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Riyad Mahrez celebrates his winning goal.

Matchweek 13: Pile on the pressure

Matchweek 13: Pile on the pressure

Welcome to This Week from Premier Skills English, a weekly review of football action for learners of English from across the globe. In This Week, Rich and Jack talk about the latest action from the Premier League and have lots of football English for you to learn.

Transcript

If the listening is a bit difficult, try listening and reading at the same time.
Read the transcript and listen at the same time.

Introduction  

Jack: Hello my name’s Jack and welcome to our weekly round-up section called ‘This Week’ on Premier Skills English.

Rich: Hi there. I’m Rich. We’ve got lots of interesting words and phrases to help you talk about football in English.

Jack: We want you to use and practise these phrases by interacting with Premier League fans from around the world in our comments section.

Rich: If you listen to us on Apple Podcasts, you can leave your comments in the review section. We do read all the reviews and would love to hear from you.

Jack: You can find all our latest content on the Premier Skills English homepage or the Premier Skills-British Council Facebook page. 

Rich: Let’s start our round-up of Matchweek thirteen with our headlines.

Headlines

Jack: Mourinho back in the big time with Spurs.

Rich: It was a winning start for Jose Mourinho as Tottenham beat West Ham 3-2 at the London Stadium to win away in the Premier League for the first time since January. Goals from Son Heung-Min, Lucas Moura and Harry Kane made the game safe for Spurs despite two late goals from West Ham. Mourinho replaced the sacked Mauricio Pochettino last week and this result piles the pressure on West Ham boss, Manuel Pelligrini.

Jack: Leaders moving away from the pack.

Rich: There was a big win for Manchester City as they beat Chelsea 2-1 while Liverpool won by the same scoreline in a hard-fought match at Crystal Palace. Leicester stay second after they won 2-0 at Brighton. Jamie Vardy scored again - this time it was a retaken penalty after the first was disallowed. The gap between Chelsea in fourth and Wolves in fifth is up to seven points.

Jack: United in thriller at United.

Rich: Sheffield United and Manchester United shared the spoils in a three-all draw at Bramall Lane. The Blades were comfortable at 2-0 with 70 minutes gone but three goals in seven minutes from teenagers Brandon Williams and Mason Greenwood and then Marcus Rashford turned the game on its head. The final twist came in injury time when Oli McBurnie got the equaliser for the Blades.

Jack: There were also good wins for Norwich City, Wolves and Burnley this weekend.

Rich: Some great games this weekend. My favourite was that 3-3 draw between the two Uniteds. A great advert for the Premier League.

Jack: It was good, but City - Chelsea was my favourite. A high-quality match between two really good teams.

Vocabulary alert!

Jack: In our vocabulary alert, we look at some football English that we used in the headlines.

Rich: Our six words and phrases this week are: to be sacked, to pile on the pressure, a retaken penalty, disallowed, to share the spoils and to turn a game on its head.

Jack: Let’s start with the phrases we used to talk about the West Ham - Tottenham match. We mentioned the sacked Mauricio Pocchetino. To sack someone means to dismiss someone from their job.

Rich: If you’re not very good at your job or do something wrong, you may be sacked or fired or dismissed. You can also get the sack or get fired. So, we can use sack as a verb or a noun to mean dismissed from your job.

Jack: The past participle can often be used as an adjective. When we spoke about the sacked Mauricio Pocchetino we were using sacked as an adjective. 

Rich: The next phrase is to pile on the pressure. We said that West Ham’s bad result had piled the pressure on the West Ham manager. 

Jack: To pile on is a phrase which means to increase something by a large amount.

Rich: So, to pile the pressure on someone means to increase the pressure or stress on someone by a large amount.

Jack: It’s often used to talk about the manager’s position at a club but it can be used on the pitch too. For example, Manchester United are piling the pressure on now.

Rich: This means Man United are attacking a lot and piling the pressure on the other team or the other team’s defence.

