2019-20 Premier League: Five Top Matches

With the 2019-20 Premier League season now at a conclusion, we take a look back at five of the best matches from throughout this extended campaign. 

From a brutal maulings to epic comebacks, this season has certainly seen plenty of thrilling games which will live long in the memory for not just club supporters but also neutral fans. 

Whether the results were unexpected or involved VAR drama plus red cards, we have picked out the five top matches to revisit and there is just one place to begin. 

 

Southampton 0-9 Leicester (25 October 2019)

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On a Friday night by the South Coast at St Mary’s Stadium in torrential conditions in late October, very few expected Southampton to beat a strong Leicester team unaware that this match would go down as a modern classic for all the wrong reasons.  

Ben Chilwell put the Foxes in front after ten minutes when he fired in from Harvey Barnes’ deflected effort, only for Southampton’s Ryan Bertrand to then be red-carded for a reckless challenge in the build up.

Youri Tielemans soon doubled Leicester’s lead before a brace from Ayoze Perez and strike from Jamie Vardy ensured that the Foxes were five goals up at half-time.

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Perez completed his hatrick early in the second half before Vardy then netted his second just a minute later, which was eventually followed by a stunning free-kick from James Maddison to make it 8-0 heading into injury time.

Vardy then snatched his own hatrick with a last minute penalty to seal a NINE GOAL victory, setting multiple new records which include the biggest away win in the top flight and second team to have two players net hattricks in same match since Arsenal in 2003.

You therefore would have to be biased to not consider this match as the best of the 2019-20 season, simply because it not only had goals galore but a red card via VAR and new records created on an extraordinary night in torrential conditions. 

 

Sheffield United 3-3 Manchester United (24 November 2019)

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When Sheffield United returned to the top flight at the start of this season, many thought they would be relegation bets yet they were pushing for Europe come November and involved in a six goal thriller at home to Manchester United. 

A dominant first half saw the Blades enter half-time with a slender lead after John Lundstram’s shot was blocked by David de Gea, albeit only as far as John Fleck who fired in the rebound to put the hosts ahead. 

Lys Mousset who had set up Lundstram’s attempt then added a second shortly after the restart, when Fleck fed him a pass and the Frenchman blasted low into the bottom right corner beyond a helpless De Gea. 

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Man Utd had been lethargic for majority of the match until Brandon Williams met a backwards headed flick from a 72nd minute cross, firing a powerful shot across into the bottom right corner to half the Red Devils’ deficit. 

Mason Greenwood then tapped in from Marcus Rashford’s low curling cross to pull the visitors level, with the latter then adding a third to complete a seven minute comeback when he smashed in from Daniel James’ pullback on the counter-attack. 

Sheffield Utd however had one last surprise in store when Enda Stevens sprinted up the left, teeing up Fleck who found Callum Robinson to play a pass across goal to Oli McBurnie who fired in via De Gea’s deflection to rescue a point in a 3-3 draw. 

Whereas the Leicester game saw records smashed, this was the perfect mid-season thriller on a cold Sunday November afternoon between a proper underdog team punching above their weight against a fallen giant who were struggling in midtable and one not to forget. 

 

Manchester City 8-0 Watford (21 September 2019)

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If you thought Leicester’s away dismantling of Southampton was brutal then just a month earlier, Manchester City absolutely ripped Watford to shreds at home in a eight goal display. 

David Silva put City ahead after just 52 seconds when he bundled in Kevin de Bruyne’s cross, before Sergio Aguero dispatched a seventh minute penalty after Ben Foster fouled Riyad Mahrez. 

Mahrez however would extract revenge just five minutes later with a sharp bending free-kick through the middle of the wall via deflection into the net past a incorrectly diving Foster, which ensured the Citizens were three goals clear after just 12 minutes. 

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Watford eventually would find them five goals down after 18 minutes when Bernardo Silva and Nicolas Otamendi both scored with a respective close range header and flick within three minutes of one another. 

Bernardo Silva however grabbed a second half brace to complete his hatrick before De Bruyne completed the rout, cutting in from the left on his right foot to lash into the top left corner.

