Last Updated on: 29th May 2018, 04:14 pm
The 2013/14 Premier League season has had more twists and turns than most in previous years and this weekend continued to keep us guessing, with the top two playing each other and Manchester City travelling to inform Crystal Palace, it was going to be a big weekend at the top of the table.
In the early game on Sunday Liverpool hosted Chelsea knowing a win would put the title beyond Chelsea’s reach and effectively hand them their first Premiership Title. Liverpool started the game as they have in every other, attacking from the off, but Jose Mourinho used his tactical nous to stop the attacking threat posed by Liverpool and slow the game down by putting men behind the ball and closing down the space.
Despite Liverpool bossing the possession in the first half they were struggling to break down Chelsea’s defence and could only register one single shot on target in the first half. Despite this dominance in possession Chelsea had a strong claim for a penalty turned down by the referee, after Mohamed Salah’s shot struck the arm of Flanagan inside the area, and when Steven Gerrard slipped on the half way line Demba Ba was quick to react and run clean through on goal before comfortably finishing past Mignolet to put Chelsea 1-0 up at half time.
The second half followed the same pattern but once again Chelsea were holding strong and kept Liverpool at bay. Then, in the dying minutes of the game, ex Liverpool striker Fernando Torres broke clear and unselfishly played in Willian who slotted home from close range to put the result to bed.
With that game finished it was over to Manchester City to try to close the gap on the top to just three points and with the return of Yaya Toure they comfortably did so winning 2-0 against in form Palace at Selhurst Park.
Toure was involved in the first goal, a great ball into the box was just begging for someone to head it in and Edin Dzeko was on hand to score his 12 goal of the season before a great bit of passing play and a strong run from Toure finished off the game to leave them 3 points behind leaders Liverpool with a game in hand and better goal difference. Will Manchester City Win the League? Will Liverpool hold onto top spot? Who will slip up from now until the end of the season? It all points to City’s next game at Goodison Park being decisive, a win there will surely see City being crowned champions again at the end of the season.
At the bottom of the league it was just as intense, the bottom two clubs Sunderland and Cardiff played each other, Fulham hosted Hull City and Norwich travelled to play against Man Utd, with club legend and newly appointed manager Ryan Gigs in charge of his first game.
Fulham quickly sprung to a two goal lead and looked like piling on the pressure on the teams below them but the new Hull strike force of Jelavic and Long punished Fulham, the game ending 2-2 leaving Fulham despondent and with only an outside chance of avoiding the drop.
In the late kick off on Saturday evening, new manager Ryan Giggs won his first game in charge smashing four goals past struggling Norwich to compound their misery.
A high noon kick off on Sunday at the stadium of light saw Sunderland run out 4-0 winners against Cardiff to leave the welsh club bottom of the Premier League and all but doomed to relegation back to the Championship.
The three teams in the relegation zone seem to have it all to do now but who do you think will be the three to go down? Will Aston Villa get dragged into the battle? Can Fulham manage a surprise escape?
Tags: EPL, football, liverpool fc, man city, premier league, steven gerrard, yaya toure