“Hat Trick” is a column by Marco Haynes about the English Premier League in which he breaks down the week’s three most consequential results.
Villa’s late goals deal a major blow to Arsenal in the title race
Arsenal squandered an opportunity to go top of the Premier League in a 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium.
The first half unfolded with Arteta setting up an attacking Arsenal lineup, only to miss 14 shots against a defensive-minded Villa side that was content to wait for counter-attacking opportunities. Despite the team’s offensive malaise, the Gunners’ defense had some luck in the 38th minute, watching Aston Villa forward Ollie Watkins inside-the-box strike hit the left post. The ball spiraled across an open net, only to bounce out of bounds.
In the second half, Arsenal’s tempo dropped, which allowed Aston Villa to grow into the game, although it took until the 84th minute for ex-Arsenal manager Unai Emery to punish his former team. Substitute Leon Bailey hit a side-footed effort at the far post coming off Lucas Digne’s low cross from the left-corner to give the away side the lead.
Just two minutes later, it got worse for the Gunners. Watkins pounced on a defensive mishap and latched onto Youri Tielemans’ cross-field pass, before shrugging off Emile Smith Rowe in the penalty box and chipping the ball over goalkeeper David Raya to seal the victory.
Arsenal suffered its first defeat in 2024, having not lost since New Year’s Eve — a 2-1 defeat to Fulham. With this result, the club dropped to second in the table, two points behind the new league-leaders Manchester City.
Arsenal have now failed to score in two of their last four Premier League matches. The team has only gone goalless three times in 32 Premier League matches this season.
Arsenal will play Wolves next at the Molineux Stadium on Saturday.
Aston Villa have done the double for the third time over Arsenal in the Premier League era, previously winning 1-0 this season at Villa Park in December. They remain in fourth place, three points ahead of Champions League-chasers Tottenham.
Watkins also scored his 19th goal of the Premier League season, the joint-most ever scored in a single campaign for the Villians in the league alongside former striker Christian Benteke, who scored 19 goals in the 2012-13 season.
Aston Villa return to Villa Park to face Bournemouth on Sunday.
Newcastle’s Isak’s brace punish a dismal Tottenham defense
The Magpies thrashed a lackluster Tottenham team 4-0 at St. James Park, resulting in the heaviest defeat of Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs tenure.
During the first half, forward Alexander Isak cut inside of centerback Micky van de Ven, dropping him to the ground. Isak then fired a shot into the bottom left beyond Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario to go in front.
It took just over a minute for Newcastle to double their lead via Gordon, who pounced on Pedro Porro’s awful back-pass inside the penalty box. The English international dribbled past Van de Ven to then curl a shot into the right corner of the net.
In the second half, Isak blew any chance of a Spurs comeback. The Swede ran onto a through ball from Bruno Guimaraes behind the Spurs’ defense then calmly slotted the ball into the bottom right corner.
The celebrations continued for the Magpies in the 85th minute, as defender Fabien Schar’s towering header at the far left post completed a masterful 4-0 winning performance.
A magnificent Newcastle display kept them in the race for European qualification, moving up to sixth place on 50 points and having won their last three Premier League games.
The Magpies have recorded 36 points at home this Premier League season, something only Liverpool (42), Arsenal (38) and Manchester City (38) have bested.
It was the perfect day for Swedish striker Isak, netting his 17th goal in the Premier League — the joint-most by a Swedish player in the single Premier League campaign alongside now-retired striker Zlatan Ibrahimović in 2016-17 with Manchester United.
He is the fourth Newcastle player in Premier League history to score in six consecutive league home matches.
The Magpies return on April 24 in the Premier League, traveling to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace.
Spurs dropped into fifth place, moving out of a Champions League position and are now three points behind Aston Villa.
Bizarrely, Tottenham’s last three defeats by four or more goals have all happened against Newcastle at St. James Park, which also included 5-1 and 6-1 losses in May 2016 and in April 2023, respectively.
Tottenham will look to rebound from this heavy defeat in a North London Derby matchup against Arsenal on April 28.
Two goals from captain Bruno Fernandes rescue a draw for United
VAR overturned a late penalty decision for Bournemouth to leave the match settled at a 2-2 draw, meaning the Cherries shared a point with Manchester United at the Vitality Stadium.
In the 16th minute, striker Dominic Solanke capitalized on 19-year-old United centerback Willy Kambwala’s slip, slotting a low-driven shot into the bottom left corner of the net from the edge of the penalty box.
United fought back for an equalizer for about 15 minutes, before midfielder Bruno Fernandes smashed a shot into the roof of the net. The goal was set up by a rebound off Cherries centerback Illia Zabarnyi’s foot in his attempt to block Alejandro Garnacho’s cutback.
However, just six minutes later, United’s joys were squashed, and the Red Devils found themselves behind again. Bournemouth winger Justin Kluivert’s low shot into goalkeeper Andre Onana’s near-post put his side up 2-1 after United left him an abundant amount of space in which to operate.
In the second half, Bournemouth was in control until a harsh VAR decision awarded United a penalty, judging that fullback Adam Smith had committed a handball by brushing the ball with his shoulder. Fernandes converted his spot kick into the bottom right of the net to make the score 2-2.
There was further drama late in the game, as one final Cherries attack led by Ryan Christie saw the Scottish winger tripped by Kambwala, believing he had won his side a penalty in stoppage time. VAR overturned the decision, with replays showing the foul had occurred mere inches outside the 18-yard box.
The draw moved United down to seventh in the table and without a win in the club’s last seven Premier League games. In their last eight away Premier League matches, the Red Devils have conceded 17 goals in total.
Fernandes’ two goals against the Cherries means he is now United’s top goalscorer in the Premier League this season with a tally of eight. The Portuguese’s equalizer also meant he has either scored or assisted 90 league goals since joining the club in 2020 — an impressive record.
The Red Devils play Sheffield United at Old Trafford on April 24 in the Premier League.
Disappointed with two debatable VAR decisions, the Cherries can at least remain positive about staying unbeaten against United in both league matches this season — Bournemouth also won the reverse fixture 3-0 at Old Trafford in December. They now sit at 13th in the league, on course for a comfortable mid-table finish at the end of the season.
The Englishman Solanke has now set a record for most goals scored by a Bournemouth player in a single top-flight season with 17, beating Joshua King’s previous total of 16 goals in the 2016-17 Premier League campaign.
The Cherries will face Aston Villa traveling to Villa Park on Sunday.
“Hat Trick” runs every Tuesday.