EPL game reviews – 2025-12-14

Premier League Saturday Wrap: Clinical Home Wins and a Craven Cottage Thriller

It was a cracking slate of Premier League fixtures, with three matches on the card and plenty for punters to digest. Chelsea, Liverpool and Burnley all claimed wins on the road/at home in very different fashions: two controlled 2–0 victories and one rollercoaster 3–2 away win.

From Chelsea’s first-half blitz at Goodison Park, to Liverpool’s solid 2–0 performance against Brighton, and a topsy-turvy five-goal contest between Fulham and Burnley at Craven Cottage, there was no shortage of storylines – or key stats – to fuel your next bet.

Below is a game-by-game review, drilling into the final scores, goals, assists, shots and corners using the stats provided, before wrapping up with what it all means for anyone eyeing off the markets.

Everton vs Chelsea

Final score (full time, standard metric): Chelsea 2 – 0 Everton.

Chelsea did the damage early at Goodison Park, racing to a 2–0 lead by half time and then shutting the game down after the break. According to the standard scoring records:

1st half: Chelsea 2 – 0 Everton
2nd half: Chelsea 0 – 0 Everton
Full time: Chelsea 2 – 0 Everton

It was a classic away performance: fast start, clinical finishing, then manage the contest and see it out.

Goals, Assists and Key Contributions

The goals and creative output came from a handful of Chelsea’s most dangerous players:

Malo Gusto: 1 goal, 1 assist, 2 shots (all 2 on target).
Cole Palmer: 1 goal, 1 shot (1 on target), 0 assists.
Pedro Neto: 1 assist, 1 shot (0 on target).

The “score or assist” metric backs up that trio’s importance:

Malo Gusto: 2 score-or-assist actions (goal + assist).
Cole Palmer: 1 score-or-assist action (goal).
Pedro Neto: 1 score-or-assist action (assist).

No Everton player logged a goal or assist in the data. Despite a few attempts, the Toffees simply couldn’t break through.

Attacking Threat and Shots

Chelsea shared the attacking load across multiple players. Notable shot numbers from the visitors:

Alejandro Garnacho: 4 shots, but none on target.
Pedro Neto: 1 shot (0 on target).
João Pedro: 1 shot (0 on target).
Andrey Santos: 1 shot (0 on target).
Jamie Gittens: 1 shot (0 on target).

On the defensive side, Everton’s efforts in front of goal were limited:

Jack Grealish: 3 shots, 1 on target.
Iliman Ndiaye: 2 shots, 1 on target.
James Tarkowski: 1 shot (0 on target).
Michael Keane: 1 shot (0 on target).

Between them, Grealish and Ndiaye provided Everton’s only shots on target (one each), which says a lot about how well Chelsea controlled their box and limited clear chances.

Corners and Territory

The corner count tells a different story and hints at how Everton pushed once they fell behind:

Full-time corners: Chelsea 4 – 7 Everton.
1st half corners: Chelsea 1 – 3 Everton.
2nd half corners: Chelsea 3 – 4 Everton.

Everton ended up with more corners overall, especially in the first half, which suggests they did get into advanced positions and put some pressure on Chelsea’s defence. But with zero goals and only two shots on target across the board, the end product was missing.

What It Means

From a betting point of view, backing Chelsea’s attacking full-backs and playmakers for shots or goal contribution markets would’ve paid off nicely. Gusto, Palmer and Neto all hit their numbers in this one. Chelsea also showed they’re capable of building a lead early and then defending it, a pattern worth noting for first-half vs full-time result bets and under second-half goals markets down the track.

Brighton vs Liverpool

Final score (full time, standard metric): Liverpool 2 – 0 Brighton.

Liverpool put in a professional display at home to Brighton, with a goal in each half and a clean sheet to show for it. The standard scoring metrics read:

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

It wasn’t a blow-out, but Liverpool were clearly in control and got contributions from key attackers.

