Sun. Dec 22nd, 2024
Occasional Digest - a story for you

From Justin Allen at Portman Road

Jordan Ayew has broken Ipswich hearts by scoring in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

Ipswich were resolutely hanging on with 10 men after Kalvin Phillips red card.

He calmly slotted home after playing a neat one-two with Jamie Vardy.

Portman Road fell silent in disbelief. That is 10 games Ipswich have played since returning to the Premier League and they remain winless.

From Graham Hill at City Ground

It’s all over at Forest who eased to a 3-0 win against 10-man West Ham – and it could have been more.

Forest have moved up to third place in the Premier League for the first time in 25 years – and it was a statement victory.

Free-scoring Chris Wood made it eight goals for the season – before clearing off the line from Lucas Paqueta before the break.

Edson Alvarez’s second red card of the season all but ended the Hammers’ hopes – and Forest took full advantage with Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ola Aina’s first goal of the campaign sealing the points.

Liverpool’s incredible comeback

Mohamed Salah produced the brilliant, signature strike that sent Liverpool to the top after a first-half display that was strictly rock-bottom.

For the first 45 minutes Fabian Hurzeler’s side ripped away all the gloss of Arne Slot’s start as Liverpool’s new manager.

Ferdi Kadioglu grabbed a stunning opener, Brighton could have been at least three ahead and the Kop, along with boss Slot, looked on in disbelief for this game could easily have been all over by the break.

But Slot’s players re-emerged as different animals.

Cody Gakpo equalised with a deep cross, Darwon Nunez confusing the issue in the Seagulls box and two minutes later there was Salah, weaving into the box and delivering – just as he had done on 161 previous occasions in his glittering Prem career at Anfield.

Plenty had believed going into this clash that Liverpool’s results since Slot came in had patched over deficiencies, especially in a newly – constructed midfield.

From Ken Lawrence at Anfield

Jubilant scenes among the Liverpool fans after Mo Salah’s magnificent winner but they know – like Arne Slot will know – that their Prem leaders dodged several bullets.

Southampton finally win

Adam Armstrong ended Southampton’s agonising wait for their first Premier League win.

The Saints’ celebrations and sighs of relief were enough to register on the Richter scale.

It looked to be another case of some attractive football leaving Russell Martin’s side short, such was the lack of quality at times.

Passes were pinged and possession high but chances wasted until Armstrong, the man whose goal earned promotion in May, struck in the 85th minute – moments after Beto had clattered the bar.

In front of Serbian owner Dragan Solak, Southampton and Martin knew they needed to deliver – and eventually they managed to crawl over the line.

Veteran Adam Lallana conducted an impressive and creative midfield alongside Flynn Downes and Matheus Fernandes – often exposing gaps in the Everton defence.

Jack Rosser from St Mary’s

Southampton have not done anything easy this season and almost threw away their first win of the season late on there.

Some big slices of luck were needed with the chances for Harrison, Beto and Keane but Southampton played the better football and, finally, Martin gets the reward for doing so.

With owner Dragan Solak in the stands watching that is a huge result.

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