Premier League Weekend in 20 Pictures: Steve Clarke Sacked, Arsenal Lose
Week 16 brought some great matches, including Manchester City’s win over Premier League leader Arsenal.
Liverpool also secured three points after trashing 10-man Tottenham, while Manchester United went back to winning ways in their match against Aston Villa.
It was a tough week for some, though. Steve Clarke was sacked as West Brom head coach and Sunderland, Fulham and Crystal Palace lost their games and sit at the bottom of the table.
Let’s take a look at what happened this weekend.
Goalless Draw
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Stephen Ireland had the clearest chance to score for Stoke City. He tapped in after Peter Crouch’s header was rejected, but the linesman ruled out the goal.
Hull pushed hard throughout the game, but Asmir Begovic was at his best and managed to keep a clean sheet.
Unhappy Hull Supporters
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Hull’s owner Assem Allam formally applied to the Football Association to change the club’s name to Hull Tigers.
Some fans set up the "City Till We Die" group to voice their discontent. According to the BBC, the FA will consult fans over the issue.
Sunderland Still at the Bottom
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Sunderland could have won for the third time this season, but Jozy Altidore and Ki Sung-Yueng’s lack of width held them.
West Ham struggled with ball possession and were very lucky to secure at least one point on home soil. Jussi Jaaskelainen’s performance was key for The Hammers.
Southampton on a Winless Drought
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Newcastle opened the scoring early in the match, but Southampton managed to draw in the second half with a brilliant move started by Adam Lallana and finished by Jay Rodriguez.
However, The Saints failed to capitalize their superiority in ball possession (60 percent) and went winless for the fifth successive week.
Heated Argument
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Just as the match was about to end, Moussa Sissoko and Jos Hooiveld stepped into a heated argument.
Minutes later, both benches were involved in the brawl, but fortunately, it finished just as quickly as it started.
Man Down!
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Referee Michael Jones was struck in the face unintentionally in the game between Newcastle and Southampton.
Jones tried to stop the argument between Moussa Sissoko and Jos Hooiveld, but in the attempt, he received a blow in the face from Sissoko, which resulted in a bloody nose.
After receiving medical attention he was up on his feet.
Unbeaten on Home Soil
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Everton have not lost in the last nine weeks, they are unbeaten on home soil and they now sit ninth in the general table with 31 points, four back from the leader, Arsenal.
Fulham never had a chance, and despite Dimitar Berbatov's equalizer from the penalty-kick spot, the home team bagged three goals in 17 minutes to secure the win.
Gerard Deulofeu Suffers Injury
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Bad news for Everton as 19-year-old Gerard Deulofeu left the pitch in the second half of the match due to a hamstring injury.
Kevin Mirallas took Deulofeu's place, and it worked, as he scored Everton's fourth goal.
After the game, per BBC Sport, boss Roberto Martinez said:
"We don't know how big the tear is going to be but we expect Gerard to be out for some time."
Chelsea Move Within Two Points of Arsenal
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After losing last week to Stoke City, Chelsea went back to winning ways against Crystal Palace.
The victory put The Blues just two points off Arsenal in the general table.
But it was not a walk in the park, the Eagles fought hard, and it took a brilliant move from Brazil international Ramires to secure the win.
Fernando Torres scored again in the Premier League after almost two months.
Cardiff City Secure a Key Victory
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Peter Whittingham sent the ball away with a fine header at the 65th minute, which was enough to defeat West Brom.
The result is a breath of fresh air for Cardiff City. They claimed their first victory since November 3, and they sit 15th in the general table, four points ahead of those in the relegation zone.
Steve Clarke Sacked
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So long Steve Clarke. The Scottish was sacked as West Brom's manager after losing to Cardiff City.
It was the fourth successive defeat of the season for The Baggies, who now have a 3-6-7 record and are just two points ahead of the relegation zone.
Assistant Manager Keith Downing was appointed interim coach.
Manchester City Stun Arsenal
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If there's a powerful club when it comes to playing on home soil, that's Manchester City.
This season, they have bagged 35 goals at Etihad Stadium, plus they have scored at least twice in all their home matches.
Sergio Aguero, Alvaro Negredo, Fernandinho, David Silva and Yaya Toure scored six goals for City, while Theo Walcott and Per Mertesacker put away three for Arsenal.
With this result, Manuel Pellegrini's side closed the gap with The Gunners and now trail them by two points.
Sergio Aguero out Due to Injury
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Sergio Aguero opened the scoring for Manchester City at the 14th minute but couldn’t finish the match due to a calf injury.
The Argentinean left the pitch limping just five minutes after the second half had started.
According to several reports, via Rob Goldberg of Bleacher Report, the injury may sideline him for several weeks.
Laurent Koscielny Suffers a Knee Cut
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Aguero was not the only man who left the pitch early. Arsenal’s Laurent Koscielny suffered a deep cut on his knee.
The French was injured in the play where he tried to prevent City’s second goal and now he will miss some matches.
Arsene Wenger said after the game, per the Mirror:
"He has a cut and he will be out for a while, but for how long I don't know."
Liverpool Trash Tottenham
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Liverpool have scored 14 goals in their last three games; their latest victim was Tottenham.
The Reds defeated The Spurs 5-0 at White Hart Lane and are now second in the general table, just two points behind Arsenal.
The party began early with Luis Suarez’s 16th goal of the season; five minutes before halftime, Jordan Henderson netted another one.
But real trouble came in the second half as Liverpool scored three more in just 14 minutes, taking advantage that Paulinho was sent off.
Luis Suarez Tops the Scorers' Table
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Luis Suarez is still the best scorer of the season after his brace against Tottenham.
He scored the first one with a shot to the left post, while the second was a brilliant play that began in the center of the pitch and that Suarez finished with a chip in.
The Uruguay international has 17 goals to his count, four better than Sergio Aguero.
Paulinho Receives a Red Card
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Paulinho was sent off in the 63rd minute for a high kick that landed in Luis Suarez’s chest.
The Brazilian left his side with 10 men and a recipe for disaster, plus he will miss next week’s match against Southampton at St Mary's Stadium.
Gary Hooper's Golazo Gives Norwich a Point
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Swansea took the early lead at Carrow Road when Nathan Dyer left the defenders behind and put the ball away with a volley.
But it was Gary Hooper who gave us a golazo just as the first half was about to end.
Hooper controlled the ball with the chest before shooting from outside the box with his right leg. Michel Vorm tried to stop it but it was too much.
Manchester United's First League Win in a Month
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After losing two consecutive times at home, Manchester United visited Villa Park in hope of turning things around, and they accomplished the feat.
David Moyes' side won their first league game since they defeated Arsenal on November 10, at Old Trafford.
Wayne Rooney came back to the starting lineup and proved yet again that he is a very valuable asset when he plays in the midfield.
Danny Welbeck and Tom Cleverley scored the goals for the Red Devils.
Danny Welbeck Is Back on Track
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With Robin van Persie sidelined due to an injury, Welbeck took care of the attacking zone, and he did it in style.
The 23-year-old bagged a brace against Aston Villa, which meant the first time he scores in the Premier League since August, in United’s win over Swansea.
Welbeck was in the right spot in both opportunities and took advantage of his speed and goal-scoring knack, proving he is ready to make a difference again.