Goals and Creators

The goals came from one standout forward, with support from a familiar provider:

Hugo Ekitiké: 2 goals, 7 shots, 2 shots on target, 2 score-or-assist actions.
Mohamed Salah: 0 goals, 2 shots, 1 shot on target, 1 assist and 1 score-or-assist action.
Joe Gomez: 0 goals, 0 shots on target, but 1 assist and 1 score-or-assist action.

The data shows:

Ekitiké had a huge involvement up front – 7 total shots, with 2 on target and both finding the net.
Salah was more of a creator on this occasion, registering 1 assist in the assists metric and combining for a single score-or-assist action.
Joe Gomez also chipped in with an assist, underscoring Liverpool’s threat from deeper positions.

Liverpool’s Shot Profile

Beyond Ekitiké and Salah, Liverpool spread the shooting burden:

Ryan Gravenberch: 1 shot, 1 on target (0 goals).
Dominik Szoboszlai: 1 shot, 0 on target.
Alexis Mac Allister: 1 shot, 0 on target.

Despite those chances, no one else found the net. Still, Liverpool racked up volume around the box, and the stats show Ekitiké as the focal point, supported by a handful of midfielders trying their luck from distance.

Brighton’s Response

Brighton weren’t completely toothless, but they lacked a decisive edge. Key shooting numbers include:

Diego Gómez: 2 shots, 1 on target (0 goals, 0 assists).
Yankuba Minteh: 1 shot, 0 on target.
Brajan Gruda: 1 shot, 0 on target.
Kaoru Mitoma: 1 shot, 0 on target.
Mats Wieffer: 1 shot, 0 on target.
Ferdi Kadıoğlu: 1 shot, 0 on target.
Georginio Rutter: 1 shot, 0 on target.

In total, only Diego Gómez hit the target for Brighton. The “player score or assist” metric confirms that no attacking player on the away side produced a goal or an assist.

Set-Piece and Territory Battle

The corners were evenly split:

Full-time corners: Liverpool 2 – 2 Brighton.
1st half: Liverpool 1 – 0 Brighton.
2nd half: Liverpool 1 – 2 Brighton.

Brighton worked their way back into the territorial battle after the break, winning more corners in the second half. But with Liverpool already ahead and defending strongly, those set-piece opportunities didn’t translate into goals.

Clean Sheet and Game Management

From a broader betting perspective, this fixture ticked a few trends:

Liverpool to win to nil landed, thanks to tight defensive work and Brighton’s lack of clear-cut chances.
Anytime goal-scorer and multi-shot markets on Hugo Ekitiké would’ve been very attractive given his 7-shot, 2-goal output.
Salah’s assist showed that even when he’s not scoring, he remains a viable “score or assist” option and a key creative outlet.

Liverpool controlled the tempo, scored in both halves and kept things relatively low-event in terms of corners and serious chances for Brighton. For future fixtures, that balance of attacking output and defensive solidity is worth tracking.

Fulham vs Burnley

Final score (full time, standard metric): Fulham 2 – 3 Burnley.

The standout match of the day from a neutral’s point of view came at Craven Cottage, where Burnley edged out Fulham in a five-goal contest. The standard metric records show:

1st half: Fulham 1 – 2 Burnley
2nd half: Fulham 1 – 1 Burnley
Full time: Fulham 2 – 3 Burnley

Both sides had their moments, but Burnley were more ruthless with their chances, despite Fulham racking up a huge tally of corners.

Burnley’s Goal Scorers and Creative Sparks

Burnley’s goals and assists were spread across a few standout performers:

Calvin Bassey: 1 goal, 2 shots (1 on target), 1 score-or-assist action.
Harry Wilson: 1 goal, 2 shots (both on target), 2 assists and 3 score-or-assist actions.
Emile Smith Rowe: 1 goal, 1 shot (1 on target), 1 assist and 1 score-or-assist action.
Samuel Chukwueze: 0 goals but 1 assist and 1 score-or-assist action.

