Arsenal boom as Liverpool whimper: What happened on matchday 8 in the Premier League?

On matchday 8 in the Premier League, Arsenal’s lead at the top of the table grew to 3 points, thanks to a scrappy 1 – 0 win at Fulham, while Liverpool lost a 4th match in a row (all competitions); this time at home to vicious rivals Manchester United.

We also saw Ange Postecoglu’s last game in charge of Nottingham Forest, West Ham‘s woes continue, and Wolves are still winless. Sports Talk United takes you through the biggest talking points.

Big Ange, we hardly knew ye: Nottingham Forest 0 – 3 Chelsea

Forest head coach Postecoglu came into this match under enormous pressure, having yet to secure a victory since his appointment 39 days before. The home side were actually the better in the first-half, and by some distance. Their high press forced Chelsea into numerous mistakes in their own half, with good chances presented to Elliot Anderson, Morgan Gibbs-White, and Taiwo Awoniyi, but none could find the target.

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca made a couple of changes at half-time, with Marc Guiu replacing Andrey Santos providing an immediate reaction. With Guiu leading the line, that allowed João Pedro to operate in the no.10 slot, and the Brazilian soon won the free-kick that led to the first goal. The initial delivery was cleared, but a good sprint to the byline by Pedro Neto gave him room to clip in a cross, which was headed in from close range by Acheampong.

Suddenly, Forest couldn’t deal with João Pedro finding these pockets of space, and found themselves overwhelmed. Guiu won a free-kick on the edge of the area, which was blasted in by Pedro; though the wall, and ‘keeper, should’ve perhaps done better. Though Chelsea were now the dominant side, Forest still had their chances to get back in the game. The biggest opportunity came to Nico Williams, after a glorious cross from Zinchenko on the left, but the Welshman’s volley from 6 yards flew over the bar. Forest knew it wasn’t going to be their day, after Igor Jesus hit both the crossbar and post with his acrobatic volley.

There was still time for Chelsea to rub further salt into an already gaping wound, when ‘keeper Sels couldn’t catch from a corner, and Reece James fired in from the penalty spot. Full-time came and went, as did Postecoglu, whose sacking was announced less than half an hour after the match finished. His record read: 8 matches in charge (all competitions), 0 wins, 2 draws, 6 losses.

The mayhem of Mateta: Crystal Palace 3 – 3 Bournemouth

The match of the weekend also saw the best individual performance, as beloved upstarts Crystal Palace and Bournemouth played out a brilliant draw, and Jean-Philippe Mateta left the pitch with a face of thunder, despite his hat-trick.

The first meaningful action of the game actually saw the away side take the lead. A Bournemouth corner from the left was flicked on by a defender, leaving Eli Junior Kroupi to nod home from a yard out. Throughout the first-half, Bournemouth were putting Palace under significant pressure, with their high-press forcing Palace to clear their lines, and struggle in build-up. On one of the rare occasions that Palace were able to play through the press, they almost equalised. Yeremy Pino found space down the left, before cutting in, and whipping a dangerous cross into the box, but Mateta could only head wide from 6 yards out.

He was soon made to rue the miss, when Antoine Semenyo surged down the left wing, and played a low cross into the box. Marc Guehi’s interception could only deflect the ball into the path of Kroupi, who powered home his second from the edge of the box. After half-time, Palace looked like a team reborn, and were soon feeling aggrieved that Bournemouth defender Senesi wasn’t sent off, having fouled Ismaïla Sarr as he was running through on goal. The original decision was yellow card, and after VAR sent the referee to the monitor, he stuck with that, explaining that Sarr was moving slightly wide of goal, and there was a covering defender.

Palace had the bit between their teeth, and soon pulled a goal back. Some incisive passing between the front line soon saw Daniel Muñoz fizzing a the ball across the 6-yard box, where Mateta fired home from close range. After another VAR check, the goal was cleared, and Selhurst Park was celebrating, and they had less than 5 minutes to wait before repeating the cheer. Daichi Kamada’s clipped pass found the run of Muñoz, who volleyed at goal from a difficult angle. Petrovic pulled off a terrific save, but Mateta managed to squeeze the rebound in at full stretch.

