Saturday’s Premier League results were all closely contested fixtures, each balancing on knife edges waiting for that one moment of magic to win the game or rescue a point for the teams involved. Whilst City look well on-course to win another Premier League title, it was a frustrating day for fans of The Seagulls and Newcastle United.
Manchester City (City) 2 – West Ham United (Hammers) 1
Pep Guardiola’s City made it 20 consecutive wins in all competitions after a resilient Hammers side made it tough for the hosts in the first Premier League result of the day.
The first goal of this Premier League fixture came on the half hour mark after a vintage Kevin De Bruyne cross. The Belgian collected the ball on the right side of the pitch, half-way inside the Hammers’ half. With his weaker (if he has one) left foot, he perfectly lofted the ball to the back post, where it found the head of City centre back Rúben Dias, whose powerful header gave Hammers’ keeper Darren Randolph no chance.
Throughout the first half, the Hammers created quite a few chances against City, even hitting the post. They finally broke through just before half-time in the 43rd minute. After City gave it away from a throw-in inside their own half, the ball eventually found Vladimir Coufal on the right wing. His ball into the box was flicked towards the back post by Jesse Lingard, where it was found by Michail Antonio who guided it into the City net.
But as good as the Hammers had been in the first Premier League match of the day, City’s class prevailed when they scored the eventual winner in the 67th minute. After City were pressuring the Hammers at the edge of their box, the ball goes out wide to Riyad Mahrez on the right wing. He dribbled it into the box near the by-line, and after a few stepovers, cuts it back to near the penalty spot where an open John Stones hit it first time into West Ham’s net to score his 4th goal of the season.
20 WINS IN A ROW FOR MAN CITY 👏
✅ Southampton
✅ Arsenal
✅ Newcastle
✅ Chelsea
✅ Man Utd
✅ Birmingham
✅ Brighton
✅ Palace
✅ Villa
✅ Cheltenham
✅ West Brom
✅ Sheffield Utd
✅ Burnley
✅ Liverpool
✅ Swansea
✅ Spurs
✅ Everton
✅ Arsenal
✅ Gladbach
✅ West Ham pic.twitter.com/woY01fIqtw— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) February 27, 2021
West Bromwich Albion (Baggies) 1 – Brighton (Seagulls) 0
The Seagulls will be thoroughly disappointed for the second consecutive game as despite dominating possession and having the better chances, including two missed penalties and a controversial disallowed free-kick, they failed to score against the 19th placed Baggies and lost 1-0.
The only goal of the came early on in the 11th minute for The Baggies. After Conor Gallagher’s corner from the left side is whipped into the six-yard box, captain Kyle Bartley managed to free himself from his marker to have an open header from close range, where he then headed down and past Brighton keeper Robert Sánchez.
The Seagulls’ Pascal Groß missed a penalty for the visitors in the 19th minute after it rattled off the bar. However, the biggest talking point came in the 28th minute, when Lewis Dunk’s quick free-kick was scored, but then disallowed, then given, then disallowed once again.
This strange moment of confusion was due to referee Lee Mason blowing his whistle once to allow the free-kick to happen, however, before Dunk’s quickly taken free-kick went into the net, the whistle was blown again when Mason noticed keeper Sánchez wasn’t ready. VAR confirmed that Mason’s whistle was blown before Dunk’s free-kick went in – much to the delight of The Baggies.
Brighton must have thought their luck was finally in after they received their second penalty of the game in the 74th minute when Groß was brought down inside the box by Conor Townsend. But this time, substitute Danny Welbeck smashed his penalty against the left post. The penalty rebounded back to Welbeck, but as he touched it before anyone else, a foul was given against The Seagulls. This win for The Baggies marks the first time they have won at home this season since Sam Allardyce was appointed as manager.
An angry Lewis Dunk gives his thoughts on Lee Mason's decision to disallow Brighton's goal 🗣
"It is embarrassing, a horrendous decision, he blew his whistle and I took it… Why doesn't he come and speak to the press like me?" 👀
📹 @footballdaily pic.twitter.com/4Zok9K8sZz
— Footy Accumulators (@FootyAccums) February 27, 2021
Leeds United 0 – Aston Villa 1
Despite having 70% possession for the game, Marcelo Bielsa’s men were unusually flat throughout, as they failed to score past a Villa side that were still missing star man, Jack Grealish.
The only goal of this Premier League match came after just 5 minutes. Ollie Watkins’ shot from the edge of the box was heading well wide after the striker scuffed the shot. However, Anwar El-Ghazi was quick to react as he moved into the path of the shot, controlling it brilliantly, before firing his shot past Illan Meslier from 6-yards out.
Leeds didn’t have many good chances to score, with their best chance falling to Tyler Roberts just 5 minutes after Villa’s goal. After Raphinha’s shot from the edge of the box is deflected to the Welshman, his close-range effort is hit straight at Emiliano Martínez – a chance that surely would have changed the course of the game had it gone in.
Raphinha had a great chance in the 89th minute to deny Villa the 3 points. After Jack Harrison’s cross from the left side found Raphinha at the back post, it looked as if an equaliser was inevitable, but the Brazillian mistimed his header from 6 yards out, heading it downwards and wide.
⛔ Aston Villa have kept their 8th clean sheet in 13 PL away games this season
🥅 This already equals their club record of most away clean sheets in a top division season, which they last achieved in 2009-10 (8 in 19 games) pic.twitter.com/H42mveNSpX
— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) February 27, 2021
Newcastle United 1 – Wolves 1
Both sides had great chances to score throughout the final Premier League fixture of the day, but it will be Newcastle who will be most disappointed. Not only because they scored first, but because if Fulham win their next game, Newcastle will only be 1 point above the relegation zone.
The aforementioned Newcastle opener came in the second half in the 51st minute. A Ryan Fraser cross from the right side of the box found captain Jamaal Lascelles near the front post area, whose header flew past Wolves keeper Rui Patrício into the bottom corner of the near post.
Wolves equalised through a header of their own in the 74th minute thanks to Rúben Neves. Pedro Neto crossed the ball in from the right wing where it found an open Neves. The Portuguese international guided his header well towards the goal, where Newcastle keeper, reintroduced into the starting XI this game, Martin Dubravka couldn’t get enough onto it to keep the ball out. A shot that arguably should have been saved by Newcastle’s number 1.
Both Newcastle and Wolves came so close to stealing the 3 points near the end of the game. Joelinton had a shot from inside the box cleared off the line by Romain Saïss that had Patrício beaten in the 82nd minute. Whereas Wolves substitute Fábio Silva had his close-range header miraculously saved by Dubravka’s shoulder in the 92nd minute – redeeming his earlier mistake.
12 – Newcastle and Wolves have both scored in all 12 Premier League meetings between the sides, the most played fixture in the competition with neither side keeping a clean sheet. Expected. #NEWWOL
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 27, 2021
Tuesday’s Premier League result: Leeds outclass Southampton in second-half to win 3-0
Monday’s Premier League result: Brighton stunned by late Palace winner
Monday round-up: a review of the weekend’s Premier League results