Wilson in particular had a huge outing:

2 shots on target and 1 goal.
2 assists, the most of any player on either side.
3 direct goal contributions (score-or-assist), making him the clear man of the match from a statistical perspective.

Fulham’s Response and Key Contributors

Despite the loss, Fulham were far from passengers and had a couple of big performers of their own:

Lesley Ugochukwu: 1 goal, 3 shots (3 on target), 3 shots on target and 1 score-or-assist action.
Oliver Sonne: 1 goal, 1 shot (1 on target), 1 score-or-assist action.
Josh Cullen: 1 assist and 1 score-or-assist action, plus 1 shot.
Armando Broja: 2 shots, 2 on target, but no goals or assists.
Lyle Foster: 1 shot, 0 on target, but involved in play up front.

Ugochukwu’s numbers stand out: 3 shots on target from 3 attempts and a goal. Sonne also made his mark with a decisive, efficient finish. But Burnley’s ability to find one extra goal proved the difference.

Shot Volume and On-Target Threat

Looking at Burnley’s shooting stats:

Calvin Bassey: 2 shots, 1 on target, 1 goal.
Harry Wilson: 2 shots, 2 on target, 1 goal.
Emile Smith Rowe: 1 shot, 1 on target, 1 goal.
Antonee Robinson: 1 shot, 1 on target (no goal).

Burnley were extremely efficient with their chances – four players hit the target, and three of those shots went in. On Fulham’s side, beyond Ugochukwu and Sonne’s goals, Broja posting 2 shots on target without scoring underlines how close the game was in front of goal.

Corners: Fulham Dominate Territory, Burnley Take the Points

The corner count was one of the most striking stats of the day:

Full-time corners: Fulham 10 – 4 Burnley.
1st half corners: Fulham 5 – 3 Burnley.
2nd half corners: Fulham 5 – 1 Burnley.

Fulham’s 10 corners suggest they spent long periods camped in Burnley’s half, especially after going behind. But it was Burnley who were more clinical and more effective on the break and from open play, turning fewer chances into more goals.

Takeaways for Bettors

From a wagering point of view, this match was a reminder that:

High corner counts don’t always translate into results – Fulham had 10 corners and still lost.
Player props on Harry Wilson (goals, assists, score-or-assist) would have absolutely flown, given his 3 direct contributions.
Anytime goal-scorer or shots-on-target markets on Lesley Ugochukwu and Oliver Sonne would also have been good value based on their output.

Both teams showed they can create plenty in the final third, which is worth remembering for over/under goal markets and attacking props in future fixtures.

Conclusion: What Today’s Results Tell Us – and How to Use Them

Across the three matches, a few consistent themes emerged:

Home control with composed finishing: Chelsea and Liverpool both won 2–0, scoring early and then managing the game. That kind of pattern is gold for first-half result, “win to nil” and second-half under goals bets.
Set-pieces vs outcomes: Everton and especially Fulham racked up corners (Everton 7, Fulham 10) but finished with zero and two goals respectively. Corners are a good indicator of territory, but not always of result.
Player prop value: Malo Gusto, Hugo Ekitiké and Harry Wilson all delivered big returns on shots, goals or assists. Tracking these trends can uncover edges in anytime scorer, shots on target and “score or assist” markets.

For punters, the real edge doesn’t just come from watching the games – it comes from comparing how different bookies price these trends and player performances. One bookmaker might be slow to react to Ekitiké’s shot volume, another might still undervalue Wilson’s creative numbers, or Gusto’s attacking involvement from full-back.

That’s where an odds comparison tool makes a genuine difference. Before you place your next bet on:

a team to win to nil,
a player to score or assist,
total corners or shots, or
first-half vs full-time result markets,

use our odds comparison platform to line up prices from across the bookies and snap up the best value on offer. With data like today’s in your back pocket – and the ability to instantly see who’s offering the top odds – you’re giving yourself the best possible chance of turning solid reads into winning slips.

Check out our odds comparison tool before the next round kicks off and turn these match insights into smarter, sharper bets.