To celebrate 25 years of the Premier League each week in Football Fancast we’re going to be looking back at a memorable game that took place on the corresponding date. This time out we revisit a provocative goal celebration that nearly sparked a riot.

Given this game’s contentious and convoluted back-story it was always going to generate a great deal of headlines. Even a scrappy, largely uneventful 1-0 would have dominated the news cycle for a good few days. As it was, six goals and Emmanuel Adebayor half-stamping, half-raking his boot down a recent team-mate’s face were all buried below the fold, shunted into almost insignificance by a crazy, unforgettable goal celebration.

It was September 12th 2009 and newly minted Manchester City sat atop of the Premier League having undertaken a summer shopping spree the likes of which English football had never before witnessed. Determined to launch themselves into the top four manager Mark Hughes had been afforded limitless funds and from the moment the window opened he wasted little time in hoovering up the best domestic talent available. Gareth Barry arrived from Villa. Roque Santa Cruz hobbled across from Blackburn. The problem lay in that some players weren’t strictly available in the traditional sense. A protracted squabble eventually secured the signature of Joleon Lescott from Everton but prompted ill-feeling from Merseyside. The same went with luring Carlos Tevez over from Old Trafford though that spat was thoroughly embraced by the blue half of Manchester. Running concurrent with all this was a major feud brewed up with Arsenal after Hughes decided the club needed more firepower in the form of Adebayor despite already boasting Tevez, Craig Bellamy, Benjani, Robinho, and Santa Cruz in their attacking ranks. A hefty fee in the region of £25m unsettled the player and caused acrimony between Wenger and Manchester City, a tension that still bubbles away to this day.

As far as the player was concerned whatever grievances the Togolese striker held towards his former employers all came spilling out on this Saturday afternoon. Together with the always industrious Craig Bellamy he forged a strike-force of fierce intensity for City that day that the Gunner’s back-line simply couldn’t compete with and by the time the highly controversial incident occurred, City were 2-1 up and threatening to pull away. Indeed, by the time it happened Adebayor had already raked his studs across Robin Van Persie’s grounded face, attempted similar on Fabregas, and had allegedly slapped Alex Song.

In the 79th minute Shaun Wright-Phillips turned his full-back and was fouled in the process. Referee Mark Clattenberg played an excellent advantage and the diminutive winger looked up to consider his options before pinging an inch-perfect delivery onto Adebayor’s head. From the instant that the ball nestled into Almunia’s net an exorcism took place within the towering forward; an outpouring of joy and belligerence that propelled him into arcing his celebratory run away from the nearby City contingent, out-sprinting the attentions of his team-mates as he did so. Then he was away, haring down the pitch at a speed no-one believed possible. It took a few seconds to cotton on to what was happening and where he was going. He was going to incite, to gloat. Throughout the game the away end had sung defamatory claims about his mother and insisted his dad ‘washed elephants’. Now it was pay back.

We have all, at one point or another defended a footballer’s folly. It’s a passionate game with emotions running high so of course there will be occasions when a player does something silly; lashes out. Yet there were 17 full, ticking seconds from Adebayor scoring his fourth goal in four games for City and enacting an exaggerated knee-slide right in front of 3,000 cage-rattled Gooners. 17 seconds is long enough to come to your senses and when the consequence of his actions brought ripped out seats and wanton antagonism his punishment was expected to be severe.

It wasn’t. In fact the forward’s three-match ban that was soon-after dished out by the authorities was solely for his assault on Van Persie and nothing more. For inciting a near riot and doing more damage to north/south relations than Cersei Lannister there was merely a fine equivalent to a quarter of his weekly wages along with a suspended two game ban.

What happened next

Adebayor finished the season with 14 league goals but it wasn’t enough to propel Manchester City into the Champion’s League. That had to wait for another year.

The Gunners endured a frustrating campaign ultimately ending up 11 points adrift of champions Chelsea. The knives began to sharpen for Arsene Wenger.

Tottenham Hotspur are willing to discuss the possibility of a new contract for Harry Kane following reported interest from Real Madrid, according to The Gambling Times.

What’s the word?

