Season › 2021-22 › General Forum Premier League — Matchweek 31 01/04/2022 Share: The Premier League returns on Saturday with a full slate of ten games that extend through Monday night, with five available on UK television:Saturday 2 April 202212:30 Liverpool v Watford — BT Sport 117:30 Man Utd v Leicester City — Sky Sports Sunday 3 April 202214:00 West Ham Utd v Everton — Sky Sports 16:30 Tottenham Hotspur v Newcastle Utd — Sky Sports Monday 4 April 202220:00 Crystal Palace v Arsenal — Sky Sports Reader Comments (80) Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer Lee Courtliff 1 Posted 01/04/2022 at 21:36:11 I'm watching Hull v Huddersfield and that Keane Lewis-Potter looks a good, young player. An old-fashioned feel about his play.He's only just turned 21 last month and could be one to watch. Especially if we're in the Championship next season!! Danny O’Neill 2 Posted 02/04/2022 at 09:38:00 I feel dirty, unclean and unholy. But we need a Watord defeat today. Then take care of our business tomorrow. Danny O’Neill 3 Posted 02/04/2022 at 12:57:37 Forgive me father for I have sinned.How many Our Fathers and Hail Marys do I need to say for being glad that the keeper saved one and they scored on the counter? Michael Lynch 4 Posted 02/04/2022 at 13:06:21 It's not a sin Danny. I've spoke to three Priests, a Rabbi and a Buddhist monk, and they all agree that if it's a matter of life and death you can pray for a RS victory.In any other circumstances, you go straight to hell. Jeff Armstrong 5 Posted 02/04/2022 at 13:08:11 Watford already proving they've got a lot more than us going forward away from home. Brian Murray 6 Posted 02/04/2022 at 13:09:06 A Watford draw. Salad to get an Everton type injury, Man City win treble. We end up safe. Not too much to ask. Brian Murray 7 Posted 02/04/2022 at 13:22:42 Jeff, yes I noticed their movement up front v Arsenal a few weeks ago. A lot more than us. Very scary. Danny O’Neill 8 Posted 02/04/2022 at 13:29:59 Unlucky not to score just before the counter attack and goal. Jeff Armstrong 9 Posted 02/04/2022 at 13:46:55 Watford could be 3-1 up on chances, worrying seeing we've got to go there and get a win tbh Kevin Naylor 10 Posted 02/04/2022 at 14:10:19 I just cant watch them, especially with McManaman commentating, crawls my skin. Anthony Murphy 11 Posted 02/04/2022 at 14:20:27 Compulsory pen awarded Tony Abrahams 12 Posted 02/04/2022 at 14:22:59 Was it another ridiculous one that only certain teams get Anthony? Andrew Ellams 13 Posted 02/04/2022 at 14:24:26 It certainly was, Tony. In fact I don't even remember certain other teams getting one like it. Michael Lynch 14 Posted 02/04/2022 at 14:24:42 It's actually beyond a joke. The VAR was brought in to make the game fairer but has actually done the opposite. How many times are those challenges given as penalties? James Hughes 15 Posted 02/04/2022 at 14:25:17 I never thought I would ever be happy to see Liverpool win a game. Thank you Bill & Farhad for that. Just goes to show how shit our season has been. Tony Abrahams 16 Posted 02/04/2022 at 14:32:25 I wouldn't let Kenwright know that, James, because I'm certain his smirk might get wider. Jamie Crowley 17 Posted 02/04/2022 at 14:37:47 Michael Lynch -You just scrapped a scab open again.That red on Allan just makes me fume! How in the fuck is that ever, ever a red card? Unbelievable.VAR has been abysmally implemented recently, much to the chagrin of Everton. Michael Lynch 18 Posted 02/04/2022 at 14:48:28 Jamie - and the City handball. We get an apology, the RS or City or Chelsea get a penalty. I don't think it's corrupt, I just think the officials are cowards and incompetents who apply different rules to different teams because they're in awe of the managers and riches and celebrities of the Sky darlings Larry O'Hara 19 Posted 02/04/2022 at 14:52:40 Speaking of biased referees just listened on Radio 5 to utterly sycophantic ‘interview of that LFC fanboy Mike Dean. No probing