Premier League 2024/25: Gameweek 21 Recap

Gameweek 21 of the 2024/25 Premier League season, played during the midweek, brought many exciting moments and results for the fans. 

The busy period of Premier League fixtures arrives with clubs playing games after every few days now. It’s a challenging time for the big clubs as they are playing more games in comparison to the other teams.

The top-of-the-table-clash between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool ended in a feisty draw, while Manchester City got stung by the Bees late on. Chelsea couldn’t get a full bite of the Cherries at Stamford Bridge, while the Hammers were gifted a home win by the Cottagers.  

Let’s take a look at the happenings from Gameweek 21. 

Nottingham Forest 1-1 Liverpool

Nottingham Forest’s dogged defending and some inspired goalkeeping from Matz Sels in the second half led to sharing of the spoils at the City Ground. 

The Reds arrived at the City Ground trying to pull away in the title race, but they were in for a rude awakening. Forest opened the scoring in the eighth minute through the in-form Chris Wood, who received a pass in the box from Anthony Elanga and slotted home. The away side then began to grow in the game but didn’t have any clear-cut chances. Forest defender Murillo intercepted a Ryan Gravenberch pass and almost scored from his long-range shot, which narrowly fizzed past the left side of the top corner. Forest went into the break with a 1-0 lead. 

However, the visitors came charging in the second half. Murillo blocked a Dominic Szoboszlai shot on goal in the 52nd minute and then Mohamed Salah pulled his shot wide minutes later. Slot then introduced a double change, with Kostas Tsimikas and Diogo Jota coming on in the 65th minute, and within a minute of the change the two combined to level the proceedings—Tsimikas’s dangerous corner-kick was headed in by Jota. Liverpool then launched wave after wave of attack as Jota forced two incredible saves in a matter of minutes from Sels. Forest defended stoutly to deny Liverpool a winner, with Ola Aina’s goal-line clearance off Salah’s near post shot late on probably the most decisive of the lot. Liverpool thought they had nicked it at the end, but Sels denied Cody Gakpo’s long-range shot targeted at the far post late in stoppage time. 

For all their second-half domination, the Reds would feel hard done by the score line, while Forest deserved a draw for the efforts from their defence. 

Brentford 2-2 Manchester City

Manchester City’s defensive woes continued to haunt them at the Gtech Community Stadium as they relinquished a two-goal lead in the last ten minutes to drop two massive points away from home. 

Brentford started with purpose and Bryan Mbuemo almost broke the deadlock in the 14th minute, but his near-post shot was parried off by Stefan Ortega. The Bees had another shot that went wide from Yoane Wissa before City started to grow into the game. Matheus Nunes was put through on goal by Kevin De Bruyne in the 26th minute, but he tried to go around the keeper and allowed Brentford to sort their lines. A minute later, De Bruyne set up Savinho, who raced on goal from the left but pulled his shot over. Then, Mateo Kovacic’s long-range effort went marginally wide in the 33rd minute, and Erling Haaland also struck straight at Mark Flekken, who collected the ball gleefully. The two teams went goalless into the break.

The start to the second half was bright and lively and City almost went ahead in the 50th minute as Savinho picked up the ball on the left flank and drove towards the Brentford box past two defenders before striking a low-angled shot that hit the left post. Moments later, Nunes’s pinpoint cross found the head of Haaland, who headed straight at the keeper. At the hour mark, Savinho pulled another chance wide and City could have almost been punished as Mbeumo launched a swift counterattack and released Wissa, but his shot was timely blocked by a sliding Joško Gvardiol. 90 seconds later, City breathed a sigh of relief when Phil Foden volleyed De Bruyne’s pin-point cross in off the post to break the deadlock. Looking for an equaliser, Brentford started to attack, and Wissa forced a goal-line clearance from Nathan Aké. However, the visitors found another goal from Phil Foden in the 78th minute to double their lead, looking certain to go home with the three points. But the unpredictable nature of football shone through again, and going into the last ten minutes the home side started to pile the pressure and pulled one back when Mads Roerslev crossed into the box and Wissa had time to tee himself up and prod the ball home in the 82nd minute. Late drama ensued as two minutes into added time Keane Lewis-Potter’s cross into the box was headed by Christian Nørgaard to level the score. If not for another Aké goal-line clearance late on, things could have ended up in an even more embarrassing manner for Pep Guardiola’s men. 

