Brighton climb to fifth after De Cuyper and Tzimas floor Nottingham Forest

Brighton climb to fifth after De Cuyper and Tzimas floor Nottingham Forest

It seemed fitting that a left-back playing on the wing set great innovators Brighton on their way to fifth. Maxim De Cuyper opened the scoring as the Seagulls enacted revenge on Nottingham Forest for last season’s 7-0 defeat on a bitingly cold day. Forest had their chances to equalise, something that seemed unlikely after a dreadful opening quarter of uncharacteristic lethargic play. Brighton failed to make the most of their early dominance count but Stefanos Tzimas removed the nerves late on. Continue reading...

Boubacar Kamara adds to Wolves’ woe with superb Aston Villa winner

Boubacar Kamara adds to Wolves’ woe with superb Aston Villa winner

With each Wolves near-miss, it was impossible to ignore the growing stench of a smuggled Aston Villa victory. For so long Unai Emery cut an agitated figure but by the end he could celebrate a seventh league victory in eight matches, Boubacar Kamara dispatching an unerring left-foot strike into the top corner midway through the second half to move up to third, for a few hours at least, and within a point of second-placed Manchester City. Villa rattled the crossbar after a couple of minutes but from there Wolves gave their hosts an uncomfortable ride, this arguably their best display of the season. Jørgen Strand Larsen saw an early goal disallowed for offside and on the verge of half-time Emiliano Martínez pushed Yerson Mosquera’s header on to the bar with his fingertips before scrambling the ball clear. Continue reading...

Alexander Isak ends drought as Liverpool stop rot with win at West Ham

Alexander Isak ends drought as Liverpool stop rot with win at West Ham

For long spells nothing happened. At one point it was so quiet you could hear a distant plane droning by. But Liverpool will not care. Sometimes you have to get back on the horse however you can, and if that requires a stepladder, an awkward bunk from a scornful stablehand and an ungainly scramble into the saddle, so be it. Any sort of victory is welcome after six defeats in their last seven league games, and one in which Britain’s most expensive player finally scores his first league goal for the club even more so. Continue reading...