Sunday's Premier League Results
Manchester United 2-0 QPR
Arsenal 1-0 Manchester City
Saturday's Premier League Results
Sunderland 0-0 Tottenham
Chelsea 2-1 Wigan
Liverpool 1-1 Aston Villa
West Brom 3-0 Blackburn
Bolton 0-3 Fulham
Norwich 2-2 Everton
Stoke 2-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Friday's Premier League Result
Swansea 0-2 Newcastle
Mikel Arteta was the man to possibly put an end to City's title hopes as Mario Balotelli lost the plot at the Emirates Stadium.
Balotelli was deservedly sent off in the final minute after referee Martin Atkinson and assistant Peter Kirkup somehow failed to spot his first-half knee-high tackle on Alex Song, and he could now face a lengthy ban.
His eventual dismissal came moments after Arteta's spectacular winner for the Gunners boosted their bid for a top-four finish.
The home side created enough chances to have been well ahead by half-time, with Robin van Persie's goalbound header striking team-mate Thomas Vermaelen.
After the woodwork twice again came to City's rescue in the second half, the Gunners were not to be denied as, with three minutes left, Arteta strode forwards to smash a 25-yard drive past Joe Hart into the bottom corner
City finished the match with 10 men when Balotelli was shown a second yellow card for clattering into Bacary Sagna.
Earlier in the day, Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes scored the goals for United, but relegation battlers QPR were on the end of two dubious decisions in the opening quarter of an hour.
Rooney, who was fortunate to escape punishment for an earlier rash challenge on Samba Diakite, drilled the Red Devils in front from the penalty spot after an incident which saw Shaun Derry sent off.
The QPR captain was penalised for an apparent tug on Ashley Young, but the United winger made the most of any contact and was also offside when the ball was played into the box.
QPR were already struggling to get a foothold in the game at that stage and, despite the occasional foray into the opposition half, spent most of the match penned in by the leaders.
Rafael da Silva was denied by a combination of Paddy Kenny and the crossbar before the irrepressible Scholes put the game beyond doubt by rifling home from 25 yards on 68 minutes.
Michael Carrick then smacked a thunderbolt against the post, but it was his midfield partner Scholes who earned the plaudits with a great performance.
Saturday
Juan Mata grabbed a stoppage-time winner for Chelsea as Wigan were denied the chance to move out of the Barclays Premier League relegation zone.
It was goalless at the interval, Maynor Figueroa clearing Didier Drogba's header off the line after Ali Al Habsi saved from Juan Mata. The Oman international also tipped over Drogba's bullet header.
Chelsea took a controversial lead when Raul Meireles crossed and Branislav Ivanovic, suspiciously offside, sidefooted the ball home. The defender then added to Wigan's frustration by clearing Franco Di Santo's goalbound effort moments later.
Mohamed Diame equalised with a powerful left-foot drive from 20 yards but Mata was on hand after Fernando Torres' superb volley came back off a post, meaning Wigan remain 19th in the table.
Liverpool came from behind to draw with Aston Villa at Anfield.
Chris Herd swept the visitors into the lead before Dirk Kuyt missed a glorious chance for the Reds, ballooning over from close range after meeting Steven Gerrard's cross-shot.
Luis Suarez grabbed Liverpool's leveller, tapping home from close range after Daniel Agger's header hit the crossbar, before substitute Andy Carroll headed the Uruguay forward's cross straight at Shay Given.
Nikica Jelavic scored twice as Everton also shared the spoils at Norwich.
Norwich spent most of the first half on the back foot and went behind in the 22nd minute when Jelavic back-heeled home his third goal in four matches.
Tony Hibbert struck the woodwork as Everton continued to dominate, but Jonny Howson popped up six minutes from the break to convert Wes Hoolahan's cross.
Jelavic's second was tinged with controversy as the ball became trapped beneath Steven Pienaar and, as Norwich stood off, the South African crossed for the former Rangers striker to finish.
But the Canaries equalised once more when Aaron Wilbraham's shot was saved but he turned the rebound into the path of Grant Holt, who calmly side-footed home.
