On a weekend where the last 100% in Britain’s top 5 divisions was smashed to pieces, Liverpool found a way to win and Manchester United and Chelsea somehow both kept a clean sheet, there were more shocks in store in the greatest soccer league in the world.
Let’s take a deeper look at three of the results that have crystalised the Premier League table after six games.
Southampton 2-0 Everton
It all went wrong on the South Coast for table-topping Everton as Carlo Ancelotti’s men were steamrolled by Ralph Hassenhuttl’s hard-working Saints side.
The first half was almost one-way traffic as Southampton came out of the blocks like Usain Bolt running away from a medal thief as two goals saw them go into the break in complete control. Danny Ings has been in rich scoring form for The Saints so far this season, but he turned provider as he played a neat one-two for James Ward-Prowse to open the scoring. Minutes later, Ings had repeated the tick, scampering away down the left to provide the perfect back-post cross for his striking teammate Che Adams to finish off.
The second half saw more of the same from Southampton but Everton were as blunt at the top of the pitch as Ancelotti must have been in delivering his feedback on the first 45 minutes. Whatever he said, The Toffees couldn’t unstick themselves from the mess they were in. One of the only players who looked to be giving their all was left-back Lucas Digne, so when the Frenchman was sent off for a tackle on Kyle Walker-Peters from which the Saints right-back was lucky to walk away from, it was curtains for the table-toppers. The Saints are on the march, rising to 5th in the English Premier League table after this result.
The Southampton YouTube channel were loving the action as they reacted to the three points after the game.
Tip Paid: We tipped Southampton at 9/5 in our Premier League Preview
Wolves 1-1 Newcastle
A tight tie the West Midlands saw a goalless game until the 80th minute finish with both sides on the scoresheet. The first half was best described as tense, with both sides far too conservative in their play, Raul Jimenez dominated by the Newcastle defence and any shots from distance from the likes of Daniel Podence ably covered by Toon goalkeeper Karl Darlow.
In the second half, Wolves were slightly more threatening, and that looked to have paid dividends when a speculative effort from Jimenez evaded Darlow’s clutches, the goalie unable to peer past his defence, who had blocked his view yet failed to close down the shot.
Steve Bruce threw on Andy Carroll and Jacob Murphy in a bid to salvage a point and was rewarded with just three minutes of normal time remaining when the latter curled in a beautiful free-kick past the flailing arm of Rui Patricio. Honours even at Molineux, then, and both sides will be quietly satisfied with their starts to the Premier League season.
Wolves had already shown their own YouTube channel fans exactly how sharp Mexican star striker Raul Jimenez’s finishing was in the build-up to the game.
Tip Paid: We told you it would finish 1-1 during our pre-weekend preview.
Arsenal – Leicester City
It was attack against defence for the first half of this Sky Sports Box Office game, as Leicester, whose strikers Jamie Vardy and Kelechi Iheanacho were both fit enough only for a place on the bench, played a smart game of defending deep and countering at pace.
Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers opted to put five across the back, pack the midfield and leave Harvey Barnes up top ploughing a lone furrow. For the first 45 minutes, it worked a treat as Leicester held Arsenal largely at arm’s length, restricting The Gunners to pot shots and through balls that were too deep due to the defensive line, giving Kasper Schmeichel more often than not. The only chance Arsenal put into the net was called offside after Alexandre Lacazette’s nod in from a corner was ruled out due to Granit Xhaka’s proximity to Kasper Schmeichel in the Leicester City goal.
In the second half, Leicester kept Arsenal out then introduced Jamie Vardy, and with 10 minutes to go, a stunning through ball from Youri Tielemans set new Turkish winger Cengiz Ünder free down the right and a brilliant, first-time volleyed cross found the forehead of Jamie Vardy and the man who turned down Arsenal a few years ago punished them yet again. With 11 goals against The Gunners, the Foxes forward proved that the party almost always starts with him in this fixture.
Here are all the results after all the weekend’s fixtures saw Everton lead at the top shorn to just goal difference from their more illustrious neighbours, 19-time title winners Liverpool.
Gameweek 36 Results:
Aston Villa 0-3 Leeds United
West Ham United 1-1 Manchester City
Fulham 1-2 Crystal Palace
Manchester United 0-0 Chelsea
Liverpool 2-1 Sheffield United
Southampton 2-0 Everton
Wolves 1-1 Newcastle
Arsenal 0-1 Leicester City
