Saturday's EPL Special LIVE:
Liverpool 1 vs Arsenal 2:
What a first half we had at Anfield between 7th placed Liverpool and 4th placed Arsenal. Striker Luis Suarez was awarded a controversial penalty after 18 minutes after Szczesny clipped his foot. Dirk Kuyt had his penalty well saved a Laurent Kosicelny past the post. Defender Laurent Kosicelny scored an own goal, five minutes later after clearing winger Stewart Downing's cross into his own net. Striker Robin Van Persie equalised for the away side in the 31st minute after heading full-back Bacary Sagna's cross past Pepe Reina.
In the second half, midfielder Mikel Arteta was injured (concussion) by Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson.
Because of this, there was 8 minutes of stoppage time to play, and captain Robin Van Persie hit the ball below Pepe Reina to give Arsenal the lead and the win eventually.
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| Celebration time: Robin Van Persie and Kieran Gibbs celebrate with the Arsenal fans, a late injury time winner for Arsenal against Liverpool. |
Liverpool will feel disappointed, as they hit the post many times and had a penalty saved (plus the rebound which should have been a goal).
The Gunners move within 4 points behind 3rd placed Tottenham while Liverpool drop 3 points (and stay 3 points) behind 6th placed Newcastle with a match in hand (from Carling Cup Final weekend)....
15:00pm kick-offs:
Blackburn Rovers vs Aston Villa:
Team News:
Aston Villa: Given, Hutton, Collins, Cuellar, Warnock, Petrov, Herd, Albrighton, Ireland, N'Zogbia, Agbonlahor. Subs: Guzan, Heskey, Bannan, Weimann, Lichaj, Baker, Gardner.
FACT: Blackburn have gone 29 matches without a clean sheet....
Manchester City vs Bolton Wanderers:
Team News:
Bolton: Bogdan, Steinsson, Knight, Wheater, Ricketts, Mark Davies, Reo-Coker, Ream, Pratley, Miyaichi, Ngog. Subs: Jaaskelainen, Robinson, Muamba, Eagles, Petrov, Klasnic, Sordell.
FACT: Manchester City could become the EPL first team to win their first 14 home matches since Newcastle in the 1906-07 season.
Stoke City vs Norwich City:
Team News:
Norwich: Ruddy, Martin, Ward, Whitbread, Naughton, Pilkington, Howson, Johnson, Elliot Bennett, Surman, Holt. Subs: Steer, Morison, Jackson, Hoolahan, Fox, Wilbraham, Ryan Bennett.
FACT: Norwich have only won 3 out of the last 13 matches against Stoke.
West Bromwich Albion vs Chelsea:
Team News:
Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Luiz, Cahill, Cole, Ramires, Essien, Lampard, Sturridge, Drogba, Mata. Subs: Turnbull, Romeu, Torres, Mikel, Malouda, Meireles, Hutchinson.
FACT: West Brom have lost all 11 matches against Chelsea in the last 11 meetings. Can they provide a shock today???
QPR vs Everton:
Team News:
Everton: Howard, Hibbert, Heitinga, Distin, Baines, Drenthe, Fellaini, Neville, Pienaar, Cahill, Stracqualursi. Subs: Mucha, Jagielka, Jelavic, Gueye, Barkley, Osman, Coleman.
FACT: QPR have only won 5 matches throughout this season, to Everton's 9.
Wigan Athletic vs Swansea:
Team News:
Wigan: Al Habsi, Alcaraz, Boyce, Caldwell, Figueroa, Gomez, McArthur, McCarthy, Beausejour, Sammon, Di Santo. Subs: Kirkland, Crusat, Watson, Moses, Rodallega, Diame, Stam.
Swansea: Vorm, Taylor, Williams, Caulker, Rangel, Britton, Allen, Sigurdsson, Dyer, Sinclair, Graham. Subs: Tremmel, Tate, Routledge, Monk, McEachran, Moore, Gower.
15:00pm: The 6 3oclock EPL matches have all kicked off here.
15:23pm:
Manchester City vs Bolton:
The first goal of the 3oclock matches (unsuprisingly) comes from The Ethiad Stadium.
Defender Gretar Steinsson with the own goal to put City ahead at home.
Three points for the hosts on the cards!
15:24pm:
Blackburn vs Aston Villa:
Winger Charles N'Zogbia opens the scoring at Ewood Park for the away side after 24 minutes! Villa ahead against 18th placed Blackburn (which also means that Blackburn are without a clean sheet for 30 matches...).
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| Winger Charles N'Zogbia striking to put the visitors ahead at Ewood Park. |
15:32pm:
QPR vs Everton:
Winger Royston Drenthe breaks the deadlock at Loftus Road with a 30-yard screamer! If Everton do not make this a permanent signing at the end of the season, I do not know what is wrong with them....
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| Royston Drenthe: Puts Everton ahead at Loftus Road against a strong QPR side. |
15:36pm:
QPR vs Everton:
It was not long!
Everton's lead vanished before their eyes, with new striker Bobby Zamora scores a header from a free-kick to score his second goal in a Rangers shirt!