Jack:  Our next two phrases come from the match between Leicester City and Brighton. The first is a retaken penalty. Leicester City scored a penalty, but the referee said Jamie Vardy had to take the penalty again because something was wrong.

Rich: This is a retaken penalty. A retaken penalty is a penalty that is taken twice or even three times because maybe there is encroachment by some defenders or the goalkeeper is not on his line.

Jack: Jamie Vardy had to take the penalty again because it was disallowed.

Rich: To disallow a goal means a goal was not permitted because a rule or law was broken. The referee disallowed the goal and the penalty had to be retaken.

Jack: Our final two phrases come from the Sheffield United - Manchester United match. We said that the two teams shared the spoils. This means the match finished in a draw.

Rich: The spoils are the profits you get from being successful or what you win from war - the spoils of war. In a football match, the spoils are the points.

Jack: Our last phrase is to turn a game on its head. To turn something on its head means to make something happen in a completely different way or get someone to think in a completely different way.

Rich: Sheffield United were winning 2-0 then, seven minutes later, Manchester United were winning 3-2. They turned the game on its head. 

Jack: OK, so there are our six words and phrases. Listen to this part of the podcast again if you are not sure how to use them.

Rich: The words and phrases are: to be sacked, to pile on the pressure, a retaken penalty, disallowed, to share the spoils and to turn a game on its head.

Football Awards

Rich: Right, every week, we give out three Matchweek awards. 

Jack: The awards are Player of the Week, Team of the Week and Goal of the Week.

Rich: In the comments section, you need to tell us if you agree with our choices.

Jack: Let’s start with Player of the Week. There were some great performances last week. Jamie Vardy got a goal and an assist and Norwich City’s Todd Cantwell was great as the Canaries got themselves off the bottom of the table.

Rich: But our Player of the Week is Tottenham’s, Dele Alli. The Spurs player didn’t score but he ran the show against West Ham and already looks like a new player under Jose Mourinho.

Jack:  Now Team of the Week. Great wins for some of the top clubs, but this week we’re going to look to the bottom of the table. A 2-0 away win for Norwich City and the Canaries get our award.

Rich: Finally, our Goal of the Week. We’re going to leave this one to you. We’re going to give you three options and you need to tell us which you think was best.

Jack: Goal number one: Joao Moutinho for Wolves against Bournemouth. A stunning free-kick.

Rich: Goal number two: Riyad Mahrez for Manchester City versus Chelsea. A brilliant individual goal.

Jack: Goal number three: Lys Mousset for Sheffield United v Manchester United. A lovely pass and an even better finish past David De Gea.

Rich: OK. Those are our three options. Did you see them? Which do you think was the best? Let us know your choice and if you agree with our other weekly awards in our comments section on the Premier Skills English website.

Matchweek Prediction 

Jack: Every week, Rich predicts the result of one Premier League match and we want you to make your prediction, too.

Rich: Last week I went for a Manchester City win and Manchester City won.

Jack: Good prediction although not totally unpredictable. Which match is it this week?

Rich: Matchweek 14 sees Jose Mourinho play his first home match as Spurs manager so I thought I’d make a prediction for Tottenham against Bournemouth. Only one point separates the two teams but Bournemouth are probably quite happy with their mid-table position while Spurs fans will definitely not be. Tottenham have brought in Mourinho to get them back up the table and they got off to a good start last week with a win at West Ham. Bournemouth lost at home to Wolves and look like the could start sliding down the league table so I’m going for a comfortable first home win for Mourinho’s Tottenham. Final score: Tottenham 3-0 Bournemouth

Jack: Let us know in the comments section what you think the score will be.

Rich: Right, that’s all we have time for. I hope you have enjoyed this football round-up. Join the discussion at the bottom of the page on the Premier Skills English website. 

Jack: If you listen to us on Apple Podcasts, don’t forget to leave us a review. We’d love to hear from you.

Rich: Bye for now and enjoy your football.

