The best game of the 2016/2017 Premier League season
The highs and lows of the Premier League are over for another year and in regards to Sunderland, Middlesbrough and Hull, that may just be another few years. There’s been joy and there’s been sorrow, dullness and brilliance, but just has been the best showing of the top flight this season?
We can’t help but pick Bournemouth 4-3 Liverpool. A freezing day on the South Coast saw the Cherries wow Jurgen Klopp’s men with an unbelievable and unpredictable comeback. Bournemouth were trailing 1-0 after the 20-minute mark thanks to Saido Mane. The forward controlled Emre Can’s over the top ball, held of Nathan Ake and managed to stab it home. Just two minutes later, Divock Origi took it past Artur Boruc and poked home the second from a tight angle. With two goals in quick succession, you can be forgiven for thinking a Liverpool rout was on the cards. Up until this point, Bournemouth were yet to beat Liverpool and it looked as though they’d have to wait yet another game to try and do so.
Bournemouth were trailing 2-0 at the half-time whistle and the second-half looked like it was going one or two ways, would Bournemouth restore some pride and make sure that two goal deficit wasn’t increased, or they would they roll over and let Klopp’s men enjoy a Sunday stroll in the park? Neither, as it turns out. The real turning point of the game came when Ryan Fraser was introduced in place of Junior Stanislas no more than ten minutes after the break. Seconds after entering the fray, the midfielder had won his side a penalty having been brought down in the area by James Milner. Callum Wilson made no mistake in slotting the spot-kick past Loris Karius.
Though, that looked to be no more than a consolation goal as just eight minutes later, Can regained the two-goal lead for the visitors. Boruc was left helpless when the German international hit a stunning a 20-yard curling effort past him. Still, rather than feeling deflated, the hosts rolled their sleeves up and fought again for another goal. Their efforts were duly rewarded on 76 minutes, 12 minutes after Liverpool’s third. Fraser, who has been electric since coming on, scored his first top flight goal, Wilson’s cross struck the heels of Benik Afobe but the 23-year-old made no mistake in diverting it into the net.
No more than two minutes later, centre-back Steve Cook levelled for Bournemouth against all free sports betting odds! Fraser was yet again involved in the goal and what a goal it was. Fraser hit a perfect cross to Cook, who was standing with his back to the goal, Cook swivelled, hit it on the volley and smashed it home, absolutely remarkable from the 26-year-old and few knew he had that in his locker. That looked that it was the last of the drama and Eddie Howe would have been more than satisfied with his side’s effort and resilience if the score ended at 3-3, though Bournemouth we’re done just yet. The third minute of injury time saw Loris Karius spill Cook’s shot and Ake was able to tap it into an empty net. Hopeless from Karius but brilliant from Bournemouth.
Upon their promotion, it was easy to assume that Bournemouth would be the whipping boys of the top flight but they have done more than enough to stake their claim in the Premier League and this is just one of their results that speaks volumes. Ryan Fraser’s performance in the win was unbelievable, on the pitch for just 35-minutes plus stoppage time, he was involved in three of the four goals his side scored and scooped the Man of the Match award. Absolute brilliance at the Vitality.
