Premiership round up - Week 31

Arsenal v West Ham - 2:0 - The Gunners went ahead within 5 minutes when Denilson pushed the ball past Green after a strong Arsenal build-up. He might have had a second goal minutes later but failed to connect. West Ham did not take the early onslaught lying down and made a couple of forays into Gunner territory but could not make them pay off. The game was shaken up when Vermaelen was sent off as last defender for a mild looking challenge on Franco. However Diamanti’s penalty was saved by Almunia. The first half ended with Arsenal a goal up and a man down, but they looked comfortable in play, nonetheless. Cole nearly cracked in a shot but the post got in his way. Then Arsenal got a penalty when Upson handled the ball. Fabregas made no mistake and sealed the win (83). Wenger - ‘There is very little room for error, we just try to win the next game.’ Arsenal looking good.

Portsmouth v Hull - 3:2 - Hull, having finally ditched Phil Brown, walked onto the pitch under the stewardship of Iain Dowie. Portsmouth, meanwhile, started the game nine points lighter, having had them docked for going into administration. This was a dour match between two relegation candidates and it was Hull who struck first with a little luck on their side by way of a deflection (Folan, 27). Portsmouth got back into the game a few minutes later when the ball was almost walked into the net by Smith (37) and the first half ended with the sides level. More luck entered into the game when the ball fell to Folan off the referee (Oi, Ref!) and he (Folan, not the ref) competently slid the ball past James (73). O’Hara scored a magnificent long range goal (not in keeping with the rest of the game) from a short ball after a free kick (88). Finally, old rubber-feet (Kanu) showed great awareness to wang in Portsmouth’s third (89). Grant - ‘It’s always good to win, even if it doesn’t help us to stay in the league.’ Dowie - ‘Crucial game, unfortunately we lost it, we’ll crack on next week.’ It’s good to have Iain Dowie’s plain talking cracker-barrel horse sense with us once more.

Aston Villa v Wolves - 2:2 - The first two thirds of the high tempo first half was largely owned by Villa. Carew put them ahead from what might have been a marginally offside position with a simple tap in (16) but Wolves got something from almost nothing a few minutes later when, having hardly seen the ball except from their own goal-mouth, Craddock had an equally simple tap in at the other end (23). The normally resilient Villa were rattled, and became more so when Milner scored an own goal trying to cut out a cross (38). Villa regrouped during the break and came out firing on all cylinders (what does O’Neill puts in their orange juice at half time?). Villa had various opportunities but could not convert them until Carew managed to guide the ball in, again from a tight position, to get a draw (82). Villa should have won this game at a canter, but all credit to Wolves for the draw. After the game (on Carew’s goals, particularly the first one); McCarthy - ‘You can analyse it till it comes out your backside, he is still in an offside position.’ Carew (with wide grin) - ‘I’m sure both of them were on the limit, but the trick is to be just slightly onside, isn’t it?’ O’Neill - ‘You’re asking the wrong man about referees’ and linesmen’s decisions. Have you seen the Carling Cup final? Have you?’

Wigan v Burnley - 1:0 - Wigan came close to scoring first, but Burnley were saved by the post and later had a good penalty shout turned down. Jensen kept out a couple more for Burnley, particularly a great shot by Diame. Finally Rodallega, who had had a quiet game for him until extra time, snatched the winner with a powerful header (90+3) just as the referee was raising the whistle to his lips to end the game (well, almost). Laws - ‘Football can be really cruel, and it was really, really cruel today.’

Stoke v Spurs -1:2 - Crouch started as Defoe was injured, needing a goal to end his nine match drought. Stoke had one or two chances in the first half and Gomes seemed unable to hold the wet ball (although sometimes he has no better luck with a dry one). Gudjohnsen came on for Pavlyuchenko and made an immediate impact when he made a strong run into the Stoke 18 yard area to power home a shot (46), his first goal for Spurs (and his first in the Premiership for four years). Whitehead was sent off for a second bookable offence and from then on Spurs dominated the match. However, Stoke scored from a penalty when Assou-Ekotto climbed all over Kitson, Etherington calmly putting the ball passed Gomes (64). Fuller should have scored a second but missed an open goal. Assou-Ekotto made amends for conceding the penalty when he crossed the ball, Gudjohnsen let it run and Kranjcar whacked it in (77). Sidibe nearly equalized but Spurs stumbled through to a win against the 10 men.

