Following last week’s 4-4 draw between Chelsea and Manchester City, Nick Bruzon highlights 5 of classic high-scoring Premier League encounters.
Well, that was some way to round things off before the fortnight’s international break. Sunday afternoon saw a game that is already being touted as one of the Premier League’s greatest ever.
The 4-4 draw between Chelsea and Manchester City was about as captivating an encounter as they come.
It was 2-2 at half-time with the visitors levelling up twice. The first, Erling Haaland from the penalty spot (VAR coming under further scrutiny) and the second deep into time added on when Manuel Akanji was given the freedom of Stamford Bridge. When Haaland gave City the lead minutes into the second half it looked as though normal service would be resumed but Chelsea, still smarting from their previous home defeat (the 2-0 administered by Brentford) weren’t done.
Nicolas Jackson levelled it up midway through before Haaland lined up Rodri late on for a 4-3 lead. Surely what was the winner? Surely?
Chelsea had other ideas and Cole Palmer’s 95th minute penalty kick saw the spoils shared. Who else but the former Manchester City player – who looks like one of the transfer bargains of the summer – to step up and rescue the game.
It was a deal that surprised me when it took place over the summer. The reported fee of £40m is not huge, at least by City’s standards. That they decided they could afford to let the 21-year-old go something that, perhaps, emphasises the strength in depth they have. Yet with Palmer since earning his first senior England call-up and only three points separating the top five clubs, is it a decision they may go on to regret?
That’s a conversation for another day, of course. For now, we’re sticking with great games and this week I’ve been inspired by a subsequent conversation with friends: without looking, what were the greatest Premier League games ever?
There have been some amazing encounters but this is what we came up with. The ‘without looking’ bit is perhaps important as internet research then reminded us of forgotten classics such as West Ham United 5 Bradford City 4 in February 2000 or Portsmouth 7(seven) Reading 4 in September 2007.
The latter going down as the highest-scoring game whilst these results also remind us that the Premier League isn’t just about ‘big names’. The so-called smaller clubs deserve their place too, so well done West Ham who are very much still here on ability rather than reputation.
Outside of these, the final five shortlist came up with:
5: Liverpool 4-4 Arsenal. April 21, 2009
Liverpool slipping up at Anfield to lose the title? If only they had form at this sort of thing.
A goal down at half-time, they took a 2-1 lead soon after only for Arsenal’s Andrey Arshavin to restore the advantage with his hat trick goal. Fernando Torres levelled it up on 72 minutes but with the hosts pushing for the winner, Arshavin got a fourth on 90 minutes.
Fair play to Liverpool, it still wasn’t over and the place erupted as Yossi Benayoun made it 4-4 in the 93rd.
That’s where the scoring stopped. The significance of one point rather than three lost on nobody in the home end. Whilst this game wasn’t the final nail in Liverpool’s title coffin, it handed a massive advantage to Manchester United who, of course, needed no further invitation and became Champions for the third time in a row
4: Manchester United 4-3 Manchester City. September 20, 2009
It’s currently hard to imagine Manchester United being so untouchable as they once were. The turmoil that has gripped them since Sir Alex Ferguson finally stood aside, perhaps highlighting just how quite incredible he and his team used to be. This game was no exception.
Carlos Tevez had already left United for City over the summer, to be replaced by Liverpool legend Michael Owen – a player who had done it all at their arch-rivals but was now approaching what could politely be called the brittle stage of his career.
Wayne Rooney opened the scoring just two minutes in before Tevez set up Gareth Barry. A brace each from Darren Fletcher and City’s Craig Bellamy made it 3–3 going into time added on.
Perhaps, then, one of the finest examples of Fergie time with who else but Owen to grab the winner in the sixth minute of four minutes time added on.
The United manager described the result afterwards as “the best derby of all time”. Few would disagree.
3: Tottenham Hotspur 3-5 Manchester United. September 29, 2001
Talk about a game of two halves. United, looking to bounce back from a midweek European shocker at Deportivo La Coruna, picked up where they left off.
New Spurs’ signing Dean Richards gave his side an early lead on his debut before Les Ferdinand and Christian Ziege raced Spurs into a seemingly unassailable half-time advantage. Nothing could go wrong from here, could it? Just play out the final 45 and record a historic victory.
Instead, Spurs went all Spursy. In a style only they could manage. One can only imagine what strength hairdryer Fergie used at half-time but the result was Spurs blown away.
Andy Cole first up was followed by Laurent Blanc making it 3-2. Ruud Van Nistlerooy levelled things and with Spurs on the ropes, the killer blow was landed. Sorry, blows.
Juan Veron got the fourth for United before David Beckham leathered one past a shell-shocked Neil Sullivan in nets for 5-3
Fergie refused to elaborate on what he said to his team at half-time whilst Spurs boss Glenn Hoddle going on to show the toe-curling punditry acumen we’ve since ‘enjoyed’ (please note: your definition may vary) by claiming that his team “Went in at halftime too far in front”.
2: Liverpool 4-3 Newcastle United. April 30th 1996
Magpies’ manager Kevin Keegan would afterwards describe this one as a classic but the images of him slumped over the hoardings at the end show just how much this meant for a side who had been ten points ahead of Manchester United in the title race just two months earlier.
Liverpool had their own aspiration of securing the trophy, too, and took a very early lead through Robbie Fowler. Les Ferdinand equalised shortly after, followed by David Ginola making it advantage Newcastle in little under a quarter-hour.
There things stayed until Robbie Fowler levelled on 55. Faustino Asprilla restored the lead for the visitors almost immediately before Stan Collymore made it 3-3. With the game still level heading in to time added, John Barnes released Collymore who made no mistake in firing the winner past Pavel Srníček.
United would go on to win the title. Keegan would go to have ‘that’ meltdown. Yet perhaps this is where the damage was finally done.
1: Manchester City 3-2 QPR. May 13th 2012
Without any doubt this is the moment that sticks out in Premier League history. One of the greatest finishes not just to a match, but a title race.
Just over a month earlier, Manchester United had held an eight-point advantage over City. Now, things were all level heading into the final round of fixtures. City at home to a QPR side who had only just avoided relegation whilst Fergie and his charges had a game at Sunderland.
What came next is, even now, beyond the realms of improbability. Wayne Rooney scored at Sunderland 20 minutes in before Pablo Zabaleta did likewise for City at the Etihad. Half-time came with both Manchester teams 1-0 up and so the title going to City on goal difference. Then, things went nuts.
Djibril Cisse equalised for QPR before the Loftus Road outfit were reduced to ten men when Joey Barton saw red. Yet instead of capitulating they had the temerity to then take the lead – this time, Jamie Mackie the goal scorer. With Paddy Kenny in nets having the game of his life, that’s how things stayed going into time added on.
With tears and stunned faces all around the Ethiad, it looked like Fergie had done it again. Not this time though.
Edin Dzeko finally beat Kenny to equalise on 92 minutes. That still saw City two points behind a Manchester United side whose victory at the Stadium Of Light had been confirmed.
Then – the moment….
Mario Balotelli working it for Sergio Aguero to score the 95th-minute winner for City. The normally composed Roberto Mancini for once, letting it all go whilst the sight of Manchester United supporters (and players) realising that triumph had turned to tragedy as news filtered through, one will live on forever.
City winning the title by goal difference and an era of change very much being ushered in.
