6 December 2009
EVERTON 2 (Saha 78, Cahill 86)
TOTTENHAM 2 (Defoe 47, Dawson 59)
Spurs missed a stoppage time penalty after originally blowing a two goal lead at home to Everton in a remarkable second half. After a first half more notable for strong tackles and rash challenges, as we as he odd occurrence of handbags, Spurs took just over a minute of the second half to take the lead as Aaron Lennon's near post cross was converted at close range by Jermain Defoe. They doubled the lead just before the hour as Everton's marking again disappeared as Niko Krancjar's corner was met at the far post by Michael Dawson whose excellent diving header found the bottom corner. Everton battled back and young right-back Seamus Coleman crossed for Louis Saha to volley in at the near post and with four minutes left they equalised when Coleman's cross found Leighton Baines at the far post and as his effort headed for the corner flag, Tim Cahill stooped to head in. The home side's comeback looked to have been for nothing though as Wilson Palacios burst into the area to latch onto Peter Crouch's header and having nodded the ball on, he was clattered in the back by Tony Hibbert. Everton protested but the decision looked to be correct and after three minutes of treatment for the Spurs man, he was subbed. Defoe then stepped up to win it but his scuffed effort was down the middle and kept out by the legs of Tim Howard.
Attendance : 34,003
Assists : Defoe, Kranjcar (ck), Coleman, n/a
FULHAM 1 (Zamora 7)
SUNDERLAND 0
Fulham moved into eighth with a narrow win over Sunderland who continue to struggle away. The only goal came early as Bobby Zamora headed in John Paintsil's cross.
Attendance : 23,168
Assist : Paintsil
5 December 2009
ARSENAL 2 (Arshavin 26, Ramsey 79)
STOKE 0
Arsenal eased to victory against Stoke despite missing an early penalty. Cesc Fabregas was the guilty party although full credit to keeper Thomas Sorenson for an excellent save after Rory Delap tripped Andriy Arshavin. Within six minutes, they did score through the livewire Arshavin who collected a pass from Fabregas before firing low across goal and inside the far post. They wrapped it up late on when Arshavin played a one-two with Aaron Ramsey for the letter to fire in.
Attendance : 60,048
Assists : Fabregas, n/a
ASTON VILLA 3 (Dunne 13, Milner 29, Carew 88 Pen)
HULL 0
Aston Villa swept Hull aside to maintain their anticipated intrusion on the top four. They went ahead when James Milner found Richard Dunne in miles of space in the area and he thumped a shot in via the bar. The lead was doubled in bizarre fashion as Hull keeper Matt Duke came out of his area to head a long ball out of play, however Villa sub Steve Sidwell was warming up as the ball went out and acted as ball boy to allow Gabriel Agbonlahor to take a quick throw. He found Milner who lobbed Duke - now running back toward his goal - to perfection. Villa added a third late on when John Carew smashed in a penalty after Ashley Young was clattered down by Young. Spare a thought for Hull's Jimmy Bullard through who limped off in tears after suffering a knee injury having only returned from a 10 month absence for a similar injury.
Attendance : 39,748
Assists : Milner, Agbonlahor, Young (won pen)
BLACKBURN 0
LIVERPOOL 0
No goals at Ewood Park as Blackburn and Liverpool settled for a point each. The best chance fell to the visitors as Glen Johnson crossed for David Ngog to thud his effort against the bar and then Dirk Kuyt's goalbound rebound was blocked.
