Week 20 of the English Premier League sees Arsenal come back from three goals down to grab a draw at Bournemouth; Swansea beat fellow strugglers Crystal Palace, and Stoke end the rot against Watford.
Olivier Giroud prevented Arsenal from suffering a third away defeat on the trot as the Gunners came back from three goals down to take a point away at Bournemouth.
There are always goals when Eddie Howe’s side set up to play, and their encounter with Arsenal was no different. Bournemouth’s six games in December had seen 23 goals and January started out with another six.
Bournemouth was on banging form in the first 70-minutes racing into a three goal lead courtesy of strikes from Charlie Daniels, Ryan Fraser and a penalty from Callum Wilson.
And that’s when Giroud stepped up the plate. The Frenchman set up Alexis Sanchez and Lucas Perez before heading home the equaliser deep into injury time. It was his ninth goal in only seven starts this season.
Bournemouth was under the cosh in the last 15-minutes after losing Simon Francis who was sent off for a foul on Aaron Ramsey.
Swansea Beat Palace in Relegation Tussle
Football is a funny old game.
Poor old Bob Bradley was more likely to pick up Ebola than a Swansea win. The board sack him, and the Welsh side beat fellow relegation candidates Crystal Palace for only their fourth win of the season.
Swansea legend Alan Curtis was in charge as the newly appointed gaffer, Paul Clement, watched the action from the stands. Alfie Mawson headed the Swans into the lead just before half-time, for his first goal of the season. Wilfried Zaha thought he had salvaged a point with a smart volley in the 83rd minute only for Angel Rangel to get on the end of a Leroy Fer pass to score the equaliser with time running out.
The defeat means Sam Allardyce has only managed to pick up a single point in his first three games in charge. To make matters worse, he will lose the influential Zaha and Bakary Sako for the African Nations Cup.
Stoke Pile More Agony Onto Watford
Peter Crouch has been the unlikeliest talisman for Mark Hughes as he saw his side end a five-match winless run with victory over woeful Watford.
Crouch scored the second goal four minutes after the restart after Ryan Shawcross had given Stoke the lead in first-half injury time. It was the big man’s second goal in two games proving that there is still some magic left in those long legs of his.
Watford has now conceded 14 goals in their last five Premier League games suffering four defeats making Walter Mazzarri the 5/6 favourite to be the next manager to lose his job.
Premier League Results (Week 20)
Man City 2 v 1 Burnley
Everton 3 v 0 Southampton
Middlesbrough 0 v 0 Leicester
Sunderland 2 v 2 Liverpool
West Brom 3 v 1 Hull
West Ham 0 v 2 Man Utd
Bournemouth 3 v 3 Arsenal
Stoke 2 v 0 Watford
Crystal Palace 1 v 2 Swansea
Remaining Fixtures
Spurs v Chelsea (Wed, 4 Jan)
Premier League Table
1. Chelsea – 49
2. Liverpool – 44
3. Man City – 42
4. Arsenal – 41
5. Spurs – 39
6. Man Utd – 39
7. Everton – 30
8. West Brom – 29
9. Bournemouth – 25
10. Southampton – 24
11. Stoke – 24
12. Burnley – 23
13. West Ham – 22
14. Watford – 22
15. Leicester – 21
16. Middlesbrough – 19
17. Crystal Palace – 16
18. Sunderland – 15
19. Swansea – 15
20. Hull – 13
Premier League Title Odds (Courtesy of Bodog)
Chelsea -175
Liverpool +550
Man City +750
Arsenal +1000
Man Utd +1800
Spurs +1800
