Hat-Tricks and Braces

Saturday's Premiership action saw eight games where three braces and two hat-tricks were scored. The first brace came in the lunchtime kick-off where Wolves hosted Liverpool, it was a historic game as Sian Massey was on the line for only the second time in the Premiership. She had a big call to make regarding the first goal and she was correct in saying Raul Meireles was on-side, he played the ball inside to Torres for a tap-in nine minutes before half-time. Raul Meireles played his best game in the Premiership so far and even managed to score a wonder goal to put Liverpool 2-0 ahead just five minutes into the second half. Kenny Dalglish was made sure of his first win back in charge when Torres scored his second in injury time to make it 3-0.

Another brace at Craven Cottage as Fulham beat Stoke 2-0. Clint Dempsey put Fulham ahead after 33 minutes to give them the lead at half-time. He was then brought down by Ryan Shawcross ten minutes into the second half and Shawcross received red, Dempsey stepped up and converted the penalty to win the game.

Arsenal kept the pressure up at the top with a comfortable win over Wigan. Van Perise kept up his run of form with a hat-trick. Ali Al-Habsi was Wigan's best player and made some unbelievable saves but Van Persie broke the deadlock after 21 minutes. Van Persie doubled his tally thirteen minutes into the second half. He could have had his hat-trick after 70 minutes when Gary Caldwell conceded a penalty and received red, but the Dutchman skied the penalty. But he did get his hat-trick five minutes before the end to finish it 3-0.

Manchester United also won comfortably yesterday. It was one of their rare dominating performances at home to Birmingham. It took just two minutes for United to break the deadlock through Berbatov. He added a second after 31 minutes and Giggs, who was influential throughout the game, made it 3-0 just before half-time. Berbatov secured his third hat-trick of the season eight minutes into the second half and Nani rounded it off with United's fifth with fourteen minutes to play.

Tottenham took a stumble at St.James' Park but Newcastle lost two points in second half injury time for the second game running. It was a dull first half but Newcastle took the lead just fourteen minutes into the second half from an unlikely source, Coloccini scored with a striker's finish. But Tottenham managed to fight for a point and Aaron Lennon equalised for spurs in the dying minutes.

A piece of FA stupidity occurred at Goodison where Everton entertained strugglers West Ham. Surprisingly though West Ham managed to take the lead through in form Jonathan Spector after 26 minutes. Everton equalised with thirteen minutes remaining with a goal from Bilyaletdinov. West Ham thought they had won it with six minutes left when Piquionne scored, he ran into the crowd which the FA deem to be a bookable offence and Peter Walton had no choice but to brandish it. It was Piquionne's second yellow and had to go unfortunately. It definitely haunted West Ham as Everton found an equaliser in the depths of injury time through Fellaini.

Sunderland's week has been an angry one with Steve Bruce moaning about the sale of Darren Bent. However they managed to win without their number one striker away to Blackpool. Kieron Richardson stepped up to the plate for Sunderland and gave them the lead after fifteen minutes. Richardson gave away a foul for a high boot on Eardley. The free-kick was headed clear by Sunderland to Gyan on the half-way line, he found Richardson and he scored his second goal of the match nine minutes before half-time. Blackpool pulled a goal back with four minutes left when captain Adam converted a penalty.

The tea-time kick-off was a battle between £24 and £27 million pounds. Aston Villa had recruited Darren Bent earlier in the week and he was up against Manchester City's big January signing Edin Dzeko. The bout was finished after just eighteen minutes when Bent managed to score on his debut after Hart had parried a Young shot. Villa just about held on to see out the 1-0 win and move ahead of rivals Birmingham while City's title hopes took a huge knock.