Premier League hits and misses: Erling Haaland has scored more Premier League goals than Chelsea this season

Haaland outscoring woeful Chelsea

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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from the clash between Wolves and Chelsea in the Premier League

A ‘new’ manager but the same old problems. Erling Haaland has scored more Premier League goals than Chelsea this season. Todd Boehly’s first season gets worse and worse.

Frank Lampard had two days on the training ground and Chelsea’s main focus awaits on Wednesday against Real Madrid in the Champions League. They will be two excuses used for the dismal performance in losing 1-0 to Wolves at Molineux.

Lampard changed to a back four, Ben Chilwell benched with Conor Gallagher and Raheem Sterling thrown in, but while the caretaker boss attempted to take the handbrake off they could only muster one shot on target from their 13 attempts.

Wolves 1-0 Chelsea: Report & Highlights
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That is the most shots they have had in a Premier League away game since records began (2003-04) while only managing one or fewer on target.

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Wolves made sure to capitalise, earning an overdue win which eases their relegation worries. Julen Lopetegui’s squad has too much quality to be involved in a bottom-three scrap.

Fortunately for Chelsea, sitting 11th with 39 points, only once in the last 11 years has 38 points been required to stay in the division. Their Premier League season is over and their Champions League campaign will be too if they do not show massive improvement.
David Richardson

And…he’s so good even opposition fans clap him now

Haaland defies logic. And looking at his second goal in Manchester City’s 4-1 win against Southampton, he also defies gravity. Even the Saints fans could not help but applaud that finish. And he is ripping up the record books.

It is 30 goals in the Premier League now and 44 in all competitions. He is the top scoring player in the major European leagues this season. Man City could yet play a maximum of 17 more games. Even underperforming his average to just one goal a game in that time would see him reach 61 goals. He will get more than that, surely.

Southampton 1-4 Man City – Report and highlights
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Pep Guardiola for the first time compared him to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi despite not really wanting to go there. But it is impossible not to now, considering what his striker is achieving.

Guardiola said: “Erling is here for these types of games, it was a little bit hard but he has the ability from an incredible assist from Kevin [De Bryune] to break the game.”

It was exactly that. Manchester City did not flow in the first 45 minutes. It was rusty. Southampton felt comfortable. Yet one break down the left and a quality ball in the box ended the game as a contest. Haaland was there, towering above his marker like the superhuman athlete he is, and, bang, Manchester City were up and running.
Lewis Jones

Spurs win at home again to appease angry fans – at least for now

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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from the clash between Tottenham and Brighton in the Premier League

The chant was booming around the stadium. The much-heralded acoustics of Spurs’ billion-pound ground proving to be the perfect theatre for Tottenham fans to sound their displeasure at the man who built it. ‘Levy Out, Levy Out’.

But within seconds those protests were transformed into cheers as Harry Kane slammed home what would be Spurs’ winner against Brighton. A vital goal at a vital time in a vital match. Spurs could have slipped dangerously away from their top-four rivals if they had drawn a third game in a row. But talisman Kane kept them very much in the mix.

Tottenham 2-1 Brighton – Report and highlights
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In the final stages the atmosphere was electric, ferocious, as the home side were roared to victory. At full-time the celebrations were emphatic. The angst and anger at the management of this club forgotten – for now.

It was a huge shift from the frustrations which were aired in the aftermath of the stoppage-time surrenders to Southampton and Everton. A fifth home win in a row perhaps proof this Tottenham team can be better than they have shown themselves to be at times this season.

The underlying issues Spurs supporters have with chairman Daniel Levy are not going away and clarity on the club’s direction and next step – and the future of their prize-asset Kane – remain a priority. But Spurs supporters can take some optimism from the fight shown and points claimed on Saturday.
Peter Smith

No points, no VAR decisions but Brighton show their quality

“We’re very proud of the performance,” Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi said after his side’s 2-1 loss at Tottenham. “We deserved to win. Not draw but win. We’re disappointed for the result but not the quality of play.”

It was clear at full-time the feeling was the same in the away stand, with the travelling fans saluting their players for a 90-minute display which had illustrated just how this side have come to mix it with the big boys in the chase for Champions League football.