Sunderland v Birmingham - 3:1 - Bent has the knack of being in the right place at the right time, his 18 league goals this season is testament to that. He was fortunate to be in the right place again early on for a rebound that he tapped in (5). Six minutes later he scored a good goal, beating a defender and the keeper with consummate ease (11). Birmingham had their moments but Sunderland’s flying start seemed to demoralize them and they missed four good chances late in the first and early in the second halves. Jerome revitalized his team, scoring an excellent goal following a canter down the left wing (60) and Birmingham were then all over Sunderland. But Campbell put the game beyond Birmingham’s reach with a well timed run and lunge at a cross which was fairly unstoppable (88). Bent - ‘I always knew if I came to Sunderland and got regular football I’d get the goals.’ So it seems.

Everton v Bolton - 2:0 - Bolton were playing well and holding Everton at bay with ease until Steinsson was judged to have fouled Yakubu by running across him and was sent off. Arteta duly scored from the resulting free kick (72). From then on the result was not in much doubt and Arteta provided a good cross which Pienaar comfortably placed in the back of the net (89). Seven successive home wins for Everton. Coyle - ‘Yakubu took a great touch across Steinsson and invited Steinsson to come onto him. If there's a collision there's not a lot of contact, but Mr Wiley deemed it a red card. To rub salt into the wound, because I believe it was a contentious decision, Mikel Arteta was allowed to take the free-kick four yards closer than he should have been. I don't agree with the decision and with then allowing Arteta to bring the ball forward to the arc, with the quality he's got.’ That’s it, only let them get closer to the goal on free kicks when they’re not much good at taking them, that seems fair.

Man Utd v Liverpool - 2:1 - United came from behind to beat Liverpool at Old Trafford, and regained top spot in the league. Torres headed Kuyt's cross home after only five minutes, recalling Liverpool's 4:1 victory here last season, but United were not in the mood for trifling. United got an opportunity to draw level by a penalty awarded when Valencia was pulled back by Mascherano as the pair ran into the area. Rooney missed his penalty, saved by Reina, but was the first to react and turn in the rebound (12). United dominated the rest of the match and got the winner on the hour when Fletcher's deep cross was headed in by Park.

Fulham v Man City - 1:2 - Fulham went behind early on as Santa Cruz tapped in after Bellamy’s shot came off the post (7). Tevez barrelled in City’s second from close range just before half-time (36). Barry handled the ball and Murphy scored from the spot (75) but Fulham could not get an equalizer. City are now two points behind Spurs with a game in hand, but two thirds of their remaining nine games are to be played at home. Hodgson - ‘It’s disappointing after such a good win on Thursday night to be brought back down to earth today.’ Mancini - ‘We must think game after game. We have won this but on Wednesday we have a hard match against Everton. There will be a fight until the end of the season.’ A right old punch-up, probably.

Blackburn v Chelsea - 1:1 - Having led for much of the game Chelsea dropped two points in drawing with hard-working Blackburn. Blackburn must like playing against Chelsea - three months ago Blackburn beat them in their Carling Cup penalty shoot-out. Anelka’s run on the right wing and pull back allowed Drogba to slot home (6). Samba went close with a header and Chelsea had many other chances but the second goal came from a tireless Blackburn effort when Diouf out-jumped Ferreira to head the ball in (70). The Blues have earned only seven points out of a possible 15 recently and their title hopes are on the wobble again. Does the fault lie at Terry’s door? Hard to say, but Chelsea seem fragile and edgy and needs to win its next game to regain second place in the league. Your Ear feels that third might be their final league position as Man United and Arsenal forge ahead. Ancelotti - ‘We have to improve.’ Allardyce - ‘They scored a quality goal just after a few minutes, but we’ve come fighting back.’

West Ham v Wolves - 1:3 - Wolves took a giant step forward to avoid relegation, imposing a heavy defeat on the Hammers. Foley hit the bar before Doyle squeezed a shot in-off the post (28). Zubar whacked in the second goal (58) and later put Jarvis through to thump home a very good third (61). Franco’s chip provided a late consolation goal for the Hammers (90+3). But it was too little, too late for a sorry West Ham who appear to have no idea where they are going or what they are doing, despite occasional initiatives by Cole around the box.

