Feature Matches
Sunderland v Newcastle
Arsenal v Liverpool
Aston Villa v Blackburn
Man City v Bolton
Man Utd v Tottenham
TAYLOR-MADE VICTORY FOR MAGPIES ON DERBY DAY!
Sunderland 0 - 1 Newcastle
Taylor 62'
The Tyne-Wear Derby is the biggest in the North-East of England, a massive rivalry that has produced some high quality matches down the years with the likes of Quinn, Shearer and Phillips often headlining.
This game however, was not such a quality occasion with chances few and far between. Fortunately the derby day tension was still there, so there was no quarter given by either team.
Newcastle should have had a stone-wall penalty in the first half after Seb Larsson saved Joey Barton's point blanc header with his arm just before the ball crossed the line. Luckily for Larsson, neither the referee, nor his assistant spotted the misdemeanour, and him and his team got away with the incident, leaving Newcastle incensed and feeling hard done by.
The game carried on, with the midfields battling hard to gain sustained pressure and possession without much success. Gyan went closest yet with a great effort from 25 yards with his left foot, which dipped to graze the bar on it's way through with Krul beaten.
The opening goal, and winner, came just after the hour mark when the Magpies got a free kick on the left flank. Ryan Taylor stood over the ball and put in what looked like a half cross, half shot. The ball sailed across goal, evading everyone in the box, to nestle neatly into the far corner, sending the home fans into pandemonium.
Newcastle held out to keep their second clean sheet of the season and second favourable result. Sunderland though, will be dissappointed that they managed to take a point away from Anfield, but had no such luck at St James'.
DEVASTATED GUNNERS LOSE MORE GROUND!
Arsenal 0 - 2 Liverpool
Ramsey OG 78'
Suarez 90'
Arsenal fans journeyed to the Emirates in the hope that their team would banish the ghost of Cesc Fabregas' departure with a victory of Liverpool. What a got was not far short of a shambles.
The rain pelted down in North London, conditions which fitted in perfectly with the emotions surrounding Arsenal.
In spite of his near-certain imminent transfer to Man City, Samir Nasri started as Jenkinson and Frimpong made their debuts. Luis Suarez was benched after showing fatigue.
The first twenty minutes came without chances, the first such attempt resulted in a save from Szcesny as Andy Carroll powered a header.
Emanuel Frimpong made a surging start with a drive through the midfield and rifling off a shot from 25 yards that Reina was forced to palm round the post. Indeed the rookie made a good start, one that was unfortunately marred by his 2nd yellow card in the 70th minute after a poor tackle as Wenger labelled him "the victim of his own passion".
The game then only started to hot up again after the hour mark. Robin Van Persie's close range effort required a good save from Pepe Reina.
Then, with 78 minutes on the clock, Arsenal's luck showed foul once more. Substitue Miquel was attempting to clear the ball, but only managed to hit Ramsey in the face as the ball ricocheted over Szcesny and into the goal.
Then as injury time began, the Arsenal defenders backed off the oncoming Liverpool players as the ball was slipped to Meireles. Meireles then squared to Suarez who was able to slide the ball in.
Despite of the criticism against the Arsenal boss after another questionable result, Kenny Dalglish gallantly stated, "no one can take away what Arsene Wenger has done for this football club". This may be true, but will the football club soon has to take away what Wenger wants to do in the future?
VILLA RUN RIOT TO SEND ROVERS BOTTOM!
Aston Villa 3 - 1 Blackburn
Agbonlahor 12' Pedersen 52'
Heskey 25'
Bent 67'
Villa were the picture of unity following this dominant victory. So far maligned boss Alex McLeish was in charge of his first home game at Villa Park. "We believe in the manager" were Darren Bent's words following this victory. It must be a much better environment after the unfortunately sequence of events that unfolded during Gerard Houllier's tenure.
Proceedings started early on as Gabby Agbonlahor put his team in the lead with a outstanding effort. He jinked one way, then another to put Salgado off-balance down Villa's left flank. He then cut in and let fly with a curling effort that evaded Paul Robinson's outstretched arms to settle in the back of the net after 12 minutes.
