10 biggest talking points in the Premier League - Gameweek 19 | OneFootball

Gameweek 19 of the 2023/24 Premier League season has officially come to an end - and what a gameweek it was. Arguably the most intriguing match of the gameweek saw high-flying Aston Villa travel to Old Trafford to take on Manchester United. The Red Devils enjoyed arguably their best result of the campaign so far as they came from 2-0 down to win 3-2.

Elsewhere, Liverpool cruised to a comfortable victory against Burnley, Manchester City came from behind to beat Everton at Goodison Park, Arsenal endured more VAR controversy at home to West Ham, and Tottenham Hostpur's late comeback wasn't enough to prevent defeat at the hands of Brighton.

At the other end of the table, Luton beat Sheffield United in a clash between two sides battling against relegation, while there were also wins for Chelsea, Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

GIVEMESPORT have decided to take a look at the biggest talking points from Gameweek 19 in the Premier League. Check them out below...

1 Estupinan belter stuns Spurs

The 25-year-old marked his return from injury in some style

Pervis Estupinan enjoyed a memorable night as the Ecuadorian full-back made a triumphant return from injury, capping it off with a stunning strike as the Seagulls dismantled Tottenham. Collecting the ball from at least thirty yards out, Estupinan took a couple of touches before unleashing a powerful shot into the top corner. He celebrated by running straight to the camera and proclaiming 'I'm back.'

The defender's goal was the icing on the cake for De Zerbi's side, although they had to weather a nervy final ten minutes. Despite a late comeback attempt with Alejo Veliz netting his first Premier League goal and a rare finish from Ben Davies, Ange Postecoglu's men fell short, losing ground in the race for the top four.

2 VAR strikes again at the Emirates

Controversy as West Ham get one over on Rice

VAR couldn’t stay out of the headlines this festive season as West Ham put a massive dent into Arsenal’s title hopes. The Gunners knew that a win would put them back at the top of the table before their final fixture of 2023. However, things took a horrible turn when Tomas Soucek tapped home to give the Hammers an early lead.

There was a lengthy VAR check to see whether the ball had crossed the line from Jarrod Bowen’s initial cut back. It was ruled there was no clear and obvious error, therefore the goal stood. The lead was then doubled as Kostas Mavroponas scored against his former club.

Arsenal squandered plenty of chances to get back into the game and also saw VAR turn down a late penalthy appeal from Bukayo Saka. The result sees David Moyes’ side climb up into the Europa League spots.

3 Luton Town win again

In a first for the Hatters this season, Rob Edwards' men managed to secure two wins from as many games against Sheffield United. However, they might owe their success more to their opponents' misfortunes in front of goal than their own strikers.

In what was a must-win for both the relegation candidates, The Blades held a 2-1 advantage going into the final quarter of an hour. However, in a surprising turn of events, five minutes and two own goals later, Chris Wilder's side made history by becoming the first team to concede two own goals in the final 15 minutes of a game, thereby handing their opponents the points.

The outcome now positions Luton just one point adrift from safety, and with a game in hand on the teams above them, their prospects are looking more optimistic.

4 Rasmus Hojlund finally gets off the mark

After a wait of 15 Premier League games, Danish international Rasmus Hojlund chose the perfect moment to score his first domestic goal for Manchester United.

Coinciding with the official announcement of Sir Jim Ratcliffe's acquisition of a 25% stake in the club, the Red Devils experienced a challenging start to their new era. By halftime, Aston Villa had established complete control and had a 2-0 lead to boot. However, the second half told a completely different story. One akin to those told by Manchester United teams of years gone by.

The turnaround was orchestrated by the Argentinian wonderkid Alejandro Garnacho, who scored twice before Hojlund seized the spotlight by burying an instinctive volley past Emi Martinez. The final whistle brought evident joy to both youngsters, highlighted by their post match interview where they showed their affection for one another.

