A very good Premier League Saturday for Newcastle United fans – Told us plenty | OneFootball

An interesting return to Premier League action on Saturday.

I wrote something about this yesterday (Saturday) and now this is an updated version on Sunday, after the conclusion of all Saturday’s fixtures.

I think fair to say ahead of this weekend, there was a lot of the media taking for granted wins for the likes of Brighton, Palace, Liverpool and Man City.

A lot of talk pre-season and/or early season about Brighton and Crystal Palace as contenders to maybe break apart what some are calling a ‘big eight’ now. The usual six with Newcastle United and Villa added on.

West Ham another to be spoken of in this category as well.

Whilst of course the usual media love-in with Liverpool, supposedly world beaters under new boss Slot, even though they’d had an easy kick off to the season, facing Ipswich, Brentford and Man U.

Happily, things don’t always work out as the media predict, or indeed, how they want things to play out…

Premier League results earlier on Saturday:

Southampton 0 Man U 3

Brighton 0 Ipswich 0

Palace 2 Leicester 2

Fulham 1 West Ham 1

Liverpool 0 Forest 1

Man City 2 Brentford 1

Brighton couldn’t even score at home to promoted Ipswich, whilst Palace lucky to get even a point after going 2-0 down to another promoted side. Interesting to read that soon to turn 38 in January, Jamie Vardy, ‘sprinted away from Marc Guehi’ to score the first goal. Will have to take a look at that on MOTD tonight.

West Ham struggled to a late point at Fulham with a 95th minute equaliser, whilst hilariously Liverpool failed to score at home and lost to expected to be relegation fighters Forest!

Even Man City struggled to a 2-1 win over Brentford after having gone behind in the opening minute.

As for Man U at Southampton, the Saints actually the better team but then wasted a penalty after around half an hour, Man U going straight up the other end and Southampton popped like a balloon. I think Man U are average at best and simply up against certain relegation fodder today, who fall apart when anything goes against them.

The later Saturday matches:

Villa 3 Everton 2

Bournemouth 0 Chelsea 1

In the end, these two final results may not look the most positive, but I think the performances of both Villa and Chelsea suggest that Newcastle United have nothing to terrify them, when it comes to competing towards the top end of the table.

Not saying it will be easy to finish ahead of these two teams, instead, a case of no reason to think Newcastle United can’t, if we play well on a consistent basis.

Villa have now needed supersub Duran to come on and save them with the winning goal, in each of their three wins now. Villa have conceded in all four games, including two goals in each of their two home matches, including yesterday against a woeful Everton. Dyche’s team actually went 2-0 up and it was a Duran long range wonder goal that won it, even then Villa allowed Everton the chance of a late equaliser but they hit the woodwork.

As for Chelsea, so much laughable hype about them. Their only convincing scoreline has been the 6-2 at Wolves and even then Chelsea allowed Wolves to equalise twice and the home side had other chances, before a collapse in the second half. Otherwise, Chelsea losing at home to Man City, only drawing at home to Palace, now totally fluking this win at Bournemouth.

The Cherries were by far the better side and should have had the game won by half-time. The Chelsea keeper having to make seven saves, including from a first half penalty, whilst the Bournemouth keeper only made two saves, with Chelsea getting a totally undeserved smash and grab winner in the 86th minute. Plus, how Chelsea failed to have anybody sent off is a mystery, as they picked up eight yellow cards, which then combined with six yellows for Bournemouth, created a record for a Premier League match.

Anyway, all in all, this leaves the Premier League table looking like this on Sunday morning:

If Newcastle United win at Wolves this afternoon, we would be guaranteed to end the weekend in the top three on 10 points.

If that was combined with Arsenal failing to win away in their derby match tomorrow, Eddie Howe’s side would be guaranteed to go second if winning.

Early days, but ten points from twelve would see Newcastle United sitting pretty and worth remembering last season started off with three points from a possible twelve, as pretty much everything went against us.

Also worth recalling that once Eddie Howe’s side found their feet (and some fair luck!) early last season, after the opening four matches, Newcastle then were unbeaten in their next seven, winning five and drawing two.

Still to come in the Premier League this weekend…