Almanac Soccer: English Premier League Matchweek 11 Highlights

 

Premier League Matchweek 11 Highlights 24/25

 

Despite not being a week full of goals and late drama like previous weeks, matchweek 11 of the Premier League saw a weekend filled with many upsets and surprise results. Here are my highlights.

 

 

Brentford vs Bournemouth

 

The opening tie of matchweek 11 saw Thomas Frank’s Brentford host Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth at the Gtech Stadium. Brentford had just come off the back of a terrible loss to Fulham Monday night, conceding 2 goals in stoppage time to lose 1-2. Bournemouth had achieved their biggest result of the season, beating Manchester City 2-1 at home. Bournemouth were gifted a shock start to the game when Evanilson scored his 4th Premier League goal of the season. Sepp van den Berg played a woeful and weak pass back to his keeper Mark Flekken which saw Evanilson get on the end of the loose pass. He then rounded Flekken before passing the ball into an empty net. The Bees then equalised just 10 minutes later through their signature long throw in. Mathias Jensen’s catapult of a throw was pinballed around in the penalty area before Yoanne Wissa jumped up to head Brentford level. At half time, the score stood at 1-1 with the game up for grabs.

 

The Cherries made the perfect start to the 2nd half when they flexed their set piece muscle just like the Bees earlier on. After a brilliant series of passes from a corner around the Brentford penalty area, Justin Kluviert played a neat 1-2 with Lewis Cook before he smashed the ball past Flekken’s near post to restore their lead. Just 60 seconds later, Brentford equalised when Byran Mbuemo’s pass found Mikkel Damsgaard on the goal line of the Cherries’ penalty area. Damsgaard then fired a shot and shockingly beat Bournemouth keeper, Kepa, right at his near post. Eight minutes later, the hosts led for the first time in the afternoon. Vitaly Janelt picked up the ball in the middle of the park before playing the perfect ball into the feet of Wissa. The Brentford star man took the ball in his stride before dinking the ball over the outcoming Kepa and making it 3-2. The Cherries came so close to equalising with the last kick of the game when Dean Huijsen saw his header rattle the crossbar before Antonie Semenyo’s effort was heroically blocked by Wissa. When referee Darren Bond blew his full time whistle, Brentford saw the game out to pick up a huge 3 points against a strong Bournemouth side. The Bees sit 11th in the table on 16 points while Bournemouth sit 12th on 15.

 

 

Brighton vs Manchester City

 

The next game of the matchweek was a greatly anticipated fixture down the South Coast, with Fabian Hurzeler’s Brighton hosting Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City at the Amex Stadium. After a convincing start, the champions found the lead in the 23rd minute after Mr inevitable, Erling Haaland, popped up with his 12th goal of the season. Mateo Kovacic played a brilliant pass into the feet of Haaland where the Norwegian held off the challenge from Jan Paul van Hecke. Haaland’s initial shot was blocked by the underside of keeper Bart Verbruggen’s arm but the Golden Boot winner was quick to bundle home the seconds and give City the lead. The Citizens certainly dominated the rest of the half and were unfortunate not to have a 2 or even 3 goal lead at the break. Hurzeler would have been satisfied his players defended well enough to keep the game at 0-1 but knew they needed to play much better in the next 45 minutes if they were to get a result.

 

Brighton came at City with a real purpose in the next period and forced Brazilian shot stopper, Ederson, into some great saves to keep them at bay. After missing an amount of really well worked chances in the 2nd half, it was a very scrapy goal that saw the Seagulls tie the game in the 77th minute. Kaoru Mitoma crossed in a ball from the left which saw City forced to make a number of blocks to keep out Brighton strikers, Joao Pedro and Danny Welbeck. Eventually, after the City defender struggled to clear the ball with any conviction, the returning Pedro (from injury) poked the ball in to tie the game. Just 6 minutes later, Brighton completed their turnaround when another player returning from injury scored. Welbeck received the ball outside the penalty from Carlos Baleba where he quickly played the ball to Pedro. The Brazilian then sliced open the City defence with a wonderful through ball which saw new signing, Matt O’Riley, place the ball into the bottom right corner to all but seal the win for Brighton. City did have a huge chance to equalise in the 6th minute of stoppage time through their goal scoring centre half, Josko Gvardiol, but the Croatian put the header just wide. Brighton held out for a huge 3 points, not just for themselves but for Liverpool as well who played a couple hours later. Hurzeler’s side sit 6th in the league on 19 points while Pep’s team lose their 4th game on the bounce and stay in 2nd.

 

 

Tottenham Hotspur vs Ipswich Town

 

The third game played on Sunday afternoon starred Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham hosting Scott McKenna’s Ipswich at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Both teams got off to a good start with Spurs forward Brennan Johnson missing an open net and Ipswich/Aussie centre half, Cameroon Burgess, hitting the upright after a Leif Davis corner. The Tractor Boys finally broke the deadlock after 31 minutes when Sam Szmodics scored in acrobatic fashion. Jens Cajuste’s cross in from the right wing was flicked over to the back post by main man Liam Delap. Delap’s header sat up kindly for Szmodics who scored with a wonderful bicycle kick to register his 3rd goal of the season. Just 2 minutes before the interval, Ipswich doubled their advantage with Szmodics and Delap combining yet again. Szmodics’ cross from the left wing was diverted almost over the line by Spurs defender, Radu Dragusin, where Delap was quick to poach the goal over the line and claim it as his own. At half time the score stood at 0-2 to the Tractor Boys with Ange left staring down yet another embarrassing defeat.

 

Spurs came out for the 2nd half playing much better, with Dominic Solanke scoring off  Pedro Porro’s corner 3 minutes into the half. Unfortunately for Spurs, the goal was chalked off as Solanke volleyed the ball into his own wrist. Finally, the hosts scored their first goal of the afternoon in the 67th minute. Once again from a Porro corner, Rodrigo Bentancur brilliantly headed the ball into the top right corner in hope of a late Spurs comeback. Tottenham came so close to equalising in the 5th minute of stoppage time when Solanke saw his effort from close range brilliantly saved by Ipswich keeper Arijanet Muric. The score stood at 1-2 when the full time whistle was blown with McKenna and his side winning their first game in the top flight of English football in over 22 years. Ipswich shot out of the relegation zone into 17th place on 8 points. Spurs drop into 10th on 16 points with the home fans booing their players off the pitch, crying out for some consistency in performances.

 

 

Written by Ollie Wade – Read the rest of Matchweek 11 at Premier League Matchweek 11 24/25 – Kickoff chronicles

 

 

Ollie Wade is a Grade 11 student who dabbles in sports writing, He plays for the Barossa United Senior Men’s Team.

 

To return to our Footy Almanac home page click HERE.

 

Our writers are independent contributors. The opinions expressed in their articles are their own. They are not the views, nor do they reflect the views, of Malarkey Publications.

 

Do you enjoy the Almanac concept?

And want to ensure it continues in its current form, and better? To help things keep ticking over please consider making your own contribution.

Become an Almanac (annual) member – click HERE.