EPL game reviews – 2025-11-23

Premier League Saturday Review: Tight Margins, Big Performances

It was a cracking day of Premier League football with five hard-fought clashes on the card. From late turnarounds to away wins and a couple of tense, single-goal margins, punters were treated to a mix of tight contests and standout individual displays.

Brighton edged Brentford in a 2–1 result, Crystal Palace took care of Wolverhampton 2–0 away from home, and Nottingham Forest pulled off a statement 3–0 victory against Liverpool. Fulham ground out a 1–0 win over Sunderland, while Newcastle claimed a brilliant 2–1 upset against Manchester City in the late kick-off.

Below is a game-by-game breakdown using the official stats and score records, with a focus on who delivered when it counted and where the matches turned.

Brentford vs Brighton: Seagulls Turn It Around in the Second Half (2–1 Brighton)

Brighton walked away 2–1 winners over Brentford after coming from behind in the second half. The full-time standard scores show Brighton (home) on 2 and Brentford (away) on 1. Brentford took a 1–0 lead into the sheds at half-time, but Brighton hit back with two unanswered goals after the break to flip the result.

Score Flow and Key Moments

The scoring pattern is clear in the standard metrics:

1st half: Brentford 1 – 0 Brighton
2nd half: Brighton 2 – 0 Brentford
Full time: Brighton 2 – 1 Brentford

Brentford drew first blood, but Brighton’s response in the second half was decisive. Two different home players found the net:

Danny Welbeck – 1 goal, 1 shot on target from 4 total shots
Jack Hinshelwood – 1 goal, 1 shot on target from 1 total shot

Both finished with a score-or-assist contribution of 1, making them the decisive figures in Brighton’s comeback.

Attacking Threat and Shots

Brighton spread their attacking threat well. Welbeck led the line with 4 shots (1 on target), while Georginio Rutter and Yankuba Minteh were busy around the box with:

Georginio Rutter – 2 shots, 1 on target
Yankuba Minteh – 2 shots, 1 on target and 1 assist (score/assist = 1)

Ferdi Kadıoğlu, Carlos Baleba, Diego Gómez and Jack Hinshelwood each chipped in with a shot, showing that Brighton’s midfield and wide players were willing to have a crack.

For Brentford, the standout threat was centre-forward Igor Thiago:

Igor Thiago – 3 shots, 2 on target and 1 goal (score/assist = 1)

Keane Lewis-Potter and Michael Kayode also tested the keeper:

Keane Lewis-Potter – 1 shot, 1 on target
Michael Kayode – 2 shots, 1 on target

Creative Contributions and Corners

Minteh provided Brighton’s only recorded assist, while Brentford’s solitary assist came from the flank:

Yankuba Minteh (Brighton) – 1 assist, 1 shot on target
Neco assist equivalent for Brentford: Igor Thiago’s goal was unsupported statistically by an assist metric, but his own score or assist tally sits at 1.

From a set-piece and territory point of view, corners tilted slightly towards Brighton:

Brighton corners: 7 (2 in the first half, 5 in the second)
Brentford corners: 4 (3 in the first half, 1 in the second)

That second-half swing in corners lines up with Brighton taking control after the break, pinning Brentford back and finding the goals they needed.

Crystal Palace vs Wolverhampton Wanderers: Eagles Take a 2–0 Away Win

Crystal Palace (away) claimed a solid 2–0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers (home). The full-time standard scores show Wolves 0 – 2 Palace, with all the scoring damage done in the second half.

Second-Half Surge

The game was locked at 0–0 at half-time:

1st half: Wolverhampton 0 – 0 Crystal Palace
2nd half: Wolverhampton 0 – 2 Crystal Palace
Full time: Wolves 0 – 2 Palace

Palace’s goals came from:

Daniel Muñoz – 1 goal from 1 shot on target
Yéremy Pino – 1 goal from 1 shot on target

Both finished with a score-or-assist value of 1, reflecting their direct impact on the result.

Who Pulled the Strings?

