EPL Matchweek 23 | Have an in-depth walk-through of all the encounters of Premier League’s matchweek 23. Read on…
Saturday, January 24th: EPL Matchweek 23 In-depth Analysis
West Ham United (3 – 1) Sunderland | EPL Matchweek 23
Club Reports: West Ham United | Sunderland
Venue: London Stadium📍
West Ham United Squad | West Ham United (3 – 1) Sunderland | EPL Matchweek 23
Starting XI Lineup
- Scarles
- Summerville
- Todibo
- Fernandes
- Areola
- Mavropanos
- Soucek
- Pablo
- Castellanos
- Wan-Bissaka
- Bowen – Midfielder- (Man of the Match)
Substitute Players
- Mads Hermansen
- Kyle Walker-Peters
- Maximilian Kilman
- James Ward-Prowse
- Callum Wilson
- El Hadji Malick Diouf
- Soungoutou Magassa
- Freddie Potts
- Mohamadou Kanté
Sunderland Squad | West Ham United (3 – 1) Sunderland | EPL Matchweek 23
Starting XI Lineup
- Hume
- Mukiele
- Mayenda
- Sadiki
- Ballard
- Roefs
- Le Fée
- Alderete
- Brobbey
- Mundle
- Mandava
Substitute Players
- Anthony Patterson
- Dennis Cirkin
- Lutsharel Geertruida
- Chemsdine Talbi
- Chris Rigg
- Luke O’Nien
- Wilson Isidor
- Habib Diarra
- Simon Adingra
Match Summary
West Ham’s victory of (3–1) score against Sunderland in matchweek 23 further boosted their Premier League survival hopes. A dominant first-half performance at the London Stadium powered their win. Goals from Summerville, a penalty shot by Bowen, and Fernandes’ successful strike had given the Hammers dominating control from the start.
On the other hand, Sunderland played more aggressively after the break and scored one goal through Brobbey, but their efforts couldn’t come close to securing a comeback win. This victory moves West Ham to 20 points, which is just two behind Nottingham Forest, while Sunderland missed their chance to climb into the top five.
Highlights of the Game
- West Ham started strongly and took the scoring lead in the 14th minute when Bowen sent in a perfect cross, and Summerville headed it in for his third goal in three league games. (1-0)
- They doubled their lead soon after when Scarles was fouled in the box, and Bowen calmly scored the penalty. (2-0)
- Just before halftime, Fernandes made it 3–0 by smashing a long-range shot into the top corner after the ball fell to him.
- Sunderland scored their first goal in the second half when Brobbey headed in a cross from Mukiele. (3-1)
- Both teams had late chances, with shots hitting the woodwork, but West Ham stayed in control and carried the team to a well-earned victory.
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Managerial Quotes
West Ham United (Nuno Espírito Santo)
“We played well, I’m always positive that things can improve, but clearly the connections, combinations, and knowledge of each other as players are starting to happen.”
Note: Santo attributed the difference in energy and sportsmanship among his team to the main reason for their victory, emphasizing the importance of a positive mindset among the players.
Sunderland (Régis Le Bris)
“The balance went in their favor at the beginning, and they scored; it was well deserved. Our reaction in the second half was slightly better; we attempted to change the game’s dynamic. We scored once; we had the opportunity to score again, but they were simply better than us. We have to accept it.”
Note: Sunderland’s coach appreciated West Ham’s challenging performance and strategic play and called it their deserved victory, while also addressing the points where his team lacked.
Burnley (2 – 2) Tottenham Hotspur | EPL Matchweek 23
Club Reports: Burnley | Spurs
Venue: Turf Moor📍
Burnley Squad | Burnley (2 – 2) Tottenham Hotspur | EPL Matchweek 23
Starting XI Lineup
- Pires
- Humphreys
- Anthony
- Florentino
- Broja
- Dúbravka
- Estève
- Ugochukwu
- Edwards
- Tuanzebe
- Walker
Substitute Players
- Jacob Bruun Larsen
- Lyle Foster
- Max Weiss
- Loum Tchaouna
- Hjalmar Ekdal
- Oliver Sonne
- Hannibal Mejbri
- Josh Laurent
- Ashley Barnes
Spurs Squad | Burnley (2 – 2) Tottenham Hotspur | EPL Matchweek 23
Starting XI Lineup
- Porro
- Danso
- Odobert
- Gallagher
- Solanke
- Romero
- Vicario
- Bissouma
- Simons
- van de Ven – Defender- (Man of the Match)
- Spence
Substitute Players
- Radu Dragusin
- Mathys Tel
- Destiny Udogie
- Archie Gray
- Antonín Kinsky
- Randal Kolo Muani
- Dane Scarlett
- Jun’ai Byfield
- Lucá Williams-Barnett
Match Summary
Spurs had the opening goal of the encounter through Micky van de Ven, but Burnley’s Tuanzebe equalized just before half-time. Later, Burnley’s Foster was substituted at the 69th minute and gave Burnley the lead with their second goal in the 76th minute.
