6 February 2011
CHELSEA 0
LIVERPOOL 1 (Meireles 69)
Chelsea slumped to defeat at home to Liverpool who will see the win as playback for the defection of Fernando Torres. After an indifferent opening half an hour, both clubs suddenly created good chances as Jamie Carragher's excellent blocked denied former team mate Torres a shot on target and two minutes later at the other end, Steven Gerrard's low cross was thudded against the bar from three yards out by Maxi Rodriguez. Liverpool were comfortable for long spells in truth as the hosts were kept at arms length for more than the opening hour when the biggest cheer of the day came from the visiting fans when Torres was replaced by Salomon Kalou! Either side of the change both Nik Anelka and Michael Essien had long range shots off target and it proved vital as Liverpool netted within three minutes of that substitution. A cross from Gerrard saw keeper Petr Cech and defender Branislav Ivanovic leave it to each other and the ball squeezed between the pair for Raul Meireles to fire in at the far post from a tricky angle. Enter another big money arrival as David Luiz came on for the hosts as the previous damp squib of a game suddenly found some life although Chelsea remained second best.
Attendance : 41,829
Assist : Gerrard
WEST HAM 0
BIRMINGHAM 1 (Zigic 65)
Birmingham move away from the drop zone after a narrow win at West Ham who go bottom again. The only goal came midway through the second half as Sebastien Larsson's free kick was headed in by Nikola Zigic.
Attendance : 32,927
Assist : Larsson (fk)
5 February 2011
ASTON VILLA 2 (Pantsil 13 og, Walker 72)
FULHAM 2 (Johnson 52, Dempsey 78)
Fulham collected a vital point as they twice came from behind to draw at Aston Villa. The hosts led when 'king of the own goal' John Pantsil headed Stuart Downing's cross into his own net but Fulham levelled early in the second half as Andy Johnson headed in after Steve Sidwell - playing against his former club - saw his long range effort saved. Villa regained the lead through Kyle Walker with a brilliant long range finish having been found by Stilian Petrov however they were pegged back again as Clint Dempsey headed in Danny Murphy's cross.
Attendance : 35,899
Assists : n/a, n/a, Petrov, Murphy
EVERTON 5 (Saha 20, Saha 47, Saha 76, Beckford 80, Saha 84)
BLACKPOOL 3 (Baptiste 37, Puncheon 62, Adam 64)
Louis Saha hit four goals for Everton as they came from behind in a remarkable game against Blackpool. His first came when he slotted home after fine work from Diniyar Bilyaletdinov but before the break Blackpool levelled when he was left with a goal-line tap in after Ian Evatt helped on Charlie Adam's corner. It all kicked off after the interval as Saha grabbed his second with a tap in from a Leighton Baines cross only for Blackpool to turn the game upside down as firstly Jason Puncheon equalised after good work from former Evertonian James Beattie and then Adam added to his portfolio with a header after DJ Campbell thumped a shot against the bar. Saha then completed his hat trick to level when he headed in a Mikel Arteta corner before sub Jermaine Beckford put the hosts ahead with a stunning volley from another Baines set up. Saha had the last word with his fourth as a Blackpool attack broke down and after he was sent clear by Marouane Fellaini, he wrapped up the points with a calm finish.
Attendance : 38,202
Assists : Bilyaletdinov, n/a, Baines, Beattie, n/a, Beckford, Baines. Fellaini
MANCHESTER CITY 3 (Tevez 17 Pen, Tevez 22, Tevez 39 Pen)
WEST BROM 0
Carlos Tevez scored a first half hat trick on his 27th birthday as Man City swept West Brom aside. His first came from the penalty spot after Steven Reid had fouled Aleksandar Kolarov and then he doubled matters with a fine run and drilled finish from David Silva's pass. The triple was completed from the spot again after Jerome Thomas had handled.
Attendance : 46,846
Assists : Kolarov (won pen), Silva, n/a
NEWCASTLE 4 (Barton 68 Pen, Best 75, Barton 83 Pen, Tiote 87)
ARSENAL 4 (Walcott 1, Djourou 3, Van Persie 10, Van Persie 26)
Newcastle became the first ever club to come from four goals down in a Prem game as they provided an astonishing comeback against second placed Arsenal. It was made all the more amazing by the quick-fire start from Arsenal who were three up inside ten minutes, starting with a Theo Walcott goal after 40 seconds as he was sent clear by Andrey Arshavin to slot in. Two minutes later, Johan Djourou headed in a cross from Arshavin and with single figures still on the clock, Robin Van Persie swept in a Walcott cross to make it three. Van Persie grabbed the fourth as well with a crashing header from Bacary Sagna's deflected cross. For a game with eight goals, it then went 42 minutes either side of the break without a goal although we did get a red card early in the second half as Abou Diaby decided to push both Joey Barton and Kevin Nolan and it may just have given the home side a lift. The comeback began when Barton converted a penalty after Laurent Koscielny fouled Leon Best although in his urgency to get the ball back, Nolan was lucky to stay on as he grappled with the Arsenal keeper who had grabbed the ball. Best then pulled another back as converted Jose Enrique's cross and then another penalty, again dispatched by Barton after Koscielny bundled over Mark Williamson. The comeback was completed three minutes from time when Cheik Tiote unleashed a stinging shot from the edge of the area which flew into the bottom corner having been in the right place as the Gunners failed to clear a cross.