New Blackburn signing Goodwillie had his first chance at glory soon after, but he could only spurn it by blasting it just over the bar from a tough angle. Down the other end, Agbonlahor was at it again, cutting in once more to hit another swerving shot. This time however, Robinson managed to cling onto the ball with a flying catch.
Villa were not kept waiting much longer though, a ball into Agbonlahor saw him with his back to goal, and a defender behind him. He squared to an on-coming Emile Heskey who was able to slide the ball round a defender, and more importantly round Robinson to find the net for the first time this season.
The Yorshire side then got an excellent goal back when Junior Hoilett used his quick feet to beat three men wide on the left. He then hit a beautifully flighted cross which was met by the on-rushing Morten Gamst Pedersen and past a helpless Given to get the second half of to a good tempo.
With half an hour to go, Albrighton rifled off a cross goal effort that went narrowly wide of goal from 25 yards. Then five minutes later, Darren Bent pounced on a poor clearance to squeeze a shot of that past Robinson for a typical goal from the Londoner.
Villa sealed the points with some good defending in the last 20 minutes. It was a strong showing from the Clarets, far better than they were this time last year, and they will hope to continue this.
Blackburn on the other hand are now the lowest of all the teams that have played two games.
RANGERS ADD TO EVERTON WOES AT GOODISON!
Everton 0 - 1 QPR
Smith 31'
On the half hour, Buszaky rolls Tommy Smith in after Jagielka mis-cleared the ball to him. Smith expertly turns and curls the ball into the far corner as Jagielka fails to stop him.
WIGAN DENIED BY ANOTHER VORM SPECIAL!
Swansea 0 - 0 Wigan
20 minutes from time, Gomez rattles the crossbar with a great dipping shot.
3 minutes later Moses clatters the bar at the same end. This is followed by Gomez being brought down by Williams. Watson steps up to take the penalty, but is saved expertly by Vorm.
CHELS DO IT THE HARD WAY!
Chelsea 2 - 1 West Brom
Anelka 53' Long 4'
Malouda 83'
Alex is bullied off the ball fairly softly by Shane Long, who then beats him for pace and slips past Hilario to put the Midlands team 1 - 0 up early on.
Anelka equalises early into the second half moments after Lampard is denied a penalty. He shoots across goal and the ball deflects into the far corner of Olsson.
Chelsea then began to apply the pressure on the Brom back-line. This pressure finally told when Malouda completed the turn around in an almost identical match to West Brom's previous game against Utd. Bosingwa crosses into back post where Malouda is ready and waiting for a tap in.
This result gave Chelsea the much-vaunted three points they were wanting after Stoke denied them so keenly the week before. For West Brom, they must be the league's unluckiest team so far. They went ahead against Utd and lost and then again to Chelsea and ended up losing there too. They are playing good football and should keep doing what they are doing as it will reward them against the lesser teams as the season goes on.
JONES RESCUES POTTERS WITH A BIT OF MAGIC!
Norwich 1 - 1 Stoke
DeLaet 36' K. Jones 90+1'
Ritchie DeLaet hooked onto a great delivery from a wide free-kick with a glancing header that got Norwich into the lead.
Barnett was sent off on the hour for a last man tackle that also conceded a penalty. Walters failed to convert the following spot-kick.
Whelan put in a great cross in injury that Kenwyne Jones rose to head home, saving Stoke a point.
WOLVES KEEP UP 100% RECORD!
Wolves 2 - 0 Fulham
Doyle 42'
Jarvis 43'
Doyle collected a pass from Matt Jarvis, before letting fly to beat Mark Schwarzer.
Jarvis doubled the lead minutes later, pouncing on a header from Johnson that hit the crossbar.
CITY COME OUT ON TOP IN FIVE GOAL THRILLER!
Man City 3 - 2 Bolton
Silva 26' Klasnic 40'
Barry 38' Davies 63'
Dzeko 47'
This fixture bought a clash between the top two teams in the Premier League after the first weekend. Both had put four goals past their opponents without reply, and had looked impressive doing so.
