's an ultra-negative manager and that's never been our style. We've been crap, quite frequently, but negative play isn't what we want to see. Needs must, I guess.

Anyway, Pulis has come in and immediately reversed the one decision that fans couldn't comprehend, and I've been pleading for now for two years: he's played Keiren Westwood.

First game, after not playing at all for Monk, or Luhukay (brief spell in the team under Bruce) and he lets one in. No better, no worse. Second game he gets injured after 17 minutes, but clean sheet. Third game today, five absolutely vital stops, clean sheet, first win since November 3rd.

He's made more saves in one match than Dawson and Wildsmith put together this season. It's mental. Why were Luhukay and Monk absolutely 100% unwilling to refuse to play him in full knowledge that he's the best keeper at the club (and arguably division) and they were harming the team and their own jobs by doing so?

It hints at something rotten higher up, but then how's Pulis getting away with it, and how could Bruce, and caretaker manager Bullen (twice) play him if Chansiri somehow didn't want it?
 
Liverpool put seven past Palace in a very impressive display, they were 4-0 up at half time and 5-0 on 50 minutes. Firmino got himself two and Salah come of the bench to get a brace, Minamino, Mane and Henderson with the other goals.

Man City beat Southampton 1-0 with Sterling getting the only goal. its just finished Everton 2-1 Arsenal, a Rob holding own goal (the ball deflected off him from a Calvert-Lewin shot) and Yerry Mina header for Everton and Pepe penalty for Arsenal, more pressure on Arteta but Everton now up to second.

Newcastle v Fulham to come tonight.
 
Famine
I'm no Tony Pulis fan - he might be what we need to not get relegated, but he's an ultra-negative manager and that's never been our style. We've been crap, quite frequently, but negative play isn't what we want to see. Needs must, I guess.

Anyway, Pulis has come in and immediately reversed the one decision that fans couldn't comprehend, and I've been pleading for now for two years: he's played Keiren Westwood.

First game, after not playing at all for Monk, or Luhukay (brief spell in the team under Bruce) and he lets one in. No better, no worse. Second game he gets injured after 17 minutes, but clean sheet. Third game today, five absolutely vital stops, clean sheet, first win since November 3rd.

He's made more saves in one match than Dawson and Wildsmith put together this season. It's mental. Why were Luhukay and Monk absolutely 100% unwilling to refuse to play him in full knowledge that he's the best keeper at the club (and arguably division) and they were harming the team and their own jobs by doing so?

It hints at something rotten higher up, but then how's Pulis getting away with it, and how could Bruce, and caretaker manager Bullen (twice) play him if Chansiri somehow didn't want it?
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Westwood is a great keeper. Seems strange to not play him.
 
Celtic have won the delayed Scottish Cup Final, beating Hearts (my team... :() 4-3 on penalties after a 3-3 draw.

Celtic were 2-0 up at half time, and looked to have it in the bag... but Hearts came back and scored twice to take the game to extra time. Celtic picked up in the first half of ET and retook the lead 3-2, only for Hearts to (deservedly) equalise and take the game to penalties.

Hearts drew first blood in the penalty shoot-out by saving Celtic's third penalty, but then Hearts had their last two penalties saved and ended up winning the cup. Celtic were a shadow of their former selves, and Hearts started off too timidly, but fought back only to be denied in the end.

Given that there was no crowd, it was a classic game - even if the defending from both sides was often lamentable. As a Hearts supporter, I'm disappointed, but I watched the game with some mates on Zoom to chat with during the game, which was better than watching it alone!

As a weird aside, all 13 goals were scored in the same net...
 
Brighton 1-1 Sheffield United
Tottenham 0-2 Leicester
Man United 6-2 Leeds

United v Leeds just finished and wow what a game!, McTominay scored twice in 5 minutes before Fernandes made it three on 20 minute, Lindelof scored from a corner to make it four before Cooper got Leeds into the game and it was 4-1 at half time. Dan James got his first Man United goal since last August and the Fernandes got United's sixth from the penalty spot after Martial was brought down. Stuart Dallas scored a great goal and it finished 6-2, fantastic game with some great play from both sides, United's performance cheered me right up!