That shock top-four finish may prove to be just too far out of reach now, but Brighton are a must-watch side right now. The character and quality required to boss possession away from home against the big sides, the connection and organisation to play from back to front and open up defences… All that was missing on Saturday was more clinical finishing in the box – and the help of VAR, of course.

Those controversial calls by the officials – and the off-field clashes between De Zerbi and Cristian Stellini – will dominate the headlines after this game but the football played illustrated the impressive level Brighton have reached. They are not done yet, with an FA Cup semi-final to come. Everyone will be clear on their quality if they were to win that one against Man Utd in two weeks’ time. And if they play like this, they will have a very strong chance of doing just that…
Peter Smith

Man Utd returnees to weather Rashford blow?

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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Manchester United’s win against Everton in the Premier League

It was the sight everyone associated with Manchester United feared. Marcus Rashford, in the middle of a stellar campaign which has delivered a club-high 28 goals this season, forced off with a suspected groin injury at a critical stage of United’s campaign.

Erik ten Hag insisted it was too soon to issue a prognosis on Rashford, but his demeanour told its own story. A tirade about unfavourable fixture scheduling featured a unique moment where the Dutchman put his hands together to pray to the footballing gods that his star striker had not sustained a severe injury.

Man Utd 2-0 Everton – Report and highlights
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Rashford has undoubtedly been the driving force behind United’s revival under Ten Hag but, in an instant and with Thursday’s Europa League quarter-final with Sevilla on the horizon, the sight of him grimacing and clutching his groin saw their end-of-season aspirations flash before their eyes.

The late withdrawal of Rashford in the 2-0 win over Everton came after Christian Eriksen made his much-anticipated return to the first team following his own bout with injury, while Anthony Martial continued his recovery with a first goal since his recovery from a long-term hip injury.

United face an anxious wait in the coming days for news on Rashford’s injury, but the sight of Eriksen and Martial returning should, at the very least, fill Ten Hag with confidence he has solutions to potential injury problems.
Jack Wilkinson

Newcastle’s grit worthy of a significant reward

The business end of the season is very much upon us now and, contrary to what might have been expected at the start of the season, Newcastle are in the driving seat for Champions League qualification.

Brentford 1-2 Newcastle – report and highlights
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Since the Premier League returned after the World Cup break in November, Howe’s team had not delivered the same flamboyant results that had, at one point before it, catapulted them into title contention, yet they had stayed very much part of the conversation thanks to a newfound defensive steeliness.

Now those hard yards have been done, they are exactly where they want to be after five straight league wins. In this vein of form, to drop out of the top-four race altogether seems incredibly unlikely.

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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from the match between Brentford and Newcastle in the Premier League.

It is easy to admire those five wins as though Newcastle have breezed their way here of late; Wednesday’s thrashing away at West Ham was certainly more straightforward than the bulk of top-flight games are. But they were made to work in west London.

Had it not been for an offside call and the first penalty Ivan Toney had missed in five years, they could have been put to the sword before the break. Of course, they were not punished by either of those incidents, but the warning signs were there – and they will learn from them.

They started the second half with an urgency. The bit was between their teeth from the word go and it appeared to be a potentially risky tactic, given the way Brentford had attacked in the first. Yet the Bees themselves sat off twice and were punished twice as a result; only VAR prevented it from being three.

The Toon are approaching the conclusion of what has been a monumental season in club history and, on this showing, their toils are surely worthy of a spot in European competition next year.
Dan Long

Ogbonna and Zouma earn Moyes stay of execution

Image: West Ham fans unfurl a 'Moyes Out' banner

West Ham’s trip to Fulham was a game David Moyes quite simply knew he could not lose. No matter what. In the end, it was entirely fitting that a match all about the result would be decided in such untidy fashion.

Not since a victory at Aston Villa in their second away game of the season had the travelling West Ham fans been able to celebrate three points – although history was on their side here, having won more away fixtures against Fulham than any other Premier League team.