However, Romero rescued Spurs with his 90th-minute header from Odobert’s cross to conclude the game with a 2-2 draw against Burnley. Spurs remained at 14th place and winless in five games, while Burnley stayed at 19th position.
Highlights of the Game
- Spurs started the game on a strong note, with Spence sending in a teasing cross. Burnley’s Pires had a goal ruled out for offside, and Porro came close twice for Spurs.
- Burnley’s keeper Dubravka made an excellent double save to stop Spurs’ Odobert and Gallagher.
- Spurs finally scored when Burnley couldn’t clear Spurs’ Simons’ corner, and Van de Ven smashed the ball into the back of the net. (1-0)
- Seven minutes later, Tuanzebe equalized for Burnley, calmly finishing Walker’s perfect cross. (1-1)
- Van de Ven blocked Broja brilliantly, but Burnley got their lead with the second goal when Foster scored on his second attempt. With Spurs’ substitute in the 45th minute, Udogie was unable to stop the attack. (2-1)
- Spurs increased their pressure when Burnley’s Dubravka saved an attack from Spurs’ Tel, who was substituted at the 78th minute, and Simons had hit the crossbar instead.
- However, their efforts finally paid off when Romero scored a powerful header to earn a late equalizer for Spurs. (2-2)
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Managerial Quotes
Burnley (Scott Parker)
“A little bit disappointing, no doubt, because you’re that close and in the last dying seconds you concede. But overall, really pleased with my team.”
Note: Parker expressed his disappointment at losing three points right at the end. Regardless of their last moment hiccup, he pointed out that his team had given an overall good performance in this game.
Spurs (Thomas Frank)
“I think the message to the fans, as I’ve said the whole time, is that we’re working very hard to make sure everything is going in the right direction, and that we’ll keep doing that.”
Note: Upon being asked about what his message would be for the fans who were booing again at the end, he assured the fans that the team is putting in every effort from their side, and they’ll continue to try to put their best foot forward every game.
Fulham (2 – 1) Brighton and Hove Albion | EPL Matchweek 23
Club Reports: Fulham | Brighton
Venue: Craven Cottage📍
Fulham Squad | Fulham (2 – 1) Brighton and Hove Albion |EPL Matchweek 23
Starting XI Lineup
- Robinson
- Kevin
- Berge
- Cuenca
- Leno
- Smith Rowe
- Jiménez
- Andersen
- Iwobi
- Wilson – Midfielder- (Man of the Match)
- Castagne
Substitute Players
- Calvin Bassey
- Harrison Reed
- Tom Cairney
- Jonah Kusi-Asare
- Samuel Chukwueze
- Benjamin Lecomte
- Josh King
- Ryan Sessegnon
- Issa Diop
Brighton Squad | Fulham (2 – 1) Brighton and Hove Albion | EPL Matchweek 23
Starting XI Lineup
- Gómez
- Ayari
- Kadioglu
- Welbeck
- Baleba
- van Hecke
- Verbruggen
- Dunk
- Mitoma
- Groß
- Boscagli
Substitute Players
- Rutter
- Yankuba Minteh
- Jack Hinshelwood
- Charalampos Kostoulas
- James Milner
- Jason Steele
- Maxim De Cuyper
- Joël Veltman
- Diego Coppola
Match Summary
In the third fixture of matchweek 23, Brighton scored the opening goal through Ayari’s successful strike in the first half of the game. When Fulham’s player Chukwueze was substituted at the 59th minute, he equalized the score. Later on, Welbeck’s goal was ruled out by VAR. And Wilson delivered a stunning free-kick in the 92nd minute to bag the victory for Fulham with a 2–1 score against Brighton at Craven Cottage. This win lifts Fulham to seventh position, which is four points clear of Brighton, who stay at 12th place.
Highlights of the Game
- Fulham got their first good chance after 24 minutes into the game, but Jimenez was stopped by the Brighton goalkeeper near the goalpost.
- Brighton got the opening goal when Ayari cut inside and hit a powerful shot into the top corner. (1-0)
- Brighton almost made it 2–0 soon after in an attempt to try to score again and double their lead when Mitoma took a shot at goal, but Fulham’s goalkeeper, Leno, stopped it.
