West Ham United (1) 2 v 2 (0) Crystal Palace

39 Fornals, assist Antonio                         58 Gallagher, assist Benteke

68 Antonio                                                   70 Gallagher

Yellows:  Rice

Played Saturday 28 August 2021 at the London Stadium, Referee S Attwell.

Crystal Palace scored their first Premier League (PL) for, and got their first point under, manager Patrick Vieira at West Ham United’s London Stadium in the first Premier London Derbies (PLDs) match of the weekend.  Pablo Fornals opened the scoring in the first half, but a sharper Palace equalized early in the second half through their exciting Chelsea loanee Conor Gallagher. Mikhail Antonio put the Hammers back in the lead with his 50th goal for the Club which was also the 100th of Manager David Moyes second spell in charge. The Eagles were not done and a second from Gallagher equalized again to round off the entertainment.

                    Tottenham Hotspur (1) 1 v 0 (0) Watford  

 42 Son

Yellows:  Kane, Skipp, Alli                             Etobo, Dennis, Sissoko

Played Sunday 29 August 2021 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Referee A Marriner.

Tottenham Hotspur played their first PLDs match of this season, if that is what it was, against Watford. The Hornets lined up 4-5-1 with £3 million new-boy Moussa Sissoko, who had once cost Spurs £30 million from Newcastle United, in their ranks. The visitors’ packed defence was broken only once by a direct free kick from Heung-Min Son, playing his 200thgame for Spurs. The home side did not sit on their single goal and attacked much of the second half.  That win gives Tottenham Hotspur a perfect 3 match start to the PL season and top spot as the only unbeaten team. What a contrast with their arch-rivals Arsenal who have had 3 defeats in their opening 3 top-flight matches for the first time since 1954 and languish at the bottom of the PL table! This situation has never ever happened before.

There are no PLDs matches this weekend because of the September International break, but we are back on Saturday 11 September 2021 with Crystal Palace v Tottenham Hotspur in the lunch-time kick-off match.

Until then, “Keep Safe” and enjoy your football, Andrew at PLDs.