EPL review week 14: Sterling scores late again; Spurs drop to seventh

EPL Review Week 14: Sterling scores late again; Spurs drop to seventh

The final part of a two-part midweek Premier League round-up sees victories for Man City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Burnley, meaning Spurs drop to seventh place after their defeat away to Leicester last night.

Man City 2 v 1 Southampton

There was a time when Raheem Sterling was a joke. Pep Guardiola has turned him into the punch line.

The tests seem to be getting tougher for City, who are now two wins away from setting a new Premier League consecutive win record. The gap at the top is now eight points after City beat Southampton at The Etihad thanks to a last-gasp strike by the man Sterling.

“He is a match-winner,” said a pEPL Review Week 14: Sterling scores late again; Spurs drop to seventhurring Pep after the match.

It was an important victory for City, playing 24-hours after their closest rivals United beat Watford 4-2 at Vicarage Road.

Kevin de Bruyne opened the scoring two minutes into the second-half after his free-kick took a wicked deflection off Virgil van Dijk, but Oriol Romeu looked like he had stolen an unlikely point with a calm finish in the 75th minute.

Sterling had other ideas.

The winger picked up the ball on the left, exchanged passes with De Bruyne, before curling the winner beyond Fraser Forster in the 96th minute. And if you think this run doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things, Pep Guardiola sprinted down the touchline like someone had poured something cold down his spine, followed by Benjamin Mendy who is currently out injured with a cruciate knee injury.

“He’s {Mendy} crazy,” said Guardiola. 

It’s the fourth time this season that Sterling has scored beyond the 84th minute, showing an endurance to go with his newfound ability to find the back of the net, a part of his game that’s been sorely lacking since he burst into the limelight at Liverpool.

Sterling has now scored 13 goals in all competitions this season, his best tally to date.

City becomes the first side to reach the 40-point mark after the first 14 games, not even Sir Alex Ferguson’s teams achieved that feat.

And you know there’s more to come.

Spurs Drop to Seventh 

Yesterday, I wrote, that if results went the right way, Spurs would drop as low as seventh place, and that’s where they will spend the next few nights after Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea and Burnley all won.

Arsenal made it seven home wins on the spin by destroying Huddersfield by five goals to nil. Alexandre Lacazette opened the scoring in the third minute, but Arsenal had to wait until 20-minutes from time for the next four, courtesy of a brace from Olivier Giroud, and goals from Alexis Sanches, and the man of the match Mesut Ozil.

The champions, Chelsea, had a fruitful visit to the Welsh Valleys after beating Swansea by a goal to nil despite Neil Swarbrick sending Antonio Conte to the stands for contesting a corner in the first half? Former Roma defender, Antonio Rudiger, scored the only goal of the game in the 55th minute. Swansea stays stuck in the bottom three.

Stoke continue to have a nightmare with a three-nil thrashing at home to Liverpool. Mohamed Salah, the Premier League’s top marksman, made it 12 for the season with a double, after Sadio Mane had opened the scoring, early.

And Burnley, continue to search for a Europa League place winning by two goals to nil away at Bournemouth. Chris Wood and Robbie Brady gave Burnley a two goal lead before Joshua King made a fight of things scoring ten minutes from time.

Results in Full

Brighton 0 v 0 Crystal Palace
Leicester 2 v 1 Spurs
Watford 2 v 4 Man Utd
West Brom 2 v 2 Newcastle
Bournemouth 1 v 2 Burnley
Arsenal 5 v 0 Huddersfield
Chelsea 1 v 0 Swansea
Everton 4 v 0 West Ham
Man City 2 v 1 Southampton
Stoke 0 v 3 Liverpool

Premier League Table

1. Man City – 40
2. Man Utd – 32
3. Chelsea – 29
4. Arsenal – 28
5. Liverpool – 26
6. Burnley – 25
7. Spurs – 24
8. Watford – 21
9. Leicester – 17
10. Brighton – 17
11. Southampton – 16
12. Newcastle – 15
13. Everton – 15
14. Huddersfield – 15
15. Bournemouth – 14
16. Stoke – 13
17. West Brom – 12
18. West Ham – 10
19. Swansea – 9
20. Crystal Palace – 9

Premier League Winning Odds (Courtesy of Bodog)

Man City 1/10
Man Utd 12/1
Chelsea 22/1
Liverpool 50/1