Last Updated on: 11th June 2020, 11:22 am
Another exciting weekend in the Premier league has come and gone with two of the top three playing each other in what some were calling the title decider. Liverpool hosted Manchester City at Anfield on a day of tribute for those lost 25 years earlier in the Hillsborough disaster. No team in the world would’ve wanted to be playing Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.
With the passion from the crowd showing on the pitch Liverpool raced into a one goal lead inside six minutes, and then made it 2-0 after Martin Skrtel scored to make him the highest scoring defender in the Premier League this season. As the game developed several controversial moments transpired, firstly Mamadou Sakho was lucky not to give away a penalty after his reckless lunge on Edin Dzeko towards the end of the first half, then Luis Suarez escaped punishment after what appeared to be a clear dive at the start of the second half, Mark Clattenburg opting not to give the Uruguayan striker a deserved second yellow card.
Man City did manage to get back into the game levelling the score with two goals in five second half minutes and were gradually taking control of the match despite key decisions going against them.
However, against the run of play, it was Liverpool who scored what would prove to be the winner. After City captain Vincent Kompany sliced his clearance, Phillippe Coutinho smashed home from the edge of the area to give Liverpool all three points. That wasn’t the end of the controversy, Kompany appeared to have his shirt pulled by Skrtel inside the box but nothing was given, then Skrtel appeared to punch the ball clear but again Clattenburg gave no penalty.
Liverpool held on to win the game and extend their lead over Man City and stay top of the pile.
In the other game on Sunday Chelsea managed a 1-0 win against the ten men of Swansea City to stay in second place only two points behind the leaders Liverpool. The two meet at Anfield in two weeks’ time, could that be the title decider?
Down at the bottom of the Premiership, Sunderland were the biggest losers of the weekend as they went down 1-0 to Everton to keep them rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table. It looks almost inevitable that the Black Cats will be playing Championship football next season.
Fulham however continued their hope of the great escape by beating fellow strugglers Norwich by the same score line, in the process putting Norwich’s Premier League status under serious threat. With the Canaries final four games being against Liverpool, Man Utd, Chelsea and Arsenal they face an uphill battle to avoid dropping back to the second tier of English football.
Elsewhere the twists and turns continued with Aston Villa, who looked safe only a couple of weeks ago, losing 1-0 to Crystal Palace to bring them back into the relegation dog fight whilst with Cardiff recorded an unlikely 1-0 win at Southampton, can the welsh club get themselves out of trouble and stay in the Premiership for a second season?
The fight for fourth place is all but over for Tottenham after another disappointing start resulted in being 3-0 down to West Brom at half time, despite an admirable second half recovery resulting in a 3-3 draw their push for Champions League football appears over for this season.
With Arsenal not playing due to F.A. Cup commitments, Everton had the chance to move into fourth and did so with a hard fought win against struggling Sunderland, with only five games remaining for the Toffees and the Gunners who will manage to secure that all important final Champions League Place?
Tags: football, football trophies, premier league