Mikel Arteta ‘bottled it’, Fulham star kept silenced Mohamed Salah and fear for Gary O’Neil
Another batch of Premier League madness featuring late winners, a red card and title race drama was on display on Saturday. Five matches up and down the country produced a total of 14 goals, with the hectic festive schedule now well underway. Newcastle were the top scorers in the Premier League on SaturdayGetty Liverpool could only extend their lead at the top of the table by a pointGetty Arsenal failed to overtake Chelsea as they drew 0-0 with Everton and ten-man Liverpool were held to a 2-2 draw at home to Fulham. Newcastle United thrashed Leicester City 4-0 whilst Ipswich Town won their second game of the season with a stoppage-time winner at Wolverhampton Wanderers. The evening kick-off was arguably the best of the lot as Nottingham Forest came from behind and beat Aston Villa 2-1. With huge results occurring at both the top and bottom of the table, talkSPORT duo Jamie O’Hara and Jason Cundy reveal their winners and losers from Saturday’s matches on the GameDay Phone-In… Winners Antonee Robinson Robinson was one of the stars in a Fulham side that took the lead on two occasions against Liverpool at Anfield. The left-back was tasked with a battle against one of the best players so far this season in Mohamed Salah and emerged as the victor. Cundy said: “Antonee Robinson, left-back for Fulham. He’s an up and downer with quality… “He had two assists today, but his all-round performance up against arguably, I mean probably, the best right-hand sided player in the Premier League for many a year, if not the very, very best.” He added: “I’m talking about the very best right now, Salah, kept him very quiet. I know they go down to ten men, Liverpool, made it that much trickier, but take nothing away from his performance, I thought he was the best player on the pitch.” Robinson performed excellently for Fulham against SalahGetty Jacob Murphy and Eddie Howe Newcastle returned to St. James’ Park in desperate need of three points following a winless run of four matches in the Premier League. The Magpies excelled against Leicester with their highest score of the season, with Murphy their first and fourth goals of the afternoon. “Jacob Murphy gets two goals,” Cundy said, before heaping praise on the Newcastle boss. “Eddie Howe, his post-match presser there, he was talking about performances, how they need to be a bit more like that. “Been a bit frustrating this season for Newcastle but they dispatched a side like Leicester where you should be doing that. “That doesn’t always happen like that in football, but four flattered Leicester, I mean [Alexander] Isak missed a great one v one by the way, it was a poor finish by his standards. Newcastle inflicted a heavy defeat on Leicester with four goalsGetty “It could have been five, could have been six, could have been more, but well done Newcastle, they’re in that clutch in behind the top four at the moment.” Jack Taylor Ipswich have taken a huge step towards climbing out of the Premier League relegation zone with a precious win away at Wolves. A Matt Doherty own-goal put them ahead in the first half before an unmarked header from Taylor in stoppage-time sealed the deal. Cundy explained: “Finally, Jack Taylor. Late, late, late, late goal which secures Ipswich [the win], massive. “All the Tractor Boys heading back down to Suffolk right now will be… It’s one of those games, you know, that’s why you follow football, late winners like that.” Ipswich beat fellow strugglers Wolves in dramatic fashionGetty “It’s a free header, it’s a poor defensively conceded goal,” he added. “Take nothing away from Taylor. He’s there, right place, right time, well done Ipswich.” Losers Andy Robertson and Tony Harrington Liverpool went down to ten men after just 16 minutes against Fulham after Robertson was dismissed for his tackle on Wilson. He was adjudged to have denied a goalscoring opportunity, but Cundy believes referee Harrington is also worthy of being a loser this week. “He’s in there, but [put] Tony Harrington in there mate as well, the ref, mate,” he said. Robertson’s dismissal meant Liverpool had one less player for most of the matchGetty “So Robertson’s out?” asked O’Hara, and Cundy replied: “I don’t know about that mate. I’d like to hear a conversation in a quiet, dark room between the pair of them. Andy Robertson’s gone in there because… “He got himself in a right mess by the way, it’s a poor tackle from him. Positionally, he’s given the referee a decision to make. [Harry] Wilson does well… I don’t think it’s a red card. “When you give the ref a decision to make, they sometimes make decisions you don’t want them to make so he’s in but half in, him and Harrington can share it.” Gary O’Neil Wolves boss O’Neil has come under increasing pressure of late as his side have won only twice all season. Def
Another batch of Premier League madness featuring late winners, a red card and title race drama was on display on Saturday.
Five matches up and down the country produced a total of 14 goals, with the hectic festive schedule now well underway.
Arsenal failed to overtake Chelsea as they drew 0-0 with Everton and ten-man Liverpool were held to a 2-2 draw at home to Fulham.
Newcastle United thrashed Leicester City 4-0 whilst Ipswich Town won their second game of the season with a stoppage-time winner at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The evening kick-off was arguably the best of the lot as Nottingham Forest came from behind and beat Aston Villa 2-1.
With huge results occurring at both the top and bottom of the table, talkSPORT duo Jamie O’Hara and Jason Cundy reveal their winners and losers from Saturday’s matches on the GameDay Phone-In…
Winners
Antonee Robinson
Robinson was one of the stars in a Fulham side that took the lead on two occasions against Liverpool at Anfield.