- After the save, the ball bounced back, and Brighton’s Kadioglu tried to score by heading the ball toward the goal. At this point, Fulham’s Castagne got to the ball in time and cleared it off the goal line, stopping it from going in.
- Fulham found it hard to respond at first, but in the 72nd minute, Chukwueze, who was substituted at the 59th minute, ran onto a long pass and finished neatly to equalize the score to 1–1.
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Managerial Quotes
Fulham (Marco Silva)
“Probably a draw was a fair result, but we got the reward for our belief and the way we pushed. We got the three points in a really difficult game, so what a win for us.”
Note: Silva had a humble approach towards the outcome of this encounter and commented that, based on the challenging performance of both teams, a draw would have been the most justified result of this encounter. Still, he values the win because getting all three points in such a tough match is what really matters.
Brighton (Fabian Hürzeler)
“We controlled the things we could control, and regarding the performance, it was one of the best we have played… VAR is one of those things you can’t control, so we have to accept it.”
Note: Hürzeler commented on how the situation of VAR ruling out the goal impacted the outcome of their play. Whereas he holds the opinion that, other than VAR, his team executed the tangible parts of their play in the best way possible.
Manchester City (2 – 0) Wolverhampton Wanderers | EPL Matchweek 23
Club Reports: Man City | Wolves
Venue: Etihad Stadium📍
Man City Squad | Manchester City (2 – 0) Wolverhampton Wanderers | EPL Matchweek 23
Starting XI Lineup
- O’Reilly
- Cherki
- Guéhi – Defender- (Man of the Match)
- Silva
- Donnarumma
- Rodri
- Marmoush
- Khusanov
- Reijnders
- Nunes
- Semenyo
Substitute Players
- James Trafford
- Nathan Aké
- Erling Haaland
- Jérémy Doku
- Rayan Aït-Nouri
- Phil Foden
- Divine Mukasa
- Max Alleyne
- Rico Lewis
Wolves Squad | Manchester City (2 – 0) Wolverhampton Wanderers | EPL Matchweek 23
Starting XI Lineup
- Tchatchoua
- Mosquera
- Mané
- Gomes
- André
- Bueno
- Sá
- Hee-Chan
- Arias
- Krejcí
- Bueno
Substitute Players
- Matt Doherty
- David Møller Wolfe
- Jørgen Strand Larsen
- Emmanuel Agbadou
- Tolu Arokodare
- Pedro Lima
- Rodrigo Gomes
- Fer López
- Sam Johnstone
Match Summary
Manchester City ended their four-match winless streak after defeating Wolves with a 2–0 score. With Haaland and Foden coming on during the game as substitutes in EPL matchweek 23, Marmoush had led the attack and scored his first league goal of the season, while Antoine Semenyo added his first Premier League goal for City just before half-time. City dominated throughout the game, hitting the woodwork twice, and never let Wolves stabilize in the game. This victory keeps City second in the table and closes the gap to leaders Arsenal to four points, while bottom-placed Wolves remain deep in trouble, 14 points from safety.
Highlights of the Game
- City started dominantly, with Marmoush tapping in Nunes’ cross just six minutes into the game. The score got (1-0)
- He “almost scored” again around the 30th minute, cutting in and hitting the post instead.
- A handball call on Wolves’ Mosquera was reviewed by VAR and waved off.
- Semenyo made it 2–0 just before half-time, curling a low shot past Wolves keeper Sa.
- Wolves came alive after the break, with Gomes’ free-kick hitting the top of the net and Strand Larsen missing a header, which was a possible offside shot.
- Both sides had late attacking chances: Semenyo had hit the post, and Mosquera’s looping header also hit the crossbar.
- In the added minutes, Liverpool’s Sub of 78th minute, Alexis Mac Allister, had prevented leading the attack from Burnley’s Anthony.
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Managerial Quotes
Man City (Pep Guardiola)
“We won against a team that was unbeaten in the last four or five games, so pretty pleased.”
Note: Admiring the performance of his team in this encounter, Guardiola reflected on how his team managed victory against a club that was on their winning streak in the past few matchweeks.
Wolves (Rob Edwards)
“We kept fighting in the second half, and we were really pushing to get back into the game. There were a lot of things to take from there, but ultimately it was a loss… They got the two goals, but ultimately, we limited them to very little. We are going up against one of the best teams and away from home as well.”
Note: Edwards stated how Wolves had put up a fight against one of the best teams of the Premier League and had confined them to scoring only 2 goals. He appreciated the character of his players to have performed so well in their away game.