Kane has been hitting the headlines of late for his prolific form, which has seen him score 13 goals for club and country in September alone.

The 24-year-old has proven that he can stand out on the European stage as well as domestic by netting a hat-trick – his sixth in 2017 – during a recent victory over APOEL in the Champions League.

It seems that Spanish giants Real Madrid have taken note, and according to Don Balon, the club are prepared to splash £177m on the striker.

The Gambling Times report that this has caused Tottenham to rethink their position and are even considering opening talks over a new contract with Kane, despite the forward putting pen to paper on a fresh five-year deal just 10 months ago.

Will wages be a problem?

It is well known now that the North London club pay fairly modest wages compared to the so-called ‘big’ clubs of the Premier League.

The London Evening Standard claims that Kane and goalkeeper Hugo Lloris are the highest earners among the Spurs squad on around £100,000 per week.

It is highly likely that Madrid would offer a more lucrative salary if Kane was to have his head turned.

It is worth stressing that the striker has made no public suggestions that he is considering a move to the Bernabeu, but if it came down to money, then Spurs could have a problem.

Chairman Daniel Levy is a shrewd businessman, but he may need to rethink his pay structure in order to keep the club’s best player.

Tottenham have an advantage over Madrid in that Kane worked his way through the club’s academy, therefore has an emotional connection to Spurs.

However, the hitman is ambitious and no-one could blame him for following in Gareth Bale’s footsteps in search of silverware.

Plenty of Everton fans have turned on manager Ronald Koeman following another unwanted result.

The Merseyside outfit have struggled in the early stages of the season, winning less than half of their 13 games in all competitions.

At the moment, the club reside just three points above the relegation zone in the Premier League, and their Europa League campaign is not going to plan.

The Toffees had hoped to respond to their opening defeat to Atalanta by getting their first win of the group stage, but they failed to do so.

Despite having the home advantage, Everton were struck with a late blow against Apollon Limassol when Hector Yuste scored an equaliser with two minutes of time left on the clock.

In the end, the Toffees had to settle for a 2-2 draw, which enraged the fans, with many now taking their anger out on Koeman.

To make matters worse, the club were one of the big spenders in the summer transfer window, but the new arrivals have not yet managed to turn things around.

One of the most intriguing Premier League fixtures this weekend comes as Southampton play host to Newcastle United at St Mary’s on Sunday.

Saints come into the clash following a relatively disappointing start to the campaign in which they have taken eight points from their opening seven fixtures.

Successive defeats against Manchester United and Stoke City have kept the south coast outfit firmly in the bottom half of the table at this early stage, and it is their troubles in front of goal which are once again alarming – they have failed to find the net in four of their seven league games.

Meanwhile, the Magpies have endured a mixed start to their own campaign with three wins, one draw and three defeats so far, and they have already been beaten by fellow newly-promoted sides Huddersfield and Brighton on their travels.

Newcastle certainly don’t have a good record at St Mary’s either, losing on their last four visits to the south coast and conceding 13 goals in the process, scoring just one goal in return.

Both teams certainly know that they have the players that can make the difference in a game like this one, and they will be raring to go come Sunday afternoon.

Here are four key on-pitch battles that will decide which way the result goes…

Virgil van Dijk vs Joselu

Much like Southampton boss Mauricio Pellegrino, Rafa Benitez has favoured a 4-2-3-1 formation this season and summer signing Joselu looks to be the first-choice striker right now.

While he found the net in the win against West Ham and the 1-1 draw with Liverpool at St James’ Park last time out, the Spaniard has also missed a fair few good chances in recent weeks and he will be looking to do better at St Mary’s on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Van Dijk made his first start since January when Saints faced Stoke City last time out, and despite giving away a penalty the Dutchman was strong in the air and vocal at the back and he will be tasked with dealing with Joselu this weekend.

Mario Lemina vs Jonjo Shelvey

Having been Southampton’s man of the match against Crystal Palace and Manchester United, Lemina is already making a big impression in the middle of the park for Saints following his summer move from Juventus.

The 24-year-old is energetic and has the ability to get away from his opponents because of his skill on the ball, and he could prove to be a key man against the Magpies on Sunday.