Results

Matchweek 13:

Crystal Palace 1-2 Liverpool

Bournemouth 1-2 Wolves

West Ham 2-3 Tottenham

Watford 0-3 Burnley

Everton 0-2 Norwich City

Aston Villa L-L Newcastle Utd

Sheffield Utd 3-3 Manchester United

Manchester City 2-1 Chelsea

Arsenal 2-2 Southampton

Brighton 0-2 Leicester City

Headlines

Mourinho back in the big time with Spurs

Tottenham fans with messages of support.

It was a winning start for Jose Mourinho as Tottenham beat West Ham 3-2 at the London Stadium to win away in the Premier League for the first time since January. Goals from Son Heung-Min, Lucas Moura and Harry Kane made the game safe for Spurs despite two late goals from West Ham. Mourinho replaced the sacked Mauricio Pochettino last week and this result piles the pressure on West Ham boss, Manuel Pelligrini.

Headlines

Leaders moving away from the pack

Leicester won again and Jamie Vardy scored again.

There was a big win for Manchester City as they beat Chelsea 2-1 while Liverpool won by the same scoreline in a hard-fought match at Crystal Palace. Leicester stay second after they won 2-0 at Brighton. Jamie Vardy scored again - this time it was a retaken penalty after the first was disallowed. The gap between Chelsea in fourth and Wolves in fifth is up to seven points.

Headlines

United in thriller at United

Oli McBurnie got an injury time equaliser for the Blades.

Sheffield United and Manchester United shared the spoils in a three-all draw at Bramall Lane. The Blades were comfortable at 2-0 with 70 minutes gone but three goals in seven minutes from teenagers Brandon Williams and Mason Greenwood and then Marcus Rashford turned the game on its head. The final twist came in injury time when Oli McBurnie got the equaliser for the Blades.

Vocabulary Alert

Football English

We looked at six pieces of football English that you can learn to improve your English. Take a look at the phrases in bold. Do you understand what they mean?

Mourinho replaced the sacked Mauricio Pochettino last week. To sack someone means to dismiss someone from their job. The past participle can often be used as an adjective.

This result piles the pressure on the West Ham boss. To pile the pressure on someone means to increase the pressure or stress on someone by a large amount. 

Jamie Vardy scored again - this time it was a retaken penalty after the first was disallowed.  A retaken penalty is a penalty that is taken twice. To disallow a goal means a goal was not permitted because a rule or law was broken.

Sheffield United and Manchester United shared the spoils in a three-all draw at Bramall Lane. This means the match finished in a draw.

Three goals in seven minutes turned the game on its head.  This means to make something happen in a completely different way.

Arsenal could only draw at home with Southampton.

Can you use the words in bold in a different sentence? Write a sentence at the bottom of the page. If you're not sure, listen to the audio for more explanations and examples.

Matchweek Awards

Do you agree with our choices?

Riyad Mahrez scored the winner for Manchester City.

Player of the Week: Dele Alli (Spurs)

Team of the Week: Norwich City

Goal of the Week: Look at the three options from Matchweek 13 and let us know which goal was best in the comments section!

Goal 1

Joao Moutinho for Wolves against Bournemouth.

Goal 2

Riyad Mahrez for Manchester City versus Chelsea.

Goal 3

Lys Mousset for Sheffield United v Manchester United.

The Big Match

Tottenham v Bournemouth

Jose Mourinho with Harry Kane and Harry Winks.

The big match this weekend is Tottenham v Bournemouth. Will Jose Mourinho win his first home match at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium?

What are your predictions? Have a listen to what Rich says and then make your prediction and talk about any of next weekend's matches below.

Football Chat

What do you think?

Riyad Mahrez celebrates his goal for Manchester City.

Jack and Rich have spoken about Matchweek 13 in the Premier League. Now it's your turn! Have a look at the questions and write your answers in the comments section below.

  1. Rich and Jack chose Tottenham's Dele Alli as Player of the Week. Do you agree? 
  2. Jack and Rich selected Norwich City as their Team of the Week. Do you agree?
  3. Rich and Jack picked three goals for the Goal of the Week award? Did you see them? Which do you think was best?
  4. Use this week's vocabulary: Why are managers sacked so frequently? Which managers do you think are feeling the pressure?
  5. Can you use 'share the spoils', 'a retaken penalty' or 'turn a match on its head' in a sentence?

