Sky Sports casts an eye over this weekend's Premier League action and picks out some of the key highlights.
Sunday 21 September 2014 21:02, UK
Sky Sports casts an eye over this weekend's Premier League action and picks out some of the key highlights.
Game of the Weekend
Leicester City 5-3 Manchester United
A second-half capitulation from Manchester United lead to one of the most thrilling Premier League games in recent years as Leicester came from 3-1 down to storm to a remarkable 5-3 win at the King Power Stadium. Early goals from Robin van Persie and Angel di Maria had seemingly put the visitors in control inside 16 minutes, but Leonardo Ulloa hit back with a bullet header just a minute later. A clever second-half back heel from Ander Herrera restored the two-goal lead but Leicester kept coming and David Nugent’s penalty triggered a miraculous comeback. Esteban Cambiasso rifled in a 64th-minute equaliser, Jamie Vardy put the Foxes ahead with a cool finish before Ulloa added his second from the spot as Tyler Blackett was dismissed in a game which well and truly lived up to its Super Sunday billing.
Player of the Weekend
Arsene Wenger has been an ardent defender of Mesut Ozil despite the German failing to convince in recent weeks, and his faith was rewarded with a Man of the Match display in the 3-0 win at Villa Park. Playing in his favoured central role behind the attack, Ozil opened the scoring, assisted Danny Welbeck’s first Arsenal goal and covered more ground than any of his team-mates. The 25-year-old netted his first Premier League away goal as he slotted beyond Brad Guzan with a cool finish on 32 minutes and Wenger was full of praise for his showing. “He (Ozil) took advantage of his position and his link-up play with Danny Welbeck was very good,” said the Arsenal boss.
Moment of the weekend
Chelsea looked set to make it five wins out of five after taking the lead against a Manchester City side reduced to ten men, but their former midfielder Frank Lampard struck against his old club to secure a 1-1 draw. With just five minutes to go, he showed great technique to fire a volley into the bottom corner from James Milner’s pass and delight the Etihad Stadium faithful. Chelsea’s fans had also given him a great reception when he came on as a substitute and, after not celebrating, they continued to applaud him as he acknowledged them at the final whistle. Having joined New York City in the summer after 13 years with Chelsea, he was then loaned to Man City and admitted to feeling ‘stuck in the middle’ following his late goal.
Goal of the Weekend
Never mind Goal of the Weekend, Nikica Jelavic’s stunning acrobatic opener at St James’ Park is an early contender for Goal of the Season. The Croatian striker now has three goals from the first five Premier League games of the season and he will do very well to better this effort. After Mohamed Diame was unable to get a cross away from the right, he teed up full-back Liam Rosenior to whip a first-time delivery into the area. Jelavic stepped away from his marker, Mike Williamson, to give himself some room to manoeuvre and executed the finish perfectly as his mid-air volley left Tim Krul rooted to the spot. It would have "graced any arena," according to Steve Bruce.
Shock of the Weekend
West Ham condemned Liverpool to a third defeat from their five opening Premier League games after a lightening start at Upton Park which Sam Allardyce felt took the visitors by "surprise". Winston Reid steered in a second-minute opener from close range before Diafra Sakho’s impressive start to life with the Hammers continued as he lobbed Simon Mignolet to make it three goals in three games. Raheem Sterling pulled one back for Brendan Rodgers’ side with an emphatic half-volley on 26 minutes, but second-half substitute Morgan Amalfitano wrapped things up two minutes from time to leave Brendan Rodgers stunned. "For some reason we just didn’t get going," said the Liverpool boss.
Super-sub of the Weekend
"If you are losing 2-0 or 3-0 and the game is not finished, you are not a loser. You need to keep going," said Newcastle United super-sub Papiss Cisse after hitting two late goals to secure a point against Hull City. And Cisse may well have spared Alan Pardew from the sack after stepping off the bench with 20 minutes left on the clock. Jelavic and Mohamed Diame appeared to have put Steve Bruce’s side into a comfortable lead at a volatile St James’ Park as home fans called for Pardew’s dismissal, but Cisse fired beyond Allan McGregor at his near post before converting Yoan Gouffran’s header across goal to rescue a point.
Assist of the Weekend
Radamel Falcao v Leicester City
Making his first start since joining Manchester United on deadline day, Radamel Falcao partnered Robin van Persie in attack during the breath-taking 5-3 defeat at Leicester and he teed up the Dutchman for his first goal of the season. A swift United break saw Falcao leave former Old Trafford prospect Ritchie de Laet chasing shadows down Leicester's right as he skipped away from the full-back to deliver a perfectly-timed cross towards the back post. Van Persie was arriving to apply the finish as he headed a 13th-minute opener past Kasper Schmeichel long before things took a major turn for the worst for the visitors.
