Foxes Seal Maiden Title While Swans Stun Reds

The finale to what will surely go down in history as most exciting and unpredictable Premier League season is just three weeks away. Game-week 36 focused around the unique title battle between Leicester and Tottenham with both after an historic triumph.

The weekend began with five 3pm games with the review starting with Everton's hosting of Bournemouth at Goodison Park with both sides just looking to boost their final positions in the league having avoided the drop. The Toffees struck an early opener as Tom Cleverley fired them into the lead on seven minutes but an instant reply from Marc Pugh levelled at 1-1 inside ten minutes. The Blues sealed a 2-1 win midway through the second half as Leighton Baines struck on 64 minutes with his first goal from open play since January 2013.

In a battle to avoid the drop, Newcastle United hosted Crystal Palace at St James' Park knowing a win coupled with negative results for their fellow battlers could leave them above the drop zone. They did their job in securing a potentially vital win as Andros Townsend continued his fine form since joining from Tottenham by slotting in the winner on the hour for a 1-0 success.

Relegation battlers Sunderland travelled to the Britannia Stadium to face a Stoke City side with an outside chance of securing a European spot with the visitors needing a win to move closer to safety. After a goalless first half, their task was made difficult by an opening goal from Marko Arnautovic just five minutes after the restart for 1-0 and as the game entered the final minutes, the hosts looked on the cards for success. However, Sunderland secured what could be a vital point in the relegation battle via a late strike from Jermain Defoe who secured a 1-1 draw.

Watford hosted already relegated Aston Villa looking to boost their hopes of a top half finish by extending Villa's horrific campaign. The visitors took a surprise lead on 25 minutes through Ciaran Clark only to be pegged back just before half-time by Almen Abdi's equaliser for 1-1. Jordan Ayew fired Villa back in front within three minutes of the restart and despite the dismissal of Aly Cissokho on 73 minutes, Villa looked to be on course for a rare win. However, Watford and Troy Deeney especially staged a stunning hate show as the striker fired in twice in the final minutes to secure a 3-2 win.

Rounding off the afternoon was West Brom hosting West Ham United with the Hammers still in the hunt for a top four spot while the Baggies were happy to have secured safety from the drop zone. The Hammers struck the opening goal on 34 minutes as Cheikou Kouyate fired in before Marc Noble doubled the lead just before half-time. A comfortable win was wrapped up on 79 minutes as Noble struck for a second time to make it 3-0 and close the gap to the top four.

The evening game saw top four challengers Arsenal host relegation battlers Norwich City at the Emirates Stadium with the Canaries knowing anything but a win would leave them two points from safety. The Gunners sealed a narrow win courtesy of a Danny Welbeck strike on 59 minutes which opened up a gap on their chasers but also left Norwich with a gap to safety.

Sunday's action saw an early kick-off at the Liberty Stadium as Swansea City hosted a Liverpool side still in the hunt for Europe on two fronts and with the Europa League semi on Thursday, the Reds fielded a very young side. However, it was to be a mixed gamble as the Swans raced into a 2-0 lead through Andre Ayew and a stunning effort from Jack Cork. Substitute Christian Benteke cut the gap on 65 minutes before an instant blow as Ayew made it 3-1 with his second. A miserable afternoon for the Reds was compounded by the dismissal of Brad Smith on 76 minutes in a loss that leaves them all but out of the top four hunt.

The Super Sunday double header saw top four hopefuls Manchester United host table toppers Leicester City at Old Trafford with the Foxes needing a win to wrap up an historic first league title. Their hopes were dealt an early blow as Anthony Martial fired the hosts ahead inside eight minutes before Foxes captain Wes Morgan levelled in the 17th minute for 1-1.The sides remained level long into the second half and the Foxes hopes of a win were dented by the late dismissal of Danny Drinkwater leaving them to wait at least one further day to claim the title.

In a battle between two sided challenging for European spots, Southampton hosted a weakened Manchester City side who looked to have one eye on their upcoming Champions League semi final. The Saints took full advantage as they raced into a 2-0 lead inside the half hour mark with Shane Long and Sadio Mané on target. Kelechi Iheanacho cut the gap just before half-time but two further efforts from Mané either side of the hour made it 4-1. The last say on the game came from Iheanacho as he struck his second goal on 78 minutes for 4-2.

The final game of the weekend proved to be the most pivotal as Chelsea hosted rivals and title challengers Tottenham in what turned out to be one of the most fiery London derbies between the sides in EPL history with a total of 12 players booked yet none sent off across the 90 minutes.

