Fans react as Chelsea go top and Man United falter over a gripping PL weekend
15 August 2016 - Premier League - Chelsea v West Ham United - Antonio Conte manager of Chelsea celebrates the win - Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.
The Premier League returned after a two-week break for internationals this weekend, and we have a new side at the top of the pile.
Antonio Conte’s Chelsea usurped Liverpool at the summit after a 1-0 win at Middlesbrough on Sunday, with Diego Costa’s tenth goal of the season enough to see off Aitor Karanka’s men.
Their victory, a sixth successive league win, sees them go above Jurgen Klopp’s Reds after they only managed a 0-0 draw at Southampton, which is only the second time this season that they’ve failed to score.
Photo: Simon Stacpoole / Offside.
Manchester City kept the pressure on with a 2-1 win at Crystal Palace, with Yaya Toure returning to the side with a brace, while Arsenal lost a bit of ground after leaving it late to draw 1-1 at Manchester United.
Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham picked up their first league win since the start of October by coming from behind to dispatch West Ham, while Ronald Koeman’s Everton needed a late Seamus Coleman header to rescue a point against bottom of the table Swansea.
Elsewhere, Sunderland picked up their second win of the campaign by sweeping aside Hull 3-0, Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth moved up to eighth courtesy of a 1-0 victory at Stoke and champions Leicester suffered a fifth away defeat of the season at Watford. West Brom closed off the round of fixtures in fine fashion last night, thumping Sean Dyche’s Burnley 4-0.
It was a gripping weekend of action across England’s top division, but it was Chelsea’s win at Boro which got many talking on social media, with many hugely complementary of another decent display from the Blues, and one player in particular coming in for much praise…
https://twitter.com/IbbotsonFinlay/status/800400758793502722
https://twitter.com/HLooyaan/status/800402113557909504
.@DavidLuiz_4 pulled off strings of masterclass performance, leaving pundits who berated him on his return to Chelsea to look like fools. 👊
— 🅄🄱🄾🄽🄶 (@Ubongabasi_) November 20, 2016
The most eagerly-anticipated game of the weekend saw Arsenal leave it late to draw at Old Trafford, and several United fans, although frustrated with the result, can see signs of improvement under Jose Mourinho…
So annoying United dropped a couple of points yesterday. We had Arsenal on the ropes. Good performance though and Mata is class.
— Sean Chacksfield (@SeanChacksfield) November 20, 2016
https://twitter.com/ReeceManUtd/status/800036515581718528
Mourinho is right, I've been happier with the performance of our team in some of our draws this season than I was with wins last season
— Man Utd News (@News_ManUtd) November 19, 2016
We will come good under Mourinho. Let him settle his team. I'm very pleased with the performance so far,just need the goals.
— Nielsen🇧🇻 (@ManUtd84) November 19, 2016
…while many Gunners fans recognised that their team were far from at their best, but at least got a point away from home…
Not our greatest performance of the season, but a crucial point. Onwards to the next game. #COYG
— Toronto Arsenal (@Toronto_Arsenal) November 20, 2016
To get a point away from home against a big side after a poor performance is a brilliant result, got a good feeling about this team #arsenal
— Ryan (@ryangooner25) November 20, 2016
https://twitter.com/Finbar_McM/status/800258422310572032
Smash an grab for #Arsenal at Utd. Not a great performance, selection and tactics wrong imo. On to PSG #COYG unbeaten since opening day!
— Rory (@mhrory1987) November 20, 2016
Yaya Toure made his first Premier League start of the season at Crystal Palace at the weekend, and his excellent display was duly praised by some on Twitter…
Yaya Toure is still a great player. So powerful and hard to stop. Him and KDB behind Aguero is what wins clubs league titles #mcfc
— Craig Chad (@Craig_Chadd) November 20, 2016
https://twitter.com/thetoughtackler/status/800109541908160512