Three Is the Magic Number

There was a Super Sunday hat-trick with the results causing further twists and turns in the Barclay's Premier League. First off there was the Black Country derby as Wolves hosted West Brom. With all the sides around them picking up a point, Wolves couldn't afford to lose this game. Poor defending cost West Brom dear as Wolves took the lead after fifteen minutes when Fletcher took full advantage of an ill defended corner. Wolves were two up thirteen minutes later when another corner fell to Fletcher before bouncing off him for Guediora to tap home. Wolves sealed the match two minutes after the restart through Fletcher again but West Brom did score a consolation eight minutes later when Thomas fell under a Guediora slide tackle in the box, Odemwingie converted the penalty. The win sees Wolves move out of the relegation zone but still remain a point ahead of it. West Brom stay thirteenth and comfortably in a mid-table position.

The second installment saw Arsenal take on Stoke at the Britannia. Arsenal needed to win to secure third whereas Stoke needed momentum to take into the FA Cup final on Saturday. Again poor defending was punished as Stoke took the lead through Kenwyne Jones after 28 minutes. Stoke went 2-0 ahead five minutes before the break when a poor clearance was intercepted by former Arsenal student Pennant, he ran towards the goal before unleashing a deflected shot from outside the area past Sczcesny. Arsenal pulled one back nine minutes from time through Van Persie but any hopes of an equaliser were squashed instantly as Walters made it 3-1 a minute later. Stoke move ahead of Bolton into eighth on goal difference, Arsenal remain five points clear of Man City.

The final installment of the Super Sunday hat-trick saw three goals in the potential title decider. Manchester United took on Chelsea and it took just thirty-six seconds for United to show their title credentials in front of the Old Trafford faithful, Giggs found Park before the excellent Korean played Hernandez through one-on-one with Cech and the Little Green Pea secured his twentieth goal in his debut season for United. Chelsea were shell shocked and found themselves two down after twenty-three minutes; a short corner was poorly defended and a Giggs cross was headed home by Vidic, who may have been lucky to be playing after his handball last week. Branislav Ivanovic was also lucky to still on the pitch at half-time after persistent fouling could have led to a second yellow but Howard Webb was lenient. United should have had a penalty eight minutes into the second half when Lampard blocked a cross with his hand but again Webb gave nothing. It was then Lampard who pulled a goal back for Chelsea after sixty-eight minutes but it wasn't enough as United managed to see out the game 2-1. This means that Manchester United only need one point from their remaining two games to be crowned Champions for the record nineteenth time.