Bournemouth (3 – 2) Liverpool | EPL Matchweek 23
Club Reports: Bournemouth | Liverpool
Venue: Vitality Stadium📍
Bournemouth Squad | Bournemouth (3 – 2) Liverpool | EPL Matchweek 23
Starting XI Lineup
- Truffert
- Adli
- Cook
- Senesi
- Petrovic
- Kroupi
- Evanilson
- Hill
- Scott
- Jiménez
- Smith
Substitute Players
- Ryan Christie
- Fraser Forster
- Bafodé Diakité
- Enes Ünal
- Alex Tóth
- Veljko Milosavljevic
- Dominic Sadi
- Remy Rees-Dottin
- Malcom DaCosta
Liverpool Squad | Bournemouth (3 – 2) Liverpool | EPL Matchweek 23
Starting XI Lineup
- Frimpong
- Salah
- Szoboszlai – Midfielder- (Man of the Match)
- Gravenberch
- Gomez
- Becker
- Gakpo
- Wirtz
- Mac Allister
- van Dijk
- Kerkez
Substitute Players
- Wataru Endo
- Curtis Jones
- Hugo Ekitiké
- Giorgi Mamardashvili
- Andy Robertson
- Freddie Woodman
- Trey Nyoni
- Calvin Ramsay
- Rio Ngumoha
Match Summary
Bournemouth earned a dramatic 3–2 win over Liverpool, with their last-second goal from Amine Adli. Bournemouth’s Evanilson opened the scoring in the 26th minute of the game, with Alex Jimenez extending their lead before Liverpool’s Van Dijk scored just before the break to give his club some hope of getting back into the game. The score was 2-1 at this point. Later, Liverpool’s Szoboszlai’s brilliant late free kick equalized the score to 2–2, and Liverpool looked set to have a comeback win, especially after Evanilson had missed a big chance. However, right at the end, Adli struck a winning goal that sparked a wave of unexpected cheers across the stadium. This win lifts Bournemouth to 13th position, while later, on Sunday, Manchester United and Chelsea won their matches, which pushed Liverpool down to sixth place.
Highlights of the Game
- Bournemouth took the lead when Liverpool’s Van Dijk miscontrolled a ball, giving Evanilson the chance to score successfully. (1-0)
- Bournemouth quickly doubled their lead to 2–0 after Van Dijk accidentally let Jimenez run through and score.
- Liverpool’s Van Dijk made up for his mistake before half-time, heading in Szoboszlai’s corner to make it 2–1 on the scoreboard.
- Jimenez was lucky to avoid a penalty, but later gave Liverpool a free-kick as the game was nearing the last 10 minutes.
- The free-kick led to a goal for Liverpool, with Salah assisting and Szoboszlai sending it into the back of the net, equalizing the score to 2–2.
- Liverpool looked like they would get a draw point after Evanilson missed a great chance, but in stoppage time, Adli scored the winning shot from a long throw that gave Bournemouth three victory points.
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Managerial Quotes
Bournemouth (Andoni Iraola)
“We are finding ways to get points against difficult opposition. I am very proud of the team and what we are doing. We are adapting, and we are getting good points.“
Note: Iraola sounded ecstatic to have gained the momentum to win in difficult encounters, as in this match, and expressed satisfaction with the way his players are adapting to play football.
Liverpool (Arne Slot)
“Conceding a goal is always frustrating, but especially if there is no time left to come back into the game.“
Note: Liverpool boss Slot commented on the moment after Adli struck in the fifth minute of added time that the most frustrating part of this play is to know that there isn’t any more time to even try and get back in the game.
Sunday, January 25th: EPL Matchweek 23 Highlights
Brentford (0 – 2) Nottingham Forest | EPL Matchweek 23
Club Reports: Brentford | Nott’m Forest
Venue: Gtech Community Stadium📍
Brentford Squad | Brentford (0 – 2) Nottingham Forest | EPL Matchweek 23
Starting XI Lineup
- Henry
- Schade
- Janelt
- Collins
- Kelleher
- Damsgaard
- Thiago
- Ajer
- Yarmoliuk
- Kayode
- Jensen
Substitute Players
- Aaron Hickey
- Sepp van den Berg
- Ethan Pinnock
- Jordan Henderson
- Reiss Nelson
- Hákon Valdimarsson
- Dango Ouattara
- Keane Lewis-Potter
- Romelle Donovan
Nott’m Forest Squad | Brentford (0 – 2) Nottingham Forest | EPL Matchweek 23
Starting XI Lineup
- Aina
- Hudson-Odoi
- Sangaré
- Milenkovic
- Jesus – Forward- (Man of the Match)
- Gibbs-White
- Sels
- Murillo
- Anderson
- Domínguez
- Williams
Substitute Players
- Morato
- Taiwo Awoniyi
- Dan Ndoye
- Angus Gunn
- Omari Hutchinson
- Ryan Yates
- James McAtee
- Dilane Bakwa
- Nicolò Savona
Match Summary
After their win in matchweek 23 against Brentford, Nottingham Forest increased their lead over the relegation zone to five points, giving them a bit more safety in the league standings. Igor Jesus gave Forest an early lead, drilling in from a tight angle after Aina’s cross, and in the 68th minute, Taiwo Awoniyi bagged the win for Forest on the counterattack. Brentford missed several chances to fight back. This victory keeps Forest at 17th place and unbeaten in three encounters, while Brentford stays at eighth, missing their chance to climb higher up in the League table.
