Premier League roundup: Brighton humble timid Chelsea, Spurs comeback to beat Bournemouth
Bournemouth - Tottenham 2-3
Rodrigo Bentancur scored a 92nd minute winner as Tottenham Hotspur fought from two goals down to salvage a dramatic 3-2 victory over Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.
Antonio Conte’s Spurs side have been underwhelming on the road of late, winning just one of their last six away assignments in all competitions, scoring just three goals in that run. While they may have settled into a controlling rhythm of possession early on the south coast, there was very little for Mark Travers to do in the Cherries net in the early going.
Kieffer Moore had an early sight at goal for the hosts and the Welshman was on hand to dispatch a lethal Bournemouth transition and give his side the lead. Dominic Solanke’s brilliant hold up play allowed him to slot a pinpoint reverse pass to Marcus Tavernier on the right, and the winger made no mistake finding Moore to drill his effort past a helpless Hugo Lloris.
The omens were not good for Tottenham, having failed to score on their previous two visits to the Vitality Stadium and facing a Bournemouth side that have avoided defeat in their 34 previous home league games in which they’ve scored the opening goal (W27, D7).
A positive end to the first half failed to inspire Conte’s side as their deficit was doubled within five minutes of the restart. Adam Smith’s cross from the right was met by a brutally powerful header from Moore that proved far too strong for Lloris. This time, Spurs were able to find a response and reduce the arrears through Ryan Sessegnon, brilliantly slotting home from an acute angle to change the complexion of the contest.
Pressure was mounting and eventually told on the Bournemouth rearguard as Travers, standing in for the injured Norberto Neto, failed to deal with a corner and gifted Tottenham an equaliser. The goalkeeper rushed out but failed to claim Son’s delivery, allowing Ben Davies to steer home his second goal in five years.
After relentlessly banging on the Bournemouth door, Spurs completed a sensational comeback to seal all three points in stoppage time. After failing to clear a delivery into their area, Bentancur punished the Cherries with a brilliantly controlled volley which left Travers very little chance to keep it out. That dramatic winner keeps Tottenham above Newcastle United in third, subjecting Bournemouth to a third consecutive league loss in heartbreaking fashion.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Kieffer Moore (Bournemouth)
Brentford - Wolves 1-1
Both sides came into the game off the back of 4-0 defeats, but neither side got the reaction they wanted as they played out a 1-1 stalemate at the Brentford Community Stadium. Brentford came into the game having failed to win any of their three previous H2H’s against Wolves (D1, L2), who came into the game having only picked up two points on the road from the previous 30 that were available.
Wolves had an early chance to take the lead as Daniel Podence found himself in a good position but his weak effort was comfortably saved by David Raya. Diego Costa then had an opportunity for the visitors as he latched onto a lofted pass towards the penalty spot but he sent his header wide of the post. The hosts went close shortly after as Josh Dasilva fired narrowly wide of the post after collecting the ball on the edge of the area and letting his strike loose.
The Bees took the lead early in the second half as Ben Mee got on the end of Bryan Mbuemo’s cross with a powerful volley. The game had sprung into life after a quiet first half with Wolves finding a response instantly, as Rúben Neves found the right side of the net with a delightful effort from the edge of the box. Wolves had another chance through Costa, as the striker received the ball on the edge of the area and turned before firing towards goal but it was a comfortable save from Raya.
Costa had yet another chance for the visitors but again he was denied by Raya, as the striker was unable to generate enough power to trouble the Spaniard. Brentford had an opportunity to take the lead, but Ivan Toney set a great chance begging as he failed to direct his header goalwards and sent it wide. Wolves received a red card deep into injury tiem, as Costa was deemed to have headbutted Ben Mee. Neither side was able to find a winning goal, as Wolves remain in 18th place, struggling to find form, while Brentford remain around mid-table.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Rúben Neves (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Brighton - Chelsea 4-1
Graham Potter suffered defeat for the first time as Chelsea boss, losing 4-1 to his former employers Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium. In the process, Roberto De Zerbi picked up his first victory since taking over from Potter.
The hosts wasted absolutely no time in taking the game to Chelsea, as Leandro Trossard lobbed Kepa Arrizabalaga, only for Thiago Silva to head the ball clear from the goal line. The Blues failed to heed that early warning and were behind within five minutes after a high press allowed Kaoru Mitoma to slip in Trossard, whose close control took him past Kepa to squeeze in the opener. With less than 15 minutes played, a Solly March corner was then inadvertently turned in off the underside of the crossbar by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, giving the visitors a mountain to climb.
