Premiership round up - Week 23

Man Utd v Hull - 4:0 - Rooney got United off to an early start (8), scoring off the rebound. Although there were further chances for both sides the game seemed to be moving towards a single goal result until the last few minutes, when Rooney got another three in quick succession (82, 86, 90+3), the first time he has scored four goals in a Premiership game. Rooney’s second goal was a power strike, his third a header from Nani’s, cross and the fourth a low hard drive. Rooney is in full flow at the moment, let’s hope he can maintain this form (injury-free, of course) for England.

Portsmouth v West Ham - 1:1 - West Ham should have won this game, they made far more openings early on, but Portsmouth’s keeper, Begovic, kept a clean sheet until Upson fortuitously chested the ball home (52). Portsmouth were the more adventurous side in the second half, whilst the Hammers seemed to have run out of steam, and Webber finally saved a point for Portsmouth, nut-megging Green for his first Pompey goal (76). Grant - ‘I was pleased (to get a point) because we were 1:0 down but I thought we could have had more.’ Zola - ‘It feels like two points dropped.’

Wolverhampton v Liverpool - 0:0 - To say that Liverpool should have won this game would ignore the fact that Wolves were resolute and defended well. Despite Gerrard’s return Liverpool could not take their chances although Wolves had few of their own. Neither group of fans were happy, but Wolves were the least unhappy. Benitez - ‘It was a tough game, overall… but the most positive thing is that it was another game without losing. In football you have good moments and bad moments, but the thing is to keep doing your best.’ McCarthy (on striker Kevin Doyle) - ‘If you see a better performance from a centre-forward than Doyle showed, I would like to see it. If he had just managed a goal, it would have been one of the best all-round performances.’ Now, how many centre-forwards could we say that about?

Bolton v Burnley - 1:0 - Coyle was abused by the Burnley fans, but was probably happy enough to take it in his stride as Bolton’s victory thrust struggling Burnley into the relegation red zone. This was Coyle’s first win as Bolton’s manager, leaving his successor at Burnley, Brian Laws, still awaiting his. The only goal was scored by Chung-Yong Lee, off the underside of the bar (35). Coyle insensitively strode on to the pitch after the game concluded. His attempts to sympathise with his former players and to applaud the Burnley fans was not appreciated. Coyle (on the Burnley fans’ reaction to him) - ‘I can't complain, they wanted to come and vent their anger. But if we're going to get biblical, then maybe it should be Moses (rather than Judas), because we led them from the wilderness.’ Laws (on Burnley’s injuries) - ‘While we need to defend better, the players are suffering. We could do with some new faces by the end of week.’

Tottenham v Fulham - 2:0 - A comfortable win by Spurs who dominated most of the match, although Zamora forced one good save from Gomes. Crouch got the first goal, poking the ball in past a dozing Chris Smalling from a Modric cross. Bentley, making his first league start since October, got the second (60), curling a free-kick which deflected off Riise past the hapless Schwarzer. Redknapp - ‘The main thing was for us to get the win. We have been playing well recently but have come up against a couple of keepers who have been in great form. I'm pleased with David Bentley's performance, he's got great ability and he showed that tonight. He's been unlucky not to have had more chances because of Aaron Lennon's form but all we can ask is that when he gets his chance he takes it and he did that tonight.’ Hodgson - ‘We were a little unlucky with the goals, the second one in particular because that was a cruel deflection.’ All goals against seem unlucky to the victims, Roy, even cruel.

Everton v Sunderland - 2:0 - Sunderland appear to be on a downward slippery slope as their defensive approach proved to have little effect against a resurgent Everton. Cahill put Everton ahead early with a header (7) from a well-weighted Fellaini cross. Twelve minutes later Donovan
sealed the result with his first Premier League goal, bursting into the area and ramming the ball home after Cahill won the ball in the air once more. Sunderland, without a win in nine league games, have a few home games coming up, but if they fail to take the opportunity to put their season back on course they could soon find themselves in serious relegation trouble. Bruce - ‘We haven’t started the game in the right manner, we didn't defend properly and we have to show a better attitude.’ Moyes (synopsis) - ‘The further up the league we go the more I like the way we are playing.’ (not quite what he said, but what Your Ear thinks he meant to say, nonetheless).

Chelsea v Birmingham - 3:0 - After 35 home games unbeaten and their 11th clean sheet of the season Chelsea returned to the top of the Premiership, having ended Birmingham's 15-match unbeaten run. Malouda got Chelsea off the mark early on with a simple header after good work by Joe Cole down the right wing (5). Lampard snatched the second with an accurate shot from 20 yards (32) and scored late (90) to wrap up a straightforward victory. Meanwhile, Birmingham were outclassed, and had only two shots on goal, which Cech dealt with competently. Chelsea, having scored 17 goals in the four matches without him, do not seem to have missed Drogba. Ancelotti - ‘It's good we are back at the top. We have one more point with a game in hand on United and two points more than Arsenal.’ McLeish - ‘I don't think anyone has won here this season and they have battered better teams than us. Chelsea are a good side, they have the foreign flavour, the keep-ball and movement is excellent. They are one of the favourites for the Champions League, let alone the Premier League. We have kept the ball better than that and were wasteful in possession, but I'll forgive the players this one. There's no disgrace losing here.’

Blackburn v Wigan - 2:1 - Defensive errors were responsible for all three goals in a nervy and uninspiring match. Wigan's defence was severely tested throughout the first half. Pedersen profited from one of Wigan keeper Stojkovic’s many errors (20) before Caldwell’s second-half header made it 1:1 (58). Pedersen headed against the crossbar before his corner kick was headed home by Kalinic (76). Allardyce - ‘We put enormous pressure on Wigan with the quality of our football, pressing them in their own box and it looked like it was going to be a case of dominating the play without scoring. Then all of a sudden Morten came up with an outstanding goal. You’d have to go a long way to see a better goal than that in the Premier League this season.’ Martinez - ‘In the first half we didn't get going… we weren't ourselves and couldn't get two or three passes together and found it difficult. The second half was different. We got the goal, but lapses in concentration meant we lost a football game we needed to get something out of.’

Aston Villa v Arsenal - 0:0 - Arsenal hit the woodwork twice, but failed to return to the top of the League as they were held to a draw by Villa. This was a dour struggle rather than exciting stuff, both sides tried to score but lacked any edge. Agbonlahor saw an early effort saved and Fabregas hit the post. And in the second half Downing headed wide and Rosicky’s close-range strike came off the crossbar. Villa remain in seventh place while Arsenal stay third. O'Neill - ‘We haven't had the points on board we probably deserve from our last four games. We haven't won or scored in four matches but we've had umpteen chances and I'm not concerned. Not just our effort but our play was terrific.’ Wenger - ‘We wanted three points, we got one. Maybe we dropped two. Villa made it difficult. We don't usually miss the chances we missed tonight. We know when we come here what we get and we were not disappointed. They play a very efficient English game with long balls and it is very physical. They are a good side at counter-attacking…’ O'Neill’s response to Wenger's comments - ‘He has made a few ridiculous statements in his time here and that is as good as any. That is an appalling insult. I thought we played splendidly in the game. Their keeper made a great save from Gabby (Agbonlahor) early on and Ashley Young produced some incredible balls into the box that just needed a touch on them.’ Handbags at the ready, gentlemen.