This week is a crucial week in EPL football.... Mid-season, end of the slow January transfer window...
So we start off with Tuesday's fixtures with all of the Top 4 in action.
Swansea City 1 Chelsea 1
This match was expected to be interesting.... and it lived up to its name.....
Former Chelsea striker Scott Sinclair broke the deadlock after 39 minutes to give the Swans the lead. Chelsea full-back Ashley Cole was sent off after he was given two yellow cards in the 86th minute. Swansea defender Neil Taylor scored in the 90th minute - for Chelsea to save manager Andre Villas Boas from another loss.
 |
| Swansea City celebrating Scott Sinclair's goal against his old club, Chelsea. |
Swansea are currently 14th place with 27 points while Chelsea are 4th with 42 points.
Manchester United 2 Stoke City 0
FACT: United have only lost 3 matches out of 23 against Stoke.
This match was played at Old Trafford as 2nd placed United hosted 8th placed Stoke.
Striker Javier Hernandez ut the hosts in-front after 38 minutes from the penalty spot. Fellow team-mate (and striker) Dimitar Berbatov doubled United's lead after 53 minutes (also a penalty) and that was how it finished.
United continue to press rivals City in 1st place and only goal difference separates the two teams currently. Stoke drop to 9th place in the table.
Everton 1 Manchester City 0
The main story leading up into this match was Transfer Deadline Day as striker Nikica Jelavic had just signed for the home side so everyone was hoping to give a good impression.
Former Manchester United midfielder Darron Gibson scored the only goal of the match after a vicious strike from 25 yards out which flew past Joe Hart in the bottom corner of the net in the 60th minute. City pressed for a late equaliser but Everton held on to take a massive three points.
That result leaves Everton in 10th positon while City stay 1st but drop three precious points in the race for the EPL title.
 |
| Darron Gibson: What a start to his Everton career! |
FACT: The last time Everton had beaten City (and City had failed to score) was the 16th of January 2010.
Wolves 0 Liverpool 3
This match was played at Molieneux as a struggling Wolves side hosted a rejuvenated Liverpool squad after their two Manchester wins inside the space of a week.
Striker Andy Carroll opened the scoring for the away side in the 53rd minute. Forward Craig Bellamy made it 2-0, 8 minutes later. Dirk Kuyt put the icing on the cake for Liverpool, sealing the win in the 78th minute to make it 3-0.
FACT: Andy Carroll has now scored 5 goals for Liverpool in all competitons this season and scored on the 1st anniversary of his £35million move from Newcastle United.
This means Liverpool move up to 6th place, leapfrogging Arsenal and Wolves stay in 19th place, fighting to avoid relegation.
Tottenham 3 Wigan Athletic 1
This match was played at White Hart Lane as 3rd placed Tottenham hosted bottom club Wigan in a strong mismatch.
In-form winger Gareth Bale breaks the deadlock for the home side in the 29th minute. £40million-rated midfielder Luka Modric doubled Spurs' lead, five minutes afterwards. Bale scored his second of the match to make it 3-0 in the 64th minute before James McArthur scored a late consolation goal for the visitors in the 81st minute.
FACT: Wigan have only won 1 out of their last 16 meetings against Spurs and were the team that lost 9-1 to Spurs in 2009.
Then it was (more) the bottom half of the table's turn to show talent and quality.....
Wednesday fixtures:
Aston Villa 2 QPR 2
This match was played at Villa Park as 11th placed Villa hosted a whole different QPR side who had been busy with transfer activity in the past month.
Djribil Cisse took only twelve minutes to score on his return to the EPL to put the away side in-front. Villa defender Stephen Warnock doubled QPR's lead in the 29th minute after his deflection dropped past Shay Given into the net. Striker Darren Bent halved QPR's 2-0 lead just before half-time in the 45th minute to give Villa hope. Charles N'Zogbia equalised for the home side with twelve minutes to go in the match after a clever finish inside the box.
 |
| Cisse opens the scoring on his debut for his new club after 12 minutes against Aston Villa. |
 |
| Charles N'Zogbia equalising for Aston Villa to make it 2-2 against QPR in the 79th minute. |
Blackburn Rovers 0 Newcastle United 2
This match was played at Ewood Park as 18th placed Blackburn hosted 6th placed Newcastle in an unusual mis-match. Defender Scott Dann scored an own goal to put the away side ahead in the 12th minute. Former Manchester United midfielder Gabriel Obertan ended Blackburn's hopes of an equaliser in the 90th minute to win the match 2-0 for United.
Blackburn stay in 18th place while Newcastle move above Liverpool into 5th (3 points below Chelsea)
Bolton 0 Arsenal 0
This match came from Reebok Stadium as 17th placed Bolton hosted 5th placed Arsenal.
It was an open match with chances from both ends and it stayed goalless throughout the match.
Fulham 1 West Bromwich Albion 1
This match came from Craven Cottage between Fulham and West Brom.
Midfielder Clint Dempsey scored to break the deadlock for Fulham (finally) after 69 minutes.
But striker Somen Tchoyi denied Martin Jol's men, eight minutes from full-time to earn the away side a point.
 |
| Fulham midfielder Clint Dempsey scoring against West Brom after 69 minutes. |
FACT: Clint Dempsey has now scored 16 goals this season in all competitions.
Sunderland 3 Norwich City 0
This match was held at The Stadium of Light as high-flying manager Martin O'Neil hosted Norwich. In the 21st minute, striker Fraizer Campbell scored a belter from 30 yards out with a sweet volley to make it 1-0 to the home side.
If you have not seen the volley, you are not a football fan...
Midfielder Stephane Sessegnon doubled their lead, seven minutes later.
Norwich City defender Daniel Ayala rubbed salt on the wounds after scoring an own goal in the 51st minute to ensure no hope of a comeback from the away team.
FACT: Sunderland have only lost 2 out of their last 11 matches in all competitions against (Chelsea and Tottenham)
 |
| Fraizer Campbell's screamer against Norwich in mid-action. |
Next Round of EPL Matches:
Saturday:
Arsenal vs Blackburn Rovers: LIVE at 13:00pm
Home win for The Gunners...
Norwich City vs Bolton Wanderers: LIVE at 15:00pm
Draw.
QPR vs Wolverhampton Wanderers: LIVE at 15:00pm
QPR should be strong enough to hold off Wolves..... surely????
Stoke City vs Sunderland: LIVE at 15:00pm
Draw.
West Bromwich Albion vs Swansea City: LIVE at 15:00pm
I'll go for Swansea.
Wigan Athletic vs Everton: LIVE at 15:00pm
Everton.
Manchester City vs Fulham: LIVE at 17:30pm
City scrape out a win.
Sunday:
Newcastle United vs Aston Villa: LIVE from 13:30pm
Draw.
Chelsea vs Manchester United: LIVE at 16:00pm
United to dominate Chelsea despite being away from home.
Monday:
Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur: LIVE at 20:00pm
Tottenham win but it will be tight....
No comments:
Post a Comment