Attendance : 29,600
Assist : n/a
MANCHESTER CITY 2 (Adebayor 37, Tevez 56)
CHELSEA 1 (Adebayor 8 og)
Man City came from behind to beat league leaders Chelsea - a result which had blue and red halves of Manchester cheering. Chelsea began well and could have scored early when Didier Drogba was denied by keeper Shay Given. The home stopper then saw his luck desert him as Chelsea took the lead just minutes later. Drogba's header across goal was sent goalwards by Branislav Ivanovic only for Given to save from point blank range. The rebound was fired back by Nik Anelka and again Given saved only for the ball to hit Emmanuel Adebayor on the back and bobble into his own net. City levelled as the visitors cleared a corner to the edge of the area where Shaun Wright-Phillips crashed a shot back into the area and against team mate Micah Richards which then rebounded off of both Adebayor and John Terry before the City striker shot inside the near post to cancel his earlier own goal. Chelsea wanted handball against Richards but the goal stood. Into the second half and City took the lead as Carlos Tevez drilled a low free kick from 20 yards which skidded over the drenched surface and fizzed into the net with keeper Petr Cech wrong footed. Chelsea blew a golden chance to level things late on when Drogba was fouled by Nedum Onouha however Frank Lampard's poor penalty was kept out by Given.
Attendance : 47,348
Assists : n/a, n/a, Tevez (won fk)
PORTSMOUTH 2 (Hreidarsson 65, Dindane 84)
BURNELY 0
Portsmouth won the early game of the day and moved off the bottom after a home win against Burnley whose away form continues to lie in the `dismal` column. An uneventful first half was notable only for a controversial penalty awarded to the hosts as Hermann Hreidarsson went down under challenge from a chest-high leg of Wade Elliott although replays showed no contact. To be slightly fair to the Pompey man, he was down for a fraction of a second before getting straight to his feet and never actually appealed for a foul, however the ref was duped and pointed to the spot. Justice was down as Aruna Dindane's kick was awful and easy for keeper Brian Jensen who then saved the headed rebound from Dindane with equal ease. After the break Burnley looked most likely to score however the hosts made the breakthrough as Dindane found Kevin Prince Boateng and his lay off set up Hreidarsson to arrow a low drive across goal and inside the far post. The lead was doubled when Jamie O'Hara crossed from the left for an unmarked Dindane to send a header bouncing into the roof of the net.
Attendance : 17,822
Assists : Kanu, O'Hara
WEST HAM 0
MANCHESTER UNITED 4 (Scholes 46, Gibson 61, Valencia 71, Rooney 72)
Man United to within two points of Chelsea with a crushing win at West Ham. It took until the end of the first half to go ahead when Paul Scholes latched onto a weak defensive header and fired in from the edge of the area. Three goals in eleven minutes after the break destroyed the hosts. Firstly emerging star Darron Gibson scored a beauty from 20 yards after good work from Ryan Giggs and then Antonio Valencia tapped in Anderson's cross. A minute later and Wayne Rooney grabbed a fourth from close range with Valencia providing the cross.
Attendance : 34,980
Assists : n/a, Giggs, Anderson, Valencia
WIGAN 2 (N'Zogbia 33, Gomes 89)
BIRMINGHAM 3 (Larsson 61 fk, Benitez 66, Larsson 72 fk)
Birmingham came from behind to win at Wigan in a master class of free kick taking. The hosts led at half time when Jason Scotland set up Charles N'Zogbia to curl a lovely shot inside the far post but after the interval Sebastien Larsson's free kick drifted into the area and missed everyone before finding the net. Birmingham then edged ahead as Lee Bowyer sent Christian Benitez clear to slot home before Larsson converted a more traditional free kick from 25 yards. Jordi Gomez added his own free kick to the scoresheet late on but Wigan couldn't find an equaliser.
Attendance : 18,797
Assists : Melchiot, Bowyer (won fk), Bowyer, Jerome (won fk), n/a
WOLVES 2 (Craddock 3, Milijas 63)
BOLTON 1 (Elmander 79)
Wolves avoided bottom spot with a narrow win at home to Bolton. They led when Christophe Berra's flick on was hammered in by Jody Craddock despite being a yard or so offside. The lead was doubled by Nenad Milijas who collected a pass from Kevin Doyle before unleashing a cracker of a shot from long range. Bolton scrambled a goal back when Johan Elmander netted from close range when Wolves failed to clear a corner.
Attendance : 27,362
Assists : Berra, Doyle, Cohen (ck)
Gary Dowden - Joint Admin Yahoo Groups Premier-L list
http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/premier-l/
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