Adam Wharton and Maxence Lacroix were central to Palace’s creativity in the final third:

Adam Wharton – 1 assist
Maxence Lacroix – 1 assist

Lacroix’s assist is particularly notable given his defensive role, contributing at both ends of the pitch. Daichi Kamada and Ismaïla Sarr also posed threats:

Daichi Kamada – 1 shot on target from 1 shot
Ismaïla Sarr – 2 shots, 1 on target

Wolves Struggle to Test the Keeper

While Wolves had a few pops at goal, they only managed one shot on target across the 90 minutes:

João Gomes – 1 shot on target from 1 shot

Ladislav Krejčí, Marshall Munetsi, Jørgen Strand Larsen, Tolu Arokodare and Jhon Arias each recorded a single attempt, but none managed to hit the target or affect the scoreboard.

Corners and Territory

The corner count underlines Palace’s ability to get into dangerous wide areas:

Wolves corners: 1 (0 first half, 1 second half)
Crystal Palace corners: 4 (3 first half, 1 second half)

Palace’s three first-half corners showed early intent, even if the breakthrough didn’t arrive until after the break.

Nottm Forest vs Liverpool: Forest Dominate 3–0

Nottingham Forest (away) produced one of the standout results of the day, beating Liverpool (home) 3–0 on the road. The full-time standard scores show Liverpool 0 – 3 Forest, with a goal in the first half and two more after half-time.

Clinical Forest Finishing

Forest were ruthless in front of goal:

1st half: Liverpool 0 – 1 Forest
2nd half: Liverpool 0 – 2 Forest
Full time: Liverpool 0 – 3 Forest

The goals came from three different players:

Nicolò Savona – 1 goal from 1 shot on target (score/assist = 1)
Murillo – 1 goal from 2 shots on target (score/assist = 1)
Morgan Gibbs-White – 1 goal from 1 shot on target (score/assist = 1)

Creative Support and Assists

Forest’s build-up play was sharp, with Neco Williams providing the only recorded assist:

Neco Williams – 1 assist (player assists = 1, score/assist = 1)

Omari Hutchinson and Igor Jesus also played key roles in the attacking phases, each registering:

Igor Jesus – 2 shots, 1 on target
Omari Hutchinson – 2 shots, 1 on target

Even though they didn’t score, their shots helped maintain constant pressure on Liverpool’s back line.

Liverpool’s Attack Blunted

Despite plenty of familiar attacking names, Liverpool couldn’t find a way past the Forest defence. They recorded zero goals, with no player logging a goal or assist.

There were attempts, but Forest kept the danger under control:

Alexis Mac Allister – 3 shots, 2 on target
Mohamed Salah – 2 shots, 1 on target
Federico Chiesa – 2 shots, 0 on target
Miloš Kerkez and Curtis Jones – 1 shot each

For all that effort, Liverpool’s score-or-assist metrics show zero across the board, highlighting how effectively Forest shut them down.

Set-Piece Battle

Liverpool did generate plenty of corners, especially before half-time:

Liverpool corners: 8 (7 in the first half, 1 in the second)
Forest corners: 6 (1 in the first half, 5 in the second)

Those seven first-half corners underline Liverpool’s early territorial advantage, but Forest’s defensive structure held firm, and they punished Liverpool on the break and in open play.

Sunderland vs Fulham: Cottagers Edge a Tight 1–0

Fulham (home) did just enough to earn a 1–0 win over Sunderland (away). The scoreline reflects a cagey affair decided in the second half, with very little between the sides overall.

A One-Goal Game

The scoring breakdown from the standard metrics reads:

1st half: Fulham 0 – 0 Sunderland
2nd half: Fulham 1 – 0 Sunderland
Full time: Fulham 1 – 0 Sunderland

The decisive moment came from Fulham striker Raúl Jiménez:

Raúl Jiménez – 1 goal, 2 shots on target from 4 total shots (score/assist = 1)

Samuel Chukwueze played an important supporting role:

Samuel Chukwueze – 1 assist, 0 shots (score/assist = 1)

Fulham’s Attacking Volume

Fulham generated a good spread of chances across their attacking unit:

Kevin – 3 shots, 2 on target
Alex Iwobi – 2 shots, 1 on target
Harry Wilson – 2 shots, 0 on target
Joshua King – 2 shots, 0 on target
Joachim Andersen – 2 shots from defence
Sander Berge, Ryan Sessegnon, Emile Smith Rowe – 1 shot each

In terms of shots on target, Sander Berge and Iwobi both tested the Sunderland keeper once, complementing Jiménez’s more frequent efforts.