Sissoko brought down Fofana stupidly to give Leicester a penalty right on half time which was converted by Vardy, in the second half an Alderweireld own goal made it two after Vardy headed the in off him into the goal, fairly even game but Leicester had more shots on goal. Sheffield Utd had Lundstram sent off after his challenge was initially a yellow but was overturned, Bogle gave United the lead before Welbeck equalised with a few minutes left.

Man United now up to third on GD, four points off top with a game in hand, Spurs drop out of top four with back-to-back defeats.

West Brom v Villa to come, Big Sam's first game back.
 
The United v Leeds match was end to end. For the most part Leeds didn't play that bad, but they tried too much to go toe to toe with us and when teams let us play man for man we're quite good. There could have been twice as many goals in that game easilly. Nice to see James get on the score sheet again, he had a good game. Martial was superb again despite not scoring himself. His overall play is fantastic.

Leeds may feel hard done by to lose by that margin, they probably didn't deserve to, but it was a great performance from United. I hope we're starting to see some consistency now, and there's what could be a very important game against Leicester coming up next in the Premier League.
 
Villa beat West Brom 3-0, El Ghazi gave Villa the lead after just five minutes, WBA had Livermore sent off in the first half for a studs up challenge, it was all Villa after that but it took until the 84th minute to get their second with Bertrand Traore I think getting his first goal for Villa before El Ghazi got his second from the penalty spot.

Two games tomorrow and then Carabao cup quarter finals on Tuesday and Wednesday, and then the traditional Boxing day games.
 
Burnley beat Wolves 2-1 and Chelsea beat West Ham 3-0, Burnley have been on a good run lately picking up eight points out of twelve.
 
Brentford knocked out Newcastle of the Carabao cup and progress to the semi finals, they won 1-0.

Man City piled more misery on Arteta and Arsenal by hammering them 4-1, Jesus, Foden, Laporte and Mahrez with City's goals and Mahrez free kick slipped through the hands of Arsenal no2 keeper Runarsson, Lacazette got Arsenal's goal and they had Martinelli off injured again, he has only just come back from long term injury.

Tomorrow is Stoke v Spurs and Everton v Man United in the other two quarter finals.
 
More regions will enter tier 4 lockdown from Boxing Day. Suffolk, Norfolk, Sussex, Oxford, Cambridgeshire, Hampshire and remaining parts of Essex.

What this means for Football is that now only 10 of 92 league clubs will be allowed fans, two of which are Premier League Liverpool and Everton.

There are a handful of clubs who have had to postpone games because of positive tests and out-breaks.

Are we getting to the point where we have to stop the season for a bit?!
 
MUSC4EVER
Are we getting to the point where we have to stop the season for a bit?!
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It should never have started. And the last one shouldn't have finished. Unfathomable stupidity to stage sporting fixtures with countrywide travel during a pandemic.
 
MUSC4EVER
More regions will enter tier 4 lockdown from Boxing Day. Suffolk, Norfolk, Sussex, Oxford, Cambridgeshire, Hampshire and remaining parts of Essex.

What this means for Football is that now only 10 of 92 league clubs will be allowed fans, two of which are Premier League Liverpool and Everton.

There are a handful of clubs who have had to postpone games because of positive tests and out-breaks.

Are we getting to the point where we have to stop the season for a bit?!
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I think football, for the most part, has been successful in its handling of continuing with the virus. My brother works in construction, and has been working continuously throughout, and I think football has a few more measures in place to control and be safe, and have regular testing, which I know for my brother at least, has not been an option.

The number of positive cases, compared to the number of players, tests, games and length of time the players have been in their 'bubbles' means it is probably one of the safer professions to be able to continue.

My mate works in care work, and has worked throughout this virus, and has only been given some tests within the last week. And even then he had to badger is employer to get the test packs the Government had sent to be given to care workers from his employer. :banghead: His employer btw, from whom he struggled to get ppe from at the start, and was questioned as to why he needed so many masks and gloves whilst visiting multiple people throughout the day. FFS :rolleyes:
 
There are two new strains of the virus though, both more transmissable than the original strain.

