Monday Funday!

Good afternoon, I hope you all had a good weekend which was filled with football and beer! I hadn't done an accumulator for a while so I thought I am going to have a punt, so I backed Northampton Town who have won 10 league games in a row and are running away with League 2 by 10 points. They were playing away at Hartlepool who are 3rd from bottom and I thought this is a banker away win, well how wrong was I? The game finished nil nil with Hartlepool putting in a top performance to thwart the league leaders. This result kind of set up how the rest of the weekend would go, anyway let's go through all the big talking points from The Premier League!



West Ham 1 - 0 Sunderland - West Ham got the win from a good finish from Michail Antonio but they far from bossed the game, The Black Cats will feel they should have at least got a point because they had some very good chances from Jermaine Defoe and Jack Rodwell, the latter could have had an hat trick. Sunderland only needed a point to leap frog Newcastle and Norwich to get out of the relegation zone but now they sit below both of them and having played a game more. West Ham moved up to 5th for a day but they are a really good side and they play Spurs on Wednesday in a game that could be a corker, as for Big Sam's men they are in trouble and will be desperate for a win on Tuesday when they host Crystal Palace while The Hammers are at home to Spurs.


Southampton 1 - 2 Chelsea - There is no doubt that Chelsea have improved since Guus Hiddink arrived, The Blues started off second best at St Mary's and deserved to be a goal down at the break through a typical Shane Long finish. Southampton had seemed to forget what conceding feels like but keeper Frazer Forster will be disappointed he let Cesc Fabregas misdirected cross go past him. Chelsea were much better in the second half and probably deserved the points which was won by a bullet header from Branislav Ivanovic which Forster got a hand too but couldn't keep it out. Chelsea move up to 11th and will look for glory in the FA Cup and Champions League because I don't see them getting anywhere the European spots.



Leicester 1 - 0 Norwich - The dream goes on for Claudio Ranieri's men as they snatched a very late winner against a Norwich side who defended very well but they just couldn't hang on for a point that would have been very much needed. I really think Leicester are going to win the title, they bounced back from the Arsenal defeat very well, even though it wasn't a great performance but if don't play well and still win games, that's a sign of Champions. Norwich are in trouble and host Chelsea on Tuesday night which isn't ideal but they need a win badly. The Foxes host West Brom and a win will put them even further clear.


West Brom 3 - 2 Crystal Palace - The Baggies got a much needed win which moved them up to 13th and above Crystal Palace. West Brom started the game fast out of the blocks and were 3 nil up in the first half hour from goals by Craig Gardner, Craig Dawson and Saido Berahino. Palace got a goal back straight after the break from Connor Wickham and he scored again with 10 minutes to go which made for a nervy ending for the home faithful. I think on the whole, West Brom did JUST enough to deserve it but they cannot keep giving away cheap goals. As for Palace they need to start winning games because they haven't won in the league since they did at Stoke which was way back in December.



Manchester United 3 - 2 Arsenal - Arsenal headed into this game as favourites at Old Trafford for the first time in the Premier League era. They started off quite well and had a massive chance which fell to Nacho Monreal but it was well saved by David De Gea. Marcus Rashford had a debut to remember as he scored 2 goals in 3 minutes thanks to some woeful defending but he took his chances very well and although I wasn't overly happy, it was good to see a young English player showing no fear. Danny Welbeck pulled one back from a dangerous Mesut Ozil free kick which is now his 17th assist of the season. The second half was very entertaining, very end to end but Ander Herrera's shot which was going miles wide, hit Laurent Koscielny and flew past Petr Cech. Mesut Ozil hit back almost straight away but Arsenal looked out of ideas and just couldn't grab an equalizer. Marcus Rashford came off to a standing ovation which he thoroughly deserved because he was brilliant and he has a very bright future. Man United host Watford and The Gunners are at home to Swansea in what is a must win game.




Tottenham 2 - 1 Swansea - It's exciting times at White Hart Lane, they are looking a very good side and showed great bounce back ability after Swansea took a surprise lead. The home fans were getting a little edgy with time beginning to run out but Nacer Chadli scored with 20 minutes and you felt once they get one, then they are going to push for a winner and it duly arrived but it was Danny Rose who popped up with the goal. Tottenham are title contenders and they will take some stopping but they do have a massive week coming with two London Derbies, starting with a trip to West Ham which always a feisty one but it could be a cracker because both sides play good football. Spurs then face Arsenal in which is probably biggest North London Derby in history and one that could decide where the title goes. Swansea are just 3 points above the relegation zone and need a win but they travel to The Emirates on Wednesday which will be a tough one but they did win there last season.



Capital One Cup Final

Manchester City 1 - 1 Liverpool ( City won 1-3 on Pens)

Liverpool will be disappointed that they didn't win this one because they some good chances but the big question is, why didn't Daniel Sturridge take a penalty? I thought it was a very strange one because he is clearly one of their big players so surely big moments like this is what he lives for. Willy Caballero was the hero for City in the shootout after saving from Lallana, Coutinho and Lucas. these two sides meet again on Wednesday night and I think the Reds will want revenge and they have already beaten City in the League.


Thanks for reading, will be back tomorrow