With time running out, both teams were searching for the winner, and Bournemouth thought they’d won it in the last minutes of regulation time. An excellent move down the left flank saw Marcus Tavernier pulling the ball back from the byline, and Ryan Christie tapped in from close range under pressure. Palace responded by playing direct balls into the box, forcing 2 corners in quick succession. The second saw Bafodé Diakité put his arms around Guehi, with the latter falling as he tried to reach the deliver, and the referee awarded a penalty. Bournemouth were incensed, as they felt it was a soft decision, but VAR didn’t intervene. Mateta stepped up, sent the ‘keeper the wrong way, and despite it being the 7th minute of stoppage time, sprinted back to the centre-circle to hunt for the winner.

And it almost came. Palace played a direct ball to Mateta, whose header fell into the path of Eddie Nketiah. Right of goal, inside the box, he played it left to the unmarked Mateta, who fired over from 10 yards out. The full-time whistle was blown, Mateta took the match ball, but despite scoring a hat-trick, left the field with a face like thunder.

Man Utd Liver-gain: Liverpool 1 – 2 Manchester United

There was almost universal pessimism around this match: Liverpool had lost 3 matches in a row (all competitions), and Man Utd hadn’t won back-to-back Premier League games since Ruben Amorim took over. It didn’t take long for this match to spark into life, as Bryan Mbeumo fired home in just the 2nd minute, in slightly controversial circumstances. Alexis Mac Allister had gone down with a head injury in the build-up to the goal, but the referee decided against stopping play for treatment. Anfield was completely stunned, among fans and players alike.

Liverpool tried to find an immediate response, and it almost came in the form of Cody Gakpo. Mo Salah played a through ball into his path, with the Dutchman cutting onto his right foot, but his fierce effort from the edge of the box cannoned back off the post. Gakpo repeated the trick soon after; his clipped cross from the left flank deflected, looped over Lammens in goal, but bounced off of the same post. Despite this, the best chances were actually coming for the away side. Their press, so often criticised (rightly so), seemed to click this game, and they forced several turnovers in the Liverpool half. Bruno Fernandes had an excellent chance to extend the lead, with Amad Diallo pulling the ball back to the edge of the area, but the captain placed his shot just wide of the post. Mamardashvili was also forced into saves from Mbeumo and Mason Mount, as Liverpool looked completely shaken. Liverpool’s last big chance of the half came after a superb through ball from Ibrahima Konaté was played into the path of Alexander Isak, but the record signing could only fire at the feet of Lammens.

Into the second-half, and the first big chance fell, again, to Gakpo. A free-kick from the right was played short to Salah, who clipped a cross into the box. Gakpo controlled 12 yards out, left of goal, before cutting inside, and firing a fierce effort against the post; the 3rd time he’d hit the woodwork. Moments later, a rapid Liverpool counter-attack saw Milos Kerkez clip a ball to the unmarked Salah, but he could only fire his effort wide of goal from 8 yards out. With the noise in Anfield building, Man Utd’s players seemed to lose their composure. Liverpool kept the pressure on following a corner, with substitute Hugo Ekitike cutting inside, causing panic in the penalty area. The ball eventually came to Florian Wirtz, who slid in Federico Chiesa, and his low ball was tapped into the net by Gakpo from close range. Anfield erupted, and the momentum was all with the home side.

Except the next thing to happen was a Man Utd corner. Fernandes pulled it to the edge of the area, but Mbeumo’s effort was well blocked. The rebound came to Fernandes, who volleyed the ball superbly to the back post, where there were 3 Man Utd players unmarked. Harry Maguire had all the time to pick his spot, and head past the ‘keeper to retake the lead. Into stoppage-time, and Liverpool had pinned the away side under intense pressure. Jeremie Frimpong had the ball on the right, before dribbling around Dorgu. He clipped the ball to the back post, where Gakpo had the goal at his mercy, but he headed wide of the target from 5 yards out. The full-time whistle was blown, and Liverpool had lost again.