EPL game week 25 results played out as expected. With 10 matches played and 23 goals scored, it was a step down from Game Week 24 where we had 31 goals on display. Despite the low amount of goals, club fans will be delighted by their team display as many teams put on huge efforts to see out a win or grind out a draw.
- Tottenham Hotspur 1 - 0 Newcastle United
- Brighton & Hove Albion 0 - 0 Watford
- Burnley 1 - 1 Southampton
- Chelsea 5 - 0 Huddersfield Town
- Crystal Palace 2 - 0 Fulham
- Everton 1 - 3 Wolverhampton Wanderers
- Cardiff City 2 - 0 AFC Bournemouth
- Leicester City 0 - 1 Manchester United
- Manchester City 3 - 1 Arsenal
- West Ham United 1 - 1 Liverpool
Talking points
Manchester City plays the best football in EPL
Arsenal were once the slickest team in EPL under Wenger. The playing style, passes, and huge amount of possession garnered make them a joy to watch. It even earned them comparison with Spanish giants Barcelona. That is a thing of the past now. Pep Guardiola Manchester City are currently the best team with the best style out there in the Premier League. Either they win or lose you are sure of seeing fine football on display. Forget Sarriball, Emery ball, or the now conservative Klopp Gengenpressing, Pep Guardiola tiki taka rules.
They were a joy to watch against Arsenal. Arranging a 4-3-3 formation, the in-game formation was mostly 3-1-6. Fernandinho utilized at the back alongside Walker, Otamendi, and Laporte, spent most of the time as a free roaming midfielder. He only tracked back when Arsenal is in possession. It's a must win match for Manchester City and Pep made no mistake like he did against Newcastle where he used inverted wingbacks. He crowded the Arsenal section of the field ensuring the Gunners had little room to pass the ball or launch a counter attack and that won the game for him.
That has been Manchester City throughout this season. Playing with confidence and freedom with great tactical awareness. They are simply the best club in EPL that plays the best football.
Klopp should switch to last season Gengenpressing football
Liverpool got lucky yesterday. That was one of their worst outing in the league this season. Very slow, losing possession in dangerous areas, they were lucky WestHam couldn't get the goals. Playing against WestHam side that sit deep and hope to catch them via one or two counter-attacks, I expect Liverpool to boss around and close down any impending attack immediately. The reverse was the case. Naby Keita forcing the ball and losing the ball in dangerous positions, Matip trying to play the role of a super driver with the ball from the defense only to lose the ball in the midfield.
They got lucky with a couple of wrong calls from the referee and his assistant, but for how long. It's about time Klopp switch to last season tactics. Rush your opponents, don't give them breathing space. Get the goals in the first half, then sit back and see out the win. This is the second half of the season and most teams will want to get maximum points in a bid to better their position on the league tables. This means sitting back against top teams. This is the time to knock at their door. Don't sit back and play around hoping they will open that door. Force it open if need be and grab your win.
VAR will be successful in the EPL
The truth is referee decisions in England is something else. From a tackle that should have earned Matic his second yellow card leading to a red card to Aguero handball goal to Mane offside goal to incorrect Salah offside call. What a week of funny referee decisions.
In the match against Leicester city, Matic should have been given his second yellow card when he fouled a Leicester player. Unfortunately the Referee thought otherwise and awarded a free kick to Manchester united.
In the match against Arsenal Aguero handball goal should have been cancelled. Unfortunately for Arsenal, the Referee, and his team couldn't spot the infringement.
The same happened in the Westham vs Liverpool match where the official was busy admiring Lallana pass and failed to spot the offside Milner. Other calls in the match such as Salah offside when he's clearly onside, Divock Origi late offside chance.
With VAR, those decisions will definitely be revisited by the referee before making the final call. Definitely, VAR will be a huge success.
Let me know your thought below.
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