EPL game reviews – 2025-12-04

Premier League Matchday Wrap: Drama, Tight Margins and Big Performances

It was a cracking night of Premier League action with five fixtures on the slate: Aston Villa vs Brighton, Nottingham Forest vs Wolverhampton Wanderers, Crystal Palace vs Burnley, Brentford vs Arsenal, and Sunderland vs Liverpool. Between them we saw late drama, dominant midfields, set‑piece threats and a couple of real grind‑outs.

Using the stats from the score records, we can piece together how each game played out — from the final scores to standout performers in shots, shots on target, goals, assists and even corners. If you’re into betting or just love digging into numbers, this matchday offered plenty to chew on.

Aston Villa vs Brighton

This one delivered the highest‑scoring game of the day. The final score was a 4–3 win for the away side, Aston Villa, as confirmed by the standard full‑time records: home 3, away 4.

The game was lively right from the start. First‑half scoring was level at 2–2, and it didn’t slow down after the break, with the second half finishing 2–1 in Villa’s favour. Both sides also traded plenty of corners — Brighton taking 5 to Villa’s 6 across the 90 minutes.

Scoring Breakdown and Key Contributors

Goals were spread around, but a few players really stood out on the stat sheet.

For Brighton (home side), defender Jan Paul van Hecke was a surprise attacking weapon: he scored 2 goals from 3 shots, all 3 on target. That’s elite finishing for a centre‑back and a huge part of why Brighton pushed Villa all the way.
On the Villa side, the attack ran through three names:
- Ollie Watkins: 2 goals from 3 shots (all on target) – a classic poacher’s outing.
- Amadou Onana: 1 goal from 2 shots (1 on target) and 1 total goal contribution according to the “score or assist” metric.
- Donyell Malen: 1 goal from 2 shots (both on target) and 1 total goal contribution.

Put together, Watkins (2), Onana (1) and Malen (1) accounted for Villa’s four goals as the visitors edged a high‑tempo contest.

Chance Creation and Involvement

Even though Brighton fell just short, they had a few notable creators:

Mats Wieffer finished with 1 assist and 1 total goal contribution.
Jack Hinshelwood also logged 1 assist and 1 total goal contribution.

On the Villa side:

Matty Cash recorded 1 assist and 1 goal contribution overall.
Evann Guessand chipped in with 1 assist and 1 total contribution, while firing off 2 shots (2 on target).
Morgan Rogers added 1 assist and 1 goal contribution despite not taking a shot.

The “score or assist” metric highlights how much Villa’s forward and wide players combined well; Watkins also logged 2 goal contributions, reflecting his direct role in the scoring.

Set Pieces and Corners

Corners finished 6–5 in Villa’s favour (3–3 first half, 3–2 second half). That balance supports what the scoreline suggests – both sides were constantly in the final third, with Villa just that bit more clinical when it mattered.

For punters, this was the game for overs backers: 7 goals, plenty of shots on target and a strong corner count, especially if you were on any Watkins or van Hecke player markets.

Nottingham Forest vs Wolverhampton Wanderers

This was the lowest‑scoring match of the night. The away side, Nottingham Forest, ground out a tight 1–0 win against Wolves, as per the full‑time standard records: home 0, away 1.

Both teams went into the break scoreless (0–0 at half‑time), with Forest eventually nicking it in the second half. Corner stats tell a story of Forest pressure: they racked up 9 corners to Wolves’ 3 across the game, including a 6–0 edge in the first half alone.

Who Made the Difference?

The lone goal came from Igor Jesus for Forest:

1 goal from 2 shots, both on target.
1 total goal contribution in the “score or assist” metric.

He was paired nicely with Omari Hutchinson, who didn’t score but:

Registered 2 shots and 1 shot on target.
Provided 1 assist and 1 total goal contribution.

That combination – Hutchinson creating, Igor Jesus finishing – was the clear attacking highlight on a night where Wolves struggled to generate clear‑cut chances.

Wolves’ Efforts

For Wolves, there were nearly moments, but nothing to show on the scoreboard:

Marshall Munetsi was the one bright spot statistically, with 1 shot on target from 1 shot overall.
Jhon Arias and Tolu Arokodare both had a shot each, while Wolves as a unit failed to convert any of their limited opportunities.