Aston Villa v Sunderland - 1:1 - Sunderland earned a good point and dented Villa's hopes of a top four finish. Halfway through the first half Campbell got Sunderland’s noses in front beating Friedel with a competent finish off Richardson’s pass (22). Carew put Villa back on terms eight minutes later, volleying a shot off a cross by Young (30). Both sides continued to press for a winning goal but neither side could capitalize on their chances. Bent ran the ball into the back of the net, but was ruled offside. O'Neill - ‘While we've been unbeaten for a considerable time, you'd be hoping that with two consecutive home games we'd have taken four points. But it's easier said than done, and we're still in there fighting. I think there will be plenty more twists to come in the race for fourth, but our away record is very good and I still think we're in the race.’ Bruce- ‘Will 38 points be enough? I would think so but the one thing we can't do is take anything for granted. Possibly one more win will be enough… but we have lost only one of the last nine games, against Arsenal, and we have hit a bit of form.’

Man City v Everton - 0:2 - Man City were well beaten by a tough Everton performance at Eastlands. Cahill scored, with his head as usual, following a good build-up by Arteta and Baines, who made the cross (33). City raised their game in the second half but could not impose their will on Everton. Having soaked up the City pressure Rodwell went on a good run and Arteta scored a fine second to rubber-stamp Everton’s victory (85). Towards the end of the game both managers were sent off (to the stands) as tempers frayed and Mancini jostled Moyes while trying to retrieve the ball. Moyes had the last laugh - he has now turned Mancini over twice. Mancini, on the incident with Moyes - ‘I've spoken now with David and if I made a mistake I am sorry. I wanted to get the ball because there was another five minutes at the end. This can happen sometimes in a game but it is finished now. I was frustrated for the players.’ Moyes: ‘I wasn't the one waving my hand for bookings. I was very surprised, I didn't know what I had done wrong. I shouldn't have been sent off, simple as. I held the ball longer than I should have but I was trying to make a change. He showed his passion for his team and his club and I can accept that.’

Portsmouth v Chelsea - 0:5 - No contest as Chelsea move into 2nd place in the league and to within a point of Man United, level on goal difference, crushing an underpowered Pompey with ease. Drogba got the ball rolling when he rolled the ball (sorry) into an empty net after James missed a clearance (32). Malouda got the second (50) and the third (60), walloping in the first, then passing the ball into the net after a Lampard shot was saved. Drogba got another, chesting down from Mikel’s long ball to fire in at the near post (77). Chelsea might have had more but Lampard completed a good day for the Blues in extra time (90+4), heading in after Drogba nodded down a high cross from Cole. The game was somewhat bad-tempered, Rocha was stretchered off with a suspected cheekbone fracture after an aerial challenge by Malouda and a trailing arm by Sturridge left Smith with a bloody nose. Ancelotti - ‘We are involved in the Premier League and the FA Cup, so maybe eight or nine games until the end of the season, so we need to maintain this period and this spirit to play. We have to prepare for these remaining games like they are finals.’ Assistant manager Perry Groves on Ricardo Rocha - ‘Ricardo has gone to hospital and Avram has gone with him. Ricardo may not play again this season. I thought the challenge merited a yellow card but I only had half an eye on the incident. There's not too many fit players left in our squad. There's always been a fantastic spirit amongst them and they'll always grind out results for you.’ It may be a very hard grind till the end of the season for Pompey, despite the fact that they may now sell players outside the normal transfer windows. Which players can they sell, and who will buy?

Blackburn v Birmingham - 2:1 - Dunn landed Blackburn a good win over their midland rivals. To begin with he smashed a fifth-minute shot past Hart once Birmingham failed to clear (5) and had another disallowed in the first half. And although Birmingham equalized early in the second half when McFadden scored a glorious left-footed free-kick (55). Blackburn would not be denied and Dunn later strongly headed home a corner delivered to the near post. Allardyce - ‘I'm proud to say we’re in the top four of the Premier League with home results. David Dunn turned the game in our favour and it was a shame he was denied a hat-trick - there was nothing wrong with that goal that was ruled out in the first-half. We must remember we have some terrific young players who have made massive contributions. Steven N'Zonzi is my player of the season. He's played every Premier League match. He is a major find.’ McLeish - ‘We totally dominated. I thought there was only going to be one winner after James (McFadden) equalized. We shipped in a soft goal but what annoyed me about it was the foul on Roger Johnson for the flick on that lead to the corner. Samba climbed all over the top of him and how can the referee not see that?’ Denied by the whistle again - how many times have we heard that this season?

Football News - On Fulham’s exit from the FA Cup - ‘It is a great loss,’ said St Hal of Totten and Ham. ‘Only the mighty Pompey now stands between us and our destiny, the Cup Final, for we were ever a cup side.’

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