EPL LIVE Saturday Special:

Hello and welcome to the 25th Round of EPL Matches in the 2011/12 Season. 
This is going to be an interesting week of football with five clubs playing in Europe next week.


Watch out for Tottenham vs Newcastle and Blackburn vs QPR which could be goal feasts.....


Today's EPL Matches:

Early kick-off:
Manchester United vs Liverpool: LIVE (started) at 12:45pm

Interesting match ahead at Old Trafford as striker Luis Suarez returns from an eight match ban to face the team who gave his the ban - Manchester United. Liverpool are eyeing the last Champions League spot while United will be desperate to continue pressurising rivals City in 1st place.

United will be looking for revenge after losing to The Reds in the FA Cup 4th Round who are on a high after beating both Manchester clubs and have won three matches in a row. Expect drama and shots.

Man Utd: De Gea, Rafael Da Silva, Ferdinand, Evans, Evra, Valencia, Carrick, Scholes, Giggs, Rooney, Welbeck.
Subs: Amos, Berbatov, Park, Hernandez, Fabio Da Silva, Cleverley, Pogba.
Weaker than usual?
United are wearing their home kit and are weaing black armbands because this is their first home match since Monday's anniversary of the Munich air disaster.

Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, Jose Enrique, Spearing, Henderson, Kuyt, Gerrard, Downing, Suarez. Subs: Doni, Carroll, Carragher, Adam, Shelvey, Kelly, Bellamy.
Adam should be playing instead of Spearing....?
Liverpool are wearing their alternate (white and blue) kit.

Prediction: Manchester United win as they are at home, they want revenge against Liverpool and are looking to get their 20th EPL title this season..
Even though The Reds have the second best defensive record in the EPL this season, United have the second best goal record this season.....
0: The match is finally underway here between Manchester United and Liverpool. The main story in the last 5 minutes is that Suarez has snubbed a handhake from Evra.
1: Defender Rio Ferdinand is needing treatment after Suarez barged he onto Evra and on the floor.
6: Antonio Valencia is fouled by Jose Enrique just outside the box on the right hand side. Giggs delivers the ball in and Glen Johnson heads it behind with Rooney lurking. The corner falls to Rooney but his header is weak and into the hands of Pepe Reina.
10: Luis Suarez is getting unsurprisingly booed here.
12: Liverpool holding the ball, trying to dominate here.
26: Giggs on the ball, passes straight to Rooney who drills a shot low and hard from 25 yards out.... WIDE!!!
30: Cross by Valencia into the box for Scholes who heads the ball towards goal...... Reina parries and Skrtel clears the ball out of the danger area.
Close from United, finally starting to play like champions....
34: Giggs finds Valencia who whips a ball into the box, high for Patrice Evra who jumps over the defender and heads the ball.... OVER THE BAR!!!
37: Danny Welbeck runs at the Liverpool defence and finds himself inside the box before taking a shot.... WIDE!
Good play by the young striker.
41: Midfielder Steven Gerrard takes a shot..... deflected for a corner.
44: Liverpool midfielder Stewart Downing gets the first yellow card of the match after a late tackle.
45: The fourth official signals 2 minutes of stoppage time to be added on.
45+2: The referee blows the whistle for half-time here.
United should be in-front at half-time due to their chances, but don't be surprised if they come out in the second half all guns blazing against Liverpool who want to keep them grounded.

45: The referee blows the whistle to start the second half here.
46: United win a corner in the opening minute of the second half. Ryan Giggs flicks the ball into the box for Wayne Rooney who volleys the ball towards goal.... GOAL!!!! 
In the first minute of the second half, what a reaction by United!
50: Midfielder Jay Spearing loses the ball to United's Valencia, he passes the ball to striker Wayne Rooney and he slots the ball past Pepe Reina into the goal to double United's lead in the space of 3 minutes.
What a start to the second half for United!
53: 'Suarez, Suarez, what's the score' rings out around Old Trafford as the United fans celebrate. Striker Andy Carroll is currently warming up on the touchline.
80: Midfielder Michael Carrick is cautioned with a yellow card after a tackle. 
Striker Luis Suarez shoots inside the box..... GOAL!!!
Is it too little, too late for Liverpool?
90: The referee blows the final whistle here at Old Trafford. 
United move up to 1st place, 1 point ahead of rivals City who face Aston Villa at 4pm tomorrow. Liverpool stay in a lowly 7th place with 39 points from 25 matches.


Manchester United 2 Liverpool 1

Today's 15:00pm kick-offs (unless stated):

Sunderland vs Arsenal
Blackburn vs QPR
Bolton Wanderers vs Wigan Athletic
Everton vs Chelsea
Fulham vs Stoke City
Swansea vs Norwich
Tottenham Hotpsur vs Newcastle United: LIVE at 17:30pm


15:00: The 15:00pm kick-offs have all kicked off in the EPL.


