The 15th round of matches in the Premier League this season were played on Tuesday and Wednesday, as the table continues to take shape heading towards the end of the year. Here are our picks for the latest instalment of Winners and Losers.
Winners:
City and Liverpool
Manchester City and Liverpool continued to live up to their pre-season hype of being the two leading contenders for the Premier League title this campaign. Neither had an easy time this week, as City beat Watford 2-1 and Liverpool had to come back from a goal down to beat Burnley 3-1. The Reds are two points behind the champions and leaders, and the two sides remain the only unbeaten ones so far.
Both Teams to Score
For anyone who placed their money on the Both Teams to Score market, the bet came through for every single match this week. With all 20 teams in action, there was a rare occurrence where no team at all managed to keep a clean sheet.
Nuno Espírito Santo
Wolverhampton Wanderers enjoyed a bright start to the season, but they had a run of results that taught manager Nuno Espirito Santo just how competitive the English top flight can be. Few people backed Wolves to beat Chelsea on Wednesday, more so when they conceded the first goal. They, however, turned the tables and went on to win 2-1. This will have been a major boost that was needed by the team, but it will also do a world of good for the confidence of their manager.
Losers:
Chelsea’s title hopes
It is not only that Chelsea lost a match they were expected to win, but the pack ahead of them does not appear to be in the mood to relent. Defeat for the Blues leaves them ten points adrift of City at the top of the table. If last season is anything to go by, there is little hope that Maurizio Sarri’s men can make up that gap between now and the end of the season.
United/Arsenal rivalry
Manchester United and Arsenal played out a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford on Wednesday night. The match was devoid of much quality, but it was an entertaining affair nonetheless. In many ways, it served as a stark reminder of just how far these two giants have fallen since they ruled English football under Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsène Wenger respectively.
Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield were beaten 2-1 by Bournemouth on Wednesday night. While this was not entirely unexpected, it pushed them down one spot and just above the relegation zone. The interesting thing is that Cardiff City – who lost by a bigger margin (3-1 to West Ham United) – actually leapfrogged them in the table. They now both have a goal difference of -16, but Cardiff have scored more goals (14) than the Terriers’ ten.