Every Premier League fan was looking forward to this Derby weekend. It comprised some exciting fixtures with the London and Merseyside Derby on the same day.
Chelsea and Arsenal faced off at Stamford Bridge and the Merseyside clubs saw one winner at Anfield. There were also some endearing moments at the derbies that left the EPL fans exhilarated.
Stamford Bridge saw some thrilling ticks with a 2-2 draw. With Chelsea leading 2-0 at the 67th minute, Mauricio Pochettino was extremely elated and couldn’t hold his emotions.
The Argentine manager hugged Cole Palmer when the ball went out of play and the Englishman came to retrieve it. The Chelsea Gaffer also whispered something in the ears of the temporary striker.
Cole was part of the treble winning City squad last season. He displayed immense talent and hunger at City which was very well nurtured under Pep.
The Mancunian played a total of 850 minutes for The Sky Blues last season and it wasn’t enough for the young prodigy. Trying to search for a new life in London wasn’t a straightforward decision either.
Cole was born and bred in the City way since he was 8 but Chelsea’s promise of more minutes wasn’t an offer that he would deny.
Cityzens took to social media following the Englishman’s departure. Many were sad and the transfer fees Chelsea were paying for him surprised some.
The midfielder moved to London this season, amassing 2 goals in 6 appearances even with a slow start. The English international has also assisted twice, making him a part of 4 goal contributions.
He has also built a great relationship with Pochettino, which shows in recent events. With such performances the £40 million price paid for him now looks like a bargain.
The Story 350 km North-West
350 km north-west of Stamford Bridge, the Merseyside Derby saw only one winner. Liverpool took home the three points in the first Merseyside Derby of the 2023/24 EPL season.
Anfield saw Everton’s Ashley Young sent off with two yellows. Mohamed Salah scored a brace with a penalty and a last-minute goal assisted by Darwin Nunez.
Post-match celebratory scenes included Jürgen Klopp and Darwin Nunez sharing a warm moment. The German manager gave the striker a big bear hug for his performance.
Even after coming on in the second half as a substitute for Tsimikas, the Uruguayan had an impressive impact on the game.
The Liverpool Gaffer was also back with his trademark fist pump celebrations. It’s been more than a year since the former Benfica player joined Liverpool.
In the beginning the striker was prey to EPL fan trolls for not providing and when The Reds fans compared him with City starlet Erling Haaland.
The Liverpool striker might not be a goal machine like Erling Haaland but his presence and contribution has immensely helped Liverpool.
With 37 appearances for the North-West England side, he has scored 12 goals and assisted 8 times. This season the Uruguayan international is off to a better start with 4 goals and 4 assists in 11 appearances.