Big thanks to the Premier League for putting four big games on simultaneously. Here\u2019s a round-up for you, starting with the whopper of the day.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Derby victory for gloriously petty Mackems<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is chaos \u2013 mayhem and chaos,\u201d John Murray said on commentary midway through the first half, more we would suggest in anticipation of what the Tyne-Wear derby\u00a0should\u00a0be rather than what what was actually playing out in front of him.<\/p>\n
That description hints at what was indeed a stunning lack of quality between the two sides, but is also suggestive of an end-to-end affair which it just wasn\u2019t. Neither side had had a shot on target even after Sunderland took the lead early in the second half, as Nick Woltemade planted\u00a0Nordi Mukiele\u2019s cross into his own net.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was just barmy,\u201d Peter Drury said having searched his commentary database of gods, mythical creatures and unusual place names and coming up empty in description of a quite funny but ultimately sh*t goal in what for what a casual football observer would have been condemned as a sh*t game of football.<\/p>\n
There was though the sort of intensity and ferocity one would hope for from one of the biggest derbies in English football. Sunderland players roaring back at roaring home fans after crunching tackles and at any other given opportunity, while their Newcastle counterparts fell into their trap of making this a battle they always looked set to lose.<\/p>\n
And in a glorious parting gift for Magpies trudging from the stadium, who had seen their team referred to as \u2018visitors\u2019 on the scoreboard in a sign of the pettiness to come, Sunderland posed for a photo in front of their own fans just as the Newcastle players did at the Stadium of Light after their FA Cup victory in January 2024.<\/p>\n
The next derby can\u2019t come soon enough for Sunderland and their fans as they look to improve on their quite extraordinary record of seven wins and there draws in their last ten Premier League meetings.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Haaland makes knackered Palace pay<\/p>\n
Crystal Palace could have been 3-0 up and should at least have been in front when City took the lead, with Yeremy Pino missing the best chance, clipping the bar when played in over the top by Adam Wharton, who produced a \u2018look at what you could have\u2019 performance in front of Pep Guardiola, as opposite number Nico Gonzalez paled in comparison to Palace\u2019s deep-lying playmaker.<\/p>\n
But Erling Haaland<\/a> got a chance and Erling Haaland scored, with just his second touch in the Palace box, making a very difficult header look absurdly easy from Matheus Fernandes\u2019 cross. That was his 16th Premier League goal in his 16th game of the season, and he rounded off victory for City at Selhurst Park with his 17th from the penalty spot.<\/p>\n Phil Foden\u2019s fine strike from the edge of the box following an excellent run from Rayan Cherki split Haaland\u2019s brace and lifts City back to within two points of Arsenal at the top of the table.<\/p>\n A disappointing result for Palace, who again looked like they ran out of energy after a midweek game. They\u2019ve now lost four and drawn one of their games after Conference League clashes, with their dalliance on the continent this term currently costing them in their bid to secure European football again for next season.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Morgan Rogers the second-best thing at Aston Villa<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s only Pep Guardiola who\u2019s a better manager than Unai Emery in the Premier League,\u201d Jamie Carragher said in the Sky Sports studio. And while there\u2019s little doubt that Emery is the absolute best thing at the football club, there\u2019s also little doubt that Morgan Rogers<\/a> is the second best.<\/p>\n His first goal required a perfect first touch and fine swivelled finish into the corner and the second was pure technique. He\u2019s now got the Marcus Rashford-esque dipping strike from distance nailed. Focus on the contact and the ball will do the rest. Alphonse Areola had no chance.<\/p>\n Ten wins in 11 Premier League games is ridiculous, made all the more so by Villa failing to win any of their first five and failing to score in the first four.<\/p>\n And we suspect Emery and his Villa players \u2013 who again showed their desire to fight by coming from behind twice at West Ham \u2013 will take great motivation from continued suggestions that they\u2019re not\u00a0really\u00a0in the title race despite being just three points off the top.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Oh, Vicario<\/p>\n Only Wolves (7) have made more errors leading to opposition goals in the Premier League this season than Tottenham (5) after Callum Hudson-Odoi was gifted the opener at the City Ground.<\/p>\n Spurs fans on social media were very eager to lay as much of the blame as possible at the door of Guglielmo Vicario, who\u2019s become the chief scapegoat under Thomas Frank this season.<\/p>\n