questions, utterly sickening. ' Tony Abrahams 20 Posted 02/04/2022 at 14:54:43 I think inconsistent = corrupt Michael, because of the way certain teams benefit from these bad calls on a regular basis Duncan McDine 21 Posted 02/04/2022 at 15:02:04 Michael 18 - I used to think the same, but the more evidence of corruption in big money sport that gets unveiled, (especially football) it has made me believe otherwise. If some of the top dogs at FIFA, UEFA etc are on the take, why would it seem unlikely that officials are also in on it? Robert Tressell 22 Posted 02/04/2022 at 15:05:19 The Allan sending off was a turning point for me. It is corrupt. No transparency, no consistency - other than its consistent who gets the benefit.And you could see in that Newcastle game that the game was being refereed for Newcastle. It was extraordinarily biased (as was the refereeing at their place a few months ago). Until recently I've tried to believe it's just swings and roundabouts and the impact of crowds. But the two Newcastle games have changed my view sadly.We're not playing in a fair competition. It wouldn't surprise me to find match fixing and even performance enhancing drugs are commonplace. Brian Murray 23 Posted 02/04/2022 at 15:19:54 Any corruption or even just influence is only pushed and pushed if the club in question on the receiving end says sod all, ie, Everton v Newcastle and v Saints, to name two. Weak club always has been. Time to go, Bill I Am. Jack Convery 24 Posted 02/04/2022 at 15:20:37 Klopp to BT Sport: "The city is big enough for two clubs, a real one and the other one.â€Actually Jurgen, it's the One Well Regarded and the other one everybody detests. The one with fans who travel and cause no problems and the other who have blood on their hands (a conveniently forgotten truth). Brent Stephens 25 Posted 02/04/2022 at 15:31:13 Leeds winning. Not good. Mike Gaynes 26 Posted 02/04/2022 at 15:35:16 Robert #22, I don't buy it. Bias yes, self-intimidation yes, but corruption? Money changing hands? No.And I would be absolutely astonished if match-fixing were a reality, at least in England or any of the world's top leagues, for the simple reason that players and referees are too well paid and betting patterns are too easily trackable to be worth the risk of trying to fix a match. It hasn't happened anywhere in the world in what, ten years?Likewise PED. The risk is horrendous. Onana at Ajax would have been banned for four years if his violation had been found to be intentional. That's career-shattering right there. We have been treated extremely unfairly because we're not a big club. But I just don't buy into conspiracy theories. Paul Hewitt 27 Posted 02/04/2022 at 15:35:53 Leeds are out of it now. It's between us Burnley and Watford, Norwich are already gone. Tony Hill 28 Posted 02/04/2022 at 15:48:32 The key results are Burnley's. They will lose today. If we can get a win at Turf Moor then we should be safe. Anything tomorrow will be a bonus.I don't care about Leeds although it is worth noting that we currently have 4 games in hand on them. Brian Denton 29 Posted 02/04/2022 at 15:51:53 Tony 27 - Leeds currently have 7 points on us, and I know which I'd rather have! Paul Hewitt 30 Posted 02/04/2022 at 15:52:55 I can see both Burnley and Watford going away and getting unexpected points, but I certainly can't see us. Dave Abrahams 31 Posted 02/04/2022 at 15:53:01 Mike (25), if it is just bias by referees it seems strange to me that quite a few referees all seemed to be biased against Everton either on the field or 200 miles away in the studio, I don't think I am paranoid but these decisions are nearly all one way against us, or maybe you can point out another club who have suffered and could possibly receive the dire outcome that faces Everton. You could point out the reverse of that with one club getting positive decisions all going one way and a big silver cup being awarded to them as a reward for the referees efforts