However, Newcastle have a midfielder of their own that is in good form right now and while his bad temperament can sometimes get the better of him, Shelvey showed his quality in possession and the range of passing he is capable of against Liverpool last time out, and it was his through ball that Joselu rather fortunately found the net from.

Ryan Bertrand vs Matt Ritchie

Having been one of Newcastle’ most influential players last season as they secured an immediate return to the Premier League, it is no surprise that Ritchie has already proven to be a key player for the Magpies in the top flight this term.

The right-sided midfielder has provided four assists in his side’s seven league fixtures, with his set-piece delivery proving to be particularly effective.

The man that will be tasked with dealing with the threat of the 28-year-old is Ryan Bertrand, who certainly hasn’t been as effective from an attacking point of view this season as he has previously for Southampton.

He will be looking to change that on Sunday and force Ritchie to have to track back and try and defend against him, to stop the Scot making too much of an impact at the other end of the pitch.

Manolo Gabbiadini vs Jamaal Lascelles

Having scored just one goal in his previous 12 Southampton appearances and visibly struggling in the lone striker role in the 4-2-3-1 formation, Gabbiadini has dropped to the substitutes’ bench for Saints previous three Premier League fixtures with Shane Long preferred up top.

However, with Long failing to find the net and missing the Republic of Ireland;s win over Wales during the week, Mauricio Pellegrino may choose to bring the Italy international back into his starting line-up for the visit of Newcastle.

Meanwhile despite not starting the season in Rafa Benitez’s team, Lascelles has quickly gone on to become one of their best performers after replacing the injured Florian Lejeune against Tottenham on the opening day.

The Magpies captain, who recently signed a new six-year contract, has helped his side keep two clean sheets as well as scoring in the wins against Swansea and Stoke, and he could be a key man at both ends of the pitch at St Mary’s on Sunday.

Rangers are again at new beginnings, after Pedro Caixinha was unceremoniously sacked this week in the wake of two more poor results for the Light Blues. A semi-final defeat to Motherwell and a draw at home to Kilmarnock were enough for the Ibrox hierarchy to say goodbye to the Portuguese and end seven months of disappointing results and embarrassing headlines.

The fixture list rumbles on though and it doesn’t get much easier this weekend when they travel to the capital and take on Heart of Midlothian at Murrayfield. The Scottish home of rugby is the temporary home of the Jam Tarts and should provide an exciting atmosphere as two of Scotland’s most recognisable clubs go head-to-head.

For Craig Levein and his Hearts side, it’s a chance to take on Rangers when they are at their most vulnerable. For caretaker boss Graeme Murty, it’s critical that he stops the run of poor results and returns to Glasgow with something to show for their efforts.

It won’t be easy, Hearts are smarting themselves from a mid-week derby defeat against Hibs and will be looking to bounce back.

These are the three danger men Rangers must shut down to stop them…

Kyle Lafferty

A well known face to Rangers supporters, Kyle Lafferty has proven again this season that he is more than capable of being a reliable performer in the Scottish top-flight. With eight goals and an assists in 14 appearances this season, he leads the Hearts scoring charts and will be the man to stop when he goes up against his old club at Murrayfield.

Players scoring against their former teams is a footballing story older than time itself and wouldn’t it be just typical that their tumultuous week goes from bad to worse due to a former fan favourite?

It’s worth noting that Hearts picked up two victories at home to Rangers last season and will fancy this one too. If they are to secure all three points, then Lafferty will no doubt play a big part.

Esmael Goncalves

Esmael Goncalves is another attacking threat that can cause real problems to the Rangers defensive line on Saturday. He has a physical presence that could give the likes of Bruno Alves and Ross McCrorie a tough afternoon, and a finishing ability that makes him a threat whether he starts or whether he comes off the bench.

He is the last Hearts player to score against the Light Blues, netting at Ibrox in May to equalise in what was ultimately a 2-1 victory for the home side.

The Portuguese has scored four times this term, also creating two assists. In a team that hasn’t exactly racked up the goals this season, it’s been an important contribution and one which Craig Levein will hope can come to the fore again on Saturday.