5 Bournemouth's incredible run continues

The Cherries have won six of their last seven games

Bournemouth's remarkable form continued as they dismantled a Fulham side experiencing vastly different circumstances. Goals from Justin Kluivert and Luis Sinisterra, bookending a Dominic Solanke penalty, propelled The Cherries to a resounding victory, extending their unbeaten streak to seven games. This achievement equals their best run in the Premier League, previously set in the 2017/2018 season. Solanke's contribution saw him take his tally to 12 league goals in the 2023/24 campaign, surpassing his previous best in the competition.

On the flip side, Fulham's defeat marks a disappointing sequence of three losses in a row, contrasting sharply with their two consecutive 5-0 victories in the preceding matches. Marco Silva will be hoping that they can end the year with a good result by securing an upset over Arsenal.

6 Manchester City beat Everton after penalty controversy

Sean Dyche was fuming at the decision to give City a spot-kick

Manchester City, fresh from being crowned world champions, resumed domestic duties against an Everton side that had won four out of six league games following their points deduction. Initially, it appeared The Toffees might continue their impressive run when Jack Harrison unexpectedly gave them the lead.

However, City turned the tide, albeit not without controversy. Evertonians were incensed by a decision penalizing Belgian midfielder Onana for handling in the penalty box. The subsequent spot kick, converted by Julian Alvarez, propelled the visitors into the lead, a position they maintained until the final whistle. Manager Sean Dyche expressed his fury at the call, while former referee Dermot Gallagher characterised the incident as 'a modern-day penalty.'

7 Sam Allison makes history

Allison became second black referee in Premier League history

On a more positive front, gameweek 19 was a landmark one for the Premier League and for referee Sam Allison. The 42-year-old became the first black person to officiate a Premier League game since 2008 as he took charge of Luton Town’s visit to Bramall Lane. It was a reasonably quiet afternoon for the former firefighter, but one that is bound to live long in the memory.

PGMOL chief Howard Webb was full of praise for Allison ahead of the Boxing Day clash, saying his appointment came after a string of strong performances in EFL fixtures. The positivity continued post match, with fans impressed with the ex-Bournemouth footballer’s approach to proceedings.

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Newcastle United endured a forgettable Boxing Day as they were haunted by a ghost from their Christmas past. Chris Wood's hat-trick against his former club propelled Nottingham Forest to their first win under Nuno Espirito Santos, allowing them to climb further away from the relegation zone.

Wood's three goals in the match surpassed his best goal-scoring tally in a league season under Eddie Howe. The striker thrived on Forest's counter-attacking approach, with the likes of Anthony Elanga and Morgan Gibbs-White causing havoc.

The defeat adds pressure on Howe, with Newcastle having lost four out of their last five league fixtures. Considering the team's recent struggles with injuries, Howe will be hopeful of the return of key players to help reverse the tide.

Mauricio Pochettino's strategic shift towards youth reaped rewards as Chelsea secured only their seventh Premier League victory in the 2023/24 season. A late Noni Madueke penalty secured all three points in a match where Crystal Palace might feel aggrieved, as their performance merited at least a point.

The Chelsea lineup that graced the field marked their youngest in Premier League history, boasting an average age of just 23 years and 284 days. This renders them the youngest side since 2017 and positions them as the eighth-youngest team in the history of the Premier League.

The Korean bagged a brace the heap more misery on The Bees

Hwang Hee-Chan celebrated his new five-year contract in perfect fashion as Wolves’ top scorer helped his side secure a comfortable away win against Brentford. Having secured a new deal last week, the Korean international took his tally to 11 in all competitions.

The win sees Wolves move level on points with Chelsea. Victory on the 30th December against Everton could see them climb into the top half of the table, if other results go their way. Defeat for Brentford means Thomas Frank’s side have only won twice since the start of November. While they are missing the goals of Ivan Toney, their defensive woes have not helped matters and were on display last night.