While Brentford salvaged a draw, it looks like Guardiola has his work cut out, with his team still looking defensively fragile.

Chelsea 2-2 Bournemouth

A stoppage-time equaliser saved Chelsea’s blushes against Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge. 

The hosts started the first period with intent and opened the scoring in the 13th minute when Nicolas Jackson stole the ball in the midfield from Milos Kerkez and set up Cole Palmer, who coolly slotted home in front of an already-dived Mark Travers. In the 36th minute, Robert Sánchez’s poor pass was intercepted by Justin Kluivert and he hit the post with his shot. Seconds later, Jackson hit the post at the other end. Jackson had another chance when Palmer’s curling cross found him in the box, but his header forced a superb diving save from Travers at the near post. The Blues went into the break with a 1-0 lead. 

The visitors came out of the straps in the second half, and five minutes later Antoine Semenyo was fouled from behind in the box by Moisés Caicedo and a penalty was correctly awarded to Bournemouth. Kluivert stepped forward and converted the spot-kick to restore parity. In the 54th minute, there was a controversial call for a possible red card for David Brooks for his foul on Marc Cucurella. However, the referee, Rob Jones, didn’t think it was so and brandished a yellow for Brooks. Jackson continued to be a threat and had a shot just go wide after Travers was unable to make clean contact on the save. For all of Chelsea’s pressure thus far, it was Bournemouth who took the lead in the 68th minute when Semenyo was given the ball just inside the Blues area and fired a shot into the near-top corner. Jackson looked like he might grab an immediate equaliser when he got the ball deep inside the Bournemouth penalty area, but Dean Huijsen produced a brilliant last-gasp diving block. Bournemouth might have added a third had it not been for a great last-ditch block by Tosin Adarabioyo from a Kluivert shot. Chelsea then grabbed a late equaliser in stoppage time through Reece James’s curling free-kick to the relief of the home fans. 

Enzo Maresca has work to do as Chelsea seem to have lost their way after a brilliant run till mid-December, while Andoni Iraola’s men continue to impress with their fearless performances. 

West Ham United 3-2 Fulham

Life at the London Stadium started on a positive note for coach Graham Potter as the Hammers earned the three points at home against a formidable and slightly unlucky Fulham. 

The visitors took the early initiative and dominated proceedings with some great chances to take the lead. Harry Wilson rattled the crossbar from close range from an Alex Iwobi cross, but it was West Ham who took the lead against the run of play in the 31st minute courtesy of a poor pass from Andreas Pereira in the box, which Carlos Soler gleefully accepted and rifled past Bernd Leno. Things got worse for the Cottagers two minutes later when West Ham exchanged a flurry of passes in the Fulham box and Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s pass found Tomas Soucek, who turned the ball into the roof of the net to the delight of the home fans. But Marco Silva’s side weren’t the ones to lie down and Iwobi drove forward with the ball and put in a teasing cross for Raúl Jiménez, but he headed into the crossbar at the far post. The hosts took a two-goal lead into the break. 

Fulham reduced the deficit six minutes after the interval; it was the dangerous Iwobi, whose curling cross aimed for Jiménez deceived West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski and went straight in. But Fulham self-destructed again in the 67th minute as Leno was caught in possession by Danny Ings, who turned the ball to Lucas Paquetá to fire into an empty goal. Iwobi again reduced the deficit in the 78th minute with his second of the evening—an almost identical effort to his first one. Fulham dominated possession in the late stages to restore parity, but West Ham defended deep to secure all three points. 

