Four things you might have missed from the Premier League as Nkunku breaks his Stamford Bridge duck | OneFootball

As the Premier League season approaches what Sir Alex Ferguson once referred to as “squeaky-bum time,” four matches were played this evening to kick off Round 27.

Three of these fixtures began at 7:30 PM. The first featured Brighton hosting high-flying Bournemouth, with only three points separating the teams before the match. In another game, a resurgent Crystal Palace welcomed the inconsistent Aston Villa, while relegation-threatened Wolves took on Fulham.

In the later match, Chelsea, who have struggled to maintain their form after a promising spell that led many to consider them as potential championship contenders, faced off against bottom-placed Southampton at Stamford Bridge.

Even with a handful of games taking place, it’s easy to miss key moments. But don’t worry—Squawka is here to highlight what you may have overlooked.

Kluivert makes Bournemouth history

Heading into this season, Justin Kluivert had recorded double figures in goals only once during his nine previous top-flight campaigns. That achievement occurred in his second year at his boyhood club, Ajax, where he scored ten goals in 30 appearances. However, he surpassed that mark in the 2024/25 season with his goal against Nottingham Forest at home.

This latest effort at Brighton also marked a milestone for Bournemouth, as Kluivert became the first player in the club’s history to score ten away goals in a single Premier League season. It’s notable that each of Kluivert’s last three Premier League goals has come from outside the penalty area. This feat ties him for the joint-most goals scored from distance by a Bournemouth player in a Premier League season, alongside Joshua King in 2016/17 and Harry Wilson in 2019/20.

Kluivert’s goal equalised the match after João Pedro had given Brighton the lead with a penalty in the 12th minute. Despite their efforts, Andoni Iraola’s men could not secure a point or add to their tally, as Danny Welbeck’s introduction off the bench helped Brighton clinch all three points at the Amex.

Sarr loves Villa

Some players perform better against specific teams, which can bring out their best qualities. A recent example is Mohamed Salah, who shines when playing against Manchester City.

Another less prominent instance is Ismaïla Sarr’s performance against Aston Villa.

Sarr opened the scoring at Selhurst Park, before scoring Crystal Palace’s third — all four of his four Premier League braces have now come at different grounds (Vicarage Road, Carrow Road, Amex Stadium, Selhurst Park) — marking his 15th and 16th goals in the Premier League, with five of those strikes coming against Villa.

Notably, he has scored or assisted in all five of his Premier League matches against Villa, accumulating five goals and two assists. Furthermore, Sarr became only the third Crystal Palace player to score a Premier League goal on his birthday, following Christian Benteke (who scored against Bournemouth in 2016) and Luka Milivojevic (who scored against Southampton in 2018).

Additionally, this first goal marked a troubling trend for Aston Villa, as they have conceded the opening goal in each of their last five Premier League matches—their longest streak since April 2016, when they conceded in 10 consecutive games.

Morgan Rogers initially leveled the score for Villa, but Sarr, Jean-Philippe Mateta, and substitute Eddie Nketiah contributed to yet another away loss for Unai Emery’s team.

Fulham not wasting time at Molineux

In football, it is often said that how you start sets the tone for the rest of the game. A quick start can reveal a lot about a team that is on the front foot, typically indicating a well-executed play developed during training. Conversely, conceding an early goal reflects a lack of alertness from the defending team.

Fulham demonstrated this at Molineux this evening when Ryan Sessegnon scored just 58 seconds into the match, marking the club’s fourth earliest Premier League goal on record since 2006-07. Wolves equalised with a goal from João Gomes, leaving the score tied at halftime.

However, immediately after the break, Fulham regained the lead with a goal from Rodrigo Muniz. This match marked the first time Fulham has scored in the opening two minutes of both halves in a Premier League game. Once again, Fulham was alert and prepared, while the hosts were caught off guard.

Nkunku ends Stamford Bridge drought

At the 15th time of asking, Christopher Nkunku finally scored his first Premier League goal at Stamford Bridge, a 24th-minute opener against Southampton. This was his first goal at home in England’s top division. It’s important to note that Nkunku had scored eight goals for Chelsea at the Bridge before this, including a hat-trick against Barrow in the EFL Cup earlier this season. However, this goal was significant as it symbolised getting the proverbial monkey off his back.

It’s also worth mentioning that in many of his previous appearances, Nkunku often came off the bench, limiting his time on the pitch and making it difficult for him to find his rhythm. Coincidentally, Southampton was also the team against which he last scored in the Premier League. This familiarity seemed to energise him, as he went on to assist Chelsea’s second goal scored by Pedro Neto and the third goal scored by Levi Colwill, helping Enzo Maresca’s side to a comfortable 3-0 lead at halftime.

Marc Cucurella scored Chelsea’s fourth goal late in the match, assisted by teenage winger Tyrique George, making his third appearance in the Premier League.

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