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Tuesday October 18, 2011

City Go Top Of The Table

Liverpool 1 Manchester United 1

It may not have lived up to Sir Alex Ferguson's billing as the greatest match-up in English football but Liverpool's draw at home to Manchester United was typically not without incident.
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard was denied a dream return to the starting line-up when his free-kick midway through the second half was cancelled out by substitute Javier Hernandez's late header.
The England international put seven months of rehabilitation behind him after a groin operation in March by capping an assured performance in midfield with the goal which looked like extending his side's home dominance over their arch-rivals.
However, Hernandez prevented a fourth successive United defeat at Anfield - which has not happened since 1979 - to maintain his team's unbeaten record this season.

Manchester City 4 Aston Villa 1

Mario Balotelli did his best to prove to manager Roberto Mancini that he is his number one striker as his stunning goal helped Manchester City on their way to a crushing win over Aston Villa that handed them the outright leadership of the Premier League.
Given the chance to lead the line for a second straight match, the 21-year-old, a £24m signing from Inter Milan last summer, thrived on the responsibility and his sumptuous first-half overhead kick brought his side to life after a sterile opening.
With Villa's resistance broken, Adam Johnson, Vincent Kompany and James Milner added second-half goals and Owen Hargreaves came on for his Premier League debut on a near-perfect afternoon for City, who pulled two points clear of cross-city rivals United ahead of next weekend's Manchester derby. Stephen Warnock netted a consolation for Villa.

Norwich City 3 Swansea City 1

Anthony Pilkington scored twice as Norwich City continued their impressive start to the season by easing past fellow top-flight newcomers Swansea City at Carrow Road.
Pilkington, a £2m summer signing from Huddersfield Town, opened the scoring after just 50 seconds before Russell Martin doubled the Canaries' lead soon after with a 12-yard header.
Danny Graham drilled home to pull one back for Swansea, but the Welshmen never looked like equalizing and Pilkington sealed the win for the home side just after the hour when he swivelled neatly in the box before firing home from close range.

QPR 1 Blackburn Rovers 1

Christopher Samba's towering header helped beleaguered Blackburn Rovers secure a point at Queens Park Rangers - but results elsewhere saw Steve Kean's side end the day bottom of the Premier League.

Stoke City 2 Fulham 0

Late goals from Jon Walters and Rory Delap secured victory for Stoke City over Fulham at the Britannia Stadium.
The Potters hit the post through Delap and saw their own crossbar rattled by John Arne Riise before Walters broke the deadlock in the 80th minute, diverting Matthew Etherington's effort home.
Delap then doubled their advantage seven minutes later, nodding in an Etherington free-kick.

Wigan Athletic 1 Bolton Wanderers 3

An injury-time strike from Chris Eagles put the seal on a priceless second Premier League victory of the season for Bolton at the DW Stadium.
Boss Owen Coyle knew nothing more than a win would ease the pressure swirling around his side after a miserable run of 11 losses in 12 league games stretching back to last season.
Nigel Reo-Coker gave the visitors the start they so badly needed when he prodded home in the fourth minute, then David Ngog netted shortly after Mohamed Diame's superb 40th-minute equalizer.
And after Bolton had failed to wrap it up when Ali Al Habsi saved Kevin Davies' 70th- minute penalty, Eagles made sure by firing home after a mistake by Antolin Alcaraz.

Chelsea 3 Everton 1

Chelsea showed there really might be no place like home as they finally ended their Everton hoodoo to maintain their 100 per cent record at Stamford Bridge this season.
The Blues' recent results against Everton on their own ground might have been reason enough for them to want to move to a new stadium, but they swept to their first victory over their bogey side since the 2009 FA Cup final.
Everton had also not lost on their previous five league visits to Stamford Bridge, although they had not had to contend with Juan Mata, who was Chelsea's inspiration.
The Spain winger started the move that broke the deadlock - Daniel Sturridge nodding home his fourth goal of the season - and laid on the third for Ramires after John Terry scored on his 350th Premier League appearance.
There was to be no clean sheet for the Chelsea captain, with Apostolos Vellios grabbing a late consolation with his first touch after coming off the bench. The win nevertheless saw Andre Villas-Boas' men capitalize on Manchester United's draw at Liverpool and put them back within three points of new leaders Manchester City.

West Brom 2 Wolves 0

Peter Odemwingie responded to being dropped by scoring the decisive second goal as West Brom gained their first top-flight win over Wolverhampton Wanderers for 29 years in a pulsating Hawthorns clash.
Odemwingie came off the bench after 72 minutes and four minutes later added to the opening goal from skipper Chris Brunt as Albion moved out of the bottom three, It condemned Wolves to a fifth successive defeat - their worst sequence at the top level since 1984.

Arsenal 2 Sunderland 1

Robin van Persie rescued Arsenal from another disappointing Premier League result with a fantastic winner against Sunderland at the Emirates Stadium.
The Holland striker, who used his program notes to declare his full commitment to Arsenal, put the hosts ahead after just 29 seconds but the sides went in level at half-time thanks to an excellent free-kick from former Gunner Sebastian Larsson.
The game appeared destined for a draw as Arsenal proceeded to squander several good second-half chances, but Van Persie saved the Londoners' blushes with a wonderful curling free-kick nine minutes from time.

Newcastle United 2 Tottenham Hotspur 2

Local hero Shola Ameobi came off the bench to ensure Newcastle United's unbeaten start to the season remained intact with an entertaining draw against Tottenham Hotspur at St James' Park.
The substitute blasted home his side's second equaliser four minutes from time as a pulsating encounter ended all square.
Jermain Defoe looked to have won it for the visitors when he fired past Tim Krul with 68 minutes gone, but Ameobi denied Spurs a fifth successive Barclays Premier League win to the delight of the majority of the 46,420 crowd.
Rafael van der Vaart had put Harry Redknapp's men ahead from the penalty spot five minutes before the break, but Demba Ba's equalizer - his fifth goal in three matches - within three minutes of the restart set the scene for the late drama.