Attendance : 51,561
Red Card : Diaby 50 (Arsenal)
Assists : Arshavin, Arshavin (fk), Walcott, Sagna, Best (won pen), n/a, Williamson (won pen), n/a
STOKE 3 (Carew 32, Huth 83, Huth 93)
SUNDERLAND 2 (Richardson 2, Gyan 48)
Two late goals from Robert Huth saw Stoke come from behind to see off Sunderland in a dramatic encounter at the Britannia. Sunderland led inside two minutes when a cross from Phil Bardsley was controlled by Asamoah Gyan and laid off for Kieron Richardson to fire high across goal and into the net. Stoke levelled thanks to a long throw from Rory Delay which was nodded into the air and not dealt with by defender or keeper which allowed John Carew to poke the ball in from a matter of a yard out although replays showed him to be offside as the keeper was well out of his goal and there was only one defender between scorer and goal-line. The visitors regained the lead early in the second half as Gyan latched onto a long ball from Sulley Muntari and having out muscled Huth, he cut inside and drilled in a low shot. Huth made amends although he knew little about it as a free kick from Jermaine Pennant was fizzed in and after Carew seemed to help it on with his arm, it hit Huth on the leg and bobbled in although again scorer looked offside and amazingly in the third minute of stoppage time, it was deja vu as another Pennant free kick saw Huth lose his marker and touch the ball in from close range with keeper Craig Gordon unable to keep the ball out.
Attendance : 26,008
Assists : Gyan, Shawcross, Muntari, Carew, Pennant (fk)
TOTTENHAM 2 (Van der Vaart 6 Pen, Kranjcar 92)
BOLTON 1 (Sturridge 55)
Spurs left it late to see off Bolton in a game dominated by penalties! Two spot kicks were awarded in the opening nine minutes as firstly Rafael Van Der Vaart netted after Kevin Davies handled in the area and then it was Groundhog Day as Sam Ricketts seemed to get some of the ball as Aaron Lennon went down and Van Der Vaart again netted, only for the ref to order a re-take due to players entering the area. Third time up though and he shot wide! Just on half time, more spot kick drama as another hand ball saw another penalty awarded for Spurs only for the linesman to flag for offside, denying Van Der Vaart another chance. Early in the second half, Bolton levelled as new arrival Daniel Sturridge scored for the second time in four days as he collected a pass from Mark Davies and saw his low effort squirm in under keeper Heurelho Gomes. A draw looked to be the final result before Niko Kranjcar popped up in stoppage time to smash in an unstoppable effort after being found by Roman Pavlyuchenko.
Attendance : 36,197
Assists : n/a, Davies, Pavlyuchenko
WIGAN 4 (McCarthy 35, Rodallega 50, McCarthy 56, Watson 65 Pen)
BLACKBURN 3 (Roberts 23, Samba 58, Dunn 81 Pen)
Another amazing game on an amazing afternoon in the Prem as Wigan saw off Blackburn in a seven goal thriller. Rovers actually took the lead when Jason Roberts converted Brett Emerton's cross however Wigan levelled matters before the break as James McCarthy netted from close range after Emerson Boyce had a shot saved. Early in the second half the hosts went ahead when a long ball from Victor Moses wasn't dealt with and Hugo Rodallega rounded the keeper and swept the ball in and six minutes later, McCarthy grabbed his second as he collected a pass from Charles N'Zogbia and showed excellent skill before volleying home. Rovers bounced back instantly when Christopher Samba headed in Morten Gamst Pedersen's corner but the clubs exchanged penalties to see the game out as Ben Watson made it 4-2 to Wigan after Michel Salgado tripped Mohamed Diame and late on David Dunn pulled one back after he'd been fouled by Boyce.
Attendance : 18,567
Assists : Emerton, n/a, Moses, N'Zogbia, Pedersen (ck), Diame (won pen), Dunn (won pen)
WOLVES 2 (Elokobi 10, Doyle 40)
MANCHESTER UNITED 1 (Nani 3)
Man United will not become "The Invincibles 2" after Wolves came from behind to inflict United's first league defeat of the season. All looked to be going to form when the bottom club went behind early as Nani was found wide by Darren Fletcher and after cutting inside, he walloped a shot inside the near post. Wolves didn't lie down and roll over and levelled when George Elokobi headed in a Matthew Jarvis cross. The hosts grabbed a memorable winner before the interval when Nenad Milijas floated in a free kick which Kevin Doyle seemed to get the final touch to.
Attendance : 28,811
Assists : Fletcher, Jarvis, Milijas (fk)
Gary Dowden - Joint Admin Yahoo Groups Premier-L list
http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/premier-l/
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