Thursday, November 21, 2024

EPL Round Up: Semi Ajayi's West Brom Gets 1st win As Tottenham Remain Top Of The Log 


EPL
  EPL Round Up - Semi Ajayi's West Brom Gets 1st win As Tottenham Remain Top Of The Log By Omolagba Oluwayemi West Bromwich Albion beat Sheffield United to get three points for the first time this season in the Premier League to move out of the relegation zone BSNsports.com.ng reports. Conor Gallagher scored the game's only goal when he drove through a crowded box early in the first half. Sheffield United rallied late on as they looked to get their first win of the season but a mixture of fine goalkeeping by Sam Johnstone and poor finishing means they remain bottom of the table with just one point. Pascal Gross' controversial injury time penalty rescued a deserved draw for Brighton at the American Express Stadium. It was Brighton's second penalty of the game after Neal Maupay fired a first-half spot-kick wide at the Amex Stadium. The Reds thought they had taken the lead when Mohamed Salah latched onto a Roberto Firmino ball before firing home, but it was disallowed for offside by the video assistant referee. Diogo Jota broke the deadlock, with his ninth goal since joining the Reds, as he received Salah's pass before going past two defenders and firing into the bottom corner. Substitute Sadio Mane believed he had sealed the game with a late header for Liverpool but that was also ruled out by the VAR for offside. Andy Robertson kicked Danny Welbeck's boot, with Stuart Attwell awarding the penalty after viewing the screen and Gross slamming the equaliser down the centre to rescue a point for the home side. Riyad Mahrez scored his first Manchester City hat-trick as Pep Guardiola's side beat Burnley 5-0 at Etihad Stadium for the fourth time in a row. The Algerian curled two first-half efforts into the corner to ease any concerns about a perceived City scoring drought. Benjamin Mendy drove home Kevin de Bruyne's cross for his first City goal before half-time and Ferran Torres turned home his first Premier League goal after the break following a brief period of Burnley pressure. Mahrez steered the hosts to their biggest win of the season by completing his first treble since scoring all three for Leicester City in a victory at Swansea City in December 2015 as the Foxes marched towards the title. De Bruyne slammed a shot against a post in the final minute, Torres and Gabriel Jesus both had goals disallowed for offside. Leeds earned their first win in four games by beating Everton in a thrilling match thanks to Raphinha's long-range strike. The Brazilian finally broke the deadlock from 20 yards with a low, fizzing shot after the two sides had carved out numerous chances in a game where managers Marcelo Bielsa and Carlo Ancelotti met for the first time. The visitors had been left frustrated after hitting the post through Jack Harrison in the first half and drawing fine saves from Jordan Pickford, who could do little about the winner. Everton slipped to a fourth defeat in five games, making their unbeaten start to the season seem like a distant memory. On a dramatic Sunday, Edinson Cavani came off the bench to inspire a stunning Manchester United comeback as they turned around a two goal deficit to secure a superb victory at Southampton. The 33-year-old Uruguayan striker was a half-time replacement for Mason Greenwood with Saints two goals up and in control of a fluctuating encounter at St. Mary. The veteran turned the tide with a lovely display that saw him got an assist and a two brilliant headers. James Ward-Prowse was United's tormentor in that first half, setting up Jan Bednarek's 23rd minute header with a corner before floating a magnificent free-kick beyond David de Gea 10 minutes later. Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who watched his side waste a host of chances and also had to replace the injured De Gea with Dean Henderson at the interval, sent on Cavani to perform the rescue act and the deadline-day signing obliged in spectacular style. Cavani was a constant threat, setting up Bruno Fernandes to pull one back just on the hour before showing the old instincts remained fully intact to divert the Portuguese midfield man's deflected shot past the excellent Southampton keeper Alex McCarthy with a diving header, 16 minutes from time. As the game entered injury time, and with Southampton hanging on desperately for a point, Cavani was the match-winner with a flicked header from Marcus Rashford's cross to spark wild United celebrations. Tottenham Hotspur held Chelsea to a goalless draw at Stamford Bridge on Sunday to return to the summit of the Premier League on goal difference. In a very tight affair, Spurs were happy to sit back and soak up pressure but Chelsea failed to find the breakthrough. Steven Bergwijn had the first chance in the opening 10 minutes after he got on the end of a swift counterattack but blazed his shot over the bar. Timo Werner thought he had given Chelsea the lead a minute later when his curling shot found the back of the net only for the goal to be ruled out for offside. Spurs started to take control of the first half from that moment and Serge Aurier's long-range shot was smartly saved by Edouard Mendy. The first-half ended goalless as the visitors restricted Chelsea to just two shots inside the area. Chelsea had a few opportunities to score after the hour mark but Tammy Abraham and Hakim Ziyech missed from close range. Mason Mount almost scored in the final 10 minutes but Hugo Lloris produced a fine save down low. Olivier Giroud had a glorious chance to score a stoppage time winner but his lobbed effort went straight to Lloris as the match ended in a draw. In Sunday's last game, Wolves recovered from a nasty head injury to top scorer Raul Jimenez to secure their first win at Arsenal since 1979 and condemn their hosts to their worst Premier League start after 10 games. Mexico striker Jimenez had come off worse in a sickening clash of heads with Gunners defender David Luiz after an Arsenal corner in the opening exchanges and was treated on field for 10 minutes before being taken to hospital. A game between two of the Premier League's lowest-scoring sides was understandably flat after that but it came to life when Pedro Neto slotted home from close range after Leandro Dendoncker had headed Adama Traore's teasing cross against the bar midway through the first half. Gabriel equalised for the hosts with a thumping header from a Willian cross just three minutes later but Wolves were the better side throughout and re-established their lead when Daniel Podence cleverly converted after keeper Bernd Leno fumbled Neto's drive. Arsenal rarely threatened, with striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang little more than a spectator at times, and boss Mikel Arteta has much to ponder with his side languishing in 14th place in the Premier League after 10 matches. Wolves, on the other hand, are up to sixth and sit just four points off the summit in an increasingly congested top half of the table.
Niyi
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Niyi Busari

Award winning journalist, Niyi Busari, the Publisher and CEO of BSN Sports Concepts is one of the most celebrated Nigerian sports journalist of his generation. A"cross-over" professional, he combines the talents and abilities of a print and electronic journalist in a manner that is rare, even though his specialization is print. A graduate of Economics from the University of Abuja where he obtained his Bachelor Degree in 2015.

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