Match Week 31 Recap & 32 Preview

EPL Match Week 31 Recap & 32 Preview

In Today’s CleanSheet:

• Headlines 📌

• Current Situation📈📉

• Hot Topic 🔥🔥🔥- Happy Kamara Day

• Off Island 🏝️ - FIFA Rankings

• Best Bets 💰

Headlines 📌

Instant Classic - UNBELIEVABLE FINISH at Stamford Bridge

• Chelsea jumps out early 2-0 after 19’, United respond with 2 by 39’ then take the lead at 67’. With 8’ of extra time added, Chelsea gets a penalty at 98’, convert and then score AGAIN 1’ later. Chelsea 4-3 Man United.

  • 4’ 1-0 Quick Start. Conor Gallagher at 4’.

  • 19’ 2-0 Penalty. Cole Palmer converts.

  • 34’ & 39’ 2-1 & 2-2 Back to Even. Garnach on the break & Bruno with the header.

  • 67’ 2-3 All the way back. Garnacho on the break, with a great Antony assist.

  • 100’ 3-3🤔🤔 Penalty? Yes, and Cole Palmer with the brace.

  • 101’ 4-3 Chelsea for the WIN. Cole Palmer with a hat trick.

• Joe Cole, TNT broadcaster and former Chelsea player looking for fellow broadcaster and Man United player Rio Ferdinand. Gold.

• Every MU Fan. Mark Goldbridge live streams his commentary - Live Watchalong - of MU matches and hits close to 500k streams. Crazy! Here are 2 mins during the Chelsea comeback (X 2min). A good follow on X, @NoContextMarkG with over 71k followers.

Match Week 31 Recap - Organized by 🏇🏇Races🏇🏇

• Still Missing Starters. Alisson, Trent A-A, Konate, Robertson, Jones and Jota all still out but Salah, Diaz, Virgil and Nunez all running.

• Pick 6. At least that is the term in American Football for this Nunez goal to put Liverpool up 1-0.

• Too Close For Comfort. It took the Reds until the 76’ to separate from the Blades, and it was a rocket from Mac Allister.

• Stars Sit. 5 usual starters sat to rest, but things were in hand up 2-0 at HT. The Gunners never really were threatened. Here are 2 min of highlights (X).

• Streak Snapped. For a side looking at relegation you might be surprised to know Luton Town had 18 straight games with a goal until coming up empty at the Emirates.

• D-Fense. Arsenal have given up just 4 PL goals in 2024, 10 matches.

• Stars Sit. Kein De Bruyne and Erling Haaland were not in the lineup to rest, along with injured starters Walker, Stones, Ederson and Silva. 6 of 11 starters not playing, no problem.

• Foden. Phil Foden. He was not going to be denied and put City on his back with a Hat Trick, getting his 21^st goal of the season. And if you are a coach of a team, this is the video (X 20s) you want to show kids on how to respond when they turn the ball over.

• A Wall To Make the Southern Border Look Like Proud. Looked like a tight match heading into HT until this free kick from Foden for his first.

Biggest Winners: Chelsea - only team of the 8 to get 3 points.

Biggest Losers: No points for Villa, Man United and BHA

Point is a Point: Spurs, Hammers, Newcastle, Wolves.

Biggest Winners: Forest - only team of the 7 to get 3 points.

Biggest Losers: No points for Palace, Luton Town, Sheffield United.

Point is a Point: Brentford, Everton, Burnley.

• Forest’s Hudson-Odoi gets things started early at 9’, and it was all Forest from there 3-1 over Fulham.

• The Bee’s were beaten on the stats sheet but keeping a CleanSheet getting them a much-needed point, 0-0 with BHA.

• Everton just hung around, took advantage of several “just missed” shots by the Magpies, and drew a penalty late (really were just tackled) to get a much-needed road point, 1-1 with Newcastle. And, amazing support from the Everton Supporters (X) at St James Park.

• Burnley could make a case they deserved all 3 points but let their lead slip away at home to Wolves and had to settle for a point in a 1-1 Draw. This bad foul call (X 5s)on Burnley, led to this goal (X 15s) just before half by Wolves.

• Palace may still feel “safe”, but they lost ground to all but 2 teams behind them and the schedule ahead is brutal - the only team left on the schedule not in the top 10 is Fulham.

• Luton Town fell 3 points behind Forest and 4 behind Everton to stay in the last relegation position.

• Sheffield United is not mathematically eliminated, but after their loss at Liverpool I think I heard Wayne Larrivee (wisconsinbroadcastingmuseum.org) say “There is your dagger!” (X)to the Blades fans.

• 2.12M. Sunday’s Man City 0-0 Arsenal match was the most-watched PL match in US history across NBC, Peacock and NBCSports Digital.

• 212 Shots. Man United have faced 212 shots in their last 9 games including 31 against Brentford last weekend and 28 against Chelsea Thursday. For comparison's sake, in Arsenal’s last 9 games they have allowed 73 shots.

• 458 days, 212 Corners. Palace have not scored from a corner in 212 attempts over the last 458 days.