With no goals or assists across their attacking unit, it was a frustrating evening for Wolves backers, especially given how Forest allowed them very few corners and attacking set‑piece chances.

Game Flow

With 0–0 at half‑time and a single goal after the break, this was a classic under‑goals scenario. Forest’s 9–3 corner advantage suggests they had territorial control, and that pressure finally told through Igor Jesus’ strike. From a betting point of view, Forest win, under 2.5 goals, and Forest corners would all have landed nicely here.

Crystal Palace vs Burnley

Crystal Palace nicked a tight away win over Burnley, taking this one 1–0 according to the full‑time standard score: home 0, away 1. The only goal of the game came in the first half (0–1 at half‑time, 0–0 in the second half).

Corners were evenly matched overall at 3–3, though Burnley had a slight edge in the first half (2–3), before Palace matched them in the second (1–0).

Key Moment: Muñoz Strikes, Guéhi Assists

The match was decided by right‑back Daniel Muñoz:

He scored 1 goal from 1 shot on target (1 shot total).
He was one of the most efficient players on the pitch in front of goal.

The goal came from a set‑up by centre‑back Marc Guéhi, who:

Registered 1 assist.
Was credited with 1 total goal contribution in the “score or assist” metric.

Between them, Guéhi and Muñoz combined for the only decisive attacking moment of the match.

Burnley’s Missed Opportunities

Burnley, the home side, had a few attacking sparks but couldn’t find the back of the net:

Jaidon Anthony, Zian Flemming, Jacob Bruun Larsen and Armando Broja all had 1 shot each, and each managed 1 shot on target, but none of those efforts translated into goals.
No Burnley player recorded a goal or an assist.

For all their individual efforts, Burnley’s attack just lacked that final bit of quality or luck in front of goal.

Palace’s Attack Beyond the Goal

Apart from the goal, Jean-Philippe Mateta was the biggest attacking outlet for Palace:

2 shots, both on target.
No goals or assists, but clearly a constant threat.

The rest of Palace’s front line – including Yéremy Pino and Daichi Kamada – registered shots but no goals or direct contributions on the stat sheet.

If you were on Palace to win to nil, this was the perfect result. The game underscored how useful it can be to track defenders with attacking upside like Daniel Muñoz in player prop markets.

Brentford vs Arsenal

This fixture saw Arsenal (listed as the home side in the data) dispatch Brentford with a composed 2–0 victory. The full‑time standard scores show home 2, away 0. The Gunners scored in both halves — 1–0 at the break, 1–0 again after the restart.

Interestingly, Brentford actually won the corner battle by 8–4, with the first half split evenly (4–4) before Brentford took 4–0 in corners in the second half. So while Arsenal were more clinical, Brentford saw plenty of set‑piece opportunities.

Arsenal’s Match Winners

Two of Arsenal’s stars did the damage on the scoresheet:

Mikel Merino:
- Scored 1 goal from 3 shots (1 on target).
- Added 1 assist and finished with 2 total goal contributions in the “score or assist” metric.
Bukayo Saka:
- Scored 1 goal from 2 shots (both on target).
- 2 total shots and 2 on target shows quality rather than volume – classic Saka efficiency.

Ben White also got on the stats sheet with 1 assist, and 1 total goal contribution, despite taking just a single shot himself.

Arsenal’s Threat Level

Arsenal shared the attacking load nicely:

Riccardo Calafiori: 2 shots, both on target, though no goal.
Declan Rice: 1 shot, 1 shot on target.
Noni Madueke: 1 shot, 1 shot on target.
Gabriel Martinelli: 1 shot, 1 shot on target.

Even without goals from their centre‑forward options (Viktor Gyökeres and Gabriel Jesus didn’t register shots or goals), the midfield stepped up to carry the scoring burden.

Brentford’s Efforts and Resistance

For Brentford, the attack had moments but lacked a finishing edge:

Kevin Schade: 1 shot, 1 on target – the only Brentford player to hit the target.
Vitaly Janelt and Keane Lewis‑Potter each had 1 shot, though neither produced a goal or assist.