This was a frustrating, error-riddled game for Silva’s side, while Potter wouldn’t mind the three points at all on his Premier League debut at West Ham.

Newcastle United 3-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers

The Magpies continued their winning streak with another thumping win against the struggling Wolves. 

Alexander Isak is in the form of his life, and it was on display again. Wolves had the first big chance when Gonçalo Guedes burst into the box, but his shot from eight yards out was deflected marginally wide, while at the other end Isak’s shot went wide after Bruno Guimarães picked him out. Isak did open the scoring in the 34th minute, though, when he wasn’t closed down by the Wolves defence outside the box and his shot deflected off Rayan Aït-Nouri into the far corner. On the other end, Jørgen Strand Larsen had a great opportunity to restore parity on the counter, but he pulled his shot wide of the far post. Newcastle went into the break with a 1-0 lead. 

Isak doubled the advantage just before the hour mark when Guimarães found him in the box and he turned and finished it beyond José Sá. Second-half substitute Matheus Cunha flashed a shot wide when he should have hit the target before Anthony Gordon added Newcastle’s third in the 74th minute. Isak was involved in this one too as he slid his pass to an unmarked Gordon in the box, who had an easy finish to kill the game. Wolves couldn’t find a riposte as Newcastle won their sixth PL game in a row.

As Isak continues his red-hot scoring form, the Magpies find themselves in the top four now, while Wolves remain a relegation scrap. 

Also read: Premier League 2024/25 Sponsors

Everton 0-1 Aston Villa

David Moyes’s first game back as Everton manager ended in defeat as the Villans returned from Goodison Park with all three points. 

It was Villa who took the initiative as Jordan Pickford saved well from a Morgan Rogers effort. James Tarkowski then made a desperate block to deny Youri Tielemans and an Ollie Watkins shot went wide after the Englishman latched onto a poor Ashley Young back-pass. Everton have been poor in front of goal this season and managed their first attempt on goal after half an hour when Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s shot went wide before he then had an off-balance effort cleared off the line by Boubacar Kamara. The first half ended goalless.

In the second half, Watkins broke the deadlock in the 51st minute when he was allowed too much space to run in to from a Rogers through ball; he scored from a low shot past Pickford. The crowd tried to buoy the players into getting a goal, but Everton looked disjointed and their poor finishing in front of goal was evident with a miss from Calvert-Lewin in stoppage time when he side-footed his shot over the bar from close range. 

While Aston Villa gained a vital three points at a difficult away stadium, David Moyes has his work cut out as Everton remain dangerously close to the relegation zone. 

Arsenal 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur

Arsenal got hold of the bragging rights in the North London Derby as they beat Spurs in a game that was fairly one-sided contrary to what the scoreline suggests. 

Tottenham barely got out of their own half in the first 20 minutes but almost took the lead from their first attack when Djed Spence’s low cross aimed for Dominic Solanke was superbly intercepted by Gabriel Magalhães. Arsenal keeper David Raya then made a great save from Solanke, but he had to fetch the ball out of the net when Son Heung-min’s volley flicked off William Saliba into the net. The hosts equalised in the 40th minute from a set-piece routine as Declan Rice swung in a corner that was headed to the back post by Magalhães and deflected in off Solanke, with Spurs keeper Antonín Kinský left floundering. Arsenal took the lead in the 44th minute—Tottenham yet again guilty of losing the ball in a dangerous area. They were punished as Leandro Trossard was played in by Martin Ødegaard and fired a left-footed shot past a diving Kinský.

The Gunners continued to dominate in the second half and were wasteful as both Kai Havertz and Ødegaard missed easy chances to put breathing space between the two sides. They were almost punished as deep in stoppage time as Pedro Porro struck the woodwork, but Arsenal did just about enough to get the three points. 

With this massive win, Arsenal have decreased the gap between themselves and the top to four points, while Spurs languish in thirteenth. 