Highlights of the Game
- Brentford had an early chance when Schade had set up Thiago, but his shot went wide.
- Later, Forest got the opening goal after Aina’s cross found Jesus, who controlled it and smashed it past Kelleher.
- Brentford’s best first-half chance came in the 40th minute, but Sels came out quickly to stop Ouattara.
- Brentford nearly scored again in stoppage time when substitute of the 37th minute, van den Berg’s header, had gone just wide.
- Brentford controlled the second half but couldn’t break Forest’s defense past Sels, and Thiago missed another chance.
- Forest scored the second goal three minutes later when Awoniyi made a smart finish by sliding the ball under Brentford’s keeper, Kelleher’s legs.
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Managerial Quotes
Brentford (Keith Andrews)
“If we’re being self-critical, then we need to look at ourselves for how we conceded the goals. The reality is they have had two shots and come away with three points.”
Note: Andrews’ post-match remarks reflected his performance-focused mindset. He analyzed the game from the point of view of defensive accountability, highlighting how the opponents scored only two shots and got three points. His statement implied that efficiency and concentration, rather than overall dominance, decide the result.
Nott’m Forest (Sean Dyche)
“It was a game of two halves. We put pressure on in the first half and had to contain them in the second. They had a fast start, and it’s not an easy task, but you have to find a balance between defending resolutely and hitting on the attack.”
Note: Dysche highlighted the shift of momentum between the two halves of this encounter. He emphasized the fact that a game of football is more about the understanding of balancing game management and adapting to the unexpected twists of play.
Crystal Palace (1 – 3) Chelsea | EPL Matchweek 23
Club Reports: Crystal Palace | Chelsea
Venue: Selhurst Park📍
Crystal Palace Squad | Crystal Palace (1 – 3) Chelsea | EPL Matchweek 23
Starting XI Lineup
- Mitchell
- Richards
- Johnson
- Lerma
- Mateta
- Henderson
- Lacroix
- Wharton
- Sarr
- Canvot
- Muñoz
Substitute Players
- Yéremy Pino
- Christantus Uche
- Will Hughes
- Borna Sosa
- Danny Imray
- Chadi Riad
- Kaden Rodney
- Walter Benítez
- Justin Devenny
Chelsea Squad | Crystal Palace (1 – 3) Chelsea | EPL Matchweek 23
Starting XI Lineup
- James
- Estêvão – Midfielder- (Man of the Match)
- Santos
- Pedro
- Fernández
- Chalobah
- Sánchez
- Badiashile
- Caicedo
- Neto
- Cucurella
Substitute Players
- Liam Delap
- Jamie Gittens
- Jorrel Hato
- Malo Gusto
- Teddy Sharman-Lowe
- Wesley Fofana
- Josh Acheampong
- Marc Guiu
- Alejandro Garnacho
Match Summary
Chelsea defeated Crystal Palace with a 3-1 score at Selhurst Park, with goals from Estevao, Pedro, and Fernandez. Estevao opened the scoring after a mistake from Palace’s Canvot, marking his first Premier League goal. Pedro added a second just after half-time, despite a late goal from Chris Richards that reduced the gap in scores. Fernandez’s late and composed penalty shot sealed the win for the Blues with 3 goals.
With the weekend over, Palace remain at 15th position after another tough encounter, while Chelsea finish fourth on the table. Manchester United moved ahead of Chelsea in the standings because they defeated Arsenal (3-2).
Highlights of the Game
- Early in the game, Palace nearly scored, but Chelsea’s goalkeeper stopped Mateta after Badiashile’s brief pause or delay in making a decision.
- Fernandez and Caicedo missed chances for Chelsea, while Sarr almost scored for Palace.
