What a weekend we had from goal feasts to dubious penalties to goal droughts ending and stoppage time winners.
Arsenal faced West Brom at the Emirates seeking their first
win in 4games against a Baggies side that side that needed a mini revival of
theirs having suffered two straight defeats. Arsenal took the lead via a Mikel
Arteta penalty after Steven Reid had been wrongly adjudged to have fell Santi
Carzola in the box.
The gunners needed another Arteta penalty in the second
half to make sure of the points. It seemed however that Chamberlain had
committed a foul before he raced into the box and was fouled by Chris Brunt. The Baggies offered very little but will
point to the decisions of referee Mike Jones as crucial in deciding the game.
Victory will come as a welcome relief for the Gunners and for West Brom its
back to the drawing board to gain back the form that saw the climb to third in
the table.
Chelsea went to the Stadium of Light seeking a first victory
in 8 matches and the first in four for interim manager Rafa Benitez. Chelsea
dominated the for most of the game with striker Fernando Torres scoring the
opener on the 11th minute after some good work by Hazard. That goal
ended the Spaniard’s run of 12 hours and 30mins without a Premier League goal.
Torres also scored Chelsea’s second from the penalty spot on the stroke of half
time after Ramirez was brought down by Larsson. That penalty was his first in
English football.
After the interval Chelsea made it 3-0 when a Torres strike
came off the post and Mata was in the right place to turn the rebound in. Sunderland pulled a goal back through Johnson
but the game ended 1-3 in favour of the Blues. Frank Lampard returned for
Chelsea after seven weeks out but fellow midfielder Romeu suffered a knee
injury and is reported to be out for six months. Chelsea jet out to Japan for
the Club World Cup where they play their first game on Thursday. The defeat
means Sunderland have dropped into the relegation places following
Southampton’s win over Reading.
Norwich extended their unbeaten run in the league to nine
matches with a 3-4 win over Swansea in South Wales. First half goals from Steven Whitaker,
Bassong and Grant Holt gave the Canaries a 3-0 lead. In the second half the Swans
mounted a comeback with goals for De Guzman and Michu putting pressure on
Norwich but Sondgrass struck a free kick to make it four for the canaries
before a late consolation from Michu. Norwich’s
eight games without a loss equalled their best run in the top flight
back in October 1989.
QPR set a new record for the longest winless start to a
Premier League season after a draw with Wigan. James McCarthy put the Lactics ahead
on 19minutes with a strike that deflected off Jamie Mackie. QPR responded with
goals from Ryan Nelsen and Cisse but poor defending allowed McCarthy to
equalise after a Beausejour’s pass. The game leaves Harry Redknapp winless
after 3 games in charge.
Two stoppage time goals gave Everton a dramatic turnaround
against Spurs. The North Londoners had taken the lead on the 76th
minute off a Dempsey strike. The Toffees had Tim Howard to thank after he
pulled off a string of saves. A Steven Pineaar
header after 90minutes denied his former club all three points before Nikica
Jelavic then turned in a close –range shot to deny Spurs a point.
Extending
Everton’s unbeaten run at Goodison Park to 12 games and moving the Toffees to
fourth on the table. Spurs were without
injured winger Gareth Bale and were left to rue their missed chances.
Liverpool paid a visit to Upton Park without striker Luiz
Suarez who was suspended for the game. West Ham were in buoyant mood following
their brilliant second half display against Chelsea last time out. Liverpool
took the lead through a spectacular Glenn Johnson goal, west Ham equalized with
a Mark Noble penalty and then took the lead after Steven Gerrad headed into his
own goal. Liverpool fought in the second half with an equalizer from former
West Ham lad Joe Cole. A James Collins own goal gave Liverpool the lead on 79
minutes. It ended 2-3 to Liverpool.
The match of the weekend was the Manchester Derby. City was
the better side in the early exchanges but on 16 minutes Rooney gave the Red
devils the lead. City captain Kompany
had to go off injured and was replaced by Kolo Toure. Rooney struck
again on 29 minutes when he slotted in after brilliant attacking play from
Rafael, the goal left City Manager Mancini looking shocked. Rooney taking his
tally to an incredible ten derby goals. City came out with vengeance in the
second half, putting pressure on the United back line. Mancini swapped the ineffective Balotelli
with former United man Tevez .They pulled one back from Yaya Toure on 60minutes,the United defence
had failed to clear after De Gea had made two outstanding saves.
Robin van
Persie who had been quite all game stroke the post the rebound was turned in by
Young but it was rightly rules out for offside. The City comeback was completed
on 86 minutes when Zabaleta struck in when United failed to clear a corner. Van
Persie who was experiencing a quiet game then demonstrated his worth with a
goal as his extra time free-kick deflected off Samir Nasir and beyond Joe
Hart. Thus United ended City’s run of 37
home matches unbeaten in the League stretching back to a 2-1 defeat to Everton
in December 2010. Ugly scenes followed, United’s Rio Ferdinand suffering an eye
cut as he appeared to be struck by an object during the celebrations and Joe
Hart having to restrain a pitch invader as he advanced towards Ferdinand. City has
issued an apology to the defender and is in the process on identifying the fan
who threw the object at Rio.
OTHER RESULTS
Aston Villa 0 Stoke 0, Southampton 1 Reading 0, Fulham 2 Newcastle 1.
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