Premiership round up - Week 35

Man City v Man United - 0:1 - One of the last few crucial derbies of the season. Although the chances were lacklustre and not taken well it was end to end stuff, but the United stuff proved to be sterner - in the final minute the deadlock was broken by a vintage strike with his head by Paul Scholes off Nani’s cross (90+3).

Spurs v Chelsea - 2:1 - Spurs pressed Chelsea hard for the first 15 minutes of the game (now, why can’t they play like that against the lesser sides?) and eventually the ball kicked up unkindly into Terry who was judged to have handled it - Defoe duly converted from the spot (15). Chelsea looked extremely uncomfortable for most of the rest of the first half with Spurs creating chance after chance. Quite right too, as things turned out, as Bale showed tremendous pace and good accuracy to tuck the ball into the bottom left hand corner of the net (44). Gomes saved brilliantly in the in the 45th minute to send Chelsea in two down. Drogba came on as a substitute and seemed to become injured before the ball was kicked off the spot at the start of the second half. Defoe could have made it three, so could Bale, so could one or two others, and Chelsea had Cech to thank for plugging a leaking Chelsea defence. Terry was sent off for a second yellow for late but unmalicious challenges and Chelsea were on the back foot thereafter. In the second minute of stoppage time Lampard got one back but it was too little, too late. Bale is in tremendous form, as are most of the Tottenham players at the moment - pity about the FA Cup. Deep joy.

Sunderland v Burnley - 2:1 - Sunderland turned the screw continually in the opening stages of the game and were rewarded when Campbell scored off Hutton’s cross (15). Campbell became provider with a good header into Bent’s path for an easy strike (40). The second half saw Burnley turn a corner (if not the screw) and substitute Thompson managed to retrieve a goal late in the game (82).

Blackburn v Everton - 2:3 - Blackburn unbeaten in eight at home, Everton unbeaten in seven games, home or away, so this was a tough fixture for both sides. Everton got their noses in front with an early penalty (Arteta, 4) following a clumsy challenge on him by Nelsen. N'Zonzi levelled it with a truly great strike in the second half (69). Yakubu came on and seconds later, with his first touch, restored Everton's lead (79). However, Roberts scored as good a goal as N'Zonzi's to level the match again (81). Yakubu was obviously not about to be upstaged so he set the ball up nicely for Cahill to tap in the winner (90), Cahill ‘s first goal with his feet in over 12 months.

Stoke v Bolton - 1:2 - This should have been Stoke’s game after Kitson put Stoke in front with a good run, and a tap around the keeper (13). Bolton’s Klasnic nearly equalized early in the second half, but swept the ball wide. Stoke nearly had a second shortly after but Kitson missed at point blank range. Bolton drew level from a debatable free kick (Taylor, 85). Then Bolton nicked it two minutes later with a cheeky flick in (Taylor again, 88). Stoke should have got a point but Faye also missed an open goal. Pulis - ‘It's disappointing - we missed so many chances, and the game really should have been out of sight by the time they scored their first. The free-kick was frustrating, but it was just one of those games. It was Bolton's day and you just have to take it on the chin.’ Coyle - ‘It's a huge three points. I certainly felt it was a free-kick, and I was delighted we got it. We're not safe yet, there are still some good teams fighting for their lives, just as we are. We've got to keep picking up points, because there will be a few twists and turns yet.’

Birmingham v Hull - 0:0 - Both sides had opportunities but the first half proved profitless for both teams. Hull were the more determined side in the second half but had to settle for a goal-less draw.

Fulham v Wolves - 0:0 - Early on Zamora tried to score his 20th goal of the season but missed a half-decent chance with his head. Wolves pressed hard on occasion but Fulham always seemed more dangerous, particularly when Zamora cracked one against the post in the second half. In the end another no-score result from two tired-looking sides.

Wigan v Arsenal - 3:2 - Must be difficult for Arsenal fans to know that Spurs all but ended Arsenal’s title hopes in the previous match. Maybe Spurs can/will do the same for other league-leaders. After an anxious start Walcott, showing his normal blistering speed, made a breakthrough for Arsenal just before half time, almost walking the ball into the net (41). Arsenal seemed to have put the game beyond Wigan’s reach with their second goal, a free header for Sylvester from a corner (48). Wigan might have got one back through various solid attempts but could not convert their chances until Watson put the ball away neatly from a good cross (80). The last ten minutes were all Wigan with Arsenal’s frazzled nerves showing clearly as they defended corner after corner. Eventually Arsenal snapped and Bramble seized a soft chance when Almunia mishandled and dropped the ball from a corner, allowing Bramble to head home from less than two yards. Arsenal’s miserable day was concluded by N’Zogbia (90+1). No excuses from Mr Wenger for once, a bad day at the office.

Portsmouth v Aston Villa - 1:2 - Portsmouth went ahead when Brown finished precisely from a cross, possibly from an offside position (9). Carew should have equalized twice, but James got lucky (again). Carew did not miss his third opportunity when he was also offside (16). After a comedy of lost possession errors in the Portsmouth box Carew won and missed a penalty (James saved). Villa were denied a good penalty shout and finally Delfouneso chose a good moment to score his first Premiership goal from a flick-on by Heskey (82).

Liverpool v West Ham - 3:0 - A cheering win for Liverpool that leaves West Ham one place off the drop. Benayoun put Liverpool ahead from Gerrard’s cross in off his stomach (19). Ngog added a second with a fierce shot from a Rodriguez pass (29). After half time Kyrgiakos headed off the post and the ball went home in-off Green’s leg (o/g 59). Benitez - ‘We have to keep doing our job. It will be more difficult now [to qualify for the Champions League] because Tottenham won [against Chelsea], normally you would not expect them to win [Your Ear thinks he means Chelsea]. But we have to be in a good position if they make a mistake. West Ham started the game pushing but as soon as we scored the first goal it was easier, we had more chances and we scored the second goal and the third one killed the game.’ Zola - ‘We started well. We were quite comfortable on the pitch. We suffered on dead balls - normally we are very good defending against them but not today. The first goal was a killer, I felt we were on top of the game. The second was a distraction, that was a killer. (That makes a double murder - Your Ear). After 2:0 it was difficult for us. (???) In the second half we tried to have a go and press them hard but they scored on a dead ball.’

Hull v Aston Villa - 0:2 - Agbonlahor got Villa into a well-deserved lead against a sorry-looking Hull with a good finish against poor defending (13). Kilbane had a shot cleared off the line whilst Vennegoor of Hesselink suffered a head injury following a clash of heads with Dunne which added 10 minutes of extra time. Finally Milner scored from the spot after being tripped by Boateng (76). O'Neill - ‘We're in the mix. We're going for everything and guaranteed nothing. We're not even guaranteed to finish eighth in the league at this minute. We've gone above Liverpool with three games to go and that's pretty exceptional. But where I've been pleased with the team is they've responded fantastically to the defeat at Stamford Bridge. We've come back and taken 10 out of the last 12 points. I think the team has shown a great deal of character all season and I think that was epitomised tonight. It was a very professional performance, and I thought we played very well, but at 1-0 the game's still in the balance and it was good to get the second goal, and we saw it through reasonably comfortably.’

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