Premiership round up - Week 21

Stoke City v Fulham - 3:2 - Stoke held off a late Fulham rally to secure a first league win in six games at the Britannia. Awful defending gifted Stoke three goals by half-time. Tuncay started with a neat header (12). Faye slid in from close range (34) and Sidibe half-volleyed the third 3 minutes later. Despite Duff's deflected shot (61) and Dempsey's dipping long-range shot (85) Stoke held on. Pulis - ‘We've played better than today and not got a result. But the longer you go without a win, you get nervous and very uptight.’ Hodgson - ‘We were determined to give a better performance in the second half, and I think we did. In the second half, we showed we are a good football team, but unfortunately there aren't many teams that come back from three down in 45 minutes.’ Spot on.

Arsenal v Everton - 2:2 - Everton started well, and, having been beaten so solidly by Arsenal last time around (6:1), did well to take the lead (Osman, 12). The shock of going behind seemed to wake up the Gunners who pressed forward hard until they equalized (Denilson, 28). Everton, however, would not be kept down and had several chances of their own in heavy snow conditions. With nine minutes to go Pienaar scored with a confident cheeky chip. Rosicksy salvaged a draw for Arsenal in extra time with a deflected shot (90+2). This was a tough game in tough conditions. Arsenal suffered more problems, notably Denilson, who collapsed unchallenged in the second half and was stretchered off with a mystery injury, which is as yet not diagnosed. Arsene Wenger was complimentary to his opponents - 'It was closer to 3:1 (to Everton) than to 2:2.'

Birmingham v Man United - 1:1 - It was -6°C on the pitch but the game went ahead. Fletcher's missed shot sounded an early warning to Birmingham that ManU were well up for this game. Only a good save by Hart kept out Rooney. Nevertheless on their first sight of goal Birmingham put the ball away tidily (Jerome, 39) to gain the lead for the home side. The goal gave Birmingham heart but United levelled the game, forcing an own goal (Dann, 63). The game was end to end stuff thereafter, Fletcher was sent off and Kusack made a great save to make the game a draw for United. Twelve games unbeaten, nine games unchanged for Birmingham - a Premiership record.

Manchester City v Blackburn Rovers - 4:1 - A Tevez hat-trick winched City up to fourth place in the league following an emphatic win over Blackburn. Tevez put City in front from close range in the seventh minute before Richards doubled the lead after a strong 50-yard run (39). Tevez extended City’s lead after the break with a good 20-yard finish (49). Pedersen pulled a goal back for Blackburn (71) before Tevez got his third with a superb finish in extra time (90+1). Tevez looks good for the money now, and is homing in on Rooney’s seasonal tally of goals. Mancini - ‘We don't watch the table. We watch the table (in) two months. Now it is not important. There are 17 games to the end. Now it's important that we continue this way, we continue to play well and we continue to improve.’ Allardyce - ‘I have no complaints that Manchester City have beaten us, but we could have defended properly to stop some of those goals.’

The Ear - all the news that's fit to spout.