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English Premier League: Matchweek 25 Full Review – Title Race Thickens

By Mahith Gamage

LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 02: Gonzalo Higuain of Chelsea celebrates after he scores his teams first goal during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Huddersfield Town at Stamford Bridge on February 02, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 02: Gonzalo Higuain of Chelsea celebrates after he scores his teams first goal during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Huddersfield Town at Stamford Bridge on February 02, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) /
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LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 02: Aleksandar Mitrovic of Fulham is challenged by Mamadou Sakho of Crystal Palace during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Fulham FC at Selhurst Park on February 2, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 02: Aleksandar Mitrovic of Fulham is challenged by Mamadou Sakho of Crystal Palace during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Fulham FC at Selhurst Park on February 2, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images) /

Despite their heavy investment in the summer and even in January on mostly attacking players, Fulham continues to sputter, most notably at the back of their XI.

Crystal Palace 2 Fulham 0:

Their woeful defence continues to struggle, and Crystal Palace took firm advantage of that on Saturday. Despite dominating possession, Fulham didn’t find a single shot on target and was picked apart on the counter by Palace, who’s 2 goals came through Luka Milivojevic and Jeffrey Schlupp.

Fulham has to ask themselves whether dominating the ball is really something that they want to do in these final few months. If you keep the ball your defence has nothing to worry about, which might be the idea behind their tactics, but when they lose the ball, teams tend to cut through them like a hot knife through butter. The gap between 19th-placed Fulham and safety is starting to grow worryingly large, and Palace isn’t safe from relegation either, as they sit just 4 points out.

Cardiff City 2 Bournemouth 0:

Following what has surely been some of the toughest few weeks for Cardiff City Football Club and all those associated with it, football almost took a back seat. The devastating loss of Emiliano Sala still weighs down all of our hearts, but one could hardly even imagine the sorrow that fills the hearts of the fans, staff, and players of the club. Nonetheless, football is something that unites us and helps heal difficult wounds, and the desire and determination that Cardiff showed in their gritty win over Bournemouth on Saturday were emotionally-driven and special.

https://twitter.com/Sporf/status/1092070684799447040

The victory pulled them away from Fulham and Huddersfield below them and toward safety, although the club still sits in 18th in the Premier League. As for Bournemouth, their topsy turvy form continues. To beat Chelsea in the manner they did last week should have spurred the club on and got them revved up, but instead, they have sunk to another disheartening defeat. Eddie Howe has to find consistency if his club is to keep pace with those above them.

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