helping their mates team, then again is Mike Dean that popular? Tony Hill 32 Posted 02/04/2022 at 15:54:16 Maybe, Brian @28, but it is Burnley who matter anyway. Anthony A Hughes 33 Posted 02/04/2022 at 16:18:43 Fuck me... Chelsea getting mullered. Looks like a straight fight between us and Watford! Mike Gaynes 34 Posted 02/04/2022 at 16:23:25 What a wild 9 minutes at the Bridge. Rudiger with a POY candidate and two quick goals from the Bees. 1-2. That's some fun shit no matter who you're rooting for.Dave #30, you're not paranoid. ESPN maintains an ongoing tracker of the VAR decisions, and this year we have been screwed over worse than any other club in the Premier League except Norwich, which was going down anyway. And we've certainly gotten the most despicable calls, particularly Allan's red and the City handball. (Top of the VAR beneficiaries this season, per ESPN, are Hammers and City.) I just don't buy into the idea that it's about gambling and drugs. The big clubs get the calls from the refs so they can work more big club games. That's it. Duncan McDine 35 Posted 02/04/2022 at 16:24:05 There's plenty of games remaining for things to change. It'll be 3 out of Norwich, Burnley, Watford, us and Leeds, and I wouldn't say that any of the bottom 3 are dead and buried just yet. Nick White 36 Posted 02/04/2022 at 16:24:40 Us and the bottom 3 fighting at this rate! Joe McMahon 37 Posted 02/04/2022 at 16:29:01 For Christ's sake look at Brentford. Everton would never get that result. Mike Gaynes 38 Posted 02/04/2022 at 16:40:37 Joe, that's a perfect example of the leadership thing that I've been banging on about for years. Brentford signed Eriksen. Natural leader. Inspirational. We have no one like that. Not since Barry. Bravo the Bees. 1-4 now. Splendid. Tony Abrahams 39 Posted 02/04/2022 at 16:41:05 I was thinking that, Mike G, Ericksen leads by his actions and must be a real inspiration to everyone at Brentford right now.He's probably inspired all his teammates at Brentford, but I get the impression that he wouldn't have inspired many at Everton, because most of our players must think they are better than they actually are? Niall McIlhone 40 Posted 02/04/2022 at 16:45:32 Klopp is proof positive that Germans don't have a decent sense of humour, Jack. As time goes on, the kinship we had with the Reds in the 1960s – when they were roughly on a par with us – has ebbed away. They are a loathsome lot these days. Arrogant, entitled and ungracious. Joe McMahon 41 Posted 02/04/2022 at 16:47:37 Mike, you are absolutely correct. No leadership just Seamus and Dunc stating how much they love the club. We are clinging on by our fingernails. Mike Gaynes 42 Posted 02/04/2022 at 16:48:42 No question, Tony old mate, and he's the reason I don't discount Denmark at the World Cup. Joe, I believe two of our current players may have that sort of leadership presence, but Mina can't stay healthy and Van de Beek isn't really ours. Jim Bennings 43 Posted 02/04/2022 at 16:50:16 Great to see Eriksen back on the pitch and actually back to the genuine world class player he was before his issue.Brentford are very lucky to have such a fantastic footballer and kudos to them for giving Eriksen the opportunity, I only wish we did.Eriksen is a prime example of a footballer that has determination and guts, unlike most of our players. Pete Hughes 44 Posted 02/04/2022 at 16:59:29 Jesus, 28 yrs since we won at Chelsea.Brentford tonk them first time of asking! Christy Ring 45 Posted 02/04/2022 at 17:09:50 Jack, Spot on. Klopp a nasty bit of work, often gets ratty with referees and commentators when things don't go his way, and FA turn a blind eye. He mustn't have checked his club's history. Will Mabon 46 Posted 02/04/2022 at 17:37:12 "Never trouble the engravers"!Sadly true.There's certainly a lot of instability to be concerned about for sure. Scary how quickly a long standing large concern can be undermined by the wrong people and the wrong decisions.Tony - some called me old fashioned and out of touch at the time (not on TW), but I never wanted the big money here, or not in the way it comes nowadays. Not that we have a say anymore. Tony Hill 47 Posted 02/04/2022 at 17:39:58 Barry @58, you are right about the Board, of course. They are a continuing disgrace and they have no shame, none at all.Kenwright has pulled off a blinder getting us out of the disastrous financial mess which he and his colleagues created. But that's what he is: a chancy, self-serving spiv. He's brilliant at it, actually; he's greatly enriched himself and thrown magic dust in the eyes of all who threaten him.Time to get lean, dump the flab. Tony Hill 48 Posted 02/04/2022 at 17:42:04 Sorry, wrong thread Eds. Will Mabon 49 Posted 02/04/2022 at 17:43:56 Think there's been some off-topic clean up, Tony Rob Halligan 50 Posted 02/04/2022 at 18:42:43 Scott Mctominay goes in on Maddison with studs showing. Yellow card produced by Marriner. The VAR decides no further action as not deemed dangerous play. Fucking shithouses. Mike Gaynes 51 Posted 02/04/2022 at 18:45:50 Yeah, Rob, and Allan is sitting out three games for something with half that force and no studs. But that's the difference between Manchester Fucking United and us. Brent Stephens 52 Posted 02/04/2022 at 18:46:25 Key points: off his feet, studs showing, Man Utd player. Clear yellow. My arse. Jeff Armstrong 53 Posted 02/04/2022 at 18:50:35 Can we appeal McTominay should get a red? Just to show how wrong and inconsistent it all is.We should at the very least make noise about it. Bill Gall 54 Posted 02/04/2022 at 18:50:35 There have been 2 tackles in the Man Utd game, 1 from Pogba and another from McTominay, both high lunges with the studs showing, catching the Leicester player around the ankle who needed treatment. The 2nd one worse than the first; both just got a yellow. No comment from the VAR and even the commentator said about the second one "If it goes to the VAR, that's a red." And they say the game is unbiased. Jay Harris 55 Posted 02/04/2022 at 18:51:13 Totally agree. The FA should be sent videos of the 2 incidents and ask why one player has got a 3 match ban and the other hasn't – and btw that would have meant McTominay wouldn't have been able to play against us. Brent Stephens 56 Posted 02/04/2022 at 18:52:51 Leicester 1-0 up. Justice. Bill Gall 57 Posted 02/04/2022 at 18:55:22 Nice goal, Leicester – be careful don't blow any Man Utd player over in your area. Tony Everan 58 Posted 02/04/2022 at 18:55:23 Leicester have done well closing Man Utd down. Harvey Barnes back to top form, very good player, brilliant early cross in. Jeff Armstrong 59 Posted 02/04/2022 at 18:55:29 No justice for us though, Brent, Allan still banned. Bill Gall 60 Posted 02/04/2022 at 18:58:16 Poor play from Leicester messing around at the back / take note Everton Rob Halligan 61 Posted 02/04/2022 at 19:11:26 Nothing wrong with that goal, but probably going to be ruled out by the VAR recommendation. Fucking laughable. Barry Hesketh 62 Posted 02/04/2022 at 19:14:02 Rob, It was always going to be ruled out, but in my opinion not a clear and obvious error. It was a foul I suppose but it also came about in a melee. Bill Gall 63 Posted 02/04/2022 at 19:14:28 Is anyone surprised that the goal was disallowed? Rob Halligan 64 Posted 02/04/2022 at 19:17:18 Barry, I thought Varane stretched both legs wide, and Iheanacho just tapped the ball away from him. No foul in my opinion. But didn't Maguire dive in to the melee at the same time? Jay Harris 65 Posted 02/04/2022 at 19:19:06 Moral of the story: go down and roll around as if you've been poleaxed and you'll get a decision. Of course, it helps if you're Man Utd or Liverpool. John McFarlane Snr 66 Posted 02/04/2022 at 19:20:06 Hi Dave [31] Like yourself I too think that the dice is loaded in favour of the so-called top clubs, I saw the last hour of the Liverpool vs Watford game, and although I have no doubt it was