Newcastle striker joins Shearer and Cole: Four things you might have missed from Premier League GW16 so far

It was a typical Saturday in the Premier League with five matches played.

The day kicked off with four 3 PM games featuring Arsenal hosting Everton, the club where their manager had previously played with distinction, while league leaders Liverpool welcomed Fulham at Anfield.

In another fixture, Newcastle entertained a Leicester side managed by Ruud van Nistelrooy, while struggling promoted side Ipswich visited Wolves for an important early relegation battle.

Even with a handful of matchday 16 fixtures taking place during the traditional time slot, it’s easy to miss key moments. But don’t worry—Squawka is here to highlight four things you might have overlooked.

Arsenal shut out

Few anticipated that Everton would leave the Emirates with a clean sheet entering this weekend’s match, especially considering Arsenal’s impressive record of scoring in each of their last ten Premier League home fixtures, averaging 2.7 goals per game. In contrast, Everton has managed only three clean sheets in their last 15 away matches, two of which occurred this season. Their most recent away game ended in a heavy 4-0 defeat to Manchester United, suggesting that a similar outcome could have been possible in this match.

Mikel Arteta’s men recorded 13 shots, five of which hit the target. Jordan Pickford, making his 300th Premier League appearance, was forced to make five saves. Such was their dominance: Arsenal attempted 682 passes in a Premier League game this season, their highest total, but could not find a way through.

Failure to convert opportunities will frustrate Arteta, who had previously emphasised the importance of clinical finishing for the Gunners. Despite some outstanding performances this season, the North Londoners have experienced lapses, with this match being the latest example.

The result allows Everton to inch slightly away from the relegation zone, while it hinders Arsenal’s chance to close the gap on league leaders Liverpool. This outcome underscores both teams’ ongoing challenges as they navigate the season, with Everton striving for stability and Arsenal seeking to maintain their competitive edge.

Robertson sees red, but Liverpool survive

Jurgen Klopp coined the phrase “mentality monsters” to capture the never-say-die attitude of his Liverpool team. The former manager would have watched today’s match at Anfield with a wry smile, as Arne Slot’s team played over 80% of the game against Fulham with one player less. Despite this challenge, they equalised twice, salvaging a point that felt like more than they could have hoped for.

Andrew Robertson, who has not been at his best recently, received a red card shortly after Andreas Pereira gave Fulham an early lead. Interestingly, Pereira could have been shown a red card before scoring past compatriot Alisson, playing in his first Premier League match since early October.

Cody Gakpo, adapting to a fluid left wing-back role in the Reds’ ten-man formation, equalized after halftime, but Rodrigo Muniz quickly put Fulham back in front. Just as a rare victory at Liverpool seemed possible, Diogo Jota made a significant impact upon his return from injury. In just 12 minutes on the pitch, he recorded 22 touches, took two shots—scored the second equaliser—created two chances, and successfully completed all three of his take-ons.

Fulham will be kicking themselves, but their neighbours, Chelsea, will be happy. A win in the other West London derby against Brentford on Sunday and Enzo Maresca’s side will be two points behind Liverpool, who still have a game in hand.

Lewis Hall shines in four-star performance

Remember the European Championship this summer? A significant talking point regarding England was the lack of left-back options. However, there is a strong candidate emerging for 2025, and he’s currently wearing black and white. Lewis Hall has been one of the standout performers for a struggling Newcastle team lately, and today he put in a marquee performance. His contributions helped Eddie Howe’s side break a five-game streak without a clean sheet, as he was involved in two goals, one of which was officially registered as an assist for Bruno Guimarães.

Jacob Murphy scored a brace against a lacklustre Leicester City side, who came into this match riding high after Ruud van Nistelrooy’s impressive debut win over West Ham. The Dutch manager now realizes the challenge ahead: keeping the former champions in the Premier League will be no easy task. Alexander Isak also found the net, marking his 20th Premier League goal of 2024. This achievement makes him only the third Newcastle United player to score 20 or more Premier League goals in a calendar year, following Alan Shearer (22 in 1999 and 27 in 2002) and Andrew Cole (24 in 1994).

Ipswich down relegation rivals

Signs are increasingly indicating that Gary O’Neil may be the next Premier League manager to be sacked. Following a 2-1 loss to West Ham on Monday night, the club’s owners, Fosun, chose to back O’Neil as he prepares for two crucial matches against Ipswich and Leicester. Unfortunately, he fell short in the first match against the Wolves’ relegation rivals, losing 2-1.

To add to the pressure, former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who has been out of work since leaving the Red Devils in November 2021, was seen at the game. This loss marks Wolves’ third consecutive defeat, leaving them second from the bottom of the table and four points adrift of safety.

On the other hand, Ipswich secured their second league win of this Premier League campaign, their first since 2002, allowing them to leapfrog Wolves and come within a point and one place of escaping the bottom three.

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