Christian Pulisic was denied a goal in a rare Chelsea start, but it was Tim Ream who got on the score sheet in a busy midweek spate of games following the Christmas holiday.
Chelsea 2 – 0 Bournemouth
Christian Pulisic started and went 82 minutes for Chelsea in their 2-0 win over Bournemouth, nearly notching a goal.
After 11 minutes played, Pulisic had his first major chance of the game after being released into the box. However, Bournemouth were able to stop the attack with a tug on Pulisic’s shirt that sent him to the ground, but no penalty was given by the officials.
The scoring started in the 16th minute as Raheem Sterling was released down the right flank. The English international spotted Kai Havertz alone in the middle and the front man dispatched neatly with a sliding shot past the Bournemouth goalkeeper.
Chelsea doubled the lead through Mason Mount in the 24th minute as Bournemouth failed to clear their lines effectively. Mount found a pocket of space on the top of the box for a long distance shot that left the goalkeeper stranded.
Pulisic thought he had scored on the stroke of half time with a sweeping Chelsea move. However, Havertz was adjudged to have fouled a player in the build up so it was chalked off.
The American will hope to start again on Sunday when Chelsea travel to Nottingham Forest.
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Crystal Palace 0 – 3 Fulham
Chris Richards and Crystal Palace faced off against Antonee Robinson and Tim Ream’s Fulham, with Ream scoring his first Premier League goal in the win.
Robinson and Ream started and went the distance, while Richards came on after 60 minutes after Palace went down to nine men.
The scoring started in the 31st minute for Fulham, as Aleksander Mitrovic turned provider for Bobby Decordova-Reid with an inswinging cross met with a strong glancing header.
Things went from bad to worse for Crystal Palace as Tyrick Mitchell was shown a straight red card in the 34th minute for a dangerous tackle.
Whatever the half-time reset for Patrick Viera’s side might have accomplished was undone in the 57th minute as James Tomkins picked up his second yellow card of the day, sending Palace down to nine men. Richards was subbed in straight away in a tactical fortification, but it was all to do from that point on.
Ream found himself in the right spot at the right time in the 71st minute to rocket home a shot to the top corner with his left foot.
Mitrovic was able to add his inevitable goal, which came in the 80th minute. Willian played the ball back across the face of the goal, and Mitrovic raised the highest to nod home from point blank range.
Up next for Fulham is a visit from Southampton while Palace take on Bournemouth.
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Leeds 1 – 3 Manchester City
Jesse Marsch opted to start Brenden Aaronson for Leeds against Manchester, and had to do without the suspended Tyler Adams, as his team was simply overpowered on Wednesday.
City started as they meant to continue, getting a shot off through Erling Haaland within the first 60 seconds. Illan Meslier made several big saves, but was unable to keep City out. Still, the scoring wouldn’t start until the stroke of half time as Rodri got the visitors on the scoreboard.
Haaland was able to add another goal to his remarkable total in the 51st minute as Leeds were caught in possession by Jack Grealish. The English winger was in 1v1 with Meslier, and simply squared the ball to Haaland who scored into an empty net.
The front man then netted his second on the night – and 20th so far in Premier League play – in the 64th minute, again assisted by Grealish with a clever give and go.
Pascal Struijk was able to pull one back for the home team with a strong header, but it proved too little too late. Aaronson was subbed off in the 83rd minute.
Up next for Leeds is a trip to Newcastle.
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Luton Town 2 – 1 Norwich
Josh Sargent went the distance in Norwich’s narrow defeat to Ethan Horvath’s Luton Town, a game that lost head coach Dean Smith his job.
Things seemed to be going the visitors’ way as Teemu Pukki grabbed a second half goal in the 69th minute to cancel out Allan Campbell’s 61st minute goal for Luton.
To give the visitors more hope, Luton were reduced to 10 men. However, Cauley Woodrow scored a last gasp winner in the 89th minute to seal the Canaries fate.
Sargent and company will hope to get back to winning ways on Friday against Reading.