The left-back was tasked with a battle against one of the best players so far this season in Mohamed Salah and emerged as the victor.
Cundy said: “Antonee Robinson, left-back for Fulham. He’s an up and downer with quality…
“He had two assists today, but his all-round performance up against arguably, I mean probably, the best right-hand sided player in the Premier League for many a year, if not the very, very best.”
He added: “I’m talking about the very best right now, Salah, kept him very quiet. I know they go down to ten men, Liverpool, made it that much trickier, but take nothing away from his performance, I thought he was the best player on the pitch.”
Jacob Murphy and Eddie Howe
Newcastle returned to St. James’ Park in desperate need of three points following a winless run of four matches in the Premier League.
The Magpies excelled against Leicester with their highest score of the season, with Murphy their first and fourth goals of the afternoon.
“Jacob Murphy gets two goals,” Cundy said, before heaping praise on the Newcastle boss. “Eddie Howe, his post-match presser there, he was talking about performances, how they need to be a bit more like that.
“Been a bit frustrating this season for Newcastle but they dispatched a side like Leicester where you should be doing that.
“That doesn’t always happen like that in football, but four flattered Leicester, I mean [Alexander] Isak missed a great one v one by the way, it was a poor finish by his standards.
“It could have been five, could have been six, could have been more, but well done Newcastle, they’re in that clutch in behind the top four at the moment.”
Jack Taylor
Ipswich have taken a huge step towards climbing out of the Premier League relegation zone with a precious win away at Wolves.
A Matt Doherty own-goal put them ahead in the first half before an unmarked header from Taylor in stoppage-time sealed the deal.
Cundy explained: “Finally, Jack Taylor. Late, late, late, late goal which secures Ipswich [the win], massive.
“All the Tractor Boys heading back down to Suffolk right now will be… It’s one of those games, you know, that’s why you follow football, late winners like that.”
“It’s a free header, it’s a poor defensively conceded goal,” he added. “Take nothing away from Taylor. He’s there, right place, right time, well done Ipswich.”
Losers
Andy Robertson and Tony Harrington
Liverpool went down to ten men after just 16 minutes against Fulham after Robertson was dismissed for his tackle on Wilson.
He was adjudged to have denied a goalscoring opportunity, but Cundy believes referee Harrington is also worthy of being a loser this week.
“He’s in there, but [put] Tony Harrington in there mate as well, the ref, mate,” he said.
“So Robertson’s out?” asked O’Hara, and Cundy replied: “I don’t know about that mate. I’d like to hear a conversation in a quiet, dark room between the pair of them. Andy Robertson’s gone in there because…
“He got himself in a right mess by the way, it’s a poor tackle from him. Positionally, he’s given the referee a decision to make. [Harry] Wilson does well… I don’t think it’s a red card.
“When you give the ref a decision to make, they sometimes make decisions you don’t want them to make so he’s in but half in, him and Harrington can share it.”
Gary O’Neil
Wolves boss O’Neil has come under increasing pressure of late as his side have won only twice all season.
Defeat at home to Ipswich leaves them four points adrift of safety and talkSPORT’s GameDay Phone-In hosts have expressed concern over his position as head coach.
“Oh Gaz, Gaz. That’s a terrible result for them, even 1-1 would have been great, a decision will have to be made very soon about that.
“Look, Gary’s been in football all his life, he knows the story, he’s not stupid, he knows what position he’s in, I fear for the safety of him moving forward because they look like they’re doomed at the moment.”
O’Hara said: “I think it might be time just to make a change, and it ain’t because he’s a bad manager…
“I think he’s a brilliant young manager,” Cundy then insisted. “I think he’ll go on to be brilliant. I think we’ll see him in the Premier League for many years to come.”
Mikel Arteta
Arsenal had to settle for a sixth league draw of the season as they were unable to find a way past the struggling Everton at home.
Set piece goals have worked wonders for them of late but did not make a recurrence on Saturday, with one of Arteta’s substitutions being questioned.
“Got to go in there, bottled it!” former Tottenham man O’Hara shouted.
“People are talking about taking off Rice and [Odegaard], Odegaard’s the one,” said Cundy.
“I get Rice, Jorginho comes on, Jorginho’s a different type of midfielder than Rice, I get that, he’s a bit more creative than Rice.
“The Odegaard thing, the only thing I can think about with Odegaard is that he’s come back from injury about the last month. He’s played a lot of football, he’s been brilliant for them, really, really good, but when you need a goal, you want your top dog.
“Unless there’s a knock, unless we’re doing him a disservice, unless there is a niggle, which it didn’t appear to be the way he came off, I thought that was a very odd decision.”
There’s still plenty more action to come this weekend, including the derby between Manchester City and Manchester United on Sunday.
Brighton host Crystal Palace before Chelsea face Brentford and Southampton are at home to Tottenham, with Bournemouth vs West Ham coming on Monday night, live on talkSPORT.
Premier League results - December 14
Premier League results - December 14
Arsenal 0-0 Everton
Liverpool 2-2 Fulham
Newcastle United 4-0 Leicester City
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-2 Ipswich Town
Nottingham Forest 2-1 Aston Villa
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