Jamie Walker

Saturday’s match is a great opportunity for Jamie Walker to show he is still one of the top talents in the country after a pretty poor opening to the season by his standards. Although still getting a regular game with Hearts, he’s failed to reach the heights of last season when he netted 15 times and became one of the most talked about potential summer transfers.

With just one goal and one assists in 2017/18, he’s fallen off dramatically but against the team that tried to sign him on deadline day, he can prove his worth again.

In Hearts’ last home game against Rangers he was in lethal form, scoring twice in a thumping 4-1 win that became one of the key matches that led to the managerial demise of Mark Warburton.

If he can do that again on Saturday in a TV match, then he’ll go right to the forefront of everyone’s thinking ahead of the January transfer window.

Everton won the most thrilling encounter of the English Premier League weekend on Sunday, coming from two goals down to secure a 3-2 victory against Watford at Goodison Park.

It’s only the second time in Premier League history that the Toffees have come from 2-0 down to win a match, the last coming way back in May 1994 when they accomplished the feat against Wimbledon.

With his side trailing thanks to goals from Richarlison and Christian Kabasele, caretaker manager David Unsworth must have feared the worst, but he managed to inspire the unlikely comeback with bold substitutions and tactics.

Oumar Niasse, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Leighton Baines were the goal heroes with the last goal coming in stoppage time, before former player Tom Cleverley missed a last-gasp Watford penalty to ensure all three points stayed at Goodison.

Fans were of course delighted with the comeback performance and the result, many crediting Unsworth for his impact on the outcome.

They took to Twitter to share their thoughts…

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Liverpool fans endured a frustrating Tuesday evening when the team squandered a 3-0 lead to draw 3-3 with Sevilla in the Champions League.

The club were on a high heading into the game given that they had won their last four games in all competitions.

It started off perfectly in Spain when Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane put the Reds 3-0 up inside the first 30 minutes.

After the half-time break, though, the team capitulated and threw away an opportunity to qualify for the last 16 stage of the Champions League.

The club remain in contention for the knockout rounds, but they have made the job harder for themselves ahead of their final group match against Spartak Moscow.

Many of Liverpool’s first-team stars came under fire from the fans for their second-half performances, including captain Jordan Henderson.

The England international has spoken of the criticism that he and his teammates have faced, admitting that it has been hurtful.

Some fans, though, are not prepared to go easy on him.

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The consequences of not finding a suitable long-term managerial replacement for Ronald Koeman are many and varied for Everton at the moment. From impacting player motivation to making long-term planning much more difficult, it’s clear that one needs to be found soon. Even if that means announcing David Unsworth is in the job at least until the end of the season.

Since Koeman was sacked, Everton have slipped further into relegation trouble – although they have plenty of time to get out of it and a squad which is far too good to be so far down the table – and they have been eliminated from the Europa League with two games of the group stages left to spare.

If there’s to be a blessing for the Toffees at the moment, though, then it’s surely that one fact: having no European commitments for the rest of the season is clearly helpful at this point. Right now, damage limitation and a good second half of the season surely has to be the aim. Whatever dreams they might have had at the start of the season about competing on many fronts are surely over. Maybe the FA Cup is the only pillar of redemption left for what could turn out to be a long old season ahead.

And yet, there are still two meaningless Europa League games left to play, against Atalanta and Apollon Limassol. Two sides who probably know their fate is already sealed: only a win for the unfancied Cypriot side against Lyon will keep the group alive. Barring that, everyone knows what’s coming next.

That unappetising scenario is perhaps useful for Everton. It might be a stretch to hope that victories in these games will kick-start the season, but the lure of blooding youngsters will be very hard to resist for Evertonians – especially when the man currently in charge of the team is the former coach of the U23 team. No fewer than five of the England team who won the U20 World Cup in the summer were Everton players, and one competed in the successful U17 World Cup team this autumn, too.

That makes the Goodison Park outfit one of the foremost footballing academies in the country, and if the main problem for most of those English champions is first team minutes, then the fact that there are two pressureless games coming up for a team who are already out of European competition might be the perfect opportunity for a coach who knows those players well to rectify that particular problem.

