It was a busy Saturday in the Premier League with seven games concerning matters at the top and bottom of the table.
But we were also reminded that there are some things which are just more important than football, with Cardiff playing their first game since Emiliano Sala’s disappearance.
Below you can see a round-up of Saturday’s action from the top flight.
Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Newcastle United
The early kick-off saw Spurs scrape past strugglers Newcastle thanks to Heung-min Son’s late strike.
The South Korean marked his first game back from international duty with the equalising goal in the midweek win over Watford and came up with the goods again as he scored in the 83rd minute to break the Magpies’ resistance at Wembley.
He had goalkeeper Martin Dubravka to thank, though, as the Slovakian allowed Son’s shot under his body when it should have been a routine save.
Spurs are now above Manchester City in second, four points behind leaders Liverpool, with both teams not in action until Sunday and Monday respectively.
Brighton 0-0 Watford
Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster produced an inspired performance as Brighton’s winless run stretched to five Premier League games with a 0-0 draw at the Amex Stadium.
Former England international Foster twice kept out headers from Jurgen Locadia and also saved from Shane Duffy and Florin Andone to earn his side a point.
Javi Gracia’s battling mid-table visitors gave the travelling fans little to cheer at the other end of the field but the draw was enough to push them above Everton into eighth position.
Albion, meanwhile, endured a frustrating afternoon with a result which extends their difficult start to 2019 and does little for their quest for top-flight survival.
Burnley 1-1 Southampton
Ashley Barnes’ last-gasp penalty helped Burnley snatch a 1-1 draw against Southampton as both teams maintained their unbeaten start to 2019 in the Premier League.
Nathan Redmond’s fantastic finish from distance just before the hour mark looked to have earned Saints a potentially-priceless three points in their battle to maintain their top-flight status.
But Southampton defender Jack Stephens was adjudged to have handled the ball in the area in the third minute of time added-on and Barnes – who had a strong spot-kick appeal turned down in the first half – made no mistake.
Chelsea 5-0 Huddersfield Town
Gonzalo Higuain and Eden Hazard each scored twice as Chelsea claimed a 5-0 Premier League victory over Huddersfield to ease the pressure on head coach Maurizio Sarri.
On-loan Juventus striker Higuain, who enjoyed the best season of his career under Sarri at Napoli in 2015-16, struck after 16 minutes before curling in the fourth from 25 yards out.
Hazard, who has been singled out for criticism by the Blues boss, converted a penalty before half-time and netted his second after 66 minutes to take his season’s tally to 15.
Huddersfield were well beaten and conceded a late fifth, credited to David Luiz after a wicked deflection off Elias Kachunga.
Crystal Palace 2-0 Fulham
Fulham’s hopes of Premier League survival suffered a fresh setback when they lost 2-0 to Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
An improved display against Tottenham and victory over Brighton had presented Claudio Ranieri’s with some momentum, but they were outplayed by Palace and again contributed to their defeat, which was secured by goals from Luka Milivojevic and Jeffrey Schlupp.
Fulham are seven points from safety and their next eight league fixtures consist of four away games and home clashes against Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City.
Everton 1-3 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Not even a black cat could help Everton as Wolves’ hot streak in front of goal continued in a 3-1 win which strengthened their grip on seventh place.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side made it 10 goals in their last three Premier League outings as they capitalised on some generous Everton defending to extend the gap between these sides to five points.
Although Andre Gomes struck to cancel out Ruben Neves’ early penalty, Raul Jimenez had the visitors back in front just before the break and Leander Dendoncker made sure in the 66th minute.
A black cat crossing in front of Wolves’ goal early in the second half might have been an omen suggesting Everton could get back into it, but on the day they were clearly second best.
Wolves have now won seven of their last 11, and have a four-point cushion over eighth-placed Watford.
Cardiff City 2-0 AFC Bournemouth
Cardiff paid the perfect tribute to their missing striker Emiliano Sala with a 2-0 victory over Bournemouth on an emotional evening in the Welsh capital.
Bobby Reid’s double – a fifth-minute penalty and a clinical finish within 15 seconds of the second-half kick-off – gave Cardiff only a second win in nine league games on a night which was about a lot more than just football.
This was Cardiff’s first home game since record signing Sala and pilot David Ibbotson went missing after the plane carrying them over the English Channel disappeared on January 21, two days after the Argentinian striker had completed a £15million move from French club Nantes.
Programme notes, penned by owner Vincent Tan and the rest of the Bluebirds’ board, said events had shaken “Cardiff City to its very core” and that they were now playing for Sala and Ibbotson.
There were a series of tributes before kick-off, with Sala’s photograph appearing on the front cover of the matchday programme and the two captains, Sol Bamba and Andrew Surman, laying floral tributes on the halfway line.
Sala’s name, in the colours of his native Argentina, was also spelled out behind one of the goals as supporters held cards aloft.
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Source: talkSPORT