From a defensive perspective, Brentford’s backline limited Arsenal to just 4 corners across the match, but the visitors simply made more of their open‑play opportunities.

In betting terms, Arsenal win and Arsenal to keep a clean sheet both landed, while Brentford corners or total corners over markets also looked strong given the 12‑corner total.

Sunderland vs Liverpool

The late kick‑off ended level, with Sunderland holding Liverpool to a 1–1 draw. The full‑time standard record shows home 1, away 1, with all the action coming after the break – 0–0 at half‑time, 1–1 in the second half.

Liverpool dominated corners by 7–3 overall, including 5–1 in the second half as they pushed hard to tilt the match in their favour.

Sunderland’s Scoring Heroes

Sunderland’s goal came via Chemsdine Talbi, who had a standout attacking performance:

Scored 1 goal from 2 shots (both on target).
Finished with 1 total goal contribution in the “score or assist” metric.

He was set up by Enzo Le Fée, who:

Registered 1 assist.
Also fired 1 shot, hitting the target once.
Finished with 1 total goal contribution.

Liverpool’s Attacking Output

Liverpool controlled large chunks of this match, reflected in their shot numbers, even if the goals column only shows one.

Dominik Szoboszlai: 3 shots, 2 on target – the most volume for Liverpool, though no goal.
Florian Wirtz: 2 shots, 1 on target – lively between the lines.
Alexis Mac Allister: 2 shots, 0 on target in the end, but clearly involved from midfield.
Alexander Isak: 1 shot, 0 on target.
Curtis Jones and Hugo Ekitiké: 1 shot each.
Ibrahima Konaté: unusual attacking output for a centre‑back with 1 shot and 1 on target.

None of Liverpool’s players were credited with goals or assists in the data, which tells us the equaliser wasn’t assigned to a specific player in these records. Even so, the patterns are clear: Liverpool generated the lion’s share of shots and corners but couldn’t turn control into three points.

Sunderland’s Resistance

On top of their goal, Sunderland had a few other threats:

Omar Alderete: 3 shots and 2 shots on target – a big set‑piece and long‑range presence from the back.
Trai Hume: 1 shot, 1 on target.
Wilson Isidor: 1 shot, 1 on target.

Those numbers, combined with Liverpool’s heavy corner count, suggest a game where Liverpool dictated play, but Sunderland remained dangerous on the break and from set pieces.

From a betting angle, Liverpool corners and both teams to score were strong angles here, while anyone chasing a late Liverpool winner would have been left frustrated.

Conclusion: Tight Margins, Big Performances – and How to Use Them

Across the five fixtures, we saw just about everything:

A seven‑goal thriller in Aston Villa’s 4–3 win over Brighton, with Ollie Watkins and Jan Paul van Hecke shining at opposite ends.
A narrow 1–0 Forest victory over Wolves defined by Igor Jesus and Omari Hutchinson’s link‑up play.
Crystal Palace grinding out a 1–0 away win at Burnley thanks to Daniel Muñoz’s finish and Marc Guéhi’s assist.
Arsenal’s controlled 2–0 win over Brentford built on classy performances from Mikel Merino and Bukayo Saka.
A 1–1 draw between Sunderland and Liverpool where Chemsdine Talbi and Enzo Le Fée delivered for the hosts, while Liverpool piled up corners and shots but couldn’t quite finish the job.

The stats paint a clear picture: teams like Arsenal and Villa are rewarding backers of their attacking midfield and forward lines, while lower‑scoring contests like Forest vs Wolves and Palace vs Burnley highlight the value in unders, clean sheets and defender goal or assist markets.

If you’re punting regularly, these kinds of numbers matter. Knowing who’s racking up shots on target, who’s regularly involved in goals (via the “score or assist” metrics), and which sides consistently win the corner count can give you a proper edge.

Before you place your next bet, make sure you’re getting the best possible price. Use our odds comparison tool to line up markets across all the major bookmakers — from match result and goals to player shots, assists and corners. The data is there; the value is out there. Compare the odds, back your read, and don’t leave money on the table.