Fulham 0-1 West Ham – Match report and highlights
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Those supporters, though, still lambasted manager Moyes with chants of ‘you don’t know what you’re doing’ during the second half.

Relegation worries eased, Moyes marched across the pitch and towards the Cottage in the far corner, affording himself time to acknowledge the travelling fans, only to see a banner which read in black and white ‘Moyes Out’.

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David Moyes said West Ham produced their best defensive performance in some time in the win at Fulham

Before heading down the tunnel, he looked up and gave David Sullivan and Karren Brady a thumbs up. It was job done on the banks of the River Thames.

Given how tight it is down at the bottom, West Ham cannot rest on their laurels and having earned himself a stay of execution heading into Thursday’s Europa Conference League quarter-final with Gent, his decision to ring the changes paid off handsomely.

Kurt Zouma made 14 clearances while his new defensive partner Angelo Ogbonna was equally superb in making 12. It is a selection headache that Moyes would welcome, so long as his side build on this most scrappy of victories.
Ben Grounds

Fulham must rediscover mojo without Mitrovic

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Marco Silva questions why VAR did not disallow Harrison Reed’s own goal because of a handball by Vladimir Coufal in the build-up

Fulham have now lost four league games in a row as hopes of European qualification continue to drift.

Head coach Marco Silva, watching from high up in Craven Cottage’s new Riverside Stand after being hit with a two-game ban following his red card at Manchester United, will be concerned about the slide – especially with talisman Aleksandar Mitrovic still to serve six games of his eight-match ban from the same encounter.

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“They scored through our own goal which should be disallowed because it was a clear handball from Coufal in the build-up. Why VAR didn’t check that moment, it is difficult for us as it was right in front of the linesman,” said Silva.

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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from the match between Fulham and West Ham

For their opponents to arrive with the spotlight on them, it was Fulham who looked increasingly on edge and out of ideas during an uneventful second half.

West Ham eventually had five shots on target – their joint-most in a Premier League away game this season, and more than they had had in their previous two league matches combined (four).

Fulham’s response to falling behind was not particularly noteworthy, and Silva admits he may have to change system in order to become more “unpredictable” in the closing weeks of the season.

It would be a shame if a campaign full of promise and free from relegation fears were to fizzle out.
Ben Grounds

Emery’s revolution continues

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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from the clash between Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest in the Premier League

European qualification probably was not on anyone’s radar when Unai Emery took over from Steven Gerrard at Aston Villa in November.

But a sparkling run of form which has seen them win six of their last seven matches has put them in real contention for European qualification, with the Europa League firmly in their sights after the 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest propelled them up to sixth.

You can make an argument that Villa were not at their best against Forest at Villa Park but in truth, they did not really have to get out of second gear against Steve Cooper’s relegation threatened side.

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Unai Emery reacted to Aston Villa’s 2-0 win against Nottingham Forest and said their original target was to finish in the top half of the table but they are now aiming for a European place

Aston Villa 2-0 Nottingham Forest – Match report and highlights
How the teams lined up | Match stats

Villa did just enough, toying with the opposition as goals from Bertrand Traore and the in-form Ollie Watkins sealed a fourth successive league win for the first time since October 2020 under Dean Smith.

They have now scored in all 17 of their Premier League games under Emery so far, with only Chelsea under Carlo Ancelotti and Norwich under Mike Walker having scored in more consecutive games from the start of a manager’s tenure (both first 18).

Emery has these Villa players purring and playing with so much confidence. They are on course for their best finish since 2009/10 and before the end of the season they play against plenty of the sides in and around them in the table, and in this mood, they will be a difficult proposition for anyone to play against.
Oliver Yew

Opta stats: Villa's winning run goes on…

Aston Villa are unbeaten in each of their last seven Premier League games (W6 D1), winning each of the last four for the first time since October 2020 under Dean Smith.
Villa have scored in all 17 of their Premier League games under Unai Emery so far (W11 D2 L4), only Chelsea under Carlo Ancelotti and Norwich under Mike Walker have scored in more consecutive games from the start of a manager’s tenure (both first 18).
No player has been involved in more Premier League goals in 2023 than Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins (11 – 9 goals, 2 assists), level with Harry Kane.