- Chelsea scored the opening goal in the 34th minute when Estevao ran onto a poor back pass from Canvot and scored past Palace’s keeper Henderson. (1-0)
- Soon after the break, Chelsea’s Pedro linked up with Estevao, cut inside, and scored their second goal successfully. (2-0)
- Estevao tried a curving shot, but Henderson, the goalkeeper, saved it. Later, Chelsea won a penalty kick when VAR confirmed that Canvot handled the ball in the box, which Fernandez calmly scored in the 64th minute. (3-0)
- Palace got even worse when Wharton got a second yellow card and was sent off for a late tackle on Caicedo.
- Richards scored a late goal for Palace, turning the score to 3-1. But it wasn’t sufficient for their comeback, and Chelsea stepped off the ground with their dominating victory.
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Managerial Quotes
Crystal Palace (Oliver Glasner)
“I think we played a really good first half. It’s just right now, [we’re missing] the most important part in football: to be ruthless and take your chances and, on the other side, don’t make mistakes and give the opposition easy chances… But the players really were in the game, put pressure, created chances, and scored a goal. Everybody had the feeling, when the 90th minute came, if we score now another one, it could be a draw.”
Note: Even though this defeat extended Palace’s winless run to 11 matches in all competitions, Glasner saw positives to take from the performance and had an optimistic outlook on this encounter
Chelsea (Liam Rosenior)
“Very pleased. This is always a very difficult place to come. Crystal Palace is a very good team. What the players have given is outstanding… It’s frustrating to not have a clean sheet in the last few minutes – I wanted three in a row, and we should’ve got one, we were 3-0 up against 10 men.”
Note: Rosenier, on the other hand, sounded ambitious about how defeating his opponents with a clean sheet is frustrating specially if the team is playing against a ten-man team.
Newcastle United (0 – 2) Aston Villa | EPL Matchweek 23
Club Reports: Newcastle | Aston Villa
Venue: St. James’ Park📍
Newcastle Squad | Newcastle United (0 – 2) Aston Villa | EPL Matchweek 23
Starting XI Lineup
- Hall
- Joelinton
- Gordon
- Botman
- Thiaw
- Pope
- Tonali
- Wissa
- Trippier
- Miley
- Barnes
Substitute Players
- William Osula
- Anthony Elanga
- Nick Woltemade
- Joe Willock
- Aaron Ramsdale
- Dan Burn
- Alex Murphy
- Jacob Ramsey
- Leo Shahar
Aston Villa Squad | Newcastle United (0 – 2) Aston Villa | EPL Matchweek 23
Starting XI Lineup
- Sancho
- Onana
- Cash
- Konsa
- Watkins – Forward- (Man of the Match)
- Rogers
- Martínez
- Torres
- Tielemans
- Buendía
- Maatsen
Substitute Players
- Victor Lindelöf
- Tyrone Mings
- Harvey Elliott
- Lucas Digne
- Lamare Bogarde
- Evann Guessand
- Leon Bailey
- Marco Bizot
- George Hemmings
Match Summary
After the clean sheet loss against Everton in matchweek 22, Aston Villa recovered, giving a clean sheet defeat to Newcastle. The scoring came from a brilliant goal from Buendía and a late header from Ollie Watkins. This was Villa’s first win at St James’ Park since 2005.
Newcastle’s Tonali came close to scoring just 37 seconds into the match. But Villa took the lead in the 19th minute through Buendía, who scored a brilliant goal. Newcastle pushed hard but couldn’t break through Villa’s defense, and Watkins doubled the score late on. Villa stay third and level on points with Manchester City, while Newcastle dropped to ninth position after their unbeaten streak came to an end.
Highlights of the Game
- Newcastle’s Tonali almost scored in the very first minute, but Villa’s keeper Martínez made a strong save in his 200th league game for Villa.
- Newcastle were saved again from conceding when Pope stopped Watkins’ shot after a defensive mistake.
- However, Pope couldn’t stop Emiliano Buendía next, as he calmly struck a beautiful shot into the corner from outside the box.
- Just before half-time, Villa’s keeper Martínez made another key save, pushing away Miley’s header.
- Newcastle kept trying even after Joelinton went off injured, with Harvey Barnes’ deflected shot going just over the bar.
- Newcastle’s Barnes later crossed for Gordon, but he couldn’t capitalize on their late chance, and Villa’s Watkins headed in a perfect cross from Lucas Digne’s skillful cross to seal their clean sheet victory.