a penalty for Liverpool, I also think that if the incident had occurred in the Liverpool penalty area, VAR would have turned a blind eye to it. I'm listening to the Manchester United vs Leicester City game and I believe that my post has been confirmed, Trevor Sinclair the former professional footballer is co-commentator and he is of the same opinion, following the Leicester City goal being disallowed.I don't think this is the 'Beautiful Game' that Danny Blanchflower referred to. Tony Everan 67 Posted 02/04/2022 at 19:22:07 I think with some teams the VAR go searching forensically to rule out a goal against. Also at the other end of the pitch to give a penalty. Other teams often don't even get a referral to an incident and play just continues, everyone just forgets about it. I already fear that they will come gunning for us during the Burnley game. Mike Gaynes 68 Posted 02/04/2022 at 19:29:54 Rob, I thought it was bullshit too... until I saw the replay from the side angle. Varane's leg was pulled out from under him. It was a foul. Of course, being at OT that was the only possible outcome, but it happened to be a technically correct call. Michael Lynch 69 Posted 02/04/2022 at 19:30:29 Okay, I've changed my mind. The game must be corrupt. Nothing else could explain the inconsistency that always seems to favour the bigger clubs. Dale Self 70 Posted 02/04/2022 at 20:15:42 If you look at Varane's left foot, it doesn't move the ball until the right is dragged by Iheanacho. Fair call since Varane stands over the ball in awkward width but he arguably had possession more than the one who kicked him to get the ball. And Michael, the game is good – it is officials like Mariner who are so inept as to give credence to those who call their actions corrupt. The dumbass got this one right after a prompt it seems. I am sympatheic to the claim in other instances though. Bill Gall 71 Posted 03/04/2022 at 17:13:37 And to rub salt in the wound, Newcastle go ahead at Spurs. Barry Hesketh 72 Posted 03/04/2022 at 17:20:12 Bill @71,Spurs have equalised now – but if Everton were to finish above the Magpies - I'd be a very happy bloke. I think there's little chance of that happening though, regardless of the result of the match at Spurs. Will Mabon 73 Posted 04/04/2022 at 20:45:37 Arsenal showing us how we should've handled Palace... Anthony A Hughes 74 Posted 04/04/2022 at 20:50:04 Palace full of pace, athleticism, passion and desire. Oh for some of that from our pathetic bunch of non-entities. Will Mabon 75 Posted 04/04/2022 at 21:06:05 Anthony, they're getting better and better. Didn't look quite like this when we "Played" them, although the inevitability of the result was well in evidence. Michael Kenrick 76 Posted 04/04/2022 at 21:33:30 Just curious how the corrupt Premier League cabal can allow a penalty to Palace for a 3-0 lead over "Big Club" Arsenal? Dave Abrahams 77 Posted 04/04/2022 at 21:37:21 Michael (76), strange one that the referee was running away allowing the game to go on when he suddenly stopped, turned around and pointed to the spot as if he had been told to award the penalty, some doubt, to me, about the legitimacy of the award. Will Mabon 78 Posted 04/04/2022 at 21:47:11 Michael... er, dunno - Palace not on the "Send 'em down" list? :)Dave, that was odd. I wonder how the comms really work between VAR and the ref...There's simply been too much shady recently, to me. Barry Hesketh 79 Posted 04/04/2022 at 21:50:48 Will @78There's a very simple explanation: if Arsenal had won tonight, they would have put a lot of distance between themselves and Man Utd, which may have seen United in flip-flops on Saturday. Now, Man Utd will have something to play for. As John Lennon sang "It's easy if you try!" Will Mabon 80 Posted 04/04/2022 at 21:59:11 Barry – we are in an era where it's hard to know what to believe. This extends well beyond football I might add.Maybe you nailed it! 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