In what was the final round of fixtures before the Premier League paused for the World Cup, clubs put on a show for fans. We had goals galore, statement victories and shock results, and we’re here to take a look at some of the biggest talking points.
By Sam McGuire, Premier League expert
The Toffees are in a sticky situation
It wasn’t that long ago that Everton found themselves in mid-table with the best defensive record in the Premier League. However, the underlying numbers suggested it was a false position and that a rapid decline was on the agenda. Frank Lampard’s men are now just a single point above the relegation zone following the 3-0 loss to Bournemouth on Saturday.
The Cherries racked up an xG total of 2.45 despite having just 36% of the ball as they put on a counter-attacking masterclass. The visitors, by comparison, had just one fewer shot in total but managed to create chances worth just 0.83 xG.
Darwin Núñez delivers
The Liverpool forward scored twice in Liverpool’s 3-1 win over Southampton on Saturday. The No.27 put on a finishing clinic due to his shot placement. Núñez had chances with an xG value of 0.71 but an xG on target value of 2.21. He has been accused of being wasteful in previous matches but he was the complete opposite of that against the Saints.
The £64million summer signing also created two chances and on another day both of those are converted and he finishes the game with four goal involvements. He has now created eight chances in his last three Premier League outings, proving that his all-round game is improving.
Bee sting at the Etihad
Manchester City have not looked convincing over recent weeks but they have managed to eke one-goal wins over Leicester City and Fulham to keep pace with Arsenal at the summit of the Premier League.
Against Brentford on Saturday, however, they weren’t able to extend that run of good fortune to three matches. After Phil Foden smashed home an equaliser just before the break, the expectation was the hosts would push on in the second half. It didn’t happen though. Instead, the visitors continued to push for a goal and they carved out six big chances in the game.
Ivan Toney scored what turned out to be the winner in stoppage time and had an opportunity moments after to claim a hat-trick, only to see Kevin De Bruyne clear his effort off the line.
City had 29 shots to Brentford’s 10, but managed to create just one big chance. It was no smash-and-grab, it was a calculated gamble that paid off for Thomas Frank’s men.
Tottenham’s unlikely hero
Rodrigo Bentancur has three goals in his last three appearances for Spurs. He has been the match-winner in two matches and these six points have ensured Antonio Conte’s men are in fourth place as we head into the World Cup break.
The Uruguay international scored twice in two minutes to give Spurs a 4-3 win over Leeds United at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium. The 25-year-old also completed 100% of his dribbles and made a remarkable 12 ball recoveries on the day as he finished with a 9.1 rating on the FotMob app.
Pulling the strings for Manchester United
There is a lot going on at Old Trafford right now. Cristiano Ronaldo is trying to engineer a move away while 18-year-old Alejandro Garnacho is making a splash. The latter scored the winner against Fulham and now has four goal involvements in his last four appearances for the Red Devils.
However, the star of the show at Craven Cottage was Christian Eriksen. Deployed alongside Casemiro, the Danish playmaker scored the opener and assisted the winner as Erik Ten Hag’s side found a way to claim all three points in what was a thrilling, end-to-end contest.
The 30-year-old created two chances on the day and won all of his tackles in what was an all-action display.
The honeymoon period is well and truly over
Chelsea have now lost three consecutive Premier League games and are winless in five matches. They have slipped to eighth in the table and have a goal difference of zero. The Blues are averaging just 1.2 goals per 90 and they have the worst offensive record out of the teams in the top ten, netting just 17 times.
Against Newcastle, they mustered just five shots and finished with an xG total of 0.30. Graham Potter needs to figure out a way to get his team firing.
(Images from IMAGO)
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