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Tuesday September 19, 2007

Arsenal's Kids Go Top

Chelsea Drop Points As They're Held At The Bridge By Rovers

Everton 0 Manchester United 1

In the noon game in the EPL on Saturday United needed Nemanja Vidic to score a late winner against Everton at Goodison. Sir Alex Ferguson's side were heading for a goalless draw when the Serbian centre-half met Nani's corner and broke the deadlock in the 83rd minute.

Tottenham Hotspur 1 Arsenal 3

Two long-range efforts from Cesc Fabregas and Emmanuel Adebayor saw Arsenal beat London rivals Tottenham 3-1 at White Hart Lane to top the EPL. A free-kick from Spurs' Gareth Bale gave the hosts the lead after 15 minutes before Adebayor equalized after 65 minutes. Fabregas then continued his fine goalscoring record this season by thumping home a powerful drive from 30 yards and Adebayor's injury-time strike put the game beyond Martin Jols men.

Chelsea 0 Blackburn Rovers 0

Supporters at the late game on Saturday witnessed Chelsea settle for a goalless draw against battling Blackburn. A second-half Blues strike was ruled out by referee Howard Webb - Salomon Kalou converted a cross from Julian Belletti but Webb disallowed the goal for offside and Blackburn could have stolen the points themselves if Petr Cech had not tipped Robbie Savage's late effort over the crossbar.

Portsmouth 0 Liverpool 0

Portsmouth and Liverpool kicked off 45 mins after the Everton -Man Utd game but stuttered to a 0-0 draw. Rafael Benitez had Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard and Ryan Babel on the bench and it was Andriy Voronin who went closest, hitting the crossbar with a volley while Jose Reina saved the Reds at the other end, beating away Kanu's first-half penalty.

Birmingham City 1 Bolton Wanderers 0

Birmingham earned three points against fellow strugglers Bolton. Olivier Kapo bagged his second of the season when he turned in Sebastien Larsson's cross after 37 minutes. The Swede later hit the bar with a curling free-kick from the edge of the box.

Sunderland 2 Reading 1

At the Stadium of Light, $10 signing Kenwyne Jones started to repay his transfer fee scoring one goal and making another in Sunderland's 2-1 win over Reading. The former Southampton man gave the Black Cats the lead in the first half when he cut inside his man before smashing the ball past Marcus Hahnemann. 90 seconds after the restart, he played in Ross Wallace and the Scot slotted home before Dave Kitson headed the Royals' consolation.

West Ham United 3 Middlesbrough 0

West Ham buried 'Boro with three goals in the second half. Lee Bowyer's volley opened the scoring after 46 minutes. Carlton Cole then had a hand in the second, an own goal from Luke Young who turned Cole's cross past his own goalkeeper. Dean Ashton then claimed his first goal since recovering from a punishing series of injuries which kept him out for the whole of last season.

Wigan Athletic 1 Fulham 1

Clint Dempsey pounced in the 11th minute, turning the ball home from 12 yards to give Fulham a half-time lead, but more worrying for the Latics was the sight of striker Emile Heskey limping from the pitch. Hameur Bouazza was penalized for an 80th-minute foul on Mario Melchiot, allowing Jason Koumas to equalize from 12 yards.

Manchester City 1 Aston Villa 0

In Sunday's game, City maintained their 100% home record under Sven-Goran Eriksson with a 1-0 win over Villa at Eastlands. Teenage midfielder Michael Johnson was the matchwinner with a well-taken goal in the 48th minute. The victory moved City up to second place.