Big 4 Teams News

Tottenham 2-1 Liverpool Roman Pavlyuchenko scored a late winner as Tottenham came from behind to beat Liverpool and haul themselves off the foot off the Premier League table. Dirk Kuyt put Liverpool ahead when he smashed in a shot on three minutes. Darren Bent sliced a clearance against his own post before Steven Gerrard hit the post with a deflected shot and then saw his lob cannon back off the bar. Jamie Carragher headed into his own net to give Spurs hope and Pavlyuchenko tapped in from Bent's cross to win it. It was a remarkable turnaround for Tottenham, whose fortunes have been completely revived under the stewardship of new boss Harry Redknapp. We had a bit of luck - Redknapp And just as they had against Arsenal in midweek, Spurs seemed to be staring defeat in the face against Liverpool only to come back from the dead. The visitors, who have now been overtaken by Chelsea at the top of the table, will feel they should have won the game as they largely dominated on a rain-sodden pitch in torrential conditions. But they were made to pay for missed chances, while Spurs deserve credit for hanging in at times before finishing the game with spirit and belief. The way Liverpool started the match, it seemed the floodgates were set to open and Spurs were about to be swept away. Former Tottenham striker Robbie Keane wasted no time in reminding the home fans what they have been missing since his summer switch to Liverpool. Within three minutes of his return to White Hart Lane, the striker turned sharply away from Ledley King and laid the ball off to Kuyt, who smashed the ball into the top corner from a tight angle. It was very nearly worse for Spurs when Bent attempted to clear Gerrard's corner but he sliced the ball on to his own post. With Liverpool enjoying most of the possession, and passing the ball around confidently, there was little for Spurs fans to enjoy. Their only pleasure may have been to boo Keane every time he touched the ball. But for all Liverpool's greater fluency, they created few real opportunities. That said, Tottenham's only effort of note in the first half was a Luka Modric volley from the edge of the box that Pepe Reina dived full length to save. After the interval, Liverpool stepped up through the gears and created a succession of chances. First Gerrard struck a volley that Heurelho Gomes did well to on to the post after the ball had been diverted by King's arm. If that was Gomes at his best, the Brazilian soon showed his worst side when he sold King short with a pass and Gerrard almost scored with a shot that hit the bar. As Liverpool poured forward, Kuyt sent a shot just over the bar as he slid into the box to connect with a low cross. Benitez finds defeat at Spurs hard to take Another goal looked a certainty, but it was a total shock when it came as it was Tottenham who got it - and from an unlikely source. Carragher rose highest to meet a Spurs corner but succeeded only in directing his header into his own goal. Although the Tottenham players barely celebrated, the goal did have the effect of galvanising their spirits. And they almost went ahead when Reina spilled the ball to substitute Pavlyuchenko, but the striker blazed over the bar. However, he was given a chance to redeem himself when Bent saw his shot saved by Reina but reacted to deliver a cross for the Russian to make a hero of himself by notching the winner.