15:05:
Everton vs Chelsea: LIVE
On loan midfielder Steven Pienaar scores for Everton on his second spell for the club after 5 minutes! Chelsea are behind away from home after 5 minutes.

Midfielder Steven Pienaar celebrates after beating goalkeeper Petr Cech to put his side 1-0 up in the 5th minute against Chelsea.

15:15:
Blackburn vs QPR: LIVE
Nigerian striker Yakubu scores his 13th goal of the season for Blackburn to break the deadlock for the home side after 15 minutes. 


15:16:
Fulham vs Stoke: LIVE
Striker Pavel Pogrebnyak (what a tongue twister!) scores his first goal for his new club after moving in the January Transfer Window.

Pogrebnyak: New Fulham goal-scorer???

15:23:
Blackburn vs QPR: LIVE
Miidfielder Steven NZonzi doubles Blackburn's lead in the 23rd minute to put the home side 2-0 ahead.


15:28:
Fulham vs Stoke: LIVE
Goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen has scored a goal here - an own goal. Doubles Fulham's lead.


Swansea vs Norwich: LIVE
Striker Danny Graham opens the scoring with his 12th of the season at The Liberty Stadium to put Swansea 1-0 ahead. 


15:43: 
Bolton vs Wigan: LIVE
Defender Gary Caldwell scores for Wigan to put the away side in-front just before half-time. Roberto Martinez' team talk is going to change now....


15:45:
Blackburn vs QPR: LIVE 
Defender Nedum Onuoha scores the second own goal of the afternoon after his deflection from midfielder Junior Holiett's shot turned into his own net to put Blackburn comfortably 3-0 up at half-time.


15:48:
The 15:00pm kick-offs in the EPL have all grinded to a holt for fifteen minutes while the managers talk tactics to the players....


HALF-TIMES:
Blackburn 3 QPR 0
Bolton 0 Wigan 1
Everton 1 Chelsea 0
Sunderland 0 Arsenal 0
Swansea 1 Norwich 0
Fulham 2 Stoke 0


16:03:
The second halves have started in the EPL all over the country.


16:05:
Swansea vs Norwich:
And the first goal of the second half comes from The Liberty Stadium...
In-form English (hint hint) midfielder Grant Holt equalises for the away side after 47 minutes.

Norwich celebrate forward Grant Holt's equaliser in the 47th minute at The Liberty Stadium.

16:09:
Swansea vs Norwich:
Antony Pilkington puts The Canaries ahead in the match for the first time after 51 minutes to give Swansea a headache.
Quick start by Norwich in this second half....


16:21:
Swansea vs Norwich:
ANOTHER GOAL from The Liberty Stadium......
Grant Holt scores again to put Norwich 3-1 up in the 63rd minute!


16:25:
Bolton vs Wigan:
Midfielder Mark Davies scores an equaliser for Bolton after 67 minutes to make it 1-1 at The Reebok.


16:28
Sunderland vs Arsenal:
Finally a goal here at The Stadium of Light, but for the in-form hosts as midfielder Josh McClean opens the scoring in the 70th minute!

Midfielder Josh McClean opens the scoring for the home side against Arsenal after 70 minutes.

16:29: 
Blackburn vs QPR: LIVE
Striker Jamie Mackie brings a goal back for the away side as Rangers fight for a late comeback.


Everton vs Chelsea: LIVE
Denis Stracquarlursi doubles The Toffees' lead at Goodison Park against 4th placed Chelsea in the 71st minute!
Surely no way back for The Blues now!?!?


16:34:
Sunderland vs Arsenal: LIVE
Midfielder Aaron Ramsey comes off the Arsenal bench - three minutes later, he equalises for the away side! 1-1 with 15 minutes left of the game, it could still go either way here..

Ramsey's strike levelled the match against Sunderland in the 75th minute.

16:35:
Bolton vs Wigan: LIVE
James McCarthur puts the away side ahead once again after 76 minutes at The Reebok.


16:37:
Fulham vs Stoke: LIVE
Defender Ryan Shawcross halves Fulham's lead in the 78th minute... The Potters have faint hope of salvaging something in this match.


16:48:
Swansea vs Norwich: LIVE
Striker Danny Graham scores his second of the match from the penalty spot in the 89th minute to halve Norwich's 3-1 lead to 3-2...
1 minute plus stoppage time for Swansea to get something here...


16:49:
Blackburn vs QPR: LIVE
Striker Jamie Mackie scores his second of the day but surely it's too late...?
3-2 to Blackburn.


16:51:
Sunderland vs Arsenal: LIVE
Andrey Arshavin with a cross into the box for lurking striker Thierry Henry who heads the ball towards goal..... GOAL!!! Arsenal have stolen the match in the last dying seconds! 