Although City would go on to relinquish their title, this performance was one that demonstrated just how dangerous this team can be when they deliver at their absolute best. 

 

Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-2 Manchester City (27 December 2019)

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Man City however lost their following home league match against Wolves in early October, although the return fixture at Molineux in late December would prove to be a thrilling encounter. 

A lively start saw City reduced to ten men after 12 minutes when Ederson was dismissed for a foul on Diogo Jota outside the box, as the latter chipped a received long ball over Ederson in an attempt to race through on goal and open the scoring only to be clipped down. 

City however took the lead after Mahrez was fouled by Leander Dendoncker, from which Raheem Sterling tapped in the rebound from his second penalty after the first effort was disallowed for encroachment, despite Rui Patricio initially saving both penalty kicks. 

Sterling then completed a brace in the 50th minute when he picked up De Bruyne’s through ball and chipped in over Patricio to seemingly seal an away win, unaware that Wolves would stage a dramatic fightback. 

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Adama Traore pulled one back for Wolves just five minutes later after Benjamin Mendy gave away possession to Ruben Neves, who found Traore to sprint forward and drill a shot across goal and in off the left post to whip up a vocal home crowd at Molineux.

City however clung on to their lead until the 82nd minute when Traore intercepted Mendy on the goal line and swung in a low cross for Raul Jimenez to fire in from close range, setting up a dramatic finish which was completed in the 89th minute.  

Neves set up Matt Doherty with a pass, which enabled the Irishman to cut in from his right via a quick one-two with Jimenez, eventually curling in a dramatic low winner into the bottom left corner to complete a stunning comeback to clinch victory. 

Although there were occasional incidents of objects thrown onto the pitch by Wolves supporters, this match had everything from a red card to VAR to a dramatic comeback and certainly will live long in Wolves’ folklore in terms of memorable festive games. 

 

Watford 3-0 Liverpool (29 February 2020)

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Liverpool had enjoyed a dominant season with no league losses in their opening 27 games, yet this trip to Watford would throw up arguably one of the biggest shock results of the campaign on the penultimate weekend of pre-lockdown action. 

Watford had begun the match sat second-bottom whereas Liverpool had a 22 point lead over Man City, so you would of been forgiven for expecting an one-sided result but instead this proved to be anything but simple. 

A goalless first half saw the Hornets find the best chances upon goal before quickly turning the screws early in the second half,  with Abdoulaye Doucoure meeting a bouncing long throw and pulled back for Ismaila Sarr to tap in the opener. 

Watford soon doubled their lead on the hour mark when Will Hughes played a pass to Troy Deeney on the right, with the captain opting to bend through for Sarr to latch onto in a woeful defence and chip in over the outcoming Alisson to seal victory. 

Deeney however would cap off the win by adding Watford’s third goal when Trent Alexander-Arnold uncharacteristically found Sarr who back passed for Deeney to curl in over the outcoming Alisson across into the top right corner to confirm a huge home win. 

Watford ultimately moved out of the relegation zone with that victory, although they would eventually be relegated at end of season whilst Liverpool won a maiden Premier League title. 

 

 Honourable Mentions

• Leicester 0-4 Liverpool (26 December 2019) – Alexander-Arnold made two assists and won the Reds a penalty, before grabbing a goal himself in a dominant display. 
• Bournemouth 4-1 Leicester (12 July 2020) – Dominic Solanke netted a brilliant brace as Bournemouth produced an excellent comeback against a sloppy Leicester. 
• Manchester United 0-2 Burnley (22 January 2020) – Burnley’s first Premier League win at Old Trafford with both goals coming from only shots on target. 
• Norwich 3-2 Manchester City (14 September 2019) – Despite having an injury crisis, Norwich turned out an excellent attacking display to defeat an unusually poor Man City.  
• Manchester United 5-2 Bournemouth (4 July 2020) – Utd edged a thrilling battle with all seven goals coming in the opening 60 minutes, despite Bournemouth bravely battling until the end.