Sunday 17 March 2013

Win For Controversial Wigan, Spurs Slump and Super Frank Hits 200

Wigan 2-1 Newcastle: Wigan move three points from safety, with a game in hand, after this controversial win over Newcastle. Wigan took the lead on 18-minutes when Jean Beausejour benefited from a Callum McManaman cross to score his first goal for Wigan, also his first for two years. But the first half, and match, was marred by a horror challenge by McManaman on Massadio Haidara which left the Newcastle man in severe pain with suspected knee ligament damage. Referee Mark Halsey didn't get a good view of the incident and McManaman luckily stayed on the pitch. This caused chaos at half-time with a coach from either side being sent to the stand for causing a fracas at half-time. Newcastle managed to get an equaliser on 72-minutes through Davide Santon, his first goal for The Magpies, with a good finish from an acute angle. But Wigan would win the match with the last kick of the game when a corner was helped on by Maynor Figueroa's hand. That caused an almighty scramble in the six yard box before Arouna Kone smashed it home  even though the play should have been stopped for Figueroa's handball.

Chelsea 2-0 West Ham: Chelsea reclaim third spot by going a point ahead of Spurs. But the headlines will only concern a certain Frank Lampard who netted his 200th goal against his boyhood club. He got the opener with a great header on 19-minutes before Eden Hazard continued to take centre stage with a great finish five minutes in to the second half to ensure the points.

Tottenham 0-1 Fulham: Spurs hadn't lost at home since November, Fulham hadn't won against a London club away from all season and the visitors hadn't won at White Hart Lane in nine years, also not scoring for five years. But someone failed to inform a certain Dimitar Berbatov about that. The former Tottenham player scored the only goal of the game seven minutes in to the second half to leave Tottenham just four points ahead of Arsenal and one behind Chelsea. 

Sunderland 1-1 Norwich: Another potential mid-table match-up produced another draw which leaves Sunderland not just four points above the bottom three with Norwich a further three points ahead. Norwich took the lead on 26-minutes when Kei Kamara's header from a corner was headed home by Wes Hoolahan from less than a yard. Things got tough for the visitors on the half hour mark when they were reduced to ten men; Mark Bunn sent off for apparent handball outside the area when he came rushing out. Sunderland were given another helping hand five minutes before half-time when Sebastien Bassong was adjudged to have handled in the box and Chris Foy pointed to the spot. Craig Gardner stepped up and expertly dispatched it in to the top corner to earn the point.

Aston Villa 3-2 QPR: Villa came from behind and ended retaking the lead to move three points clear of the relegation zone, although Wigan have a game in hand. The defeat for QPR sees them stay at the bottom on goal difference and now seven points from safety. Rangers took the lead on 23-minutes when Jermaine Jenas was first to a Brad Guzan parry to score against his former loan club. Villa crucially equalised in first half injury time when Gabriel Agbonlahor floated in and headed a Matt Lowton cross home just moments after QPR had hit the post. Villa took the momentum to be the force in the second half that they weren't in the first and Andreas Weimann put Villa in front just before the hour mark with a good finish just inside the area. Like last week, Andros Townsend joined Jenas on the scoresheet when his low effort from outside the box somehow beats Guzan and finds the corner on 73-minutes. The winner came nine minutes from the end when Weimann's pull back was slotted home by Christian Benteke for his 17th goal of the season.

Everton 2-0 Manchester City: Ten man Everton push Manchester City 15-points behind Manchester United whilst boosting themselves to six points behind Tottenham in fourth. Leon Osman gave Everton the lead 13-minutes before half-time with a fantastic curling effort with the outside of his boot, completely bamboozling Joe Hart. Steven Pienaar was shown a second yellow card just after the hour mark for a high studs in challenge and duly walked down the tunnel. City couldn't take any advantage and deputy keeper Jan Mucha did a fine job. Everton managed to somehow get away with a penalty appeal late on when Marouane Fellaini handled in the box and the referee gave a free-kick just outside the box. The points were then wrapped up in injury time when Everton broke with Fellaini. The Belgian fed the ball to substitute Nikica Jelavic and the Croatian turned back inside before curling the ball over Hart and in to the top corner.

Southampton 3-1 Liverpool: The win for Southampton sees them move seven points ahead of the relegation while Liverpool now sit three points behind their Merseyside rivals. Morgan Schneiderlin broke his hoodoo, where every time he has scored this season the Saints have lost, with the games opener six minutes from time. Rickie Lambert made it 2-0 with a deflected free-kick against the team he supports 12-minutes before half-time. Philippe Coutinho pulled one back in first half injury time, smashing the ball home after Daniel Sturridge's effort was blocked. The points were wrapped up ten minutes from the end when Jay Rodriguez broke through and coolly slotted home.

Manchester United 1-0 Reading: United stretch their lead to 15-points and have now gone nine hours without conceding in the Premier League. It wasn't a vintage display and Reading weren't as far away as the bookies tried making out they would be at the start despite parting with Brian McDermott earlier in the week. The only goal of the game on 21-minutes when Rio Ferdinand's marauding run ended with a pass to Wayne Rooney and the striker's shot deflected off Alex Pearce before beating Stuart Pearce in to the bottom corner. Reading now sit seven points from safety after this defeat they can take some heart from.

Swansea 0-2 Arsenal: Arsenal move to four points behind Tottenham with a game in hand in the race for Champions League football. After hitting the woodwork on a numerous times in the first half, Arsenal couldn't break the deadlock until the 74th minute when Nacho Monreal scored his first for the Gunners; stroking the ball home after the ball had broke to him following a tackle on Olivier Giroud. The win was guaranteed in injury time when Aaron Ramsey played Gervinho through and the Ivorian easily slotted home under Michel Vorm.

Stoke 0-0 West Brom: Perhaps a real mid-table match where both teams know they'll be in the Premiership next year and that's it. The goalless draw was probably a typical one at The Britannia and one that sees Stoke ten points clear of relegation and West Brom and further ten points ahead of Stoke.   

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