Don't forget to make your prediction for this week's Big Match!

Let's get the conversation started and create a community!

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Comments

hsn's picture
hsn
15/12/2021
TR
5560
points

What do you think?
4. Because they're scapegoat-:) Joking apart they are only person who determines and effects team's performance with her/his decisions. Of course, unsuccessful managers feel pressure of being sacked.
5. Phrases
• There are lots daily works piled on my desk to be ended till week-end.I think I'm going to be sacked soon.
• Palestine lands encroached unlawfully more than 70 years ago.
• Nowadays the only spoil of the wars for winners is oil on the other side tears and blood for the loser countries people.
• By emphasizing living cost he turned argument on its head and acceptable pay rise approved.


hsn's picture
hsn
15/12/2021 17:55
Turkey
Tottenham Hotspur
5560

What do you think?
4. Because they're scapegoat-:) Joking apart they are only person who determines and effects team's performance with her/his decisions. Of course, unsuccessful managers feel pressure of being sacked.
5. Phrases
• There are lots daily works piled on my desk to be ended till week-end.I think I'm going to be sacked soon.
• Palestine lands encroached unlawfully more than 70 years ago.
• Nowadays the only spoil of the wars for winners is oil on the other side tears and blood for the loser countries people.
• By emphasizing living cost he turned argument on its head and acceptable pay rise approved.

Rafael Robson's picture
Rafael Robson
29/11/2019
BR
615
points

Unfortunately I wasn't able to watch neither the Spurs nor the Norwich matches, but I presumably assume your decisions are right.
This week I choose Riyad Mahrez goal for Man City against Chelsea.
In Brazil the managers are used to be often sacked in the middle of the season. In my opinion, this practice was not usual in the Premier League teams some years ago. It is always easier to sack the manager instead of a bunch of players.
Yesterday, Eintracht Frankfurt turned the Europe League match on its head, piling the pressure on Arsenal's manager Unay Emery.


Rafael Robson's picture
Rafael Robson
29/11/2019 10:41
Brazil
Tottenham Hotspur
615

Unfortunately I wasn't able to watch neither the Spurs nor the Norwich matches, but I presumably assume your decisions are right.
This week I choose Riyad Mahrez goal for Man City against Chelsea.
In Brazil the managers are used to be often sacked in the middle of the season. In my opinion, this practice was not usual in the Premier League teams some years ago. It is always easier to sack the manager instead of a bunch of players.
Yesterday, Eintracht Frankfurt turned the Europe League match on its head, piling the pressure on Arsenal's manager Unay Emery.

wsanta's picture
wsanta
29/11/2019
AR
5086
points

The results of this week's matches I heard from you, I didn't want to watch TV because I'm gutted, River Plate were winning the Libertadores Cup and in three minutes they ended up losing it. My wife tells me that I can't get that way for a football game, maybe she's right.
My prediction Tottenham 2 - 1 Bournemouth.


wsanta's picture
wsanta
29/11/2019 00:07
Argentina
Leeds United
5086

The results of this week's matches I heard from you, I didn't want to watch TV because I'm gutted, River Plate were winning the Libertadores Cup and in three minutes they ended up losing it. My wife tells me that I can't get that way for a football game, maybe she's right.
My prediction Tottenham 2 - 1 Bournemouth.

elghoul's picture
elghoul
26/11/2019
DZ
3988
points

1. Dele Alli earned his award with a new coach showing a team welcome to Mourinho.

2. This week the best team is picked from the bottom of the table.

3. The only goal I saw on live was Mahrez'one so I'll go for it as award winner. It was also making the buzz on TV and the net.

4. Managers are always the first to be sacked when a team is down. Pellegrini and Unai Emery are now being under pressure  and it is often great Londoner clubs that are suffering the stress.

