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United KingdomThe four Premier League games played on Saturday produced some big results and a whole heap of goals. Here is what happened in those crucial games:
West Brom’s woeful Premier League continued, as the Baggies went down to a late goal at the Vitality Stadium.
The first half produced very little apart from a penalty appeal apiece, waved away by referee Graham Scott. However, four minutes into the second half, the visitors took the lead.
Salomon Rondon nodded a Kieran Gibbs cross down to Jay Rodriguez who turned and volleyed past Asmir Begovic in the home goal. The home side equalised with just 13 minutes left on the clock. Winger Jordon Ibe hit a low drive that beat bounced in front of Baggies ‘keeper Ben Foster before heading in.
With just a minute left on the clock, the Cherries scored grabbed a winning goal. Winger Junior Stanislas stepped up and curled a brilliant free-kick past Foster who had no chance of keeping it out.
The win moved Bournemouth into the top half of the table, eight points clear of the relegation zone. West Brom meanwhile are now ten points away from safety, while the majority of their rivals have games in-hand. The Baggies are red-hot favourites to suffer relegation this season.
Huddersfield 0-2 Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace recorded what could be a massive victory in the fight for survival at the bottom of the Premier League table.
The Eagles took the lead on 23 minutes. Centre-back James Tomkins poked home from inside the area from a Luka Milivojevic corner kick. Jonas Lossl saved the defenders first effort on goal, but he poked home from the rebound.
The Eagles second goal arrived on 68 minutes. Matias Jorgensen was adjudged to have brought down winger Andros Townsend in the penalty area. Palace captain Milivojevic stepped up and made no mistake from the penalty spot with a powerful effort.
The victory saw Palace move out of the relegation zone, two points clear of the drop zone. The result also leaves Huddersfield just three points clear of the dreaded bottom three and looking over their shoulders nervously.
Stoke suffered a massive blow in their bid for Premier League survival, as the Potters went down at home against the visitors from Merseyside.
In winter conditions, Stoke midfielder Charlie Adam saw a straight red card after sliding into a tackle with Everton’s Wayne Rooney. The Toffees did not make their one-man advantage counted until the 69th minute. Turkish striker Cenk Tosun header saw an initial effort saved but scored from close-range with the rebound.
It looked like Stoke were going to grab a point on 77 minutes, as substitute Eric Choupo-Moting fired home from close-range from a Joe Allen free-kick. However, that man Tosun struck again in the 84th minute to head home from Theo Walcott’s cross. The goal was the former Besiktas striker’s fourth in his last three Premier League appearances.
The defeat means that the home side are now three points away from safety, although 17th place West Ham also have a game in-hand. Everton will now likely want to push on and finish as high as possible after virtually ensuring their Premier League status.
Liverpool moved up to third-place in the league table with a 5-0 home thumping of Watford at Anfield. The biggest story of the game was a four-goal haul for Egyptian star Mohamed Salah, who has now scored an incredible 28 top-flight goals this season. The former Chelsea star is now the favourite to win this season’s golden boot.
Brazilian international Roberto Firmino also got on the scoresheet on a very good day for Jurgen Klopp’s side and one to forget for the visitors.
Who recorded the victory of the day on Saturday in the Premier League?
