2023/24 Premier League: Matchday 23 Review

This weekend’s action was enthralling, with no less than 41 goals scored in 9 games. Here, we review all of the matches.

With the run-in for the 2023/24 Premier League football season rapidly approaching, the outcome of matches has become even more serious, with consequences that could prove pivotal to a team’s fate this term. Matchday 23 saw enthralling action take place in matches affecting the title race, the race for Europe, and the battle to avoid relegation.

There were some particularly incredible games, with Aston Villa scoring five against Sheffield United, eight goals being scored between Newcastle United and Luton, as well as a statement victory for Arsenal against title rivals Liverpool on Sunday.

The weekend began with a trip to Goodison Park to face Sean Dyche’s Everton for Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs at Saturday lunchtime. The weekend’s climax was that enthralling game at the Emirates between Arsenal and Liverpool, who are both looking to dethrone reigning Champions Manchester City.

City are still yet to play this match week, with Pep Guardiola’s side set to take on Thomas Frank’s Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium on Monday evening.

We will now review all of the action from last weekend’s 2023/24 Premier League action, starting with Everton versus Spurs.

Everton 2 – 2 Tottenham (Goodison Park, Saturday 3rd February)

Looking to climb out of the relegation zone, Everton went face-to-face with Champions League challengers Spurs at Goodison Park early on Saturday afternoon. A win would have seen Everton escape the drop zone, whilst Postecoglou’s Lilywhites would have extended their gap to 5th place Aston Villa to 3 points (before Villa had to play Sheffield United).

Both sides had to settle for a 2 – 2 draw on the blue side of Merseyside. Richarlison gave Tottenham the lead against his former club (4’) before Leeds loanee Jack Harrison restored parity with half an hour gone (30’). Richarlison would then give Spurs the lead again with a fantastic finish, only for Toffees central defender Jarrad Branthwaite scoring a very late equaliser.

Spurs now find themselves 5th and 2 points behind 4th place Aston Villa after their victory against Sheffield United. Everton remains in 18th, with results elsewhere not going in their favour.

Brighton 4 – 1 Crystal Palace (Amex Stadium, Saturday 3rd February)

The latest chapter in the history of the A23 Derby between Brighton & Hove Albion and Crystal Palace was played at the Seagulls’ Amex Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Roberto De Zerbi’s side came away with the derby bragging rights, with the Italian’s side beating Roy Hodgson’s Eagles 4 – 1.

Lewis Dunk (3’), Jack Hinshelwood (33’), Facundo Buonanotte (34’) and Joao Pedro (85’) all scored for the home side, whilst it was Jean-Phillipe Mateta who scored the consolation goal for Palace that day (71’).

Following this result, Brighton sits in 8th place with 35 points – the South Coast side is only 3 points adrift of the top six as it stands. As for Crystal Palace, they have accumulated 24 points from 23 matches, which leaves them just 5 points above the relegation zone.

Burnley 2 – 2 Fulham (Turf Moor, Saturday 3rd February)

Vincent Kompany’s Burnley side came into this game at home to Fulham looking to reduce the gap between themselves and safety in 17th place. As for Marco Silva’s side, they were looking to leapfrog AFC Bournemouth into 12th place depending on their own and the Cherries’ results.

Fulham did go 2 – 0 up in Lancashire thanks to goals from Joao Palhinha (17’) and Rodrigo Muniz (21’). The Clarets did show some great character, though, to earn a point, with Chelsea loanee David Datro Fofana scoring a brace (71’, 90+1’) to level the game at 2 – 2, which is how it ended with the sides earning a point apiece.

Following this game, Burnley find themselves 7 points adrift of relegation rivals Luton Town and safety. As for Fulham, they sit 13th with 26 points – 6 points separate them from Wolves in 10th place.

Newcastle United 4 – 4 Luton Town (St. James’ Park, Saturday 3rd February)

This was the game that had the most goals of any other game throughout matchday 23. It was an incredible 4 – 4 draw between European challengers Newcastle United and Luton Town, who are battling for survival in their first-ever Premier League season.

Sean Longstaff gave the Magpies the lead before Hatters central defender Gabriel Osho cancelled it out to restore parity just after 20 minutes had gone (21’). Longstaff quickly gave Eddie Howe’s team the lead before ex-Everton and Chelsea midfielder Ross Barkley equalised late on in the first half (40’).

A Carlton Morris penalty kick (59’), and a tremendous goal from Elijah Adebayo made it 4 – 2 to Rob Edwards’ Luton. However, they would not be able to hold on to their lead, with Kieran Trippier (67’) and Harvey Barnes scoring to make it 4 – 4 (73’).