Everton allowed off colour day

If Sean Dyche can confidently accept just how abject Everton were at Old Trafford and draw a line under it, then who am I to argue with him?

Whichever way you look at it, Dyche and his players could just about be excused a bad day at the office, given how much progress they have made together.

Whether this result can be merely disregarded will hinge on what comes next, and, with winnable games against Fulham and Crystal Palace on the horizon, the misgivings which plagued them against Manchester United must be addressed and ironed out.

Everton’s susceptibility to the long ball over the top was so stark that Dyche was asked whether he had intentionally given his defence instructions to hold a high line. His response that he had not was a stark reminder of how perilous a position Everton find themselves in, but the honesty with which he fronted up to the glaring deficiencies of his team should fill Evertonians with confidence they will be addressed.
Jack Wilkinson

Time starting to run out for Forest

Image: Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper looks on with his team 1-0 down at Villa Park

“We can only blame ourselves.”

Steve Cooper cut a frustrated figure in his post-match press conference as he dissected Nottingham Forest’s 2-0 defeat at Aston Villa.

Cooper switched to a 3-5-2 formation at Villa Park and for 45 minutes Forest blunted Villa, even causing them a few problems at the back without really creating any clear-cut opportunities.

However, Jonjo Shelvey’s individual error allowed Bertrand Traore to score the opener and Cooper’s side never recovered before Ollie Watkins’ stoppage-time strike sealed yet another away defeat.

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Cooper reflected on Nottingham Forest’s 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa and felt there was not a lot between the two sides but highlighted the defending for Bertrand Traore’s opening goal as a particularly disappointing moment

Forest are now winless in their last six Premier League games on the road, losing each of their last five. It is their joint-longest losing run away from home in the competition.

They are the first side in the Premier League this season to fail to score in 10 different Premier League away games, while their tally of five goals in their first 15 away games of 2022-23 is the lowest in the top flight since Stoke in 1984-85 (4).

Home form will be key to Forest’s chances of survival but with games against Manchester United, Brighton and Arsenal to come at the City Ground, things are starting to look difficult for Cooper’s side, who dropped into the bottom three for the first time since January.

They are now nine games without a win in the league and time is starting to run out if Forest are to get out of trouble.
Oliver Yew

Is Marsch the man to save Leicester?

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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from the match between Leicester and Bournemouth in the Premier League

Leicester are in dire straits. Since the Premier League returned after the World Cup, they have won the fewest points in the division (8), lost the most games (11) and conceded the most goals (27).

It makes difficult reading for Foxes fans, who booed their team off at the King Power Stadium after Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth which leaves them two points from safety.

Leicester 0-1 Bournemouth: Report & Highlights
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Leicester in advanced talks with Jesse Marsch

Brendan Rodgers left the club after it was agreed he was not the manager to lead the club to safety.

He had built a team with a view to challenging the top teams, but a lack of investment in the playing squad over the past few years has clipped the wings of Leicester’s high-flyers.

There was an understanding that the next manager would need to be relegation savvy. Only Jamie Vardy remains from the cohort that pulled off ‘The Great Escape’ in 2015 under Nigel Pearson.

Leicester’s squad was built for Europe, not a relegation scrap. These players need someone who has been there and done it.

Image: James Maddison looks dejected as Bournemouth players celebrate

Enter, Jesse Marsch. Leicester are in advanced talks with the former Leeds manager and a deal could be wrapped up by the end of the weekend.

Marsch, sacked in February with Leeds one place above the drop zone, has pulled it off before. He kept Leeds up on the final day of last season.

But his record of 11 wins in 37 games in his last job will hardly fill Leicester fans with optimism that he can be their saviour.

The former Red Bull Salzburg and RB Leipzing head coach is an advocate for his former employers’ philosophy of high-pressing, high-intensity football. Whether he can successfully integrate that approach into a new squad with eight games to go remains to be seen.

But the American brings an infectious positivity that might be just what Leicester need. The mood at the King Power on Saturday was low. Marsch, if he does get the job, needs to lift Leicester.
Zinny Boswell