5. When at the end two teams share the spoils and lots  of turns on match's head are affecting the party and perhaps some retaken penalty happens it is amazing because people like thrillers.


elghoul's picture
elghoul
26/11/2019 17:14
Algeria
Manchester City
3988

1. Dele Alli earned his award with a new coach showing a team welcome to Mourinho.

2. This week the best team is picked from the bottom of the table.

3. The only goal I saw on live was Mahrez'one so I'll go for it as award winner. It was also making the buzz on TV and the net.

4. Managers are always the first to be sacked when a team is down. Pellegrini and Unai Emery are now being under pressure  and it is often great Londoner clubs that are suffering the stress.

5. When at the end two teams share the spoils and lots  of turns on match's head are affecting the party and perhaps some retaken penalty happens it is amazing because people like thrillers.

Khaldoun83's picture
Khaldoun83
26/11/2019
DZ
325
points

1- I agree with you for selecting Norwich City as the team of the week but when it comes to player of the week I disagree, Riyad Mahrez' performance in his last game was wonderful, without him Manchester City might not turn the match on its head. Thus, in my humble opinion Mahrez diserve to be named as player of the week.

2- I would like also to select Mahrez' goal against Chelsea as the goal of the week.

3- My predictions to match week 14:

Tottenham 2-0 Bournemouth.


Khaldoun83's picture
Khaldoun83
26/11/2019 15:25
Algeria
Liverpool
325

1- I agree with you for selecting Norwich City as the team of the week but when it comes to player of the week I disagree, Riyad Mahrez' performance in his last game was wonderful, without him Manchester City might not turn the match on its head. Thus, in my humble opinion Mahrez diserve to be named as player of the week.

2- I would like also to select Mahrez' goal against Chelsea as the goal of the week.

3- My predictions to match week 14:

Tottenham 2-0 Bournemouth.

Alex_from_Ukraine's picture
Alex_from_Ukraine
25/11/2019
UA
6578
points

Player of the Week: Jamie Vardy.


Alex_from_Ukraine's picture
Alex_from_Ukraine
25/11/2019 16:50
Ukraine
Liverpool
6578

Player of the Week: Jamie Vardy.

Alex_from_Ukraine's picture
Alex_from_Ukraine
25/11/2019
UA
6578
points

Team of the Week :   Norwich City

Goal of the Week :   Joao Moutinho for Wolves against Bournemouth.


Alex_from_Ukraine's picture
Alex_from_Ukraine
25/11/2019 16:49
Ukraine
Liverpool
6578

Team of the Week :   Norwich City

Goal of the Week :   Joao Moutinho for Wolves against Bournemouth.

Alex_from_Ukraine's picture
Alex_from_Ukraine
25/11/2019
UA
6578
points

Tottenham 2 : 0 Bournemouth


Alex_from_Ukraine's picture
Alex_from_Ukraine
25/11/2019 16:46
Ukraine
Liverpool
6578

Tottenham 2 : 0 Bournemouth

Leaderboard

Top Scorers
RankNameScore
1Alex_from_Ukraine6578
2mobeckham6539
3hsn5560
4wsanta5086
5kwesimanifest4779
6Liubomyr4417
7elghoul3988
8assemjuve3705
9aragorn19863557
10Gergő Nagy3396
Country ranking
RankNameScore
1Colombia74679
2Ukraine33892
3Spain29525
4Serbia27426
5Brazil23661
6Albania20578
7Vietnam20460
8Turkey20111
9Macedonia19074
10Bosnia and Herzegovina16333
Club ranking
RankNameScore
1Manchester United147000
2Liverpool111527
3Chelsea90265
4Arsenal86299
5Manchester City58968
6Tottenham Hotspur19506
7Newcastle United10626
8West Ham United7701
9AFC Bournemouth4915
10Crystal Palace4568

Level

3
Average: 3 (1 vote)

Goals

Improve your football English.

Practise your listening skills.

Make your prediction for next week's big Premier League match.