New Delhi:Â Premier League Matchday 19 started with a flurry of games as Manchester City and Leicester City started the proceedings for the weekend as tight schedule saw three matchday games being fit in just a matter of eight days. The evening saw ten teams participate in their last Premier League game of the 2024 year.
Everton hosted Nottingham Forest at Goodison Park with the latter riding high on confidence. Crystal Palace took on the table-bottomers Southampton who were still searching for their second win of the season. Tottenham Hotspur hosted Wolverhampton Wanderers, who were sitting on the edge of the relegation spot. Fulham hosted Bournemouth, with both teams coming to the draw in amazing form.
Leicester City 0-2 Manchester City
Rounding off the year with all three points! 🌟
🦊 0-2 🩵 #ManCity | @okx pic.twitter.com/OnFKUlUnZs
— Manchester City (@ManCity) December 29, 2024
Manchester City were searching desperately for a win, after hitting poor form in the season. At Pep Guardiola’s 500th game at the helm of City, it was Savinho who gave the lead, scoring on a rebound in the 21st minute against Leicester City. Despite the lead, City looked vulnerable at certain points in the first half as the hosts kept trying to create chances.
In the 74th minute, Man City doubled their lead as Erling Haaland headed a cross from Savinho, and the Norwegian scored for the 14th time in the season. City took home three points in an away game for the first time in last six outings. Despite what the scoreline may say, Leicester City kept creating chances and had almost pushed the reigning champions to the backfoot. The win temporarily takes City to the fifth place in the points table.
Everton 0-2 Nottingham Forest
FIVE IN A ROW. pic.twitter.com/QIWcymxyh2
— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) December 29, 2024
Nottingham Forest had started their weekend on the fourth and were always going to be a challenge for Everton at Goodison Park. Chris Wood scored his 11th goal of the season to break the deadlock for the Forest with Anthony Elanga making a brilliant strike to go past Jordan Pickford. By the time the break came, it was clear that Nottingham were targeting the second spot in the table as Everton struggled in front of the goal.
After the break, Morgan Gibbs-White doubled the Forest lead when Woods set up his teammate brilliantly, as visitors took advantage of Everton’s Jesper Lindstrom losing possession. From here on Everton never could make a comeback in the game as Forest registered their first five consecutive wins in the Premier League since 1995. For Everton, it was a disappointing outing as they managed only one shot target which was easily stopped by Matz Sels.
Crystal Palace 2-1 Southampton
🦅 @CPFC comeback from 1-0 down to win at home against Southampton! #CRYSOU pic.twitter.com/YQzQfZ91Lv
— Premier League (@premierleague) December 29, 2024
Southampton opened their goalscoring just 15 minutes from kickoff when Tyler Dibling struck from close range with Kyle Walker-Peters tackling from the left side well, with Adam Armstrong’s light tap putting the ball in Dibling’s feet. However, the Saints soon lost their lead with Trevoh Chalobah levelling from a Will Hughes left-footed cross. At halftime, Palace hadn’t converted their chances well while Southampton were struggling to go up the pitch.
It was Eberechi Eze who put the final nail in Southampton’s coffin as he shot a ball from the edge of the box into the goal in the 52nd minute. Palace ended their year taking home all three points from the game. Though Southampton came forward more in the second half, they were unable to put pressure on the visitors and would be happy to find their winning touch before the end of the year.
Tottenham Hotspur 2-2 Wolverhampton Wanderers
It ends level. pic.twitter.com/sBSVc0TpMw
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) December 29, 2024
Wolverhampton took home the early lead with Hee-Chan Hwang scoring in the seventh minute of the game from Ryan Ait-Nouri’s brilliant shot. However, Tottenham took back the lead within five minutes as Rodrigo Bentacur headed from Pedro Porro’s amazing corner swing from the right. Before break Brenan Johnson had already put Tottenham in the lead with Dejan Kulevski setting up brilliantly for the finish.
It was again Ait-Nouri who set up Jorgen Strand Larsen for the second goal in the 87th minute to find the back of the net. For Wolves, the game was a moral victory as they had been on the back foot for most of the game as Tottenham kept pressing. The two teams settled for the points but it wasthe Wolves who had the real struggle.
Fulham 2-2 Bournemouth
It’s a point at home. 🤝#FULBOU pic.twitter.com/46VrdmzkL6
— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) December 29, 2024
It was a clash between two teams who have been undefeated in their last six games. Just as it looked like the first half would go for a goalless draw, Raul Jiminez headed from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner having received a pin-point cross from Andreas Pereira. Fulham looked to be in control of the game at halftime.
Bournemouth started their second half strong as Evanilson scored a right-footed shot from the right side into the centre of the goal from six yards with a brilliant assist from James Hill. In the 72nd minute, Fulham took back the lead when Harry Wilson headed from the centre of the box into the top-right after receiving a cross from Antonee Robinson. Just when it looked like Fulham would cruise past with a win, Bournemouth’s Dango Outtara scored the fourth goal of the game, for the two sides to share the points.
 Manchester City manage to break their losing streak against relegation zone placed Leicester City as Nottingham Forest collect three points to go into the second-place of the Premier League points table.  Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
