English Premier League: MatchDay Three Review
By Keme Biu (Mc BigHead)
It was another interesting week of action in Matchday three of the English Premier League season, here's a post match analysis of Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester united and Liverpool games over the weekend.
CHELSEA 3-0 LUTON TOWN:
FULL TIME ANALYSIS
RAHEEM STERLING NETS BRACE AS MAURICIO POCHETTINO’S SIDE LAND FIRST PREMIER LEAGUE WIN OF SEASON
It was a comfortable evening for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge as a Raheem Sterling brace helped his side record their first win of the 2023/24 Premier League season. Sterling got a goal in each half, and late strike for summer signing Nicolas Jackson as Mauricio Pochettino saw his team kick-start their campaign against the newly promoted Luton Town.
Raheem Sterling stole the show with a sensational brace as Chelsea secured their first Premier League win of the Mauricio Pochettino era with a 3-0 win over Luton Town at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues, who handed a first start to British record signing Moises Caicedo, dominated from the kick-off and twice went close through Sterling before the 28-year-old scored the opener.
Luton were playing for the first time since their opening weekend loss at Brighton, but the visitors never looked like pulling off a surprise as the hosts continued to dominate after the interval.
Nicolas Jackson, Ben Chilwell and Enzo Fernandez all wasted fine openings before Sterling guided home a Malo Gusto’s cross in fine fashion. Summer signing Jackson then scored his first goal for the club from brilliant delivery by Sterling late on.
The result sees Chelsea climb to eighth in the standings prior to the rest of the weekend action. Luton drop to the foot of the table and are pointless having lost both of their matches heavily since returning to the top flight.
ARSENAL 2 V 2 FULHAM
MATCH ANALYSIS
The Gunners came into this game looking to make it 3 out of 3 against Fulham in a London derby and it was yet again another lineup that caused mixed reactions among the Arsenal fan base and within 2mins the visitors were ahead thanks to a brilliant finish from Pereira and from there on they looked quite compact throughout the course of first half keeping the gunners in check for every progressive ball made.
The Gunners did get some half decent chances in the first half but there was little in it for them as Fulham looked every inch unbreakable at the back keeping Arteta's men guessing to eventually see the first half through with a 1 nil lead.
SECOND HALF
The Gunners didn't looked any different from the first half but were much more improved in terms of controlling proceedings but they looked really disjointed until a moment of brilliance by substitute Vieira won them a penalty and superbly converted by Bukayo Saka. The homeside grew into the game there on and kept piling pressure and moments later, it was the substitute Vieira who teed up a perfect ball to Nketiah who was quick to react first and give the Gunners the lead.
The Gunners then had the upper hand after a second yellow was shown to Bassey to give give him the matching orders and but that didn't let the visitors seat back as they started to cause more problems for the Mikel Arteta's men and they were resulted with an equalizer late on thanks to a goal by Palhinha aftee a beautiful cornerkick from Reed. With an additional 9 minutes added to the game, the home side nearly scored on 2 different occasions but the Fulham defense were very resilient to every ball thrown at them the game ended 2:2 draw.
Mikel Arteta will take much of the blame for once again over thinkering his lineups as we saw Thomas Partey filling the right back slot with Ben White partnering Saliba and Kiwior at left back keeping Gabriel Magalhaes on the bench. Up next for Mikel Arteta's men is Manchester United at the Emirates.
MANCHESTER UNITED 3 vs 2 NOTTINGHAM FOREST
FULL TIME MATCH ANALYSIS
Erik ten Hag's side were fortunate to defeat Wolves on the opening day and well underperformed when they were beaten by Tottenham a week ago and today they were looking to bounce back to winning ways but were sent into a moment of disbelief inside the first 4 minutes as they were loosing by two (2) goals to the visitors thanks to goals by Awoniyi and Boly.
But Bruno Fernandes was sublime in United getting one back before the break in fine fashion to give the Old Trafford faithfuls something to hang on to.
SECOND HALF.
United were a completely different side in the second half as they ran things more much better especially in the middle of the park thanks to Bruno Fernandes calling the shots. He led the way back from the abyss, dominating all areas of midfield. Thrust the team forward and was inventive, especially for Casemiro's goal. Completed the comeback with an assured penalty.
After dragging themselves back into the match having gone two goals down within minutes of kick-off, Manchester United complete a spirited comeback to beat Nottingham Forest and return to winning ways. But for goalkeeper Onana, it definitely would be a game to forget as he had a very poor display. What was he doing for the first goal? He bottled coming out of the area to block Awoniyi then sat down before the striker had taken his shot. Motionless for Boly's goal but made amends by clawing away a shot from the defender.
Having fought back from two goals behind at Old Trafford, Manchester United next meet old foes Arsenal. Nottingham Forest have less time to recover, as they must host Burnley in Wednesday's EFL Cup tie before visiting Chelsea at Stamford Bridge next week.
NEWCASTLE 1 vs 2 LIVERPOOL
FULL TIME MATCH ANALYSIS
Darwin Nunez struck twice in 13 minutes to complete an extraordinary comeback and give Liverpool a last-gasp win at Newcastle United as their unbeaten start to the season continued in the Premier League.
Newcastle were dominant following Anthony Gordon's 25th-minute opener - capitalising on a mistake by Trent Alexander-Arnold - and the dismissal of Reds centre-back Virgil van Dijk for fouling Alexander Isak as the last defender in the 28th minute.
Visiting goalkeeper Alisson produced a sensational save to turn Miguel Almiron's thunderous shot against the woodwork shortly after the hosts went ahead, and the Paraguay attacker also hit a post in the second half as Liverpool failed to have a shot on target for 53 minutes following Van Dijk's departure.
That changed when Nunez, who had come on four minutes earlier, picked up a ricochet off Sven Botman, charged inside the penalty area and drilled a fierce, precise low finish past Nick Pope and in off a post with nine minutes remaining.
More improbable drama arrived when Bruno Guimaraes gave possession away, Mohamed Salah fed Nunez with a perceptive pass beyond Dan Burn and the forward fired another ruthless finish beyond Pope, settling a pulsating, occasionally chaotic game with three minutes of added time played.
Van Dijk was furious with referee John Brooks for handing the Netherlands international the second red card of his Premier League career, protesting that he had not fouled Isak in an incident that compounded Liverpool's misery at going behind.
Gordon gave Alexander-Arnold a difficult afternoon, tormenting the right-back with his mazy runs either side of pouncing when his marker allowed a routine pass to roll under his foot and give the former Everton player a clear run on goal.
Clearly implored to keep testing the booked Alexander-Arnold after the break, Gordon was one of several Newcastle players who will rue missed chances before Nunez's introduction, Almiron also blazing his finish over the crossbar when he had plenty of space inside the penalty area.
Substitute Sean Longstaff's backheel could have restored Newcastle's lead but thanks to some fine goalkeeping by Alisson and Eddie Howe's side were denied penalties by VAR checks when Isak was brought down and Robertson blocked a shot with his back during the second half.
Liverpool are back in action next Sunday, when they host an Aston Villa side who made it two victories in a row since losing at Newcastle by winning at Burnley earlier in the day.
Newcastle will attempt to recover from their second defeat of the season when they visit Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.