• Everton Broadcast Box. Take a look (X 60s) at what a broadcaster needs to do to get to their perch to announce a match at Goodison Park.

What 2 Look 4 👀- Match Week 32

• 7.3. 7 Saturday, 3 Sunday.

• Pencil This One In. Everton v Burnley +400 Saturday, 9am cst. I guess you could say the Northwest Derby is also one to pencil in, but this match is must win for Burnley and very much need to win for Everton. The Toffee’s have not won since December 16, at Burnley. They do have 6 Draws. The Clarets have 1W 3D in the last 4 but have 1 less game down the stretch. Burnley will get their chances and will need to take advantage early.

Title Race Implications🏆🏆🏆

• Man United v Liverpool -130 Sun - Northwest Derby - This may come down to the mentality of Man United. Can MU recover after the tough late match loss at Chelsea? How will the players, fans and manager react? For Liverpool, it’s about the injuries and depth and can they go to a bitter rival and get the job done.

• Palace v Man City -320 Sat- It is a road match for City, but Palace struggles to score. A couple early goals for Palace could make this interesting, but City should control this one most likely with a CleanSheet.

• BHA v Arsenal -160 Sat- This may have been a trickier spot earlier in the season, but BHA has slowed their pace and scoring down. Arsenal continues to completely smother their opponents and limit their shots. A great way to play when you are chasing a title.

Europe Race Implications🏎️🏎️🏎️🏎️🏎️🏎️🏎️

• Villa v Brentford +100 Sat - Villa will be looking for some home cooking against a Bee’s team that hasn’t won in 8 matches, but the Bee’s have several draws and tight matches.

• Tottenham v Forest +575 Sun - Spurs have a full roster but they are not clicking yet. Forest got a much-needed win against FFC but the road trip to Hotspur stadium will need a great defensive effort.

• Man United v Liverpool -130 Sun - See Above.

• Wolves v West Ham +170 Sat- Big Race for Europe at the Molineaux and Wolves could use some home cooking. West Ham continue to surprise and disappoint all at the same time.

• Fulham v Newcastle +170 Sat - Both sides had disappointing results mid-week. Fulham has played better at home than the road and Newcastle are struggling with injuries.

• Sheffield United v Chelsea -250 Sun - The Blades have played well at times but have no consistency. Chelsea may be riding the high of the MU match. On paper this is all Chelsea, but there is just something about their mentality that says this will be closer than the experts think.

• BHA v Arsenal -160 Sat- See Above.

Relegation Implications🌋🌋🌋🌋🌋🌋

• Everton v Burnley +400 Sat - See Above.

• Palace v Man City -320 Sat- See Above.

• Villa v Brentford +100 Sat - See Above.

• Tottenham v Forest +575 Sun - See Above.

• Luton Town v Bournemouth -115 Sat - After getting their 18-match scoring streak stopped at Arsenal while the Cherries are on a winning streak and might even be eyeing a European Spot with a win.

• Sheffield United v Chelsea -250 Sun - See Above.

Current Situation 📈📉

Clean Sheets Counter

Hot Topic 🔥🔥🔥

Happy Kamara Day!

This week was the 14-year anniversary of this great moment in broadcasting. (X 60s) This was not a skit - in 2010 they were definitely winging it on Soccer Saturday!

Here he is in one of his cameo’s (youtube 90s) in Ted Lasso (wiki).

Off Island 🏝️

National Team Rankings

The new FIFA National Team rankings have been released since the latest International Break.

• 8 of the top 10 are European teams.

• 2 of the top 10 are South American

• The USMNT sit at 11, highest in CONCACAF (North and Central America)

• Morocco is the highest rated African team.

Best Bets 💰

Chelsea-Man United not drawing STUNG!

Match Week 32 - Winners Only Please

Liverpool to WIN at Man United -130. $26

Man United are conceding way to many shots and I just don’t trust their mentality after that tough loss at Chelsea. Liverpool are the better side and Old Trafford has not been the home field advantage of old. Expect a Derby road victory.

Sheffield United to Win v Chelsea +600. $10

Sheffield United to Draw v Chelsea +400. $10

The Blades are playing hard but just don’t have the focus to finish. Chelsea have had some good recent results but I’m not convinced they will handle the last minute heroics well. Give me Sheffield United to Win or Draw with big odds.

Tottenham to Win v Forest -2 goal +165. $20

Error of recency, Forest looked great for a half against FFC, Spurs struggled at the Hammers. A lot on the line for both sides and I like Spurs to have one of their 3 goal spurts in 15 minutes to win going away.

City to Win v Palace -320. $64

Typically, don’t like to lay the number like this, but with a title race in sight I expect City to win this one easily, even on the road.

Villa to Win v Brentford -145. $29

Bee’s have been in most games but can’t seem to finish and Villa is due for some home cooking.

Luton Town to Win v Bournemouth +270. $20

Luton Town v Bournemouth 3.5+120. $20

Time for the Hatter’s to be rewarded for their play. Even with the injuries, they are in each game and find ways to lose. I think they will get back to their scoring ways as well and like the O3.5 goals.

Longshot of the Week. City, Villa, Spurs, Hatters, Fulham all to Win +2574. $10