Almanac Soccer: English Premier League Matchweek 33 Highlights 24/25

 

Premier League Matchweek 33 Highlights 24/25

Premier League Matchweek 33 saw some exciting and high scoring encounters as well as some dramatic comebacks.

 

Brentford vs Brighton Hove & Albion

The opening fixture of Matchweek 33 saw Thomas Frank’s Brentford host Fabian Hurzeler’s Brighton at the Gtech Stadium. Brentford made an electric start to the fixture, attacking quickly at Brighton and finding the opener inside 10 minutes. Keane Lewis-Potter made a brilliant driving run through the pitch from his left back position before he threaded the ball into the path of main man Bryan Mbeumo. Mbeumo took one touch before slotting the ball into the bottom left corner to make it 1-0. This was a bit of a wake-up call for Brighton who switched on after conceding early. The travelling side equalised in first half stoppage time after Mats Wieffer chipped the ball into the Brentford penalty area from the right wing. Striker Danny Welbeck then showed great strength to hold off the challenge from Christian Norgaard before leaning back to head the ball into the bottom left corner to score his 9th of the season. The half-time score finished 1-1 with both sides playing out a very entertaining 45 minutes.

Once again, Mbeumo and Brentford made a quick start to the half, scoring inside three minutes. Yoane Wissa poked the ball back out to Mbeumo who had occupied some space in the corner of the Brighton penalty area. He then cracked a shot, watching as his effort crept all the way into the bottom left corner, his 18th goal of this Premier League campaign as he has now doubled his season best of nine. Brentford then made it 3-1 in the 58th minute after Mikkel Damsgaard played a wonderful ball down the right wing over to Mbeumo. Mbeumo then cut the ball back into the penalty area where Wissa saw his first time effort catch a deflection, guiding the ball past Brighton keeper Bart Verbruggen. Things then got even worse for Brighton as Joao Pedro was shown a red card after he kicked out on Nathan Collins after being fouled. It was deemed ‘violent conduct’ by VAR as Pedro was sent off. Brighton still managed to find their way back into the game though with Kaoru Mitoma scoring in the 81st minute. Jack Hinshelwood played a lovely ball into the penalty area where Mitoma was able to place it into the bottom right corner and around Brentford keeper Mark Flekken. Despite conceding a second goal, Brentford were able to restore their two goal cushion in stoppage time after Mathias Jensen’s free kick delivery was perfectly headed into the bottom left corner by Norgaard. The full time score finished 4-2, with Brentford putting in a solid performance to claim a huge three points. The Bees remain 11th on the table while Brighton sit just one spot above in 10th.

 

Aston Villa vs Newcastle United

The final game of Matchweek 33 on Saturday evening was an absolute cracker with two teams in brilliant form fighting it out for points going towards a potential Champions League place, Unai Emery’s Aston Villa and Jason Tindall’s Newcastle United at Villa Park.  (Newcastle manager Eddie Howe is unfortunately in the hospital due to a case of pneumonia) Aston Villa made an electric start to the tie when they opened the scoring after just 30 seconds. Youri Tielemans intercepted the ball right outside the penalty area where he immediately played a sharp ball into the path of Ollie Watkins. The English striker cut back onto his right foot before he cracked a shot, watching as his effort deflected off the shin of Fabian Schar before creeping into the bottom left corner. Villa then came inches away from doubling their advantage after Watkins’ second shot of the evening from inside the Newcastle penalty area rattled off the underside of the crossbar and away from the danger zone. After a dominant start to the game from Villa, Newcastle equalised out of nowhere in the 18th minute after Harvey Barnes crossed in a ball from the left wing. Schar made amends for Watkins’ goal in the opening minute when he rose high to head the ball through the legs of Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez to make it 1-1. Just before the half hour mark, Watkins came so close to restoring Villa’s lead after his header from Marco Asensio’s free kick rattled the frame of Nick Pope’s goal. The half time score stood at 1-1 with Villa showing no signs of tiredness after their recent Champions League quarter final tie with PSG where they were unfortunately knocked out 5-4 after both legs.

