Premier League Update – GW21 | OneFootball

Well fudge me if this wasn’t a hell of a set of games today! Watching on the fantabulous Peacock Multi-view I was getting whiplash from all the crazy action. Truly this was a veritable feast of soccer deliciousness.

Brentford 2 – 2 Manchester City

Do you remember when a two-goal Manchester City lead with 20 minutes remaining was a done deal? Neither did Brentford.

Yoane Wissa’s 82nd minute goal appeared to be a consolatory milksop, but then Christian Nørgaard pummeled a cross from Keane Lewis-Potter with his melon… and like that City’s title hopes disappeared.

Apparently G-tech is the only PL stadium goal-bot Erling Haaland hasn’t defiled yet by scoring. After today that drought will continue, as a different boyo-in-sky-blue showed up today. After a brace, Phil Foden might be hot again… his form, that is. Not even a supermodel could look hot with that haircut.

All the action came in the second half. A single minute of stoppage time is the only stat you need to know about the uneventful first 45.

Chelsea 2 – 2 Bournemouth

Cole Palmer FC strikes again! Nicholas Jackson can’t catch a break! Nelson Semenyo draws a penalty! Justin Kluivert converts! David Brooks dodges a bullet! Semenyo fires a laser! Reese James hits an absolute stunner!

There will be a furor from Chelsea fans that Bournemouth were not down to 10 men before Semenyo’s rocket of a shot. Let’s just say that if David Brooks was a cat, he used one of his lives when he escaped a red card for violent conduct against Marc Cucurella.

But this doesn’t excuse Chelsea who once again failed to hold a lead after halftime, and had to rely on a brilliant dead-ball effort from James in the 95th minute to scratch back a point.

West Ham 3 – 2 Fulham

No strikers? No problem! With three forwards out due to injury, West Ham had to lean on their midfield, and boy did they produce. In a two minute stretch, Carlos Soler scored his first West Ham goal and Souçek bagged a second. Lucas Paquetá hit a third after a Bernd Leno error.

One of the eternal soccer questions will be asked from one of Fulham’s second half goals: Can a player score if they don’t touch the ball? Raúl Jiménez will make that argument, though his distracting leap in front of Lukas Fabianski might qualify as an assist, as it allowed Alex Iwobi’s cross to hit the net. Iwobi would earn a brace in the 78th minute, but West Ham would manage to hold on for Graham Potter’s first win in claret and blue.

Nottingham Forest 1 – 1 Liverpool

Are you surprised? Are you? Everything seems to be coming up Forest lately. And you can’t have a Forest without (Chris) Wood, whose improbable resurrection as a ruthless striker continued with his 8th minute goal off the break. Indeed, Forest were the far better squad heading into the dressing room 1-0.

The second half was a different story.

One of Arne Slot’s best managerial traits is knowing when to tinker. Twenty-two seconds after entering the match, Kostas Tsimikas and Diogo Jota combined to put the Reds level. And from there on out Liverpool brought wave after wave of shots, corners and crisp passing in the attacking third. Mats Sels made five incredible saves; Forest defenders also blocked a number of shots.

A breathless game. In a way, a draw was the fairest outcome.