Shell-shocked, Chelsea searched for a response but a second own-goal on the stroke of HT all but sealed the points for the Seagulls. Pervis Estupiñán raced down the left wing before squaring, persuading Trevoh Chalobah to slide in and unwittingly turn the ball past Kepa.
Kai Havertz had scored three goals for Chelsea this season, each coming after the break, and right on cue, the German delivered another. Conor Gallagher whipped in a dangerous ball to the far post after good work from Loftus-Cheek, leaving Havertz to head home and reignite Chelsea hope.
The Blues pushed hard for a second goal, but Brighton held firm, and capped off a dream afternoon with a stoppage-time goal from Pascal Groß to claim a first H2H win since 1933 when these sides met for the first time. As for Chelsea, the demoralising defeat leaves them fifth in the Premier League, just three points ahead of Brighton in seventh.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Leandro Trossard (Brighton & Hove Albion)
Crystal Palace - Southampton 1-0
Crystal Palace defeated a dogged Southampton side 1-0 in a hard-fought victory, making it four wins in seven games at home this season.
Patrick Vieira’s Crystal Palace side dominated proceedings right from the off, and Wilfried Zaha looked in the mood, as his dangerous ball fired across the face of goal should have been tapped in, but Odsonne Édouard missed the chance by a matter of inches. Southampton were struggling to create any chances, though Ché Adams provided a timely warning to Palace as he was slipped through on goal before his shot smacked the post.
Palace duly took heed of the warning, and Édouard thought he had opened the scoring after slotting in past Gavin Bazunu, but his celebrations were cut short after a VAR check found Michael Olise to be offside before providing the assist. However, Édouard was celebrating again a few minutes later, and this time his opening goal stood. Zaha won the ball in the Saints half before feeding Tyrick Mitchell who flashed the ball into the box, and the French striker tapped in at the near post to send his side into HT with a deserved lead.
Southampton came out a much improved outfit in the second half and completely dominated the hosts. Vicente Guaita was called into action several times and the Spanish goalkeeper was in fantastic form, proving equal to everything as the Eagles held on for grim life. The shot stopper denied Adams on three different occasions, but the third was the most impressive, as he got down low to deny the Saints striker in a one-on-one situation.
The visitors continued to produce an attacking onslaught on the Eagles goal but the home side managed to weather the storm, and hold out for a well earned victory. The win sends the London outfit into the top half of the table, while Ralph Hasenhüttl’s Saints side sit just two points above the relegation zone heading into November.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Vicente Guaita (Crystal Palace)
Newcastle - Aston Villa 4-0
Not since the potent partnership of Demba Ba and Papiss Cissé back in the 2011-12 season have Newcastle made such a roaring start to a league campaign, collecting 24 points from their opening 13 games. Despite that lethal link-up firmly in the proverbial rear-view mirror, Eddie Howe’s men hammered Aston Villa 4-0 to add fuel to the fire that the Magpies could break into the top four for the first time in 20 years.
Newcastle have picked up 16 points in the month of October - more than any other team in the Premier League this month - but chances were few and far between in an elongated first period, due to a head injury to Villa keeper Emiliano Martínez until Howe’s side were awarded a penalty in first-half injury time. Ashley Young blocked a shot with his arm and Callum Wilson comfortably dispatched the penalty.
Boasting the strongest defensive record in the division, being the only club to have a record of under one goal conceded per game, Newcastle looked assured in defence throughout and clinical in attack. Within 13 minutes of the restart, they were 2-0 ahead. After a neat one-two with Miguel Almirón, Kieran Trippier clipped in a cross to Wilson at the back post who headed in his second in front of England manager, Gareth Southgate. Cue an Aston Villa capitulation. Just two minutes later it was three goals to the good through Joelinton’s close-range tap in before a resurgent Almirón curled in an unstoppable fourth to wrap up the points before the clock hit 70 minutes.
Villa’s hopes of securing consecutive victories in the Premier League for the first time since May were dashed and early optimism since Unai Emery’s appointment quickly evaporated. The irony of the Spaniard’s rejection of the North East club pre the Eddie Howe era should not be lost and now with the Magpies flying high in every sense of the word, there is an awful lot of work to be done down the A1 in Birmingham.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Callum Wilson (Newcastle United)