This result leaves Newcastle in 9th place with 33 points, and just 5 adrift of Manchester United in 6th place. With this point, Luton remains outside the relegation zone in 17th place (20 pts), with only a point separating them and 18th place Everton (19 pts).

Sheffield United 0 – 5 Aston Villa (Bramall Lane, Saturday 3rd February)

Rock-bottom Sheffield United hosted high-flying Aston Villa at Bramall Lane on Saturday evening. Unai Emery’s side had dropped down into 5th place following defeat in midweek against Newcastle United, alongside Spurs’ 3 – 2 success against Brentford.

The Blades knew that victory could close the gap between themselves and safety to 7 points, whilst Aston Villa knew that they would return to the top four and leapfrog Spurs with a win in Sheffield.

There was little contest in the end, with Aston Villa running out as emphatic and ruthless 5 – 0 winners. It was 4 – 0 with only half an hour gone following goals from John McGinn (12’), Ollie Watkins (16’), Leon Bailey (20’) and Youri Tielemans (30’). Spanish left-back Alex Moreno added a fifth goal at the start of the second half (47’).

The result leaves Chris Wilder’s side 10 points adrift of safety. Meanwhile, Aston Villa leapfrogged Spurs into 4th place following the Lilywhites’ draw at Goodison Park.

AFC Bournemouth 1 – 1 Nottingham Forest (Vitality Stadium, Sunday 4th February)

The first game we will look back on from Sunday was a Premier League contest between Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth and a Nottingham Forest side led by their Head Coach Nuno Espirito Santo at the Vitality Stadium.

Bournemouth are flying high, and they knew that a win would put them a step closer to a top-half finish. Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest is fighting against relegation, and a win would have eased the Reds away from immediate danger.

Ultimately, it would be a 1 – 1 stalemate between the Cherries and Forest. Justin Kluivert gave the home side the lead (5’) before ex-Chelsea forward Callum Hudson-Odoi found the equaliser for Forest in first-half stoppage time (45+1’).

This result leaves Bournemouth in 12th place with 27 points and only 4 adrift of Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea side. As for Nuno Espirito Santo’s Nottingham Forest, they sit 16th with 2 points separating them and the drop zone.

Chelsea 2 – 4 Wolves (Stamford Bridge, Sunday 4th February)

Just 2 points separated Wolves and Chelsea in 11th and 10th place, respectively, ahead of their Premier League match against each other at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon. A win could have seen Mauricio Pochettino’s Blues climb as high as 8th, whilst Gary O’Neil’s Wolves could leapfrog Chelsea with a win in West London.

Cole Palmer gave the home side the lead before Matheus Cunha (22’), and an own goal by Blues central defender Axel Disasi gave the West Midlands side the lead before half-time (43’). Cunha completed his hat-trick to make it 4 – 1 (63’, 82’ – Penalty), before veteran central defender Thiago Silva made it 4 – 2 with a consolation goal for the Blues just before the end of the game (86’).

Manchester United 3 – 0 West Ham United (Old Trafford, Sunday 4th February)

In a battle between teams for European football, Erik Ten Hag’s Manchester United came out on top as comfortable 3 – 0 winners at Old Trafford against a David Moyes-led West Ham United on Sunday.

The in-form Danish international forward Rasmus Højlund gave the Red Devils the lead just after twenty minutes had gone (23’). Alejandro Garnacho then scored a brace to complete the victory, with one coming just after half-time (49’) and the other coming late on in the game (84’).

With the win, Man Utd held onto their position in 6th, with 2 points separating them and West Ham United in 7th place.

Arsenal 3 – 1 Liverpool (Emirates Stadium, Sunday 4th February)

In the most high-profile game of the weekend, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal emerged as 3 – 1 winners against Liverpool in the latest chapter in what is proving to be a thrilling Premier League title fight this season (23/24).

Arsenal are looking to win their first top-flight title since the Invincibles 20 years ago, whilst Jurgen Klopp is looking to leave Liverpool at the end of the season on a high with the Premier League trophy in hand.

On to the game itself, it was Arsenal who took the lead thanks to Bukayo Saka, who made it 1 – 0 to the home side with less than 15 minutes gone (14’). An own goal from Gabriel levelled things up in North London in first-half stoppage time (45+3’).

Goals from Gabriel Martinelli (67’) and Leandro Trossard (90+2’) ensured a win that could be a turning point for Arteta’s Arsenal.

This result sees Liverpool remain top of the Premier League, with Arsenal reducing their lead at the top flight’s summit to just 3 points. Manchester City could be 3 points away, too, should they beat Brentford.

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