As fans return to Stadiums across England, Chelsea ensured theirs returned home with celebrations after an entertaining and deserved 3-1 comeback win over Leeds United. The maximum three points also proved very essential as it placed the Blues at the summit of the Premier League table temporarily.
About 2000 Chelsea fans were in the stands on Saturday night after the easing of coronavirus restrictions in the UK but they were almost immediately silenced by their former striker Patrick Bamford who slotted home for the opener inside four minutes.
Olivier Giroud off the back of four Champions League goals during the midweek games was handed his first Premier League start of the season and he was quick off the mark to pull the Blues level on 27 minutes, though.
Kurt Zouma put Chelsea in front through a header in the 61st minute to complete the turnaround.
However, Frank Lampard’s boys were not done with business and despite Leeds pushing for a late equaliser, it was, in fact, Timo Werner who would set up Christian Pulisic to tuck in the third, three minutes into stoppage time.
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Stats and facts from the match (Backed by Opta)
- Chelsea have finished a day top of the Premier League table for the first time since September 2018.
- Chelsea have beaten Leeds in what is their first league encounter since May 2004, while it’s their third consecutive victory against them in all competitions.
- Leeds have lost four consecutive away league games against Chelsea for the first time since August 1937.
- Chelsea have won four of their last five Premier League games (D1) – indeed, no current Premier League side is on a longer unbeaten run than the Blues (9 – W5 D4).
- Leeds have lost three of their last five Premier League games (W1 D1), conceding three or more goals in all three defeats.
- Leeds faced 23 shots in this match, their joint-most in a Premier League game this season (also 23 v Man City), while Chelsea’s 10 shots on target was the most the Whites have faced so far this term.
- Leeds have conceded five goals from set pieces (excluding penalties) in the Premier League this season, only Leicester have conceded more from such situations (6).
- Oliver Giroud has become the first Chelsea player to score in six consecutive Premier League starts since Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink in October 2001. Whilst at 34 years and 66 days, he is the oldest player to ever score in six consecutive Premier League starts.
- Christian Pulisic became the 13th different player to score for Chelsea in the Premier League this season – the Blues have had at least four more than any other side in the competition in 2020-21(excluding own goals).
- Patrick Bamford has scored seven of his eight Premier League goals away from home this season (88%), no player has scored more on the road in the competition (Son Heung-Min and Jamie vardy also seven).
West Ham 1-3 Manchester United: Bruno Fernandes continues to be the huge difference
West Ham started brightly against Manchester United and it was seeming like they would continue to upset the records in this particular tie but it wasn’t to be.
Dubbed the king of comeback, Manchester United completed a turnaround to beat West Ham courtesy of goals from Paul Pogba, Mason Greenwood, and Marcus Rashford.
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The Hammers also allowed 2000 fans for the first time since the lockdown and they celebrated having their fans back with a goal off the boots of Tomas Soucek.
As all would work in United’s favour, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made some changes during halftime, to give United a much needed spine.
Bruno Fernandes rolled the ball to Paul Pogba who scored a beauty from outside the box while Mason Greenwood and Marcus Rashford added to the tally.
Stats and facts from the match (Backed by Opta)
- All three of Manchester United’s substitutes were directly involved in a goal against West Ham (Rashford, Fernandes and Mata), which is just the second time this has happened for the Red Devils in a Premier League game – previously in August 2017 v Leicester (Rashford, Lingard and Fellaini).
- Manchester United have won their first five away games in a league campaign for the first time since 1985-86.
- This was the fourth time West Ham have faced Manchester United in a Premier League game while being above them in the table, however, they’ve failed to win any of these meetings (D1 L3).
- Following their win tonight, Manchester United have now won more points from losing positions than any other team in Premier League history (385).
- Manchester United are only the second side in Premier League history to score 2+ goals in nine consecutive away games, after Leeds United back in April 2001.
- Since his debut in February, Bruno Fernandes has been directly involved in 36 goals in 38 games in all competitions for Manchester United (22 goals, 14 assists) – five more than any other Premier League player in this period.
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