Villa made an excellent start to the second period, finding the lead once again. Morgan Rogers made a brilliant run through the middle of the pitch where he played the ball into Asensio. Asensio passed the ball first time to Watkins where Watkins held the play before knocking the ball into the path of Ian Maatsen. The Dutch full-back then smashed the ball into the far right of Pope’s goal, scoring his first ever Premier League goal. Villa then all but wrapped up the three points in the 73rd minute after substitute Jacob Ramsey made a positive run down the left wing. The young Villa star then drilled the ball across the penalty area, watching as it deflected off the boot of unfortunate Newcastle centre half Dan Burn as it went down as a Burn own goal. Moments later, Villa scored their 4th in spectacular fashion. Just after he saw his solo effort spectacularly saved by Pope, Rogers received the ball again inside the Newcastle penalty area from Ramsey where he poked the ball back out to substitute Amadou Onana. Onana then rifled the ball into the top left corner beautifully, his goal quite clearly the best of the bunch. The full time score finished 4-1, with Villa putting an end to Newcastle’s brilliant run of form in devastating fashion. Villa claim a huge three points in the race for Champions League qualification as they move into 6th on 57 points while Newcastle remain 3rd on 59.

 

Fulham vs Chelsea

The first game on Easter Sunday played in Matchweek 33 saw Marco Silva’s Fulham host Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea at Craven Cottage. Fulham made a much stronger start to the tie and thought they’d opened the scoring inside three minutes after Andreas Pereira tapped the ball home from close range. Unfortunately for the hosts, Ryan Sessegnon was offside twice in the build up. The Cottagers finally found a deserved lead in the 20th minute after Sessegnon made a brilliant challenge on Chelsea skipper Reece James to turn the play over. He then progressed down the left wing before finding Alex Iwobi on the edge of the Blues’ penalty area. The Nigerian took one touch with his right before thrashing the ball into the far bottom corner with his left, Iwobi’s 9th of the season. Fulham continued to frustrate Chelsea for the remaining minutes of the half as the score at the interval stood at 1-0, Fulham hoping to do a domestic double over their biggest rivals.

Chelsea came out much stronger for the second period, causing all sorts of problems for Fulham. Pedro Neto in particular was the main man for Chelsea, coming so close to scoring in the 56th minute after his powerful effort was somehow deflected away from goal by the legs of Fulham shot stopper Bernd Leno. Chelsea finally found a deserved equaliser in the 83rd minute after young academy product and super sub, Tyrique George, scored his first ever Premier League goal. A long ball over to the right wing was brilliantly chested down into the feet of Cole Palmer by wide man Neto. Palmer was slow to react to Neto’s pass though, with Fulham captain Antonee Robinson managing to tackle the Englishman, only for the ball to fall to George. The 19-year-old then smashed the ball on the turn, watching as it flew past Leno and into the bottom corner. With only minutes to play in stoppage time, Chelsea completed a dramatic turnaround, scoring in the 93rd minute to win a huge three points against their local rivals. Palmer played the ball out wide to Enzo Fernandez who drilled the ball back into the penalty area with his first touch. Neto then took a brilliant first touch on his right before he spun around and rifled the ball into the roof of the net with a bullet of a strike on his left boot. The full time score finished 1-2, with Chelsea getting revenge on Fulham after they claimed a late win last time these sides played at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea claim a huge win away from home in the fight for the Champions League qualification spots as they sit 5th on the table with 57 points, just two points separating Newcastle in 3rd and Villa in 7th. Fulham drop to 9th on the table after a disappointing end to the fixture with 48 points.

 

Written by Ollie Wade – Read the rest of Matchweek 33 at Premier League Matchweek 33 24/25 – Kickoff chronicles

 

 

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