14 December 2008
PORTSMOUTH 0
NEWCASTLE 3 (Owen 51, Martins 77, Guthrie 89)
Newcastle recorded their first away win of the season on their longest away journey as three second half goals saw off Portsmouth. The hosts contributed to their own downfall as a loose ball in midfield found Jonas Gutierrez and his inch perfect pass sent Michael Owen clear and although his first touch was poor, he just managed to clip the ball over keeper David James as he dived at the striker's feet. The lead was doubled when Pompey lost possession in their final third and Danny Guthrie set up Obafemi Martins who took a touch to wrong foot James before slotting in. Martins had smashed an effort against the post in the first half and seemed to be injured as he found the net with his later effort, Late on, Shola Ameobi crossed for Guthrie to fire a first time shot through the hands of the keeper to wrap up a comprehensive victory.
Attendance : 19,416
Assists : Gutierrez, Enrique, Ameobi
CHELSEA 1 (Anelka 51)
WEST HAM 1 (Bellamy 33)
Chelsea wasted the chance to go top after coming from behind to draw at home to West Ham and end a weekend where all of the 'Big Four' drew. Chelsea struggled to create anything in the first half and it was the Hammers that led at the break as Mark Noble crossed for Craig Bellamy to control the ball on his chest and fire inside the near post. Chelsea were angry at what they felt was a handball by Noble before he crossed. Half time saw sub Didier Drogba make an entrance and within minutes he was involved in the equaliser as his touch found Frank Lampard who clipped it onto Nik Anelka to bobble a shot past the keeper.
Attendance : 41,675
Assist : Noble, Lampard
13 December 2008
ASTON VILLA 4 (Agbonlahor 25, Davies 40 og, Agbonlahor 67, Young 78)
BOLTON 2 (Elmander 17, Davies 86)
Aston Villa moved into fourth place with a hard fought victory over Bolton. The visitors went ahead when Johan Elmander cleverly flicked in a cross from Kevin Davies at the near post. Villa didn't take long to get level as Martin Laursen's long ball was controlled well an finished equally well by Gabriel Agbonlahor and before the break they were ahead when Laursen and Davies jumped for a cross from Gareth Barry and the Bolton man nodded past his own keeper. After the break Villa hit overdrive as Agbonlahor netted from close range after good work from Ashley Young before the roles were reversed with Young netting from the edge of the box. Davies netted a late consolation at the right end with a header from Gretar Steinsson's cross but this was Villa's day.
Attendance : 35,134
Assists : Davis, Laursen, n/a, Young, n/a, Steinsson
LIVERPOOL 2 (Gerrard 24, Gerrard 32)
HULL 2 (McShane 12, Carragher 22 og)
Liverpool lost the chance to go four points clear of Chelsea ahead of the Sunday games as they had to come from two down at home to Hull. The visitors stunned Anfield with two early strikes as Paul McShane headed in Marlon King's cross and then Jamie Carragher got his feet in a tangle and diverted Bernard Mendy's low cross into his own net. Enter Saint Steven Gerrard, the patron saint of Liverpool goals, with two in a quick spell before half time. The first from close range after Dirk Kuyt's cross was nodded down by Albert Riera giving him a simple chance and then from similar range after Kuyt and Yossi Benayoun had touches in the area. Liverpool went for a winner after the break but Hull held on for yet another memorable result on the road. Trivia hounds note that this was Carragher's second own goal of the season and his sixth in the Premiership - a record equalled by Richard Dunne and Frank Sinclair.
Attendance : 43,835
Assists : King, n/a, n/a, Benayoun
MANCHESTER CITY 0
EVERTON 1 (Cahill 92)
Everton netted a stoppage time winner at Eastlands to send Man City to a home defeat. Everton had the better of the game and struck two minutes into added on time when Tim Cahill headed in Leon Osman's corner.
Attendance : 41,344
Assist : Osman (ck)
MIDDLESBROUGH 1 (Aliadiere 29)
ARSENAL 1 (Adebayor 17)
Arsenal's tenuous hopes of a title win was stretched further as Middlesbrough came from behind to hold the Gunners. Arsenal began well and took a deserved lead with a very un-Arsenal like goal. Boro's marking was questionable as a corner from Cesc Fabregas was headed in from six yards by Emmanuel Adebayor. The hosts levelled when Arsenal's Gael Clichy, by his own corner flag, hammered the ball against an opponent and as it fell for Tuncay, his drilled cross was headed in brilliantly and with power by Jeremie Aliadiere.
Attendance : 27,320
Assists : Fabregas (ck), Tuncay
STOKE 0
FULHAM 0
Stoke and Fulham ground out a drab goalless draw at the Britannia. Fulham had a good should for a penalty turned down when Danny Higginbotham clearly handled in the area but Stoke had arguably the best chance when Richard Creswell curled the ball over from a good position.
Attendance : 25,287
Assists : n/a
SUNDERLAND 4 (Jones 22, Jones 24, Reid 40, Cisse 47 Pen)
WEST BROM 0
Sunderland blitzed bottom club West Brom in their first home game since the departure of Roy Keane. Kenwyne Jones struck twice in three minutes to put the hosts in command as he scored with a fine diving header from Andy Reid's cross and then from close range after both Reid and Djibril Cisse had been denied by keeper Scott Carson. Reid added a third before the break with a far post header from Steed Malbranque's cross and the rout was completed early in the second half when Roman Bednar was a little unlucky to have a penalty awarded against him for handball and Cisse smashed in the spot kick.
Attendance : 36,280
Assists : Reid, n/a, Malbranque, n/a
TOTTENHAM 0
MANCHESTER UNITED 0
No goals at White Hart Lane as Spurs and Man United both failed to break each other down. United had a goal ruled out when Cristiano Ronaldo handled before firing in and almost grabbed a win late on when Spurs keeper Heurelho Gomes saved brilliantly from a Ryan Giggs free kick.
Attendance : 35,882
Assists : n/a
WIGAN 3 (Heskey 10, Valencia 12, Cattermole 77)
BLACKBURN 0
Six defeats in a row now for Blackburn as Wigan ripped them apart at the JJB. They were two up early on as Emile Heskey's neat back flick found the net from Antonia Valencia's cross and then Mario Melchiot set up Valencia to drill in the second from the edge of the area. The third followed late on as Valencia found Lee Cattermole to fire a shot across goal and inside the far post.
Attendance : 18,003
Assists : Valencia, Melchiot, n/a
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