1-1 at Loftus Road.
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| Striker Bobby Zamora heads in an equaliser for QPR against Everton from a free-kick to make it 1-1 after 36 minutes. |
15:45:
Wigan vs Swansea:
Striker Gylfi Sigurdsson breaks the deadlock for Swansea just before half-time. Cruel for Wigan and their supporters. Great goal.
1-0 to the away side.
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| Sigurdsson curls the ball over Ali Al Habsi to break the deadlock at the DW Stadium in the last minute of the first half. |
15:48pm: The first halves have finished, referees have blown their whistles. Now it is time for managers to inspire players to continue to play/improve and make changes to their side.
Note: I am talking to Chelsea manger Andre Villas Boas in particular...
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| Andre Villas Boas: Under-fire is an understatement.... |
16:01pm: The second halves have started to kick-off in the EPL now.
16:10pm:
Wigan vs Swansea:
Whatever Brendan Rodgers said during half-time worked, as Sigurdsson doubles Swansea's lead with a 30-yard power free-kick and his total for the match here at The DW.
2-0 to The Swans. Wigan have everything to do now....
16:21pm:
Wigan vs Swansea:
No, not another goal here but winger Nathan Dyer had been given a straight red card for a late tackle on Wigan's Jordi Gomez.
Is this a lifeline or what?
16:28pm:
Manchester City vs Bolton:
City's lead is doubled here in the 69th minute at The Ethiad Stadium... by no-one other than striker Mario Balotelli! Super Mario!
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| Striker Mario Balotelli scores to double City's lead against Bolton after 69 minutes - to score his 14th goal of the season. |
16:31pm:
Stoke vs Norwich:
The deadlock has finally been broken here at The Brittania, and the home side are the team in-front with winger Matthew Etherington scoring the goal.
16:41pm:
West Brom vs Chelsea:
A goal at The Hawthorns! And it has NOT gone to the away side, with midfielder Gareth McAuley breaking the deadlock in the 82nd minute! What a shock! What a goal for WBA! They could win the match from here!!!!
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| Gareth McAuley gives Chelsea more in trouble at The Hawthorns by scoring a late winner for West Brom. |
16:44pm:
Blackburn Rovers vs Aston Villa:
Defender Scott ann scores a late 85th minute equaliser here at Ewood Park to save manager Steve Kean's skin (for now).
Can either side go for the winner now?
16:51pm:
The referees blow their whistles in the 3oclock EPL matches....
Full-time scores today:
12:45:
Liverpool 1 Arsenal 2
15:00:
Manchester City 2 Bolton Wanderers 0
Mario Balotelli and a Gretar Steinsson own goal moves City 5 points clear at the top of the table, in-front of rivals Manchester United who play against Tottenham at White Hart Lane tomorrow.
Blackburn Rovers 1 Aston Villa 1
A Scott Dann late equaliser cancelled out winger Charles N'Zogbia's 24th minute strike to give Rovers a well-earned point at home.
FACT: Blackburn have now not kept a clean sheet in 30 matches.
Stoke City 1 Norwich City 0
Matthew Etherington scored the only gola of the match for the home side at The Brittania Stadium in the 72nd minute as The Potters take a vital 3 points in fight for a top 10 finish.
FACT: Norwich have now conceded 44 goals this season.
QPR 1 Everton 1
Royston Drenthe and Bobby Zamora both scored for either club as both teams took a point from the match at Loftus Road.
QPR are now in 16th place, while Everton are in 11th.
West Bromwich Albion 1 Chelsea 0
Gareth McAuley's 82nd minute strike allowed West Brom to beat Chelsea for the first time in over 10 years.
'Your getting sacked in the morning' is being chanted to Andre Villas Boas (as if it was not all ready!)
FACT: Chelsea are now 20 points behind EPL leaders Manchester City.
FACT: West Brom have beaten Chelsea for the first time in the EPL at The Hawhtorns since 1979.
Wigan 0 Swansea 2
On-loan midfielder Sylfi Sigurdsson scored twice for The Swans as they move within 6 points of 7th placed Liverpool.
Wigan stay bottom of the table with only 20 points this season.
NEWS UPDATE:
In Chelsea manager Andre Villas Boas's press conference, he said that he is NOT fearing for his future at Chelsea.
In Arsenal's press conference, Arsene Wenger has said that Arsenal need to keep in-form captain (and striker) Robin Van Persie.
Well, wins for Arsenal, Stoke, Manchester City and Swansea, while Liverpool and Chelsea drop vital points in the race for the coveted 4th place (last Champions League spot).
Many journalists wrote West Brom off before they beat Chelsea 1-0 at The Hawthorns, meanwhile at Anfield, The Reds were supposed to dispose of Arsenal which failed to happen thanks to captain Robin Van Persie.
This amazing weekend (so far) shows you that anything is possible in the EPL this season.
Thank you for reading my EPL Blog and the continued support from followers and views everyday.
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Spread the word to your friends and family, and I will see you all later everyone!
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