Tottenham knew that anything but a win would mean Leicester City would claim the title with two games to spare so it was no surprise that the visitors struck first as Harry Kane fired in on 35 minutes with Son Heung-Min doubling the lead just before half-time. Gary Cahill cut the gap for the Blues just before the hour mark before Eden Hazard levelled for 2-2 with seven minutes left to create history for the second season in a row by scoring the goal which decided the destination of the league title. The draw meant Tottenham's challenge sadly ended but a first ever top two finish looks on the cards.

To end the review, it is surreal even now to say - Leicester City - 2015/16 Premier League Champions.

Premier League/FA CUP Semi Catch Up

April has seen a horror of a month for blogging due to technical problems so in catching up, just the results from gameweeks 34 and 35 feature as images with the FA Cup semi final results.

Champions League/Europa League Quarter Finals

Foxes Stay Clear While Reds Defeat Potters

After a break in writing due to technical issues, gameweek 33 saw some really close results and while eight sides hit two goals or more, six sides sealed a shut-out.

The weekend began with the early kick-off at Upton Park as West Ham United hosted Arsenal in a London derby between two sides in the mix for a top four spot. The Gunners made a superb start with Mesut Ozil opening the scoring on 17 minutes ahead of the lead being doubled on 35 minutes by Alexis Sanchez. The Hammers staged a stunning comeback as Andy Carroll struck twice either side of the half-time break to level at 2-2 before sealing his hat-trick for 3-2 just seven minutes after the restart.Arsenal salvaged a draw through as Laurent Koscielny fired in a 70th minute equaliser for 3-3. The result leaves the Gunners all but out of the title race while the Hammers remain fimly in the top four chase.

Rock bottom Aston Villa hosted Bournemouth at Villa Park knowing that a defeat coupled with a positive result for Norwich would see the Villans relegated for the first time in the League's history. A tight first half saw the Cherries break the deadlock late on through Steve Cook for 1-0. The lead was doubled midway through the second half as Josh King made it 2-0 on 74 minutes but Villa remained in the game and forced a frantic finale after Jordan Ayew's 85th minute strike. However, it proved to be sheer consolation as they slipped to yet another defeat.

Crystal Palace hosted Norwich City at Selhurst Park with both sides still not safe from the clutches of the drop zone.  The game proved to be tight one as just one goal was enough to claim all three points and with Villa needing the Canaries to lose in order to stave off relegation, they got their wish. The Eagles claimed the narrow win in the second half as Jason Puncheon opened his scoring account for the season in the 68th minute.

Southampton looked to stay in the hunt for Europe as they hosted a Newcastle United side at St Mary's looking to avoid relegation.. The Saints started superbly as Shane Long fired them ahead inside four minutes before Graziano Pelle doubled the lead in the 37th minute. Victor Wanyama wrapped up the win for the hosts just ten minutes after half-time for 3-0 but Newcastle did have the last say on the score as Andros Townsend made it 3-1 in the 66th minute.

Swansea City looked to edge closer to safety as they hosted Chelsea at the Liberty Stadium with the Blues hoping to boost their chances of a Europa spot. However, the hosts came out on top in a close game that was settled by just a single goal. Gylfi Sigurdsson sealed the three points for the Swans with the crucial strike in the 25th minute.

Watford hosted Everton at Vicarage Road with both sides looking to move closer to the top half with safety all but sealed for both sides. The game looked to be going into half-time with the sides goalless but a frantic double saw James McCarthy put the Toffees ahead before Jose Holebas levelled in added time for 1-1. The late first half flurry proved to be the last say on the score at the sides shared the points.

Manchester City looked to keep up their slim title hopes as they hosted West Bromwich Albion at the Etihad Stadium. The Baggies staged an early upset as Stephane Sessegnon fired them 1-0 ahead inside six minutes but the lead was soon cancelled out as Sergio Aguero converted from the penalty spot on 19 minutes. The points were sealed for the hosts just after the hour mark as Samir Nasri slotted in for 2-1 in the 66th minute.

Sunday's action began at the Stadium of Light as Sunderland hosted league leaders Leicester City hoping to cut the gap to Norwich in the bottom four. The sides played out not only a goalless first half but even first hour before Jamie Vardy fired the Foxes ahead on 67 minutes. The hosts came close to levelling but were condemned to a 2-0 defeat late on as Vardy struck for a second time.

Liverpool hoped to keep up their top four hopes as they hosted a Stoke City side at Anfield who had the same ambition in sitting just above the Reds ahead of the game. The hosts struck an early lead as Alberto Moreno fires in a superb opener in the eighth minute but the Potters drew level on 22 minutes with a strike from Bojan Krkic. Daniel Sturridge regained the lead for the Reds on 32 minutes before a superb brace from substitute Divock Origi in the 50th and 65th minutes wrapped up a comfortable 4-1 victory.