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Middlesbrough 4 – 1 Wigan Athletic
Zack Steffen got the start for Middlesbrough in a convincing win, with forward Matthew Hoppe coming on in the 84th minute to round out the substitutions on the night.
Steffen was called into early action, making a fine save off of a Wigan attack. Marcus Forss got the scoring started in the 26th minute with an impressive finish, assisted by Duncan Watmore.
Chuba Akpom was able to score a hat trick on the night, getting his first goal in the 49th minute with a solid crossed ball by Ryan Giles for a finish alone in the middle. Akpom got his second goal of the evening off of a darting run down the middle to slot home past Jamie Jones.
Wigan were able to pull one back in the 61st minute through Thelo Aasgaard, a scintillating strike that left Steffen no chance. Giles and Akpom linked up again in the third minute of stoppage time for Akpom to finish his hat trick with an acrobatic finish.
Up next for Middlesbrough is a Thursday encounter with Blackburn.
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Preston North End 1 – 2 Huddersfield Town
Duane Holmes started and played 96 minutes for Huddersfield in their impressive away win, while Matthew Olosunde did not make the bench for the home side.
Preston North End got the scoring started in the 34th minute through Greg Cunningham, but a pair of goals in the second half were enough to see Huddersfield over the hump. Jordan Rhodes scored in the 75th minute, while Kaine Kesler scored the game winner in the 85th minute.
Holmes and company are dead last in the Championship half way through the season and hope to get three more points against Rotherham on Thursday. Preston North End face off against West Brom.
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Bristol City 0 – 2 West Bromwich Albion
Daryl Dike started and went 64 minutes in West Brom’s away win at Bristol City.
Conor Townsend got the early assist to Matty Phillips in the ninth minute to start the scoring with a sweeping counter attack for a solid first time finish. Dike had a solid header in the first half that was unable to get over the line and Bristol were able to clear their lines, eventually.
Second half substitutes Tomas Rogic and Brandon Thomas-Asante combined in the 75th minute for the go ahead goal with an unbelievable goal from distance. The pass forward was quick, but the finish was first touch from 25 yards out over the Bristol goalkeeper.
West Brom are now in 14th place, and face Preston North End on Thursday.
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Sunderland 2 – 1 Blackburn Rovers
Lynden Gooch started and went 79 minutes for Sunderland who eked out a win at home against Blackburn.
Ross Stewart when from villain to hero inside of four minutes, as the front man scored an own goal in the 18th minute, but scored a penalty kick in the 22nd minute. Ellis Simms was a late second half sub, and scored in the first minute of extra time to give the Black Cats the game winner with a cool finish.
Sunderland, now ninth, take on Wigan on Thursday.
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Fleetwood 1 – 2 Sheffield Wednesday
Alex Mighten started and went the distance for Sheffield Wednesday who came from behind to beat Fleetwood.
Shaun Rooney got the home team off to a brilliant start with a thunderous strike from distance in the eighth minute to start the scoring. George Byers was able to get the score back to level terms through a redirected shot, an assist by Marvin Johnson.
Johnson would go on to score the game winner in the 73rd minute through a spectacular goal, taking a touch up to set himself up for a vicious volley from outside of the box. Fleetwood’s Rooney would go from hero to zero in the 83rd minute after receiving a second yellow card and being sent off, got in to a touchline altercation with the Wednesday coaching staff and fourth official.
Up next for Wednesday is Port Vale on Thursday as they look to improve on their current third place position in League One.
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Leyton Orient 0 – 0 Stevenage
Charlie Kelman continues to lead the line for Leyton Orient, going 63 minutes in their scoreless draw that saw first against second in the League Two.
Kelman almost had a goal in the first half, his clever footwork beating defenders before lashing a shot at the goalkeeper.
Orient are in first place with a seven point lead, and face Newport
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Notes:
Matt Turner was on the bench for Arsenal in their 3-1 home win over London rivals West Ham.
Vaughn Covil did not feature for Hull City in their 1-1 draw at home to Blackpool.