Sunderland Struggle in the Final Third

Sunderland were well contained. None of their players registered a shot on target, and most of their attempts were limited or blocked:

Bertrand Traoré – 1 shot, 1 on target (the only recorded Sunderland shot on target)
Granit Xhaka and Enzo Le Fée – 1 shot each

There were no goals or assists from the visitors, and their score-or-assist numbers sit at 0 across the board.

Corners and Territory

Fulham held a slight edge on corners, reflecting their greater attacking initiative:

Fulham corners: 7 (3 first half, 4 second half)
Sunderland corners: 4 (2 first half, 2 second half)

While the margin was narrow on the scoreboard, Fulham’s extra shots, more shots on target, and higher corner tally paint the picture of a deserved 1–0 win.

Man City vs Newcastle: Magpies Seal a 2–1 Upset

In the late kick-off, Newcastle (home) secured a brilliant 2–1 victory over Manchester City (away). The full-time standard metric shows Newcastle 2 – 1 City, with all three goals arriving after half-time.

Second-Half Drama

The first half ended goalless, with both sides feeling each other out:

1st half: Man City 0 – 0 Newcastle
2nd half: Newcastle 2 – 1 Man City
Full time: Newcastle 2 – 1 Man City

For Newcastle, the goals came from one standout attacker:

Harvey Barnes – 2 goals from 3 shots on target and 4 total shots (score/assist = 2)

Barnes was the star of the show, converting both his on-target efforts into goals, and his score-or-assist tally of 2 reflects just how decisive he was.

City’s lone goal came from the back:

Rúben Dias – 1 goal from 1 shot on target (score/assist = 1)

Newcastle’s Attacking Threat

Nick Woltemade joined Barnes in putting City’s defence under pressure:

Nick Woltemade – 3 shots, 2 on target
Bruno Guimarães – 1 shot, 1 on target, 1 assist, score/assist = 1

Guimarães provided Newcastle’s only recorded assist and was influential in midfield, linking play and setting up one of Barnes’ goals.

City Fire Plenty of Shots but Lack Cutting Edge

Manchester City generated volume but couldn’t turn it into enough goals. Their attacking stats show a lot of attempts, but Newcastle’s defence stood firm.

Erling Haaland – 4 shots, 2 on target, 0 goals
Phil Foden – 3 shots, 0 on target
Rayan Cherki – 2 shots, 1 on target
Savinho – 1 shot, 1 on target
Bernardo Silva – 1 shot, 1 on target
Nico O’Reilly – 1 shot, 1 on target

Despite these efforts, none of City’s attacking players recorded a goal or assist. All of Haaland, Foden, Bernardo, Cherki and others finished with a score-or-assist of 0, underlining how well Newcastle’s back line and keeper Nick Pope managed the threat.

Corners Tell a Different Story

On another day, City might have taken something from this game based on territory alone:

Newcastle corners: 5 (2 first half, 3 second half)
Man City corners: 9 (4 first half, 5 second half)

City’s nine corners showed they spent plenty of time in the attacking third, but Newcastle’s structure and Barnes’ clinical finishing made the difference where it mattered – on the scoreboard.

Conclusion: A Day of Tight Margins and Valuable Betting Signals

Across the five matches, a few common themes stood out: tight margins, second-half turnarounds, and several away sides delivering big results. Brighton and Newcastle both came from 0–1 or level positions at half-time to win, Palace and Fulham took control with strong second halves, and Forest’s 3–0 away win over Liverpool provided the biggest shock on the card.

For punters, these games underline just how important it is to look beyond simple win–draw–loss markets. Shot counts, shots on target, corners, and individual player metrics (like score-or-assist or shots on target) all offer extra angles – from goal-scorer bets to corners and player performance markets.

If you’re backing teams that tend to build late pressure (like Brighton today), or sides that rack up corners even in defeat (like Man City), there’s value to be found outside the final result. Likewise, strong individual outputs from players such as Harvey Barnes, Raúl Jiménez, Jack Hinshelwood, and Forest’s attacking trio give you data points to work with in future rounds.

To make the most of these insights, be sure to use our odds comparison tool before your next bet. It lines up prices from all the major Aussie bookies in one place, helping you turn stats like today’s into smarter wagers and better value. Next time these sides run out, you’ll have the numbers on your side.