Amorim targets Sporting titles as he scotches Tottenham links

A week is definitely a long time in football.

Just six days ago, jaws were on the ground as Liverpool handed Manchester United their heaviest defeat in over 90 years, beating their old rivals 7-0 at Anfield.

On Saturday, Jürgen Klopp’s men lost 1-0 to Bournemouth, who were previously bottom of the table.

Manchester City also had a tough away game at Crystal Palace but came out with a goal on the right to close the gap on Arsenal at the top of the Premier League.

Chelsea continued their rise in form with a third win in a week, while Antonio Conte’s spirits are believed to have improved as his Tottenham side defeated Nottingham Forest.

Stats Perform looked at some Opta data from the Action of the Day selection.

Bournemouth 1-0 Liverpool: Red’s bubble burst from cherries

Last week at Anfield it felt like Liverpool scored every time they rushed forward. On Saturday at Vitality Stadium, they looked like they would struggle to find the net even if Bournemouth were off the field for a few minutes.

This was only Bournemouth’s second competitive win against Liverpool and the first since that famous 4-3 win in December 2016. It was also only their second clean sheet against the Reds and the first since January 1968 (0-0).

Philip Billing’s first-half goal was his sixth in the league this season, twice his three previous games in England’s top flight combined (three in 77 games).

Mohamed Salah was electric against United but his only notable moment this week was the Egyptian missing a penalty in the second half, the first time he has missed from the penalty spot in the Premier League (18 goals, two saves). before Saturday). ).

The Reds lost consecutive Premier League games for the first time since December 2010-February 2011 (against Wolves and West Ham respectively) against opponents who started the day at the bottom of the table (against Wolves and only for the third time in a single Premier League season, also 2010-11 (L3) and 2003-04 (D2 L1).

Leicester City 1-3 Chelsea: Potter weaves his magic to get the Blues burning again

Before last week, Graham Potter’s Chelsea were a mess after winning just two of their last 15 games.

Seven days later and they’re on a three-win streak, completing the league double against Leicester for the first time since the 2016/17 season.

It also marked the end of a run of eight Premier League away games without a win for the Blues (U4 N4), their first win away since beating Aston Villa 2-0 in October.

This was Leicester’s 16th Premier League defeat of the season, no team suffered (Southampton also 16) and they conceded their ninth consecutive league game, 14 times in total this season, only Southampton (18) and West Ham ( 17) has scored the opening goal of the game more often in 2022/23.

Chelsea’s goals came from Ben Chilwell, Kai Havertz and Mateo Kovacic, with Havertz scoring his first away Premier League goal since October (against Brighton).

Foxes manager Brendan Rodgers has suffered as many as 16 defeats in a single league season for the first time in his career, which was not an ideal way to celebrate his 150th Premier League game as Leicester manager (W64, U29, N57). Only Martin O’Neill has managed more games in the competition for the club (152), while only Claudio Ranieri (44 per cent) has a better win rate than Rodgers (43 per cent).

Tottenham 3-1 Nottingham Forest: Kane can revive Spurs’ season

Tottenham capitalized on Liverpool’s slip in the race for the top four and rebounded from their Champions League exit in Milan by going past Forest thanks to goals from Harry Kane (two) and Son Heung-min.

Despite drawing 0-0 with Milan at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Wednesday, Spurs have not drawn in any of their last 24 league home games (W17 L7), while today saw them lead by two goals at half-time for the first time in a home game in the Premier League since beating Arsenal last May.

Steve Cooper’s Forest have lost all four league games in London this season with an aggregate score of 14-1. It is the first time since February 1999 that they have lost four consecutive league games in the capital (a streak of five).

Kane has now scored eight goals with a header this season in the Premier League – only former Everton and Newcastle United striker Duncan Ferguson has ever scored more in a single season (nine in 1997/98).

The England captain has scored 20 goals for the sixth time in a Premier League season, with only Alan Shearer (seven) doing so in more different campaigns than the Tottenham striker.

Fraser Forster’s late saved penalty against Andre Ayew was the fourth of his last eight Premier League penalties he has saved.

Crystal Palace 0-1 Manchester City: Haaland reinvigorate as Palace fire blanks again

It was far from a typical dominant performance from Man City, but Erling Haaland’s late penalty earned them three points at Selhurst Park.

Despite their uncharacteristic swings this season, City have won five of their last six Premier League games (D1) and are currently their longest unbeaten run in the competition (six games).

Palace defended well overall but also became the first team in history (since 2003-04) not to have had a shot on target in three consecutive Premier League games.

The Eagles remain winless in their 10 league games in 2023 (U5 N5), while no team has failed to score in more different Premier League games this season (12).

Haaland scored his 10th away goal of the season in the league – with 18 at home he is only the second City player, after Sergio Agüero in 2014/15, to have double figures both home and away in the Premier League in a single season ( 13 at home, 13 away).

No player has taken more penalties in England’s top flight this season than Haaland (five, level with Brentford’s Ivan Toney). Only Yaya Toure has scored more from the point in a single season for the Citizens (six in 2013-14).