Another topsy turvy weekend of Premier League football saw Cristiano Ronaldo score a hat-trick in Manchester United’s 3-2 win over bottom club Norwich City.
And that was enough for the Red Devils to steal a march on their rivals who all slipped up. The Premier League 2022 betting odds make it a three horse race for the final Champions League place, with Tottenham, Arsenal and Manchester United all in the frame. Fourth placed Spurs messed up a great chance to extend their lead over their rivals when they lost 1-0 at home to Brighton, while Arsenal went down to Southampton by the same margin. That means United draw level with the Gunners and three points behind Tottenham, while outsiders West Ham failed to make up ground, drawing at home to manager-less Burnley.
Ronaldo is carrying the Red Devils
Yet another man-of-the-match performance from CR7 handed three points to an unimpressive Manchester United and not for the first time this season. The 37 year old legend has become the Red Devil’s talisman again, and that’s a poor reflection on some of his highly rated team-mates. His 99th league goal was a much needed winner after his team had squandered a two goal lead to the Canaries who have little to play for but their pride. And that’s a quality Ralf Rangnick’s players need to rediscover even if their form is under par.
It was a second hat-trick in five games for Ronaldo who also saved his team in a five goal thriller against fellow top four hopefuls Spurs, and without his goals United would have been a mid-table team. While he may upset the balance of the side Ronaldo is undoubtedly a leader and the Red Devils need more of the same if they are to sustain a Champions League challenge.
Have the wheels fallen off at Arsenal?
It turned out to be a super Saturday for Manchester United as both Spurs and Arsenal failed to pick up a point in their games. The Gunners went down to a Jan Bednarek goal at St Mary’s and that made it three losses on the bounce for Mikel Arteta’s Gunners. With 75 per cent possession and 23 shots Arsenal fans expected more, and their frustration mounted knowing that a victory would draw them level with fourth placed Spurs.
The Saints have been on a slump in recent weeks, losing five of their last six games including a 6-0 thumping at the hands of Chelsea, but Veteran keeper Fraser Forster kept them in front with a series of fine saves. The Gunners were in pole position for the Champions League spot three games ago, but losses to Brighton and Crystal Palace and now this defeat to Southampton have left them a lot to do. And it doesn’t get any easier for Arteta’s men with a trip to Chelsea on Wednesday, followed by a clash with Manchester United at the Emirates next Saturday.
Burnley show signs of life after Dyche
The big Premier League 2022 news in the run up to this weekend was the shock sacking of Burnley boss Sean Dyche by American owners ALK. It’s hard to tell whether this was a knee-jerk reaction from Chairman Alan Pace or a considered move to try to plan for the future, whichever division the Clarets are in next term. With seven games to go Burnley are now three points from safety, so they are not dead and buried, but while a 1-1 draw away to West Ham was a good result, they need to find some wins in the coming weeks.
With both Watford and Norwich City losing and Everton and Leeds not playing this weekend, the Clarets were never going to lose ground when they travelled to the London Stadium and the SBOTOP odds backed a home win. But the Clarets played some nice football under the guidance of U23 coach Mike Jackson, and went ahead on the half hour when Jay Rodriguez hit the crossbar and Wout Weghorst nodded in the rebound. The visitors had to make a change when midfield man Ashley Westwood suffered a horror injury and was replaced by Jack Cork. But they had a golden opportunity to double their lead when Lukasz Fabianski brought down Maxwell Cornet and the referee pointed to the spot. The Ivorian climbed to his feet but rolled his penalty wide and was made to pay when Tomas Soucek levelled with his shoulder from a Manuel Lanzini free-kick. Burnley keeper Nick Pope then saved a point for the Clarets with a brilliant late save to deny Michail Antonio.
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