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Managerial Quotes
Newcastle (Eddie Howe)
“The first-minute chance really shapes the game. Sandro [Tonali] goes through, and it is a top save. Then Aston Villa were probably the better team in that first half and had several long shots and scored from one. I thought we chased the game pretty well in the second half and are disappointed we have lost the game.”
Note: Howe expressed disappointment after analyzing the points where the game slipped from their favor and went to their opponents’ favor. He acknowledged the potential of Aston Villa’s team and applauded their play.
Aston Villa (Unai Emery)
“I am so, so happy. The players were extraordinary. We spoke about this match and the difficulties some teams have with their level here. It is the highest level we can face this season, and the players respond fantastically.”
Note: Emery was all praise for his team as they competed against such a difficult opponents and showed quality play despite the difficulties
Arsenal (2 – 3) Manchester United | EPL Matchweek 23
Club Reports: Arsenal | Man United
Venue: Emirates Stadium📍
Arsenal Squad | Arsenal (2 – 3) Manchester United | EPL Matchweek 23
Starting XI Lineup
- Hincapié
- Rice
- Trossard
- Magalhães
- Raya
- Zubimendi
- Jesus
- Saliba
- Timber
- Ødegaard
- Saka
Substitute Players
- Cristhian Mosquera
- Ben White
- Eberechi Eze
- Gabriel Martinelli
- Kepa Arrizabalaga
- Viktor Gyökeres
- Noni Madueke
- Mikel Merino
- Myles Lewis-Skelly
Man United Squad | Arsenal (2 – 3) Manchester United | EPL Matchweek 23
Starting XI Lineup
- Diallo
- Dalot
- Casemiro
- Mbeumo
- Fernandes
- Maguire
- Lammens
- Martínez
- Mainoo
- Dorgu – Midfielder- (Man of the Match)
- Shaw
Substitute Players
- Altay Bayindir
- Noussair Mazraoui
- Mason Mount
- Matheus Cunha
- Tyrell Malacia
- Leny Yoro
- Manuel Ugarte
- Ayden Heaven
- Benjamin Sesko
Match Summary
Man Utd’s Cunha got substituted at the 69th minute and scored a stunning goal in the 87th minute as Manchester United pulled off a dramatic 3-2 win against Premier League leaders Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal had taken the lead through an own goal by Martinez, but two quick goals from Mbeumo and Dorgu turned the game around in favor of Man Utd early in the second half. Arsenal’s substitute in the 58th minute, Merino, briefly thought he’d equalized for Arsenal, but Cunha’s long-range strike two minutes and 58 seconds later had sealed the win for the Red Devils. This back-to-back victory under Michael Carrick moves United into fourth place, while Arsenal is still in first place in the league, but their advantage over the second-placed team has shrunk to just four points.
Highlights of the Game
- Arsenal started off strong with lots of set-pieces, but Utd’s Lammens had pushed Arsenal’s Zubimendi’s close-range header over the bar and missed this scoring chance.
- However, they got their first score in the 29th minute when Utd’s Martinez accidentally deflected Odegaard’s shot into his own net. (1-0)
- Arsenal made a mistake when Zubimendi played a bad pass, and Mbeumo took advantage of that error, intercepted the ball, got past Arsenal’s goalkeeper, and scored in the 37th minute. (1-1)
- Just after half-time, Utd’s Dorgu set up Fernandes, who smashed the ball in a brilliant strike off the bar to give United the lead. (2-1)
- Utd’s Lammens saved Arsenal’s Saka’s shot, and Cunha got substituted at the 69th minute, yet couldn’t finish Merino’s attempt from a scramble.
- Cunha then curled a beautiful shot past Gabriel to seal their victory against league leaders.
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Managerial Quotes
Arsenal (Mikel Arteta)
“The game became a little bit open and without the dominance of the first half. After that, in the second half, they had two brilliant goals, some individual quality, a magic moment in big games, that’s a good example of that, but with the changes I think we managed to shift the energy, score the second goal, and you could feel that everything changed and the game was there to go and win it.”
Note: Arteta commented on the nature of this encounter and analyzed the turning points of this match in how the momentum kept shifting among the teams, and acknowledged individual performances and the decisive moments in this match. The coach appreciated the tone set by both teams in this match that kept the possibility of a winning goal open for either team up until full-time.
Man United (Michael Carrick)
“You’ve got to feel that confidence and that belief through, and they’ve definitely got that, and we need to keep that.”
Note: Carrick chose to share how he has instilled in this team the element of self-belief that is showing in their performances and credited the outcome of this game solely to having the right mindset.
