The final set of games before an extended international break took place this weekend and saw the two big-spenders in the FA Premier League head into the top two places. Meanwhile, one of the established elite continues its miserable start to the season, and now there is even talk that the most successful club in English football history is in a relegation battle! This game is so strange….
Sunday 3rd October: Chelsea 2-0 Arsenal
Chelsea extended their lead at the top of the Premiership to four points, with a solid, if unspectacular display to see off Arsenal at Stamford Bridge. It was the same old story for the Gunners against their main challengers, as they created opportunities, but failed to take them. Laurent Koscieny and Andrei Arshavin both missed guilt-edge chances in the opening exchanges. Arsenal fell behind seven minutes before the interval, when Ashley Cole’s cross was back heeled in by Didier Drogba, for the Ivoirian’s 13th goal in just eleven matches against Arsenal. The game was wrapped up by an unstoppable free-kick from central defender Alex just four minutes from time. You could have put four goalkeepers in that goal and none of them would have stopped Alex’s bullet of a free-kick. Arsenal will need to improve in more fearful tests if they are to sustain a consistent challenge to their rivals from London.
Sunday 3rd October: Liverpool 1-2 Blackpool
Blackpool piled on the misery on Liverpool by pulling off a famous win at Anfield; in one of the Premier League’s greatest ever shocks. The Tangerines outplayed their more experienced opponents in the first half, though they were helped by Fernando Torres’s early departure from the scene, due to a groin injury. Glen Johnson was at fault for both goals. First, he dragged down Luke Varney to concede a penalty, which was successfully converted by Blackpool skipper Charlie Adam. Then, he played Varney outside, who drilled a second goal underneath Pepe Reina. Although Sotiris Krygiakos headed home an early second half response, Liverpool huffed and puffed and never looked like getting an equaliser. This staggering result leaves Blackpool in a highly creditable 9th and Liverpool in the bottom three at the end of a top flight weekend for the first time since September 1964. With six points in seven games, problems with the unrest at the lack of movement over a potential takeover and the players not playing for the shirt, there is now talk of unthinkable. Liverpool being relegated!!
Saturday 2nd October: Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Aston Villa
Spurs have a new cult hero in the shape of Rafael van der Vaart, who scored another brace to overcome a resilient Aston Villa at White Hart Lane. Villa outplayed their opponents in the first half and took a deserved lead when Marc Albrighton turned home his first senior goal from Emile Heskey’s excellent work, with the striker turning Sebastian Bassong into a clown! Almost single handily, van der Vaart dragged the home side back into the game, with a simple equaliser, then a breathtaking second, which moved Tottenham into the top five, as Gerard Houillier tasted defeat for the first time as Villains manager.
Saturday 2nd October: Sunderland 0-0 Manchester United
Manchester United still waits for their first Premiership away win of the season, after limping to a goalless stalemate at the Stadium of Light. A burst water pipe in the United dressing room delayed kick-off by twenty minutes and their uncharacteristic performance showed up in the first half, as Sunderland outplayed them, with Steed Malbranque wasting their best chance. Dimitar Berbatov hit the woodwork in the second half, but Sir Alex Ferguson’s side looked bereft of ideas and were lucky to escape with a point.
Sunday 3rd October: Manchester City 2-1 Newcastle United
Manchester City leapt into second spot in the table, though they received a good amount of fortune against Newcastle United. The match was overshadowed by a horror challenge from Nigel de Jong that left Hatem Ben Afra with a broken tibia and fibula of his left leg. Carlos Tevez gave the home side the lead, after he was brought down by Mike Williamson, though TV replays showed that Williamson had tackled Tevez outside the box. Jonas Gutierrez hit a stunning equaliser, but the Magpies were denied a point by a tremendous solo effort from sub Adam Johnson with fifteen minutes to go.
Saturday 2nd October: Birmingham City 0-2 Everton
Everton secured their first win of the season and ended Birmingham’s one year unbeaten home record in the process. The goals were scored by Tim Cahill and a Roger Johnson own goal.
Saturday 2nd October: Wigan Athletic 2-0 Wolves
Wolves recorded their fourth successive defeat, as their resilience was broken in the second half by Wigan at the DW Stadium. Their cause wasn’t helped by their captain Karl Henry, who produced an x-rated foul on Jordi Gomez in the tenth minute. It was a deserved red card if there ever was one, a challenge that would proudly stand tall in one of the Tekken fighting simulations on PlayStation. Gomez luckily was uninjured and went on to score a brilliant free-kick in the second half, with the points wrapped up by Hugo Rodallega second goal of the campaign in the closing stages.
Saturday 2nd October: Stoke City 1-0 Blackburn Rovers
Summer signing Jonathan Walters scored his first ever Premier League goal, as Stoke overcame Blackburn at the Britannia Stadium for the third successive season and in the process extended their unbeaten run to four games. The goal came shortly into the second half, with Walters latching onto a Matthew Etherington pass and coolly beat an onrushing Paul Robinson to lift Stoke upto 7th.
Saturday 2nd October: West Ham United 1-1 Fulham
West Ham stayed bottom, but put in another committed and improved performance to collect another point against draw specialists Fulham. Fulham remain one of only two sides unbeaten in the Premiership this season and took a first half lead, when Clint Dempsey fired in a powerful shot past Robert Green. Green must be sick of the sight of Dempsey, after his nightmare moment in Rustenberg that allowed Dempsey weak shot to spill through his grasp in the England v USA match. This time, he had no chance. West Ham’s deserved leveller came through a second half header from Frederic Piquionne.
Saturday 2nd October: West Brom 1-1 Bolton Wanderers
A header from James Morrison earnt West Brom a lucky draw against a better and stronger Bolton side at The Hawthorns. After a dire first half, the ever-improving Johan Elmander gave Bolton the lead, firing in his fourth goal of the season from Kevin Davies’s knockdown. The Albion’s leveller came with twelve minutes to go, when Morrison nodded home Peter Odwemwingie’s cross.
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