Premiership round up - Week 29

Arsenal v Burnley - 3:1 - A four goal margin would have put Arsenal at the top of the table, and they should have had at least twelve, but Bendtner was having a bad hair day and missed most of the open goals he was presented with. In the end the Gunners only managed three. The first goal was training ground stuff. Fabregas (who at the end left the field with a hamstring injury) passed the ball sideways to Nasri and ran forwards to receive the chip return, which he slipped through the keeper’s legs first time (34). Having suffered almost total one-way traffic the most surprised people at the Emirates were the Burnley team when a rare through ball was headed over the keeper by Nugent (50). Walcott finally tired of trying to put Bendtner in and went inside and scored a good solo effort across Jensen (60). In the last few minutes the match became tense, with Burnley threatening to pull off a rare away draw. Arshavin settled it with a crisp shot in the last minute of the game (90+4). Wenger - ‘When we had our chances they (Burnley) were sometimes in our way…’ It’s called ‘defending’, Arsene.

Wolves v Man United - 0:1 - Rooney was not on the bench and United missed him sorely, even against a Wolves side labouring under a poor run since Christmas. The better chances fell to Wolves in the first half, with Doyle much to the fore. United pressed much harder in the second half and at last Scholes wriggled his way into space in the box to shoot across the keeper for his 100th Premier League goal (73). Diouf missed a sitter, then a long range shot on the break, then failed to pick up a loose ball in the box. Vokes missed the ‘gaping goal-mouth of the month’ chance as United lurched to a narrow victory. McCarthy - ‘We played well but I’m sick of saying that. If we maintain those standards, I firmly believe our luck will change. Sam (Vokes) would expect to score that chance at the end, but it’s the story of our season. There was a mistake at one end and a miss at the other. But we’ll never give up, as long as there is breath in our bodies.’ Ferguson (generous in victory, as always) - ‘We deserved the win, no question. They had an outstanding chance at the end but the lad didn’t take it.’

West Ham v Bolton - 1:2 - West Ham had lost their last five games against Bolton - and now six. The scoring was off to an early start when Davies used his head wisely, and well, to put the ball away (10). Diamanti nearly made a good free kick response but grazed the bar. Minutes later 18-year old Jack Wilshire, on loan from Arsenal, finished smartly to double Bolton’s lead (16). Jaaskelainen made two good saves to keep West Ham out and The Hammers had several other near misses in what remained of the first half. Cohen was sent off for a second yellow which left Bolton a man down for the last twenty minutes or so. West Ham tried to take full advantage of this and finally Diamanti showed some class with a curled shot from the edge of the box (88). With five minutes of added time West Ham drove forward and Stanislas hit the bar, but they failed to equalize. West Ham, who did not look up for it on the day, were booed off the pitch. Zola - ‘It was a poor performance today.’ Not many, Benny.

Everton v Hull - 5:1 - Hull had early chances but Yakubu had the best (missed) one. However, Yakubu soon put in a searching cross which Arteta scored on the volley (17). Shortly after, in the action yet again, Yakubu won a penalty. The penalty was doubtful, and, fortunately for Hull, was saved, although Yakubu’s shot did not show his best form. On the other hand 19 year old Tom Cairney brought the ball down well off his chest from a defensive header and whacked it first time across the keeper into the net (32). But Everton would not be denied, and Arteta picked his spot from a roll back by Pienaar, making it look easy (39). In the second half things went generally downhill for Hull, especially after Garcia scored an own goal following Arteta’s chip, which completely beat Myhill (51). Everton might have had another three or four, half of the chances falling to Yakubu, but Donovan got Everton’s fourth, lashing in a shot from a poorly defended cross (82). Rodwell got the fifth, completing Hull’s misery. Hull look like a ship adrift at sea (no pun intended).

Wigan v Liverpool - 1:0 - Liverpool were out-of-sorts, with four misses from Torres and five yellow cards. And Kuyt’s mistake led to Wigan's goal, with Boyce crossing and Rodallega volleying the ball into the net (35). N'Zogbia, who harried the Liverpool defence throughout, almost got a second for Wigan and the home side held on for a well-earned win. Fourth place in the league for the scousers looks less achievable now than before.

Portsmouth v Birmingham - 1:2 - Birmingham won revenge for their exit from the FA Cup on Saturday and brought Pompey back to earth with this victory at Fratton Park. Jerome gave the Blues an early lead from a Benitez ball he fired under James (16). He drove a second under James before the break off a nice back-heel (Benitez again, 42). Substitute Kanu headed home a cross by O'Hara (90+2) to take the game to a close finish but Portsmouth could not snatch an equalizer. McLeish - ‘We spoke before the game about how Pompey might have thought our confidence has dropped and that we didn't have much more to play for this season and we responded brilliantly. I was relieved at the final whistle as there was a bit of an onslaught. But we should have been out of sight by then. It was a disappointing goal to concede and the defenders are actually gutted because they're so proud of their clean sheets.’ So nice to go to bed in. Grant - ‘I think there was a physical effect because players had to play because we are short in the squad. But the players did a great job on Saturday and they tried to do it again. It's a very difficult situation. It's just become more and more difficult. We try to do everything to keep the spirit of the club. But many things happen off the pitch. It's not a secret that the financial situation is not good. We fight for the club. I hope we will not be docked the points.’ Dream on.

Sunderland v Bolton - 4:0 - Bent’s hat-trick put Bolton to the sword as Sunderland claimed their first league win of 2010. Campbell side-footed Sunderland ahead in the first minute and Bolton never recovered. Although it took some time Bolton fell further behind in the second half when Bent ran through and finished well (64). Ricketts was sent off for the foul that led to Bent's second from the spot (74) before he struck again late on (88). Prior to this game Sunderland had played 14 league matches without a win, moving them close to the relegation zone. But the victory lifts Sunderland above Bolton into 13th place in the league table. Bruce - ‘I’ve had a bad enough time trying to pick a team for the last three months, so I am not going to tell Fabio Capello how to do it. All I can say is he (Darren Bent) must be in his thoughts, he has to be because of his goal-scoring exploits. No disrespect to us, but to be at a team in the bottom half of the table and get what he has got, it's fantastic.’ Coyle - ‘We came in good form and looking to win a game, and when you concede a goal within 44 seconds it gives you a bit to do to get back into the game. Having said that, I thought the first half was even, but at the start of the second half we were the team in the ascendancy. We maybe could have worked Craig Gordon a little bit harder given the possession in the dangerous areas we were in, and ultimately, we paid a heavy price.’ Sorry, this is what the two managers said, Your Ear has only a vague idea what they meant.

Burnley v Stoke City - 1:1 – Burnley got their first point in five games in a scrappy match at Turf Moor. Delap's long throw was flicked on by Sidibe for Tuncay to head in from six yards to gain the lead for Stoke (23). Nugent equalized when he leapt higher than Huth to head in Paterson's deep and penetrating cross (52), but neither side could not find the winner. Laws - ‘ Everyone expects Burnley not to be in the Premier League next year but we believe it.’ Again, it’s what he said, probably not exactly what he meant, as he went on to say; ‘We have goals in us. We just have to keep it tight at the back. Nugent's goal was terrific, it was great ball in by Paterson. It set the tone and I am disappointed we didn't go on and win the game.’ Pulis - ‘We've had a lot of games lately against the bigger clubs and it takes a bit out of you. I thought we started the second half really flat. Give Burnley credit they had a right go and had the crowd behind them. We were down to the bare bones. We are still wearing nappies when the comes to the Premiership and we won't take any team lightly, certainly not a team near the foot of the league.’ What are these guys talking about?