The final game of the weekend saw title hopefuls Tottenham Hotspur host European hopefuls Manchester United at White Hart Lane. The game was delayed by traffic congestion but in a close first hour, the sides remained level before a superb seven minute blitz by the hopes wrapped up a comfortable win. Dele All started the spree in the 70th minute before Toby Alderweireld's 74th minute effort was followed by Erik Lamela's 77th minute strike to seal a 3-0 triumph.

An addition to this post sees two further games as West Ham United hosted Manchester United on Wednesday night in the FA Cup sixth round replay. The sides battled in a goalless first half before United took the lead on 54 minutes via a clever strike from Marcus Rashford before Marouane Fellaini doubled the lead on 67 minutes. West Ham pulled one back through James Tomkins on 79 minutes but it proved to be just a consolation in a 2-1 defeat meaning the final cup game at Upton Park was sadly a defeat for the Hammers.

The Premier League also resumed on Wednesday night as Crystal Palace hosted Everton at Selhurst Park but the game turned out to have all the hallmarks of two mid-table sides as they shared the points in a 0-0 draw, the only notable piece of action saw James McCarthy dismissed in the 51st minute after two bookings.

Foxes Extend Gap After Reds Hold Spurs

A problem computer wise this week means the review is just image based with next weeks going back to the normal routine.

Foxes Remain On Course As Saints Stun Reds

As the crucial run-in grows nearer, gameweek 31 in the Premier League saw an exciting weekend with some interesting results at both ends of the table. Seven sides hit the net two or more times while just six managed to claim a shut-out.

Saturday's early game saw Everton host title challenging Arsenal at Goodison Park with the Gunners knowing anything but a win would derail their title hopes. Their pursuit of success gained an early boost as Danny Welbeck fired them into the lead after just seven minutes. A debut strike from Alex Iwobi saw him double the lead on 42 minutes and it proved to be enough to wrap up a 2-0 win.

In the first of four 3pm games, Chelsea and West Ham United faced off in a London derby at Stamford Bridge with a spot in the top four awaiting the Hammers with a win. They got off the mark after 17 minutes as Manuel Lanzini struck a stunning opener. Cesc Fabregas levelled just before half-time before Andy Carroll restored the Hammers' lead with his first touch off the bench in the 61st minute. The Blues salvaged a draw in the 89th minute as Fabregas slotted in from the penalty spot for 2-2.

Table topping Leicester City travelled to face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park with the chance to move eight points clear at the top should they win. The game proved to be a tight one with just a single goal settling the contest as Riyad Mahrez continued his stunning season for the Foxes with a 34th minute strike to secure a 1-0 win.

Watford hosted Stoke City at Vicarage Road looking to close on the top half while the Potters are still in the hunt for the top four. The visitors struck an early opener as Jon Walters fired them ahead on 18 minutes before Josélu doubled the lead in the 51st minute. Troy Deeney pulled one back for the Hornets on 86 minutes to set up a frantic finale but the Potters managed to hold on for a 2-1 win.

West Bromwich Albion hosted relegation battlers Norwich City at The Hawthorns with the Canaries knowing that a rare win would move them out of the bottom three. The sides remained locked after a goalless first half before a strike from Robbie Brady just five minutes after the restart put the visitors in control. The Baggies battled to try and draw level but fell short as the Canaries moved three points clear of the drop zone.

Saturday's evening game saw Swansea City hosting bottom side Aston Villa with the Swans looking to edge towards safety with a win which in turn would leave the Villans closer to the drop. A close first half saw the visitors dominate but not in terms of the score and they were made to rue missed opportunities as Federico Fernandez fired the hosts ahead within five minutes of the restart. The 50th minute effort proved to be enough to secure a 1-0 win that left the visitors adrift at the bottom.

Super Sunday Derby Day began with the fierce North East face-off  between Newcastle United and Sunderland with both desperate for a win which would see either move out of the bottom three. Sunderland struck first with a goal just seconds before the half-time break courtesy of Jermaine Defoe and they looked to be on the way to a seventh win in a row against the Magpies as the game entered the final ten minutes. However, Newcastle drew level in style with just seven minutes remaining as Aleksandar Mitrovic headed in to salvage a potentially vital 1-1 draw.

The first of the non-televised games saw Southampton host fellow top four hopefuls Liverpool at St Mary's Stadium with both looking to close the gap to the Champions League places. Liverpool raced into a 2-0 lead inside 22 minutes as Philippe Coutinho and Daniel Sturridge struck in a five minute period. The Saints hit back on 64 minutes through Sadio Mané before mounting a superb comeback with two goals in three minutes to secure a 3-2 win as Graziano Pellé struck on 83 minutes before Mané struck his second to wrap up a famous win. 