Tuesday, January 20th: EPL Matchweek 23 Highlights
Everton (1 – 1) Leeds United | EPL Matchweek 23
Club Reports: Everton | Leeds United
Venue: Hill Dickinson Stadium📍
Everton Squad | Everton (1 – 1) Leeds United | EPL Matchweek 23
Starting XI Lineup
- Mykolenko
- Ndiaye
- Garner
- O’Brien
- Pickford
- Armstrong
- Barry
- Tarkowski – Defender- (Man of the Match)
- Gueye
- Patterson
- McNeil
Substitute Players
- Beto
- Mark Travers
- Tyler Dibling
- Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall
- Séamus Coleman
- Charly Alcaraz
- Jarrad Branthwaite
- Merlin Röhl
- Adam Aznou
Leeds United Squad | Everton (1 – 1) Leeds United | EPL Matchweek 23
Starting XI Lineup
- Bogle
- Rodon
- Stach
- Ampadu
- Calvert-Lewin
- BornauW
- Darlow
- Gruev
- Aaronson
- Struijk
- Justin
Substitute Players
- Lucas Perri
- Sean Longstaff
- Joël Piroe
- Lukas Nmecha
- Noah Okafor
- Ao Tanaka
- Sam Byram
- Wilfried Gnonto
- Facundo Buonanotte
Match Summary
Everton’s Barry’s composed and strong form continued in EPL Matchweek 23 as his late goal earned Everton one point of a 1-1 draw against Leeds United. Leeds had the opening goal through Justin before the break, while former Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin had hit the woodwork instead in his attempts to attack. Barry’s equalizer concluded the second half on a strong note for Everton, who nearly seemed to win the three when Gueye came close but rattled the crossbar instead of scoring successfully. This result lifts Everton into 10th position, while Leeds moves six points clear of the relegation zone.
Highlights of the Game
- Leeds opened the scoring in the 28th minute when Justin tapped in Stach’s cross, despite Everton’s Tarkowski trying to clear it. (1-0)
- They almost scored just six minutes after their first goal, but Calvert-Lewin had hit the post instead.
- Everton started off their attacking intent after half-time, with Barry’s shot saved by Leed’s Darlow.
- Barry finally scored successfully to equalize the game, lifting a brilliant finish for the Toffees.
- Gueye nearly won it for Everton, but his long-range shot also hit the crossbar instead.
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Managerial Quotes
Everton (David Moyes)
“I was pleased that we got something back, we were really poor in the first half… It was really difficult to put your finger on how and why. We were set up for the game and realized how big a game it was. Got more control in the second half, controlled them more, and got a goal from it.”
Note: In the post-match conference, Moyes confronted how difficult this encounter had become and expressed contentment to come out of it with a draw.
Leeds United (Daniel Farke)
“We are a bit disappointed because we weren’t far away from winning it. We were very dominant in the first half. They had more possession in the second half, but we had some control of the ball.”
Note: Farke, on the other hand, wasn’t quite content with this outcome as he expected to win all three points upon seeing the nature of play his team had put up.
FAQs | EPL Matchweek 23
Q1. Has Arsenal’s recent result made the Premier League title race much more uncertain or competitive?
Almost, Arsenal went into the weekend with a chance to stay comfortably ahead in their standing, but their 3-2 result against Man Utd disrupted their Premier League standing as this was their first home loss of the season, and it also means that their lead at the top has now shrunk to just four points. With Man City and Aston Villa both winning, the “comfortable” lead that they had has officially ended.
Q2. How did Man United defeat Arsenal?
Under Michael Carrick’s management, United have transformed into a threatening competition. They continued their winning streak after defeating Man City in matchweek 22, with this massive victory over Arsenal in matchweek 23. Their heroes were Dorgu, who had hit the ball skillfully in the air, converting it into a successful goal, and Cunha, who scored the winning shot. They’ve now climbed into 4th place, passing above Chelsea and Liverpool.
Q3. Why did Liverpool lose in matchweek 23?
The Reds had a rough weekend where Virgil van Dijk made a few mistakes that cost them the victory.
Q4.Who were the other big winners in matchweek 23, ‘25-’26?
- Manchester City: They came off strong with a 2-0 win over Wolves. New signings of Marc Guéhi and Antoine Semenyo gave opponents a clean sheet.
- Aston Villa: They won against Newcastle (2-0) for the first time in over 20 years. This win helps them stay strong in the race for the league title, as they are currently 3rd in the standings.
- Chelsea: They looked sharp under new boss Liam Rosenior, defeating Crystal Palace 3-1, which was due to the outstanding performance from Estêvão.
◈ And with that, you now know all about EPL Matchweek 23. Head over to myco’s blog section to discover what’s in store waiting for your attention! ◈