If things don't improve soon then I think they will stop the season mid January or something.
 
MUSC4EVER
There are two new strains of the virus though, both more transmissable than the original strain.

If things don't improve soon then I think they will stop the season mid January or something.
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But again, they are letting industries which have a lot less organisational strategies in place for limiting the spread, and virtually no testing in place as far as I am aware, to carry on. :boggled: New strains will obviously affect all of us, but I think football is in the best situation to carry on if possible. Time will tell though.

On a more positive note personally, my mum had the first shot of the Vaccine last week, and will get the second jab in two weeks. May or may not be useful against the new strains, but at least hopefully give her protection against the strain that is most widespread. :)
 
Stoke 1-3 Tottenham
Everton 0-2 Man United

Goals from Bale, Ben Davies and Kane for Spurs who cruised through to the EFL Cup semis, Jordan Thompson with Stoke's goal.

United left it late but go through thanks to a great Cavani strike in the 88th minute and Martial wrapped the game up with the last kick, United started well like we did against Leeds and should have been at least 3-0 up in the first 20 minutes, then Everton grew into the game a bit but they didn't have a shot on target in the second half.

Semi final draw.
Brentford v Tottenham
Man United v Man City

Of course we drew Man City! :lol:

I will post the games for Boxing day and beyond tomorrow as I don't plan on being on here on Christmas Day, very busy Christmas period starting soon...
 
Here are the games for the period immediately after Christmas Day.

Boxing Day (26th December)
Leicester v Man United (12.30 BT)
Aston Villa v Crystal Palace (3pm BBC One)
Fulham v Southampton (3pm Sky)
Arsenal v Chelsea (5.30 Sky)
Man City v Newcastle (8pm BT)
Sheffield United v Everton (8pm BT)

Sunday.
Leeds v Burnley (12pm Sky)
West Ham v Brighton (2.15 Sky)
Liverpool v West Brom (4.30 Sky)
Wolves v Tottenham (7.15 Sky)

-------------------------------------------------

Monday.
Crystal Palace v Leicester (3pm)
Chelsea v Aston Villa (5.30)
Everton v Man City (8pm)

Tuesday.
Brighton v Arsenal (6pm)
Burnley v Sheffield United (6pm)
Southampton v West Ham (6pm)
West Brom v Leeds (6pm)
Man United v Wolves (8pm)

Wednesday.
Tottenham v Fulham (6pm)
Newcastle v Liverpool (8pm)

The games from Monday onwards are being streamed on Amazon Prime.

Scott Parker will miss Fulham's Boxing Day game as a member of his household has tested positive and he is now self-isolating.

PSG sacked Thomas Tuchel and Pocchettino is now favourite for the job.

Merry Christmas! :cheers:
 
Leicester 2-2 Man United
Aston Villa 3-0 Crystal Palace
Fulham 0-0 Southampton
Arsenal 3-1 Chelsea
Man City 2-0 Newcastle
Sheff Utd 0-1 Everton

Arsenal perhaps surprisingly beat a woeful Chelsea, Arteta had to make six changes because of injury and illness and the players who came in did really well, goals came from a Lacazette penalty, a great great kick from Xhaka and a great strike from Saka, Abraham got one back late on but Chelsea lacked energy and creativity and Lampard was fuming afterwards.

Really back and forth game between Leicester and United, United took the lead thanks to Rashford with a little flick of an assist from Fernandes but it was Fernandes who gave the ball away which led to Barnes equalising soon after, Cavani came off the bench to set up Fernandes to make it 1-2 before some slack United defending let Vardy in but his strike took a touch from Tuanzebe so it went down as an own goal in the 85th minute, it feels like two points dropped as we had chances to win the game and took the lead twice. our defence is terrible.

Villa won despite having Mings sent off for two yellows, Traore, Hause and El Ghazi with the goals, Gundogan and Torres with the goals for Man City and Sigurdsson with Everton's goal, neither games was a classic.....and neither was Fulham-Southampton.
 

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