3pm Blackout: Dyche and O’Neil on the brink while Arsenal enjoy Newcastle humbling
Gary O’Neil and Sean Dyche will be feeling the pressure in the sack race, while Liverpool needed a hand from Kepa and Arsenal enjoyed a Newcastle defeat.
Aston Villa 3-1 Wolves: The end is nigh for Gary O’Neil
How fitting, considering the disputed nature of this West Midlands derby, that the formbook never needed to be thrown out.
Aston Villa had been pretty poor in their previous game, a home fixture against opposition threatened with relegation, eventually dominating and coming from behind to win.
Wolves led for an age in their last match against a team trying to establish itself among the Premier League elite, before retreating into their defensive shell too far and too early, conceding late goals in defeat.
The only surprise with the stoppage-time goal from substitute Jhon Duran is that Villa had scored their winner before then. Ollie Watkins equalised nearly 50 minutes after Matheus Cunha’s opener and Ezri Konsa put the hosts ahead as time ebbed away. Wolves had their last shot in the 45th minute; it was coming.
Unai Emery will be thrilled to follow up victory in the Champions League with a win which keeps Villa neck and neck with Liverpool. While Wolves are only bottom alphabetically, it feels as though Gary O’Neil might not be long for the challenge of dragging them back up. Wolves have conceded seven and scored no second-half goals in the Premier League this season. That can only reflect dreadfully upon the manager and his approach after the break.
Fulham 3-1 Newcastle: Arsenal fans cheer on as Magpies’ deceiving start catches up
Arsenal youth graduates Alex Iwobi, Emile Smith Rowe and Reiss Nelson all starred for Fulham against Newcastle United, handing the Magpies an overdue first defeat of the season.
Eddie Howe’s side had 10 points out of 12 ahead of their trip to Craven Cottage but have been pretty pants at the start of the season. Their comeback win at Wolves last week could not be repeated but Newcastle did threaten to salvage more points when half-time substitute Jacob Murphy assisted Harvey Barnes 30 seconds into the second half.
Newcastle and Fulham traded chances before Nelson sealed the win for the hosts in the 92nd minute. His goal was one that Arsenal fans would have loved, but not as much as Smith Rowe’s to make it 2-0 in the first half.
Arsenal fans were very sad to see him leave but knew it was the right decision. The fact he is no longer at the club doesn’t mean they can’t support him anymore, though, and another goal will make their day. His shot might have been weak and Nick Pope may have threw it in the goal, but they, nor Fulham fans, will care.
Another former Arsenal youngster in Alex Iwobi got an assist as well, setting up Raul Jimenez for the opening goal, which was taken very, very well.
Newcastle will need to respond away to AFC Wimbledon in the Carabao Cup and surely will. They need to improve massively when they host Man City next weekend, because what they are producing right now is not sustainable, as displayed against Fulham.
