Sunday 13 January 2013

United Do Double Over Liverpool, 10-Man City Beat 10-Man Arsenal For First Time In 37-Years

Arsenal 0-2 Manchester City: City manage to keep the deficit at seven after this drama-filled game. The action began after just minutes when Laurent Koscielny pulled Edin Dzeko down in the box. The penalty was given and the Frenchman was shown a red card for being last man and denying a goalscoring opportunity. Dzeko stepped up but Wojiech Szczesny managed to save it onto the post before the ball rolled across the line for the keeper to smother. City did take advantage of the numerical difference and James Milner smashed a great shot in after a disguised pass after 21-minutes. Sloppy defending allowed City to take another shot which Szczesny could only parry to Dzeko who couldn't miss from two yards out on 32-minutes. The numbers were levelled again with 15-minutes to play when Vincent Kompany was shown a straight red for jumping in tackle on Jack Wilshere. The ball was won and it wasn't that forceful but the jumping action was what made Mike Dean produce the red. Arsenal are now six points from the Champions League places with a game in hand.

Manchester United 2-1 Liverpool: United remain seven points clear at the top after doing the double over Liverpool. A good move from United was clinically finished off by Robin Van Persie from a cross after 19-minutes. United then went 2-0 nine minutes into the second half when Patrice Evra looked to have headed home from a corner. But replays showed his header actually hit Nemanja Vidic, who was offside from the header, to go into the net. Substitute Daniel Sturridge did pull a goal back on his Premier League debut three minutes later but it wasn't enough for Liverpool.

Reading 3-2 West Brom: Reading remain second from bottom but are now just three points from safety after this crucial comeback. West Brom took the lead after 19-minutes when James Morrison's pull back was tapped home by Romelu Lukaku, his eighth of the season. That became nine on 69-minutes when Lukaku was allowed to come inside and stroke the ball home, this came after the Belgian had a goal disallowed and hit the woodwork twice. Jimmy Kebe headed Reading back into the game with eight minutes to play. Jonas Olsson would concede a penalty six minutes later for a high challenge on Kebe, Adam Le Fondre stepped up and converted the kick to make it 2-2. But Reading weren't content with just the point and the turn around was completed in injury time when a long free-kick was poked home by Pavel Pogrebnyak, his third in three. West Brom still sit seventh but have dropped to seven points behind the Champions League places.

Stoke 0-4 Chelsea: Chelsea move to 11-points behind Manchester United after ending Stoke's unbeaten home record. This is also the first time Stoke have conceded four goals in the Premier League. Jonathan Walters put Chelsea ahead with diving header from a Cesar Azpilicueta cross into his own net in first half injury time. Walters then made it 2-0 on 62-minutes with another headed own goal, this time from a corner. Chelsea were awarded a penalty three minutes later when Juan Mata went down very innocuously, Frank Lampard stepped up and rifled the spot kick home to become the second highest all-time goalscorer for Chelsea. Eden Hazard rounded off the scoring on 73-minutes with a beauty into the top corner from long range. Stoke had the chance to get a consolation when Walters was fouled by John Terry. Walters then stepped up but he smashed the ball high into the stand off the crossbar to complete his day.

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham: Sunderland climb six points clear of the relegation zone. The deadlock was broken on 12-minutes when Sebastian Larsson scored a screamer from long range. Adam Johnson made it 2-0 two minutes into the second half when Jussi Jaaskelainen parried a James McLean shot before the ball wasn't cleared a scrambled to Johnson to tap home. McLean would make it 3-0 on 74-minutes when Stephane Sessegnon's scuffed shot made it's way into the Irishman's path.

Aston Villa 0-1 Southampton: Villa fall into the relegation zone on goal difference after this controversial result. The win means Southampton now sit two points ahead of the drop. The only goal of the game came 11-minutes before half-time when Jay Rodriguez went down in the box, under no contact. Rickie Lambert stepped up and converted, condemning Villa to defeat courtesy of a dive.

Fulham 1-1 Wigan: Wigan move out of the relegation zone on goal difference after gaining a point at Craven Cottage. Giorgos Karagounis made it two goals in two games, his first Premier League goal, with a rifled shot in off the post on 22-minutes. Franco Di Santo levelled with 19-minutes left via a  brilliant long range effort, the Argentine's first in 15-games. The point puts Fulham six points clear of the drop.

Everton 0-0 Swansea: Everton record their goalless draw of the season after this drab result against Swansea. Both teams did hit the woodwork and test the other keeper, but neither had quite enough to break the deadlock. Everton are still three points behind the Champions League places.

QPR 0-0 Tottenham: QPR are now just five points from safety after Harry Redknapp takes a point against his former players. Jermain Defoe came closest after hitting the post for Spurs in the first half. Shaun Wright-Phillips was QPR's best player and created numerous chances, but the winger just couldn't quite find a finish. Spurs remain in the Champions League places, three points ahead of Everton.

Norwich 0-0 Newcastle: Newcastle have fallen into a relegation fight after another game without a win, they now sit just two points ahead of the drop.


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