By Cameron Winstanley
Matchday 8 of the Premier League saw the annual weekend where football took the backbench as everyone came together to pay their respects ahead of Remembrance Day. It was also the final time we’d be able to feast upon Prem action for a fortnight with yet another international break to start at the end of the week. So, what better excuse than to look back at the weekends best and worst performers.
TOOD GOOD
ASTON VILLA
Aston Villa are back in the winners’ section after they thumped Arsenal 3-0 at the Emirates. Ollie Watkins’ double meant more to him than anyone as the boyhood Arsenal fan sealed the three points for The Villains with two well taken goals. This means if Villa win their game in hand they will go back to the top of the league. It was a Bukayo Saka own goal that opened the scoring for Villa. Great play between Ross Barkley and Jack Grealish on the left saw Matt Targett put into space whose devasting cross was turned in by the Arsenal youngster. Villa played great football throughout and were well worthy of their win. It could have been more as well with John McGinn having a goal chalked off with Barkley blocking the keeper’s vison from an offside position. Grealish also had one cleared off the line. The win leaves Arsenal in the bottom half of the table and maintains Villa’s 100% away record.
Embed from Getty ImagesCRYSTAL PALACE
Crystal Palace feature for the first time on Too Good, Too Bad and they made it impossible to overlook. Palace were too good for Leeds, running out 4-1 victors at Selhurst Park on Saturday. The first time the Eagles had scored four since May 2019. Palace also moved level on points with early pace setters, Everton, showing how under the radar their start to the season has been. Summer signing, Eberechi Eze stared for Palace, firstly finding Scott Dann who powerfully headed home from his corner. Eze then later doubled Palace’s advantage, scoring his first goal for the club in style with a brilliant free kick. Patrick Bamford pulled one back for Leeds, but Helder Costa’s own goal and Jordan Ayew’s first of the season made the points safe for Palace. Leeds can feel hard done by as they saw VAR controversially rule out a Bamford goal at 1-0.
Embed from Getty ImagesTOO BAD
EVERTON
Everton are back in the losers’ section again after they were beaten 3-1 by struggling Manchester United at Goodison Park. Everton were looking to end their two-game losing streak and welcomed back many of the key players who missed last weeks trip to Newcastle. Bernard, who was in for the suspended Richarlison, made his chance in the side count, opening the scoring with a well taken finish only 20 minutes in. This would turn out to be The Toffees only shot on target as the game ran away from them after Bruno Fernandes equalised just 6 minutes later. It became worse for Everton when Fernandes added a second as his cross ended up in the bottom corner. Cavani added United’s third in injury time. Everton never looked like scoring and had only a wasteful Abdoulaye Doucoure effort late on to look back on. Everton have now lost their last three games and are without a win since before the previous international break.
Embed from Getty ImagesFULHAM
Fulham and in particular, Ademola Lookman, wasted a great chance to yet again keep up with Brighton above them and give themselves a cushion between the relegation places. The sides in and around the bottom of the league have often been as bad as each other the season with the bottom three still winless after eight games of the season. With Sheffield United losing at Stamford Bridge and West Brom losing against Tottenham, this was a good chance for Fulham to avoid defeat for the third time in four games. It looked like it was heading that way until, Tomas Soucek, put West Ham in front in added time. Fulham were then given a lifeline as VAR awarded them a penalty in 97th minute, only for Ademola Lookman to see his Panenka penalty loop straight into the grateful hands of Lukasz Fabianski. Leaving the young Englishmen hoping for the ground to swallow him up and throwing away the chance to get key points on the board for The Lilywhites.
Embed from Getty ImagesSub edited by Samuel Brady
