Saturdays Premier Round Up (2nd March)

[bennythedip2]

Premier League round-up:

Manchester United put to test by Southampton, North London derby draw, slim win for Manchester City (March 02, 2019)

A review of Saturday's top-flight action...

Premier League results

Tottenham Hotspur 1-1 Arsenal
AFC Bournemouth 0-1 Manchester City
Brighton and Hove Albion 1-0 Huddersfield Town
Burnley 1-3 Crystal Palace
Manchester United 3-2 Southampton
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-0 Cardiff City
West Ham United 2-0 Newcastle United

Man United made to work by Southampton

Romelu Lukaku's brace sealed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Manchester United a thrilling comeback win against struggling Southampton on an afternoon of exceptional goals.

While a lot has changed in the three months since Jose Mourinho's Reds overcame a two-goal deficit to frustrate Mark Hughes' men, these sides still managed to throw up another helter-skelter goal-fest.

Yan Valery's 25-yard piledriver stunned Old Trafford into silence midway through the first half but Andreas Pereira drew United level seven minutes into the second half with a fine curling effort.

Pereira then teed up Lukaku as United retook the lead on the hour and the Belgian would have the final say - after James Ward-Prowse equalised with a sublime free-kick - with a fantastic finish in the last minute.

Paul Pogba saw his injury-time spot-kick saved but United held on.
Southampton celebrate Yan Valery's stunning goal against Man United at Old Trafford
Southampton celebrate Yan Valery's stunning goal against Man United at Old Trafford

Kane and Lloris to the rescue for Spurs on derby day

Harry Kane continued his love affair with scoring against Arsenal while Hugo Lloris saved a 90th-minute penalty as Tottenham forced a 1-1 draw in a pulsating north London derby at Wembley.

After Kane had rattled in a 74th-minute spot-kick to cancel out Aaron Ramsey's first-half opener, Lloris then kept out Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's 12-yard effort out to ensure a first Premier League draw for Spurs in 33 games.

It was Kane's ninth goal in nine Premier League games against the Gunners, but Lloris' stop was even more important as it ensured Spurs avoided three successive defeats, which would have left Tottenham's chances of sealing a place in the top four in serious jeopardy.

Both penalty decisions were soft, with Kane appearing offside, while Unai Emery's side finished with 10 men after Lucas Torreira was sent off in stoppage time for a foul on Danny Rose.

Mauricio Pochettino, celebrating his 47th birthday, was happy with the gifts Kane and Lloris provided as his side's lead over Arsenal looked like being cut to one point, having been 10 before last weekend.

It remains at four points, but the race for the Champions League places, which also involves Manchester United and Chelsea, hots up.

Citizens' victory at Bournemouth comes at a price

Manchester City moved back to the top of the Premier League but lost Kevin de Bruyne to injury in a 1-0 victory over Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.

De Bruyne has been beset by injury problems this season and concerns would have been heightened when he pulled up shortly before half-time under no pressure.

His replacement Riyad Mahrez proved City's saviour on the south coast as they moved two points clear of Liverpool ahead of Sunday afternoon's Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.

Mahrez collected the ball on the right side of the area in the 55th minute before slicing a low drive beyond Bournemouth goalkeepeer Artur Boruc, who arguably should have done better at his near post.

Sporting Life has the Cheltenham Festival covered from every angle
The Cheltenham Festival is just over a week away and Sporting Life will have every angle covered

Boruc atoned for his error with a fine save to deny the Algerian in the closing stages, moments after Sergio Aguero had seen an audacious effort from distance clatter the crossbar.

City were never seemed in danger of conceding - they had 23 shots at goal to their opponent's zero - as they claimed a fifth consecutive league win.

Wolves bounce back as Cardiff lose third in a row

Quickfire goals from Diogo Jota and Raul Jimenez piled the relegation pressure on Cardiff as slick Wolves claimed a routine win.

The duo struck in the first half to ensure the hosts broke their Premier League points record with a 2-0 victory.

Wolves sit seventh on 43 points as they continue to chase Europe, having lost just four times in their last 19 games in all competitions, reaching the FA Cup quarter finals in the process.

Cardiff have now shipped 10 goals in their last three games and also lost Sol Bamba to injury.

Neil Warnock's side remain third bottom, two points from the Premier League safety line, after a third straight defeat, with Aron Gunnarsson wasting their best chances.

Palace in Turf Moor raid

Crystal Palace moved eight points clear of the Premier League relegation zone with a comprehensive 3-1 victory over Burnley at Turf Moor.

The teams began the day locked together on 30 points but Palace had much the better of things under grey Lancashire skies, with Michy Batshuayi and Wilfried Zaha adding to an own goal from Phil Bardsley.

Ashley Barnes pulled one back late on for Burnley but it was little consolation.

Seagulls in first league win of 2019

Brighton grabbed their first Premier League victory of 2019 at the eighth attempt with a 1-0 win over Huddersfield.

The victory halted a slide that had threatened to drag the Seagulls from mid-table at Christmas into the bottom three.

Substitute Florin Andone scored the only goal after 79 minutes of a nervy encounter with his fourth league goal of the season to give his side three points that they just about deserved for an improved second-half display.

Huddersfield had won for the first time in 15 matches in midweek, but back-to-back victories proved beyond them. They are without an away league goal in 452 minutes since Mathias Jorgensen scored in their 3-1 loss at Manchester United on Boxing Day.

Hammers see off Magpies

Declan Rice passed his latest England audition as West Ham ended Newcastle's recent revival with a 2-0 victory.

Rice, who last month switched allegiances from the Republic of Ireland to the country of his birth, scored the opening goal and put in another classy display in front of watching Three Lions assistant Steve Holland.

Mark Noble added West Ham's second from the penalty spot to inflict only a second defeat in seven matches on Newcastle.

It was fitting that two tenacious midfielders were on the scoresheet on the day West Ham paid tribute to their original enforcer.

They officially opened the Billy Bonds Stand in honour of their former captain and record appearance maker, and the great and the good of West Ham including Sir Trevor Brooking, Alvin Martin, Pop Robson and Brian Dear, gave the 72-year-old a guard of honour.

Bonds was never capped by England but Rice is expected to receive his first call-up when Gareth Southgate names his latest squad on March 13, providing the paperwork goes through in time.