Leicester City 0-2 Crystal Palace

Leicester City went down to Crystal Palace at the King Power Stadium, with the Eagles continuing their impressive away form. 

The Foxes dominated the first half but were unable to find the finish in front of goal. A 17th-minute opportunity for the veteran Jamie Vardy ended poorly after he drove on with the ball on to the Palace goal but shot straight at their goalkeeper, Dean Henderson, who collected the ball gleefully. There was a huge let-off for the hosts midway through the first half when their effort to pass the ball close to the line was blocked and ricocheted for Jean-Philippe Mateta, but the Palace striker’s quick effort went over the crossbar. The first half ended goalless as Vardy missed another close chance after Stephy Mavididi’s great work. 

Mateta’s opener came seven minutes into the second half, which was also Palace’s first effort on target. Ismaïla Sarr’s driving run set Mateta up as he shrugged off Jannik Vestergaard before rounding off goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk to score the opener. The Eagles then doubled the lead in the 78th minute from an Eberechi Eze corner and Marc Guéhi’s subsequent volleyed effort. The hosts had a couple of decent chances but were particularly wasteful in front of goal and left the field being booed off by the home fans at the final whistle. 

Crystal Palace have now found a decent run of form, while Leicester remain in the bottom two.

Manchester United 3-1 Southampton

Three late goals from Amad Diallo saved Man United’s blushes in the late stages of the game against Southampton.

Despite being deservedly bottom of the table, Southampton were the better team in the first half and created several great chances. In the 19th minute, though, Alejandro Garnacho had a golden opportunity at the other end to take the lead from a Rasmus Højlund pass, but he struck his shot wide. United were almost punished for the miss before the half-hour mark, but André Onana made a double save from the lively Tyler Dibling and then Mateus Fernandes from the rebound. United thought they had survived the first period but conceded an own-goal from Manuel Ugarte from a Saints corner in the 41st minute; the incoming corner kick was deflected off Ugarte’s back into the net beyond a flailing Onana to give Southampton a deserved lead. 

The hosts came back looking more spirited in the second half and started to dominate the game. In the 58th minute, Antony had a great chance from a Garnacho cross far post but couldn’t put the ball into the net. United were getting close and the equaliser finally arrived for them in the 82nd minute when Joshua Zirkzee passed to Amad Diallo on the left, who dribbled past the Southampton defenders to strike near post beyond Aaron Ramsdale. The second United goal came in the 90th minute almost in the same fashion as the first and from Amad again. Southampton’s habit of playing from the back hurt them yet again as Amad latched onto a sloppy pass from Ramsdale and hit his third into the open net deep into stoppage time to complete the win. 

With this win, United arrested their slide of consecutive losses, while Southampton are looking ever less likely to avoid the drop.

Ipswich Town 0-2 Brighton & Hove Albion

The Seagulls beat the Tractor Boys away at Portman Road.

Ipswich had decent chances in the first half but couldn’t capitalise on any of them. They had the first real chance from Nathan Broadhead, whose shot from outside the box was steered out for a corner by Bart Verbruggen. Five minutes later, Liam Delap tested Verbruggen from the same position, but the Brighton goalie was up to the task. During the closing stages of the first half, Omari Hutchinson shot from distance, but again Verbruggen made the save. The first half ended goalless.

Brighton came out with intent in the second half and started attacking the Ipswich goal. They reaped their reward just before the hour mark when a clearance fell to Yasin Ayari: he passed to Matt O’ Riley who found Mitoma in the box, who didn’t miss from close range. In the 67th minute, João Pedro’s curling shot bound for the top corner was superbly saved by Christian Walton in the Ipswich goal. Brighton were not to be denied, however, and substitute Georginio Rutter fired home from close range in the 82nd minute  to wrap up the three points and end the Seagulls’ long, winless run.

While Kieran Mckenna’s men look bound for relegation, Brighton look to have finally picked up form after a frustrating few weeks.