In spite of this, the first ten minutes of the game was spent getting into the rhythm of the game by both teams. Eagles and Knight went close early doors, Eagles with a testing, low free kick and then Knight tapping narrowly wide from a corner. Indeed, Bolton's corners were where they looked most dangerous in the opening part of the match. They were constantly pressuring the City defence with well directly balls in.
After fifteen minutes, the tide began to change. Jussi Jaaskelainen was forced into his first big save from James Milner as he met Kolarov's cross with a tough effort. Three minutes later, Aguero missed a sitter from 8 yards as he ploughed the ball over the bar.
The pressure soon told, just shy of the half hour mark as Man of the Match, David Silva cut into the box after a pass from Micah Richards and then hit a low, swerving shot past Jaaskelainen from the edge of the box to put his team ahead.
Richards then got a goal disallowed as his cross fed Aguero's tap-in finish as he had barged Petrov just before crossing.
By this point, City were thoroughly dominating both play and possession. Aguero missed another chance with his head. Then came a second magic moment for City. James Milner hit a variation corner out to Gareth Barry, who was 25 yards out. Barry got the ball out of his feet and hit an arrow of a shot with his left foot in the the top corner to double City's advantage.
Bolton threw themselves a lifeline when Klasnic hit a beautifully executed half-volley from a Petrov cross with his left foot on the twirl.
City soon got the upper hand once again, two minutes into the second half, they were 3 - 1 up as Dzeko capitalised on Paul Robinson's mistake to break clear and hit a well timed effort underneath the Finish keeper.
Kevin Davies scored what was to be the last goal with half an hour left on the clock with a superb jump to outleap Lescott to head home from a free kick. David Silva was narrowly stopped from scoring again thanks to a brilliant block from Zat Knight as the Spaniard was almost clean through.
The game had been going at such a furious tempo, that for such an early game in the season, players were beginning to tire, City's men in particular as they struggled and strained to keep the Bolton offenses at bay. That said, Adam Johnson almost scored 5 minutes from time, when he sold Zat Knight, only to dribble the ball just wide of the target.
But when the game was all said and done, City managed to get the result and the three points with it to take them top of the table. They may have looked slightly defensively frail at times, but another fluorescent performance from David Silva guided them to victory.
UNITED RAMPANT TO RE-INTRODUCE SPURS!
Man Utd 3 - 0 Tottenham
Welbeck 61'
Anderson 76'
Rooney 87'
A big game early is the season for United, Tottenham presented a big hurdle coming up to Manchester. Having been postponed last week, this was Spurs' first game of the season and it was always going to be a tough ask.
The first half was fairly even with both sides coming close at times, but struggling most with a quality final ball to find a goal. Friedel was forced into several good saves from Cleverley and Young. Young went closest with a floating header after a great chipped ball in from Rooney.
United really began to turn the screw as the second half went it's course. Young, Anderson and Rooney all had the American goalkeeper stretching to make fine saves to keep Tottenham level.
He could not however, keep them out forever as United's youngsters combined brilliantly for the opener. Cleverley whipped in a fantastic cross which Welbeck was able to guide into the far corner excellently with his head.
This opened the gate somewhat for the Red's as they soon applied more and more pressure on the Tottenham backline. Friedel produced his best save of the match to keep out an in-direct Rooney free kick with superb flexiblity at his near post.
The build up for United's second goal was almost mesmeric. Rooney played the ball to Welbeck, whose amazing vision saw him backheel to a running Anderson who creamed the ball into the corner.
The trio was rounded off nicely when Giggs put in a lovely floating cross for Rooney to have an easy header to give him his second goal in as many games to guide his team to a nigh on flawless win.
MY TEAM OF THE WEEK;
GK - Vorm (Swansea), RB - Bosingwa (Chelsea), LB - Assou-Ekotto (Tottenham), CB - Carragher (Liverpool), CB - Smalling (Man Utd), RM - Young (Man Utd), LM - Agbonlahor (Aston Villa), CM - Nasri (Arsenal), CM - Silva (Man City), CF - Welbeck (Man Utd), CF - Rooney (Man Utd).
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