Stoke City 2-1 Arsenal Ricardo Fuller and Seyi Olofinjana both scored after long throw-ins by Rory Delap as Arsenal capitulated and also had Robin van Persie sent off. Delap sent a throw to the far post and Fuller glanced in for the opener. Delap, himself, then looped in a header that Gael Clichy cleared off the line before Olofinjana chested in Stoke's second from another Delap throw-in. Van Persie saw red for shoving Thomas Sorensen before Clichy pulled a goal back with a deflected shot. The defeat is another serious blow to Arsenal's title aspirations, while Stoke will be delighted with three points that take them a little further away from the drop zone. There was nothing pretty - or surprising - in the way Stoke went about their business, but it proved effective. Wenger frustrated after 'difficult day' An Arsenal side selected to cope with their opponents' physical presence struggled to handle Stoke strike pair Fuller and Mamady Sidibe. And a combination of Delap's speciality throw-in and Fuller's strength cost Arsenal dear as the pair fashioned Stoke's winner. Kolo Toure was dominated by Fuller, whose deft touch to Delap's delivery sent the ball past keeper Manuel Almunia. Arsenal, lacking the guile and pace of Robin van Persie and Theo Walcott - both on the bench - looked disjointed and bewildered. And it could have been worse for the Gunners had Delap managed to get a little more power on a goalbound header that Clichy cleared. A tame Emmanuel Adebayor shot that Sorensen comfortably gathered was the best Arsenal could muster. The Gunners brought on Walcott on 57 minutes in the hope of adding some thrust to their play. But with Cesc Fabregas a shadow of himself, one wondered where the England youngster's supply line would come from. Instead it was the hosts who almost scored when another Delap throw caused mayhem and Salif Diao's volley from the edge of the area was superbly saved by Almunia. It was a warning that Arsenal failed to heed, and from Delap's next throw-in, Ryan Shawcross nodded on and Olofinjana scrambled the ball over the line, nudging it forwards twice with his chest. Worse was to come on a miserable day for the visitors when Van Persie, on the pitch for only 12 minutes, was dismissed after needlessly barging into Sorensen. After a lengthy delay for an injury to Walcott, who was stretchered off, Clichy's effort from the edge of the box went in with the help of a couple of deflections. But there was to be no great escape for Arsenal, and they would not have deserved one.
Chelsea 5-0 Sunderland Nicolas Anelka hit a hat-trick as Chelsea demolished Sunderland and moved above Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table. Alex began the rout, tapping in when Marton Fulop allowed Joe Cole's shot to squirm free, and it was quickly 2-0 when Anelka met Frank Lampard's cross. Florent Malouda unselfishly set up Anelka to add a third goal and Lampard headed in Cole's cross to make it four. Anelka fired home from Malouda's cross to complete the scoring inside an hour. Stamford Bridge may no longer be seen as a fortress after Liverpool's victory there last weekend but, for Chelsea, this was the perfect riposte to seeing their 86-match unbeaten run ended in their last outing on home soil. Blues boss Luiz Felipe Scolari voiced his concern before the game that his side have been struggling to break down sides who come to west London merely to defend. But he had no such worries here as his side quickly took Sunderland apart in an opening 45 minutes that saw them score three goals that were as stylish as they were simple. From the start, with the visitors struggling to get out of their own half, it was clear that this game would be about whether Chelsea could find a way through their defence and, if so, how often. Initially, Sunderland defended resolutely and it appeared luck was also on their side when Deco's looping shot landed on top of the crossbar. Anelka hat-trick impresses Wilkins But Scolari's men made the breakthrough after 27 minutes when Joe Cole's shot eluded Fulop and Alex arrived to scoop the ball over the line and score Chelsea's 1,000th Premier League goal. Three minutes later, and in almost identical fashion, it was 2-0. This time Deco set Lampard free on the right and although Alex was first to his cross, it was Anelka who got the last touch. With his side chasing shadows, it was becoming an afternoon to forget for Black Cats boss Roy Keane but things soon got worse. As torrential rain continued to fall, Chelsea kept playing their instinctive passing game and scored a third goal just before the break to underline their superiority. Joe Cole linked up with Lampard, who in turn fed the ball to Malouda, and the French striker chose to give his compatriot Anelka the simple task of rolling his shot home. Keane, who felt Cole fouled Pascal Chimbonda in the build-up, was livid and his reward was to be banished from the dug-out for the second-half by referee Martin Atkinson. His view may have been better from the stands but his mood is unlikely to have improved after seeing his side continue to be outplayed after the break. Within six minutes of the restart, the majestic Cole got to the right-hand bye-line and stood the ball up for Lampard who, despite falling backwards got enough power on his header to put it in the far corner for his 100th league goal. Keane admits Sunderland were 'outclassed' And seconds later it was 5-0 - Anelka completing his hat-trick after sliding to meet Malouda's cross with a shot that Fulop should have kept out. After that flurry of five goals in 26 minutes, Scolari's side took their foot off the pedal, perhaps with one eye on their Champions League trip to Roma on Tuesday. Sunderland showed no signs of a recovery but they did threaten to salvage some pride when Djibril Cisse ran clear towards the end. But, on a day of landmarks for the home side, it was fitting that Petr Cech denied him and went on to keep his 100th clean sheet for Chelsea.


