Sunday 4 December 2011

Yesterday's EPL Match Reviews, Today's EPL Results and FA Cup Third Round Draw:





Today's EPL Results:


Newcastle United 0 Chelsea 3
This match came from St James Park as Newcastle faced Chelsea. In the 38th minute, Juan Mata crossed the ball to striker Didier Drogba who headerered the ball past Tim Krul. In the 89th minute, Fernando Torres pass the ball to substitute Salomon Kalou who scored from 15 yards out to make it 2-0. In the 90+2nd minute, to add salt to the wounds Daniel Sturridge hit the ball past Krul into the net. Chelsea move up to 4th place with 28 points and Newcastle move down to 6th with 26 points. Newcastle will feel disappointed that they did not at least take a point as they put pressure on Chelsea throughout the match with Demba Ba and Sammy Ameobi hitting the post and bar several times.

Attendance: 52,305


Blackburn Rovers 4 Swansea City 2
This match came from Ewood Park as bottom club Blackburn host a Swansea side who had not scored for 4 and a half hours. In the 20th minute, Gael Givet ran into the box and pulled the ball back to striker Yakubu who hit the ball into the net for 1-0 to the home side. In the 35th minute, Swansea striker Leroy Lita equalised with a header in the 16 yard box from a cross. In the 45+2nd minute, a Blackburn corner was taken by cleared straight to midfielder Vukovic who volleyed the ball. Yakubu deflected the ball with his head into the goal to give Blackburn the lead at the break. In the 57th minute, a Blackburn corner was taken by midfielder Morten Gamst Pedersen who crossed the ball to defender Christopher Samba who headered the ball into the 6 yard box for Yakubu who scored his hat-trick to make it 3-1. In the 66th minute, Luke Moore scored a rebound from the 16 yard box and gave Swansea a lifeline.
In the 80th minute, defender Joe Allen recieved a second yellow card and brought Swansea down to ten men.
In the 82nd minute, Yakubu ensured Blackburn took all three points and scored a well-taken penalty.
Blackburn move up to 18th place in the table with 10 points while Swansea move down to 14th place with 14 points.

Attendance: 23,080


Manchester City 5 Norwich City 1
This match came from the Eithad Stadium as top of the EPL table Manchester City played against new boys Norwich City. 

City attacked hard from the first whistle and in the 32nd minute, Sergio Aguero broke the deadlock after a flick and spin past 2 defenders in the 6 yard box. In the 51st minute, a free-kick 35 yards out from Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri bobbled past keeper John Ruddy to make it 2-0 to the home side. In the 68th minute, City passed and moved well, Yaya Toure curled the ball from 16 yards out past the keerp into the far corner of the goal to seal all three points for City. In the 81st minute, a Norwich corner was whipped into the box and striker Steve Morison scored with an overpowering header past City goalkeeper Joe Hart for a consolation goal. In the 88th minute, Edin Dzeko passed the ball to Mario Balotelli who had his shot parried by John Ruddy. The ball deflected off the crossbar and Balotelli scored the rebound with a cheeky shoulder flick to make it 4-1. City winger Adam Johnson cut inside the box and went passed two defenders before hitting the ball low into the bottom corner to make it a 5-1 thrashing. City stay 5 points clear at the top of the EPL table while Norwich move down to 11th place with 16 points.


Attendance: 47,201
FACT: Manchester City have now scored 48 goals in this EPL seaon from 14 matches.

QPR 1 West Bromwich Albion 1
This match came from Loftus Road as QPR faced West Brom. There was only 1 point between both sides and if either side won, they would have moved up in the EPL table. Striker Heidar Helguson opened the scoring with a powerful header for QPR in the 20th minute from a dangerous cross into the box. In the 24th minute, QPR forward Shaun Wright Phillips moved past three defenders easily and volleyed the ball past keeper Ben Foster to make it 2-0 to QPR.... but it was ruled offside... which is was not and was denied a brilliantly taken goal. Republic Of Ireland striker Shane Long equalised for West Brom in the 81st minute from a breakaway cross by Nigerian striker Peter Odemwingie.
Attendance: 17,290
FACT: QPR striker Heidar Helguson has now scored 6 goals in the EPL this season.

Tottenham Hotspur 3 Bolton Wanderers 0
This match came from White Hart Lane as an in-form Tottenham squad hosted bottom three club Bolton.

Wigan Athletic 0 Arsenal 4
This match came from the DW Stadium as 18th Wigan faced 7th placed Arsenal.
FACT: Arsenal captain Robin Van Persie has scored more goals this season than the whole Wigan squad together. 
Midfielder Mikel Arteta scored to break the deadlock from 22 yards out in the 28th minute. Robin Van Persie crossed the ball into the box for defender Thomas Vermaelen who pounced on the ball and squeezes it passed keeper Ali Al Habsi. 
Captain Van Persie took a shot which was parried, Gervinho tapped the ball past the keeper into the net in the 61st minute to make it 3-0. Theo Walcott has a sudden burst of pace into the box in the 79th minute, passed the ball into Van Persie's feet who scored his 14th EPL goal this season to make it a comfortable 4-0 win.
Arsenal move up to 5th place with 26 points while Wigan drop down to 20th place with only 9 points from 14 matches this season. 

Attendance: 19,280

Aston Villa 0 Manchester United 1
This was an interesting match from Villa Park as 9th placed Aston Villa faced 2nd placed United. United striker Javier Hernandez was stretchered off in the 7th minute as he tweaked his ankle and damaged the ankle ligaments to give the away side a headache. Defender turned midfielder Phil Jones opened the scoring for United in the 20th minute from a Nani cross attacked with intent from the young Englishman. Aston Villa's Shay Given and Jermaine Jenas were both also injured in the game and in the end Manchester United prevailed with a slender lead. 
Villa will feel disappointed that they did not take a point at home as they battled well throughout and only conceded one goal.

FACT: Phil Jones scored his first senior goal for Manchester United.
FACT: Midfielder Ashley Young faced his former club Aston Villa who he had played just under 200 matches for.


Attendance: 40,053



Manchester United's Phil Jones celebrating his first EPL goal this season against Aston Villa in the 20th minute.



FA Cup EPL (teams) Third Round Fixtures:

Manchester City vs Manchester United
Bristol Rovers vs Aston Villa
Tottenham Hotspur vs Cheltenham
MK Dons vs QPR
Fulham vs Charlton
Birmingham City vs Wolves
Norwich vs Burnley
Arsenal vs Leeds
Swindon Town vs Wigan Athletic
Barnsley vs Swansea City
Chelmsford/Macclesfield vs Bolton Wanderers
Newcastle United vs Blackburn Rovers
Everton vs Tamworth 
Liverpool vs Southend/Oldham
Gillingham vs Stoke City
Chelsea vs Portsmouth

Peterborough vs Sunderland
West Bromwich Albion vs Cardiff

City vs United will be a mouth watering fixture along with West Brom vs Cardiff and Newcastle vs Blackburn Rovers.
No real shock results predicted everywhere else thouugh, routine wins for Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur expected.


Thanks for reading..
See you on Tuesday/Wednesday with the Last fixtures, analysis and latest results from the Champions League Group Stages.

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