There were plenty of draws in the Premier League over the weekend, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t goals. Only one game finished 0-0 (the one I was at, naturally), but elsewhere there were 2-2 draws, a 3-2 away win and drama aplenty. It was a weekend that was overshadowed beforehand by Liverpool’s court dates and afterwards by Wayne Rooney’s ‘Later, wankers’ to Manchester United, but on the field there was much to enjoy.
Arsenal 2-1 Birmingham City
The home side had a goal disallowed before conceding the first goal against Birmingham, Nikola Zigic’s header putting Blues in front. Scott Dann felled Marouane Chamakh - I say felled, he just breathed near him - in the box to concede a penalty which Samir Nasri smashed in to equalise. Chamakh got the winner and it was a sublime combination of passing, skill, luck and composure. But the headlines were about teenager Jack Wilshere, who was dismissed for a high, studs-up tackle on Zigic. That should put the tackling issue into perspective at the Emirates, but it won’t.
Bolton Wanderers 2-1 Stoke City
The Danny Murphy Derby went Bolton’s way, but they made hard work of it. Chung-Yong Lee bent the first of the game past Thomas Sorensen but the Potters and the Trotters were level again in the second half thanks to Rory Delap’s first goal in forever. Stoke had already hit the bar and been denied a penalty by the time they found the equaliser. Ivan Klasnic’s turn and volley won it for the home side and then managed to get himself sent off. He was booked for a none-too-subtle throat grab and then got a second yellow for a stray elbow.
Fulham 1-2 Tottenham Hotspur
For all Fulham’s early momentum, it was Spurs who took the points at Craven Cottage. Diomansy Kamara’s open goal for their lead was superbly assisted by Clint Dempsey but it was quickly cancelled out when Roman Pavlyuchenko reacted fasted to Rafael van der Vaart’s shot hitting the crossbar. Tom Huddlestone’s driven winner became a point of controversy when Mike Dean over-ruled his assistant, who’d put up his flag against William Gallas, who was in front of Mark Schwarzer in an offside position and attempted to touch the ball on its way in.
Manchester United 2-2 West Bromwich Albion
Yet more points dropped in worrying circumstances for Manchester United. They were 2-0 up at Old Trafford thanks to Javier Hernandez’s punishment of Scott Carson’s poor handling and Nani’s finish after a neat one-two with Dimitar Berbatov. But Albion were gifted a draw, with Chris Brunt’s low free kick being turned over the line by Patrice Evra and Somen Tchoyi tapping in after a horrible fumble by Edwin van der Sar. The introduction of Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes from the bench failed to have the desired effect.
Newcastle United 2-2 Wigan Athletic
Everything Man Utd do, Wigan can do better. That’s not true, of course, but they gave them a run for their money in the points-dropping stakes on Saturday. Charles N’Zogbia did the damage for the visitors, leaping like a vengeful salmon to head in Wigan’s first and smashing in a brilliant second less than two minutes later. Shola Ameobi dragged Newcastle back into it from a Jonas Gutierrez cross and the equaliser came right at the death through Fabricio Coloccini.
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-1 West Ham United
The league’s basement clubs met in the West Midlands on Saturday and it was Wolves who got themselves in front. Matt Jarvis turned the ball in after a terrible flap by Rob Green. Mark Noble equalised from the penalty spot and Frederic Piquionne hit the crossbar with Marcus Hahnemann beaten. There was late drama too. Piquionne found the net but the whistle had already gone for handball. Having seen a few replays, it looks to have been a harsh decision.
Aston Villa 0-0 Chelsea
It was goalless in the final game on Saturday but somewhat surprisingly I felt it was Villa that should have won it. Stephen Ireland and John Carew wasted great chances in the opening minutes, with Nigel Reo-Coker’s endless hard work earning him the last opportunity of the match, which he squandered in uncomfortable territory. The woodwork worked hard too, with Villa’s Ciaran Clark hitting the post from a brilliant Ashley Young free kick, and Chelsea hitting the frame of the goal twice in the second half.
Everton 2-0 Liverpool
It’s been a week of high drama in Liverpool…well, in London. But it was business as usual for Roy Hodgson’s side as they went down 2-0 at Goodison against their local rivals. Seamus Coleman’s strong run after 34 minutes resulted in a clip back towards Tim Cahill, who smashed in Everton’s first goal from seven yards. Mikel Arteta thumped in the second from the edge of the area to send Liverpool’s season into crisis from calamity.
Blackpool 2-3 Manchester City
Blackpool might be beaten heavily a few more times this season, but they’ll dish out a few bloody noses too. They certainly kept Man City on their toes on Sunday. All the goals came in the second half, Carlos Tevez flicking in cleverly from close range. Marlon Harewood headed in the equaliser but no sooner had he finished his celebration than City were back in front. Again it was Tevez, this time a deflected shot from the edge of the box. David Silva’s tricky run made his goal the pick of the five, but Blackpool got a consolation through Gary Taylor-Fletcher.
Blackburn Rovers v Sunderland
Monday night’s game in the Premier League is a slightly unattractive prospect, with Steve Bruce’s Sunderland heading for Ewood Park to play Blackburn Rovers. The pair are level on eight points, just two ahead of bottom trio West Ham, Liverpool and Wolves.
Top Five Players: Heurelho Gomes (Tottenham Hotspur), Marouane Chamakh (Arsenal), Joey Barton (Newcastle United), Florent Malouda (Chelsea), Tim Cahill (Everton)