Once again, it’s break time in the Premier League.
The 12th round of the 2015-16 Premier League season took place last weekend, and all 20 teams were in action. The race for the top spot in the standings tightened, as four teams now are within two points of league leader Manchester City. Newcastle climbed out of the relegation zone with a win, while Chelsea’s, West Brom’s and Swansea City’s defeats left them perilously close to the drop zone.
The marquee game of the round was on Sunday, as Arsenal hosted Tottenham at the Emirates Stadium in the North London derby. Arsenal, the league’s hottest team, was looking to leapfrog Manchester City into first place. Tottenham, the league’s hard-to-beat team at the moment, had other ideas.
Harry Kane punished Arsenal for its slow start by scoring the opening goal in the 32nd minute. Kane failed to score in Tottenham’s first six games but now has scored six goals in his last six games in England’s top-flight. So much for those questions about Kane being a one-season wonder.
Mesut Ozil has blossomed into the Premier League’s top playmaker. His assist on the game-tying goal Kieran Gibbs scored in the 77th minute extended his personal streak into uncharted territory.
So much for that criticism Ozil faced during his first two seasons at Arsenal.
The local rivals played to a 1-1 draw in which Tottenham performed well enough to win and Arsenal badly enough to lose. But the collective spirit within both camps prevented a victor from emerging. That is, spirit and Olivier Giroud’s wayward shooting and heading.
The Premier League now will break for two weeks, as the international break beckons. Some players will leave their clubs for national-team duty. Others will stay behind and work to improve their form and fitness. This interval takes on added significance since it’s the last of 2015. The English soccer calendar will go into overdrive for the rest of year, and now is the time to right those ships.
Saturday, Nov. 7
Bournemouth 0 – 1 Newcastle
Newcastle consigned Bournemouth to its fourth consecutive defeat.
Leicester City 2 – 1 Watford
Jamie Vardy’s goal-scoring streak officially has entered a mythical realm.
Vardy leads the league in goal scoring, and his team amazingly occupies third place in the standings after three months of play.
Norwich City 1 – 0 Swansea City
The Swans’ loss puts further pressure on manager Gary Monk, whose team has won just two of its last 10 league games.
Sunderland 0 – 1 Southampton
West Ham 1 – 1 Everton
Manchester United 2 – 0 West Brom
Louis van Gaal’s Red Devils haven’t entertained much this season, but defense will fuel their march toward contention for the title. Manchester United has conceded eight goals in 12 games — good for the best defensive record in the league.
Manchester United sits in fourth place but only trails the leaders by two points.
Stoke City 1 – 0 Chelsea
Jose Mourinho’s ban prevented him from entering the Britannia Stadium, but his absence had little effect on the slumping Blues.
Sunday, Nov. 8
Aston Villa 0 – 0 Manchester City
Remi Garde managed last-place Aston Villa to a draw with league leader Manchester City in his first game as manager. The result offered Aston Villa fans a rare reason to smile in a season that has gone terribly to date.
Liverpool 1 – 2 Crystal Palace
Read about what happened at Anfield in our wrap and what the loss means for the Reds in our verdict.
Arsenal 1 – 1 Tottenham
Here’s another fun fact about the North London derby.
Thumbnail photo via Tim Ireland/The Associated Press