The second part of the Super Sunday special saw Manchester City host fierce City rivals Manchester United with City needing a win to stay in the title hunt while for United, a win would put them within touching distance of their hosts. The game proved to be a close one overall win just a single goal settling the contest as Marcus Rashford sealed a 1-0 win for United with a strike in the 16th minute.

The final game of the weekend saw title challengers Tottenham Hotspur host Bournemouth with Spurs looking to cut the gap at the top to five points. A perfect start for the hosts saw Harry Kane strike inside the first minute before doubling the lead in the 16th minute. The points were wrapped up by the 52nd minute as Christian Eriksen struck for 3-0.

Europa League Last 16 Second Leg Review

After excitement in the first legs, the Europa League continued with the second legs of the last 16 on Thursday night with the majority of the eight ties in close contention.

Bayer Leverkusen hosted Villarreal looking to overturn a 2-0 deficit from the first leg but the Germans were unable to do so in a tight 90 minutes which saw the sides draw 0-0 on the night and ensure that the La Liga side advanced into the last eight with a 2-0 success on aggregate.

Lazio hosted Sparta Prague with the sides level at 1-1 after a close first leg but such equality was soon forgotten within 12 minutes of the second leg as Sparta raced into a 2-0 lead which put them 3-1 ahead on aggregate. Dockal opened the scoring in the tenth minute before Krejci doubled the lead two minutes later and the Italians' hopes were all but over by half-time as Julis made it 3-0 on 44 minutes. The lead held until the end as the Czechs reached the last eight with a 4-1 aggregate success.


The all La Liga tie saw Valencia host Athletic Bilbao hoping to overturn a narrow one goal deficit from the first leg and they took just 13 minutes to level the tie as Lorenzo fired the hosts ahead on the night. Santos doubled the lead on 37 minutes to give the hosts a 2-1 lead overall but despite leading long into the second half, they were denied a place in the next round by a 75th minute strike from Aduriz. His effort wasn't enough to prevent a defeat on the night but the away goal secured a spot in the last eight after a 2-2 aggregate.

Manchester United hosted Premier League rivals Liverpool hoping to overturn the Reds' 2-0 advantage from the first leg at Anfield as the sides met at Old Trafford. The hosts struck the first piece in their puzzle as Anthony Martial converted a 32nd minute penalty to cut the gap to 2-1 overall. However, Liverpool restored the two goal lead on aggregate right on the stroke of half-time as Philippe Coutinho levelled the game at 1-1 thereby making it 3-1 overall. The score remained level for the entirety of the second half as Liverpool celebrated dumping their fierce rivals out of the competition.

Anderlecht hosted Shakthar Donetsk with a huge task ahead of them after suffering a 3-1 defeat in the first leg. The sides were evenly matched in this game with the score remaining goalless deep into the final ten minutes. Both sides suffered a blow with the dismissal of Kucher for the visitors on 84 minutes before the hosts lost Kara Mbodji just a couple of minutes later. The visitors secured a win in added time as Eduardo struck to confirm a 4-1 aggregate win.

Sevilla looked to edge a step closer to retaining their title as they hosted FC Basel, the sides drew the opening leg 0-0 but there would be no draw this time around as Rami fired the hosts ahead in the 35th minute. A rapid brace for Gameiro just before half-time made it 3-0 and his strikes proved to be the nail in the hopes of the Swiss as Sevilla sealed a 3-0 aggregate success.

Sporting Braga hosted Fenerbache looking to overturn a narrow 1-0 deficit from the first leg and they took just 11 minutes of the second leg to make their mark as Hassan put them 1-0 up and levelled the tie overall. The visitors levelled the game in the 45th minute as Potuk struck before they suffered a blow on 66 minutes with the dismissal of Topal.

The hosts took control of the tie with two goals in five minutes as Josué converted a 69th minute penalty before Stojiljkovic made it 3-0 on the night in the 74th minute. Silva wrapped up the win and the tie as a whole with a fourth goal on 83 minutes before the Turks collapsed late on with goalscorer Potuk and Sen dismissed as they suffered a 4-2 exit on aggregate.

The final tie of the night saw Tottenham facing the huge task of overturning a 3-0 deficit from the first leg against Borussia Dortmund. Their mission became even harder inside the first half an hour as Pierre Aubameyang put the Germans ahead and extended the overall lead to 4-0. The tie was over as a contest as Aubameyang struck his second and the Germans fifth overall in the 70th minute before Tottenham had the last say with a strike from Son Heung-Min on 73 minutes to make it 2-1 on the night but only a consolation overall in a 5-1 aggregate defeat.