Yesterday saw seven Barclay's Premiership games with a lunch-time and tea-time kick-off. Manchester Untied don't play until later on today, meaning that Arsenal and Manchester City could apply the pressure.
The lunch-time kick-off a Midlands derby between Carling Cup champions Birmingham and West Brom. Birmingham had to make changes following their Wembley triumph but were still looking rather lethargic. The first half was goalless but West Brom broke the deadlock just two minutes after the restart when a poor clearance from Foster was intercepted in mid-field, this lead to substitute Odemwingie finding the ball through to Mulumbu and the striker put it away. West Brom's lead only lasted a minute when Jean Beausejour scored his first Premiership goal with a tap in. West Brom came again and ten minutes later James Morrison found a superb strike past Foster to make it 2-1, Birmingham nearly equalised straight away again but West Brom defended it. The game was sealed when Paul Scharner headed the ball from the tightest of angles which Foster could only manage to palm into his own net, it was a close call but the officials didn't need goal line technology to award the goal and the 3-1 win for West Brom.
Arsenal were also looking lethargic from their Wembley showdown at home to Sunderland. In truth it was another one of those days for Wenger where the goalkeeper was on top form. Mignolet produced some excellent saves but Sunderland were lucky not to concede a penalty when Bramble looked to have pushed Arshavin in the back. Arshavin did also put the ball in the net but was wrongly flagged offside, leaving the game to finish goalless.
West Ham had scored three goals in each of their previous two Premiership games, plus the five against Burnley in the FA Cup. The run continued here as Stoke proved no match for the rejuvenated Hammers. Demba Ba continued his scoring form by breaking the deadlock against the team he nearly signed for after 21 minutes. Manuel Da Costa made it 2-0 just eight minutes later and Thomas Hitzlsperger rounded the match off seven minutes from time.
Fulham entertained Blackburn at Craven Cottage in a game where referee Mark Clattenburg was hoping for a quiet game. Fulham took the lead with former Blackburn man Damien Duff getting the goal that Robinson probably should have saved eight minutes from half-time. Blackburn equalised on the stroke of half-time when a Hanley shot badly deflected off Hangeland into the Fulham net. Duff regained Fulham's lead just before the hour but again Blackburn equalised with Hoilett scoring just six minutes later. Adam Johnson should have won a penalty in the dying minutes of normal time when Hanley fouled him, but Clattenburg said no and Fulham had a corner. As the corner came in Clattenburg did blow for a penalty when Hanley was adjudged to be holding his marker, which he was so the right decision. Bobby Zamora stepped up and converted the penalty to give Fulham the 3-2 win.
Newcastle hosted the injury stricken Everton at St. James' Park. Newcastle were looking to take full advantage of David Moyes' injury woes and took the lead after 23 minutes with Leon Best getting the goal. Mikel Arteta is priceless for Everton and had to be even more instrumental without Cahill and Fellaini, he made a run own the wing before cutting inside and playing the ball back to Osman on the edge of the box, Osman struck it and found the net to equalise just after the half hour mark. Everton then took the lead five minutes later when an Arteta cross was met by Phil Jagielka to give Everton the 2-1 win.
There were a further five goals at the Reebok where Bolton played Aston Villa. Questions were asked about whether Houllier was right to make so many changes in the FA Cup in mid-week. It looked as if those questions might have been answered when Bent gave them the lead after fifteen minutes. Former Villa man Gary Cahill equalised for Bolton on the stroke of half-time with a goal from a badly defended corner. After missing a whole host of chances, Villa finally regained the lead with Albrighton getting the goal after 64 minutes. Villa were then awarded a controversial penalty when Baker had looked to have played the ball out of play, however play continued and Young was fouled in the box and the penalty was given. Young stepped up with Jaaskelainen playing mind games by leaving a big gap to his right before stepping back into the middle. Young fell for it and took the penalty to the the keeper's right and Jaaskelainen saved it. Bolton then equalised with Gary Cahill scoring his second against his former employers with fifteen left. Bolton then stole the points after Villa missed more chances, Ivan Klasnic scored the goal with yet more bad defending four minutes from time.
The tea-time kick-off saw a Lancashire derby between Manchester City and Wigan. Only one goal separated the sides but it was an absolute howler. David Silva fired a shot which Ali Al-Habsi looked for all the world like he was going to save it. But somehow it went through his hands and his open legs to roll into the net. Wigan fought hard and were unlucky not to have gotten at least a point but City apply the pressure at the top with the win.
No comments:
Post a Comment