Man Utd 4-3 Hull Manchester United survived a late rally by Hull to move up to third place in the Premier League. Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring with a low strike before Daniel Cousin headed Hull level at the near post. Michael Carrick struck from 20 yards, Ronaldo headed in a corner and Nemanja Vidic volleyed home as United led 4-1. But Bernard Mendy lobbed Edwin van der Sar, and when Mendy was fouled by Rio Ferdinand, Geovanni converted the penalty to set up a grandstand finish. Hull started the match two points ahead of their opponents and defending an unbeaten away record in the Premier League but Phil Brown's team were outclassed by their illustrious and expensively assembled opponents for most of the game. Following the defeat against Chelsea on Wednesday, it was the first time the Tigers have lost successive games since their promotion to the Premier League. However, Hull continued to show the desire and willingness to compete that has already brought them 20 points - and in doing so came closer than at one point seemed possible to taking something from the match. Despite the late scare, United have really started to find their form after a quiet start to the season and have now won eight of their last nine fixtures while playing with increasing style and verve. Against Hull it was as if the United forwards, energised and challenged by a sublime piece of play from Dimitar Berbatov against West Ham on Wednesday, were all trying to showcase their talents. Ronaldo used the bottom of his boot to cushion a long ball into the path of Berbatov in only the third minute. The Bulgarian's cross-cum-shot was controlled by Ronaldo, whose shot on the turn with his left foot went in off the post. With the goal coming so early, the situation looked ominous for the visiting team, but United were guilty of over-playing time and again, with flicks, feints and elaborate turns the order of the day despite their slender lead. Occasionally a Hull player was made to look foolish - one turn from Berbatov leaving George Boateng chasing shadows while Ronaldo picked out a team-mate despite looking in the other direction. But the visiting team would not be cowed, chasing and challenging their illustrious opponents. And the Tigers stunned the vast majority of the crowd when Cousin brilliantly headed his team level at the near post from Andy Dawson's free-kick. United's electrifying play suddenly acquired a great deal more potency and a swift break culminated in Berbatov passing to Carrick, whose precise low strike with his left foot also went in off the post. Daniel Cousin (right) heads a goal for Hull at Old Trafford Cousin (right) was on the scoresheet for Hull The home team effectively sealed victory shortly before the break when Ronaldo headed the third from Nani's corner, the ball taking a slight deflection off Paul McShane. Berbatov shot across goal and wide shortly after the resumption while Ronaldo dallied after being played clean through and Kamil Zayatte made a brilliant block. But poor defending allowed a corner to reach Vidic low down and he guided the ball past Myhill, who should have done better. It was starting to look like a case of damage limitation for the Tigers - but it was Hull who scored next. Substitute Mendy brilliantly lobbed the ball over the advancing Van der Sar. Vidic almost pulled off a brilliant clearance but the linesman correctly ruled the ball had crossed the goal-line before the Serb booted it clear. Myhill saved a venomous strike from Rooney but Hull's never-say-die spirit ensured a dramatic final few minutes. Mendy was brought down by Ferdinand and Geovanni made no mistake from the spot. Rooney, for one, was flustered and was lucky to stay on the field after a couple of dangerous tackles in very quick succession. He was booked for the second of them.



Everton 1 - 0 Fulham
Chelsea 5 - 0 Sunderland
Man Utd 4 - 3 Hull City
Middlesbrough 1 - 1 West Ham
Portsmouth 1 - 2 Wigan
Stoke City 2 - 1 Arsenal
West Brom 2 - 2 Blackburn
Tottenham 2 - 1 Liverpool


here's some pictures of last night's games.

']

0 comments: