Just like yesterday’s missive, I’m sharing both my predictions (which were written at the bar on a Friday night) and my game thoughts/analysis.
Chelsea 2 – 2 Ipswich Town
All signs point to an easy Blues victory, which makes me skeptical. I say: beware tiny foes with nothing left to play for. They can prove the nastiest opponents.
This scoreline perfectly encapsulates both teams’ seasons. Ipswich roared out of the starting blocks and snatched two first half goals by the combo of Julio Enciso and Ben Johnson. The Stamford Bridge fans were rightly disappointed, and Chelsea had to respond. Happily, that response came shortly after the halftime whistle, when Marc Cucurella’s pressure forced an own goal from defender Axel Tuanzebe. Substitute Jadon Sancho brought an additional gear into play and struck a fabulous shot that curled into the far corner to equalize. Chelsea continued to press and it appeared Ipswich might bottle it, but their keeper Alex Palmer made two huge saves in stoppage time to keep the scoreline level.
At the end of the day, neither team was good enough to win, but just competent enough to not lose.
Liverpool 2 – 1 West Ham
The Egyptian King has his contract. Rumors have it that Van Dijk is also signed. Now is the time for the Reds to get onto the business end of locking down the title. Expect Liverpool to roll over West Ham. If they don’t… queue up the questions.
Champions show their quality when the conditions are the toughest. Liverpool scored early off a lovely pass from Mo Salah to a charging Luis Díaz, then appeared to trigger the auto-pilot. West Ham didn’t offer much competition, but as the game progressed and Liverpool couldn’t place the dagger, they gained some momentum. A pivotal moment came in the 87th minute, when a Paquetá pass entered the box. Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson both converged on the ball, which rocketed off Robertson’s leg into his own goal. It looked bad, until Alexis Mac Allister’s 89th minute corner was met by van Dijk’s imperious dome.
Convincing? No. But Liverpool now face the possibility of clinching the title next week if Arsenal lose at Ipswich Town and they can beat Leicester.
Wolverhampton Wanderers 4 – 2 Tottenham Hotspur
With six wins in their last nine, Wolverhampton have climbed out of the relegation scrap but still have a large chip on their shoulder and something to prove. Spurs are… well… Spurs. There is no doubt that this season has been a disappointment, and Ange Postecoglu has the lively demeanor of a mortician facing the hangman’s noose as we approach the final matches of the season.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha… Spurs.
But let’s focus on Wolves for a second. This win marks their fourth a row, the first time ever in their Premier League history. They weren’t perfect, but with an opponent as hapless as Spurs, you don’t have to be.
Newcastle United 4 – 1 Manchester United
Don’t have too many thoughts on this one, except that it’s Newcastle’s to lose. They’re on a run of four straight wins. United’s form is far less rosy. Being at home should help the Magpies as well.
This match was prefaced with two big news scoops. On a down note, Eddie Howe was hospitalized and Newcastle’s assistant manager Jason Tindall had to step up. The second bombshell was André Onana’s omission from the line-up in favor of Altay Bayintir. In the end, neither turned out to be a factor (though Bayindir was directly responsible for the final goal).
It was very clear from the start that Newcastle were here to play. From whistle to whistle they were the superior team in energy, creativity and polish.
United have now lost four double fixtures to teams this season, including this one (Brighton, Tottenham, Nottingham). I’m not sure when the last time that happened, if ever. This was their 14th defeat, tying a club record. There are still six games to go; that record is also likely to be broken. The foundations are truly rotten with the Red Devils.