Clint Dempsey scored twice as Fulham ended Bolton's recent revival at the Reebok Stadium.
The American hit a superb 30-yard free-kick and headed a second on the stroke of half-time before John Arne Riise crossed for Mahamadou Diarra to make it 3-0 with his first goal for the club.
Blackburn lost by the same scoreline at West Brom, falling behind before half-time as full-back Martin Olsson sliced the ball into his own goal when attempting to clear a header from Albion centre-back Gareth McAuley.
Marc-Antoine Fortune made it 2-0 after being picked out by Chris Brunt and Liam Ridgewell headed home Graham Dorrans' free-kick.
In the day's early kick-off, Gareth Bale headed Tottenham's best chance onto the roof of the net as Harry Redknapp's men failed to put pressure on their rivals for a Champions League place after they were held to a stalemate by Sunderland.
Their goalless draw was enough to nudge Spurs at least temporarily up to third, but it was a frustrating afternoon for Redknapp with Emmanuel Adebayor and Rafael van der Vaart also missing chances.
Bottom side Wolves moved closer to the Barclays Premier League trapdoor as they lost 2-1 at Stoke.
Winger Michael Kightly put Wolves in front in the 26th minute with a lofted pass that drifted straight in, but Robert Huth drove home an equaliser with eight minutes of the first half remaining before Crouch nodded in the winner just after the hour mark.
Friday
In the day's only game, Newcastle continued their stunning run by beating Swansea 2-0 at the Liberty Stadium thanks to a brace by Papiss Demba Cisse.
| POS | LP | CLUB | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
(1) | Manchester United | 32 | 25 | 4 | 3 | 78 | 27 | 51 | 79 |
| 2 | |
(2) | Manchester City | 32 | 22 | 5 | 5 | 75 | 26 | 49 | 71 |
| 3 | |
(4) | Arsenal | 32 | 19 | 4 | 9 | 63 | 41 | 22 | 61 |
| 4 | |
(3) | Tottenham Hotspur | 32 | 17 | 8 | 7 | 56 | 36 | 20 | 59 |
| 5 | |
(5) | Chelsea | 32 | 16 | 8 | 8 | 55 | 37 | 18 | 56 |
| 6 | |
(6) | Newcastle United | 32 | 16 | 8 | 8 | 48 | 42 | 6 | 56 |
| 7 | |
(7) | Everton | 32 | 12 | 8 | 12 | 34 | 34 | 0 | 44 |
| 8 | |
(8) | Liverpool | 32 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 37 | 34 | 3 | 43 |
| 9 | |
(9) | Sunderland | 32 | 11 | 9 | 12 | 42 | 37 | 5 | 42 |
| 10 | |
(10) | Fulham | 32 | 11 | 9 | 12 | 42 | 42 | 0 | 42 |
| 11 | |
(11) | Stoke City | 32 | 11 | 8 | 13 | 31 | 44 | -13 | 41 |
| 12 | |
(12) | Norwich City | 32 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 44 | 51 | -7 | 40 |
| 13 | |
(13) | West Bromwich Albion | 32 | 11 | 6 | 15 | 39 | 43 | -4 | 39 |
| 14 | |
(14) | Swansea City | 32 | 10 | 9 | 13 | 35 | 41 | -6 | 39 |
| 15 | |
(15) | Aston Villa | 31 | 7 | 13 | 11 | 34 | 43 | -9 | 34 |
| 16 | |
(16) | Bolton | 31 | 9 | 2 | 20 | 36 | 63 | -27 | 29 |
| 17 | |
(17) | Queens Park Rangers | 32 | 7 | 7 | 18 | 35 | 56 | -21 | 28 |
| 18 | |
(18) | Blackburn | 32 | 7 | 7 | 18 | 43 | 67 | -24 | 28 |
| 19 | |
(19) | Wigan Athletic | 32 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 30 | 57 | -27 | 28 |
| 20 | |
(20) | Wolves | 32 | 5 | 7 | 20 | 34 | 70 | -36 | 22 |
ORIGINAL SOURCE
Content used in this not-for-profit blog remain the property of their respective owners.
No comments:
Post a Comment