Well it was another hootenanny of fun, controversy and goals in the Premier League this Saturday daytime – so let’s take you through some of the exciting stuff that’s been going on.
Results
Manchester United 1-1 Bournemouth
Leicester 3-1 Hull
Stoke 2-0 Middlesbrough
Swansea 3-2 Burnley
Watford 3-4 Southampton
West Brom 0-2 Crystal Palace
Goal of the day
Yes it took a deflection, but Andros Townsend’s sprint from his own penalty area to bag Crystal Palace’s second was too good to ignore.
West Brom’s Jonathan Leko shouldn’t be too red-faced for losing the ball to the former Tottenham winger. After Townsend nicked the ball off the Baggies youngster he still had so much to do. Riding challenges and beating players, he weaved his way into the box up the other end to blast a deflected shot into Ben Foster’s net.
FULL-TIME West Brom 0-2 Crystal Palace. The visitors move out of the relegation zone thanks to goals from Zaha and Townsend #WBACRY pic.twitter.com/5IyhJKAv52
— Premier League (@premierleague) March 4, 2017
A goal as exquisite as it is valuable for the Eagles – who move up into 16th position.
Game of the day
Difficult to argue with a goal-fest.
Watford went ahead early against Southampton as Troy Deeney bagged his 100th league goal for the club in the fourth minute. By the end of the half Dusan Tadic and Nathan Redmond had put Southampton ahead.
In the 79th minute it was level again before a flurry of goals from the Saints’ Manolo Gabbiadini and Redmond settled the tie – all before a last-gasp consolation goal in the 94th minute from Watford’s Abdoulaye Doucoure.
What a corker.
Immobility of the day
No, we’re not on about a silky shimmy or eye of the needle one-two – we’re talking about Manchester United’s movement in the table.
138 - Man Utd have spent more days in 6th place (138) in the Premier League this season than any other club in any other position. Home. pic.twitter.com/Lja6gNfcd6
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 3, 2017
After a whopping four-and-a-half months in the same position, United had an opportunity to escape sixth place against Bournemouth.
Their draw however, keeps them locked in until at least March 19 when they face Middlesbrough away – depending on results it could be longer.
Controversy of the day
Of course we’re talking about the Bournemouth red card. First Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the Cherries’ Andrew Surman get booked earlier in the game.
Then Bournemouth’s Tyrone Mings stamps on Ibrahimovic’s head, which Ibrahimovic then returned in kind with an elbow to Mings’s head. Both men stay on the field and moments later Surman receives a second yellow for a push on Ibrahimovic.
After brief confusion about how many yellow cards he’s handed out, Kevin Friend realises it’s Surman’s second and shows him a red.
Carnage.
Handball of the day
Burnley’s penalty was the second-most controversial incident of the day but it’s just too bizarre not to mention.
Clarets striker Sam Vokes appears to handle the ball in the Swansea penalty area and a few moments later referee Anthony Taylor points to the spot for a Burnley penalty – which Andre Gray duly buries.
We’re sure Vokes didn’t mean for it to happen – but a handball leading to a penalty for your own team is something pretty special.
Unfashionable headwear of the day
Okay, so Jonny Evans had bandaged his head, but he looks pretty nonplussed with the look he was sporting on Saturday too.
