soccer-europe.com

31 January 2010

ARSENAL 1 (Vermaelen 80)
MANCHESTER UNITED 3 (Almunia 33 og, Rooney 37, Park 52)

Man United kept the pressure on Chelsea at the top with a crushing win at third placed Arsenal. After an even opening half an hour, United struck thanks to a wonderful piece of `Ronaldo like` skill from Nani who kept the ball in play, beat three players including an outrageous flick and then crossed to the far post where keeper Manuel Almunia lost his bearings and tipped the ball into his own net. Within four minutes Wayne Rooney grabbed his 100th league goal as he and Nani combined to sweep the length of the pitch where Rooney finished clinically. If Arsenal harboured hopes of a second half revival, it was ended with a third goal as Michael Carrick sent Ji-Sung Park clear and as the defenders backed off, he slotted inside the near post. The hosts pulled one back when United switched off at a free kick and after Samir Nasri's cross was nodded clear, Thomas Vermaelen's shot from the edge of the area was deflected in via Johnny Evans. Suddenly it was a different Arsenal as Theo Walcott's goalbound header was blocked as was Vermaelen's three minutes later! William Gallas had an even better chance but nodded wide as the keeper came off his line to collect although Rooney almost had the last word as he dragged a shot just wide on another breakaway.

Attendance : 60,091
Assists : n/a, Nani, Carrick, n/a


MANCHESTER CITY 2 (Adebayor 40, Kompany 46)
PORTSMOUTH 0

Man City moved to within a point of fourth place with a comfortable win at home to bottom club Portsmouth who remain in a shambles on and off the pitch. Two goals in five minutes before the break decided matters as Stephen Ireland sent Emmanuel Adebayor clear and he walloped his shot past David James and into the net. Replays showed that he was just offside as the ball was played. The lead was doubled in first half stoppage time when Vincent Kompany thumped home a header from Martin Petrov's corner. There is just two points between fourth placed Spurs and seventh placed Aston Villa with Liverpool and City sandwiched between the pair.

Attendance : 44,015
Assists : Ireland, Petrov (ck)


30 January 2010

BIRMINGHAM 1 (Ridgewell 91)
TOTTENHAM 1 (Defoe 69)

Spurs were denied a vital away win after Birmingham netted a late equaliser at St Andrews. Spurs looked to be consolidating fourth place when Jermain Defoe put them ahead with a crisp first time shot after Peter Crouch flicked on Gareth Bale's cross. Birmingham earned a late point when Cameron Jerome's header across goal was finished from close range by Liam Ridgewell.

Attendance : 27,238
Assists : Crouch, Jerome


BURNLEY 1 (Fletcher 50)
CHELSEA 2 (Anelka 27, Terry 82)

John Terry scored a late winner at Burnley as Chelsea go four points clear at the top. After a largely uneventful opening, Chelsea went ahead before the half hour with a quick-fire, 11 second breakaway as keeper Petr Cech found Joe Cole whose cross to Florent Malouda was cut across goal for an unmarked Nik Anelka to tap in. Having barely being in the game during the first half, Burnley then stunned Chelsea with an equaliser at the start of the second as a chipped ball forward by Robbie Blake was well taken by Steven Fletcher however as Alex tried to clear, he only hooked it against the Burnley man who took full advantage by drilling the ball in. Chelsea regained the lead with eight minutes left when a corner from Frank Lampard found Terry near the penalty spot and his thumping downward header found the corner despite keeper Brian Jensen getting hands to the ball. The goal could mean Terry's private life will remain on the front pages with his professional life on the back!

Attendance : 21,131
Assists : Malouda, n/a, Lampard (ck)


FULHAM 0
ASTON VILLA 2 (Agbonlahor 40, Agbonlahor 44)

Two goals in four minutes from Gabriel Agbonlahor gave Aston Villa a fine win at Fulham who have now lost five in a row. His first came with a near post header from Stilian Petrov's cross and then he collected a pass from Carlos Cuellar, turned in a area and curled in a beauty inside the far post.

Attendance : 25,048
Assists : Petrov, Cuellar


HULL 2 (Vennegoor 11, Hunt 52 Pen)
WOLVES 2 (Gardner 49 og, Jarvis 67)

Hull and Wolves remain in the dog fight at the bottom as the visitors twice came from behind to earn a draw. Hull went ahead when Jozy Altidore found Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink to slide the ball in from the edge of the area but early in the second half Wolves levelled with a freak goal as Anthony Gardner sliced a cross from Ronald Zubar with looped agonisingly over his keeper and into the net. Hull regained the lead almost instantly when Zubar bundled over Altidore and Stephen Hunt walloped home the spot kick but midway through the half, Wolves levelled again when Matt Jarvis bobbled a shot across the keeper and inside the far post after Kevin Foley had crossed.

Attendance : 24,957
Assists : Altidore, n/a, Altidore (won pen), n/a


LIVERPOOL 2 (Kuyt 37, Davies 70 og)
BOLTON 0

Liverpool moved to within a point of fourth placed Spurs with a simple win against Bolton. They almost went behind though as Chung-Yung Lee broke through and having rounded the keeper, his shot was blocked by Sotirios Kyrgiakos. The hosts took the lead when Emiliano Insua crossed and after Alberto Aquilani nodded the ball across goal, Dirk Kuyt bundled it in. David N'Gog missed a sitter for Liverpool as he hit the bar from six yards with the goal gaping but they clinched the win with a moment of luck as Insua's shot took a massive deflection off of Kevin Davies and flew inside the near post.

Attendance : 43,413
Assists : Aquilani, n/a


WEST HAM 0
BLACKBURN 0

Honours even at Upton Park as West Ham and Blackburn failed to find a goal between them. Morton Gamst Pedersen came as close as anyone with a free kick which smacked against the bar.

Attendance : 33,093
Assists : n/a


WIGAN 0
EVERTON 1 (Cahill 84)

A late goal gave Everton a good win at Wigan who remain two points above the drop zone. The only goal came from a cracking header by Tim Cahill from Leighton Baines's corner.

Attendance : 16,869
Assist : Baines (ck)

Gary Dowden - Joint Admin Yahoo Groups Premier-L list
http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/premier-l/
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