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Pulsating and Pivotal in Premier League

Its moments such as what occurred in the final seconds in the Brentford Community Stadium which can prove pivotal over the course of a Premier League season.

This SBOTOP observer has enormous respect for what Thomas Frank and his players have achieved and continue to achieve, ever since their first promotion to the top flight for 74 years almost two years ago.

Yet all my thoughts on this occasion lay with Nottingham Forest after they conceded a last-gasp goal.

Substitute Josh Dasilva scored the 94th minute winner to send the home fans into raptures and leave Forest distraught.

The agony seemed to be prolonged as the goal was only confirmed after a long VAR check, capping a double misfortune as Forest only had 10 men on the pitch after Danilo went off injured and they were unable to make any further substitutions.

It was cruel and the face of manager Steve Cooper told its own story.

His task now, after this dispiriting defeat, is to rally his players again, knowing their next game at home against Southampton on May 8 is likely to have a huge impact on their survival hopes.

How they react will be key.

A word of congratulations to Brentford whose skipper Ivan Toney has now become the first Bees player since Dave McCulloch in 1937-38 to score 20 top-flight league goals in a season.

A fine achievement.

As I mentioned on these pages about a month ago, if Brentford or Brighton secure European football next season, Frank or Roberto de Zerbi should receive the manager of the year accolade for they are both working small miracles at their respective clubs.

Brighton also delivered more Premier League highlights on Saturday as they recorded their biggest-ever top-flight victory at the expense of woeful Wolves.

De Zerbi’s men could have been forgiven for feeling jaded after a week in which they only missed out on a place in the FA Cup Final via a penalty shoot-out, yet the manager freshened things up, leaving key players Kaoru Mitoma, Alexis Mac Allister and Moises Caicedo on the bench and handing rare starts to Deniz Undav and Billy Gilmour.

He was rewarded in style as Undav broke the deadlock with his first Premier League goal, before Pascal Gross made it 2-0 with an easy finish following teenager Julio Enciso’s driving run and pass.

Gross doubled his personal tally with a superb swerving strike before Danny Welbeck’s close-range header made it four before the break.

The former Man United and Arsenal frontman grabbed his second early in the second half and Undav completed the scoring with another super finish.

Premier League
Brighton & Hove Albion
Manchester United
1X2 Manchester United @ 3.05
Manchester United Asian Handicap +0.25 @ 2.13
Over 1.25 @ 2.03
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.

The Premier League betting odds had been blitzed with six of the best and a spellbinding performance in the Sussex sunshine which De Zerbi described as probably the ‘best performance in my career as a coach.

To complete a trio of victories for sides beginning with ‘B’, Bournemouth may just have sealed their place in the top flight next term.

And could they have dealt an ultimately fatal blow to Leeds’ survival hopes in the process?

Certainly, the Yorkshire club really needed to win at the Vitality, or at the very least gain a point.

Two goals in four first half minutes from Jefferson Lerma set the Cherries on their way before the much-missed Patrick Bamford netted his fourth goal of the campaign to earn Leeds a route back, a free header from a hanging Wilfried Gnonto cross.

It proved a false dawn as Bournemouth restored their two-goal advantage soon after the hour through Dominic Solanke and, when Antoine Semenyo compounded their misery in stoppage time, the angry Leeds support bellowed: ‘You’re not fit the wear the shirt’.

Yes, they continue to hover a point above the drop zone but their position in the top flight appears increasingly delicate unless there is a swift turnaround.

Leeds have now just taken one point from the last available 15 and conceded 23 goals across their past seven matches, only one of which they have won.

There are new leaders after a quite sublime strike from Julian Alvarez gave champions Manchester City a hard-fought win at Fulham.

Despite missing key men through injury and suspension, the hosts made life uncomfortable for their illustrious opponents at Craven Cottage.

Erling Haaland scored the first goal for Manchester City in their away match against Fulham in the Premier League
Erling Haaland celebrates the first goal of Manchester City against Fulham

Yet, either side of a fine Vinícius strike, City won the day with Alvarez proving the match-winner after an early penalty from footballer of the year Erling Haaland had opened the scoring.

The Norwegian continued his remarkable season by becoming the first top-flight player since 1931 to score 50 goals in all competitions.

It was his 34th goal in 32 league games, equalling the records set by Andy Cole in 1993-94 and Alan Shearer in 1994-95. A reminder: the division contained 22 teams when Cole and Shearer were banging them in.

Some achievement.

One more mention for the final game of Sunday as Liverpool scored three inside the opening quarter of an hour against Spurs who then produced a majestic fightback and scored a stoppage time equaliser only to concede an immediate winner.

As thrilling a contest as it was, in many ways it showed just why both teams are unlikely to finish in the top four. What entertainment though!


 

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