Burnley 2 – Leicester City 1
Sean Dyche’s team play scrappy football which is intense in the air and feisty in nature. They don’t care much for the ball, possesion and style of football they play. This season has been unusual as both Burnley and Bournemouth strengths have been tested. While Bournemouth have not been creative and attacking like previous seasons, Burnley’s defense has let them down at many occasions. However, one trait that was consistent in today’s match was the character of the team is intact. The players remained feisty when following Sean Dyche’s plan of finding forwards on the counter and through set pieces. Those opportunities are conditional on the opponents and Burnley were lucky to survive the match with not just a draw but all three points. Burnley climb to 27 points but certainly remain in relegation battle at least for next few rounds.
Leicester City did not play badly and probably should’ve had a penalty. VAR did not have a closer look at Ben Mee put his elbow out to block a shot late in the second half. Replays begged a penalty, but no review was signalled via television or referee. Moments later the Foxes cringed as Evans, a decent enough defender, made a careless error to allow Westwood to thump home from close range. Not only that, but Praet appeared to be fouled in the build-up to the opening goal. VAR didn’t find anything. Leicester do need to improve on their defensive discipline. They’ve got too used to resorting to badly timed tackles, a habit they can only get rid of when the mistakes at the back are cut down. Surely, Rodgers must be planning to bring in defensive reinforcements this summer.
Liverpool 2 – Manchester United 0
With the three points at Anfield and everyone else around them continuing to drop points, it seems a matter of eventual inevitability. The question is no longer about whether Liverpool will win the title, it is whether this team will create a invincible’s legacy which only one team did in entire premier league history and not expected to occur ever again ( Unless Liverpool does it… ). Liverpool were not dominant throughout 90 minutes as some premier league fans may have expected. However, the game showed just why this is Liverpool’s season. The midfield with players like Henderson and Wijnaldum was not perfect but never fails to deliver or try hard. The front three are always charging ahead and that’s the only way they know how to play the game.
Man United may be able to lay claim to being the only team to stopping Liverpool securing a Premier League win this season, but they couldn’t go one step further and do it away from home. To be fair to the red team of Manchester, there were a quite incredible amount of missed gilt-edged opportunities and if any of them could have been taken, we would have been talking about the Manchester team in same manner as it was done at Old Trafford. While Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would be wondering what would have happened if Rashford was available of transfer of Haaland had happened, players on the pitch clearly showed that this was not the same Manchester United team of 90’s which was ruthless in finishing and taking their chances. In fact it was 90th minute which showed clearly that tides had turned now in favor of Merseyside again.