Thierry Henry: What. A. Legend.

From 1-0 down, to 2-1 up!
And Henry is the scorer! What a finale to this match!


16:53:
The referees have all blown their whistles in the EPL 15:00pm kick-offs....


FULL-TIMES:
Sunderland 1 Arsenal 2
Thierry Henry marks his last EPL appearance in an Arsenal shirt before going back to New York Red Bulls with a goal as The Gunners made a remarkable 15 minute comeback. They move up to 4th place, in serious contention for the last Champions League spot at the end of the season.
FACT: Henry has scored more goals this year than £50million man Fernando Torres.. *cough*


Fulham 2 Stoke City 1
Although Stoke fought throughout the match, Fulham prevailed with new signing Pavel Pogrebnyak scoring on his home debut.


Swansea 2 Norwich City 3
Grant Holt scored twice as Norwich became only the second team to win away from home against Swansea this season.
Opposite striker Danny Graham scored twice (once from a penalty) but it was not enough as Swansea drop to 11th place in the table while Norwich move up to a comfortable 8th. 
FACT: Danny Graham and Grant Holt have scored 23 goals combined this season, which is more than any player in the EPL (on their own) apart from Robin Van Persie. 


Everton 2 Chelsea 0
Chelsea fall to their 6th defeat of the season as they lost 2-0 to 10th placed Everton.


Blackburn 3 QPR 2
A 5 goalfeast at Ewood Park as Blackburn beat a newly renovated QPR side by 3 goals to 2.
Jamie Mackie scored twice but it was not enough as the home side won.
QPR are now currently in 16th while Blackburn are in 18th, with both teams level on points.


Bolton Wanderers 1 Wigan 2


Tottenham vs Newcastle United: LIVE at 17:30pm


Tottenham:
Friedel, Walker, Dawson, King, Assou-Ekotto, Modric, Parker, Kranjcar, Bale, Adebayor, Saha.  Subs: Cudicini, Lennon, Defoe, Rose, Livermore, Nelsen, Khumalo.


Striker Louis Saha starts for Spurs at home...

Newcastle: Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Santon, Obertan, Guthrie, Perch, Gutierrez, Ba, Cisse. Subs: Elliot, Ben Arfa, Lovenkrands, Abeid, Gosling, Shola Ameobi, Ferguson.

17:34:

Full-back Benoit Assou-Ekotto opens the scoring for Spurs in the 4th minute.

Assou-Ekotto opens the scoring for Spurs after 4 minutes against Newcastle.

17:36: 

Striker Emmanuel Adebayor passes the ball to Louis Saha who shoots from 12 yards, and scores from 12 yards to double the home side's lead after 6 minutes and score on his home debut.

Striker Louis Saha doubles Tottenham's lead - after only 6 minutes.

FACT: Adebayor has now made 8 assists this season, only Manchester City's David Silva and Manchester United's Antonio Valencia have more in the whole of the EPL.

Does not look good though for Newcastle....

17:50:
Assou-Ekotto passes a through ball to midfielder Luka Modric who crosses the ball into the box for Adebayor. He brings the ball back for Louis Saha who smashes the ball towards goal... and SCORES his second of the match after only 20 minutes in the first half!! 
9 assists...




17:54:
Tottenham defensive midfielder Scott Parker has been given a yellow card after a dangerous tackle on Newcastle striker Demba Ba from 25 yards out. It is also the first yellow of the match so far.


18:04:
Midfielder Niko Kranjcar scores  after Tim Krul parried Emmanuel Adebayor's shot. 4-0 now and Spurs are killing Newcastle at the moment....


18:09:
Full-back Kyle Walker has been given the second yellow card of the match after a late challenge on opposite full-back James Perch in the 39th minute.


18:14: The fourth official signals for three minutes of stoppage time at the end of the first half.


18:17: The referee blows the whistle for half-time here.
FACT: This is the first time in EPL history that Tottenham have been 4-0 up at half-time.

18:51: Louis Saha crosses the ball into the box for Emmanuel Adebayor who volleys the ball towards goal..... GOAL!!! Adebayor scores his 10th goal of the season! 


19:20: The referee blows the whistle for full-time after playing three minutes of stoppage time at White Hart Lane.


Tottenham take advantage of earlier results with a five star performance from Adebayor and Saha.
They are now ten points clear of 4th placed rivals Arsenal, and only five points of 1st placed United.
Newcastle stay in 6th place, but fail to capitalize on Liverpool's 2-1 loss against United earlier in the afternoon.

Emmanuel Adebayor making it 5-0 to Tottenham against Newcastle after 64 minutes.

 




Thank you for reading my EPL Blog. 
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See you tomorrow for:
West Bromwich Albion vs Wolverhampton Wanderers: LIVE at 13:30pm
Manchester City vs Aston Villa: LIVE at 16:00pm