Now, no one could argue that two games constitutes regular first team football. Less still could you describe what may well be considered friendlies against Atalanta and Apollon as important games in which to give young players a real taste of what’s to come for them later in their careers, but it’s certainly better than nothing. Indeed, it’s a chance for someone to burst through with a couple of good performances and opportunity to impress a manager who might be more open than a permanent boss to actually playing him in the Premier League.

The issue around youth development in England is a complex one, but at its root, young players don’t get the chance for a very simple reason: there’s too much pressure on managers to get results, and they can’t rely on inexperienced starters to deliver them. If Unsworth were given the job permanently, he too might feel like he can’t take a chance, but given he’s not, there’s a real opportunity to take the pressure off and allow Everton the chance to see some of their younger players in action over the next two European games, and perhaps even beyond.

With an already-unbalanced squad that is currently underperforming, you sense that there’s a real chance for a fresh face to come in – especially up front, where Oumar Niasse, who’s been starting, isn’t registered for European competition – and make a name for himself.

Finding a bright spot at Goodison Park this season is hard, but there could be a chance to try to plan for the future. And that could well be the biggest success for Everton in this season that could very soon turn into a write-off.

The pull of Celtic Football Club is a strong one and there are plenty of players who would give everything to play at Celtic Park and never get the opportunity.

One such player is James McClean, who this week has been speaking at length about his love for the club and his desire to one day play for the Hoops.

As quoted by the official Celtic website, the West Bromwich Albion man said:

It’s always been a dream of mine. If I retire from football and never get to pull on the green-and-white jersey and run out at Celtic Park, it will be a massive regret for me. It’s a dream I have never shied away from expressing. If that dream did come true, which I hope it does, it would mean a lot to me and fingers crossed it can happen.

Strong words indeed and his passion for the club isn’t a surprise, he’s long been known to be a supporter of the Scottish champions.

However, the prospect of him signing up at Celtic isn’t one that is universally loved by fans of the club.

Some are certainly keen, believing his work rate and desire can really improve Brendan Rodgers’ side, while others believe he simply isn’t good enough or is no better than the players already in the first team.

Supporters took to Twitter to share their thoughts on it all…

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Brazilian reports claim West Ham have agreed a deal to sign Corinthians defender Fabian Balbuena, and he could be the dominant leader at the back the Hammers have been crying out of.

What’s the story?

According to Cesar Merlo of Tcy Sports, West Ham have agreed a deal with Corinthians to sign the towering centre back, who has six caps for Paraguay.

The fee is expected to be in the region of €4m (£3.5m), and the report goes so far as to say they have already agreed a four-year contract for the player

The official Corinthians club website has even released a statement thanking the 26 year-old for his services, and the player is now expected to undergo a medical for the Hammers.

David Sullivan has an infamous reputation for signing unknown South American players, but one would have to assume this is Pellegrini’s pick.

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What’s he like?

Balbuena earned his big move to Corinthians, one of the biggest clubs in Brazil, in 2016, and has been an absolute brick wall for them ever since.

The 6 ft 2 centre back is one of the toughest defenders you’ll ever come cross, and is well liked by Corinthians fans because of his tenacity and fight. He is never afraid to throw his body on the line for the cause, something that the fans in East London will love.

The Brazilian season is still in its infancy, but across the opening eight games the 26 year-old is winning three aerial duels per game and making over five clearances per game. He is an absolute beast in the air and is extremely vocal and commanding, which should help the Hammers fix their vulnerability from crosses.

As much as he is known for his rough and tumble defending, the big man can play as well, boasting an impressive 86 per cent pass success rate so far this season and completing over four long balls per game.

The step up to the Premier League will be steep, but Balbuena jumped to one of the biggest clubs in Paraguay as a youngster and transitioned to Corinthians seamlessly just a few years later. He is technically sound, tough, wears his heart on his sleeve, and may just be a future captain if he settles quickly in the Premier League. His leadership could also be all that’s required to get the best out of young Issa Diop.

So, West Ham fans, would you like to see a move for Balbuena? Or should you be targeting players from better leagues? Let us know your thoughts by voting in the poll below…