This was the last Premiership weekend before most players would go off to their respective countries for the last round of World Cup Qualifiers. For the two Manchester clubs it would be a chance to put things right after a bad few weeks. For the London clubs it was a battle for top spot and the Merseysiders just wanted to keep their runs going.
Manchester City 3, Everton 1:
After the defeat away to Villa the week before and the demolition on their own ground by Bayern Munich it was important for City to get back to the business of bagging three points. Everton, though, were the only unbeaten team left in the Premier League and with their recent history with City it certainly wasn’t going to be all that straightforward.
Joe Hart kept his place in goal despite his recent form being the subject of much debate over the past week. When the visitors went ahead just after the quarter an hour mark when Romelu Lukaku eliminated Lescott with one touch and powered a shot past Hart. The City and England number one did get a hand to it but it truth how close the shot was left him with no real blame attached. If blame were to be attached it would be to the sleepy back four who allowed Lukaku to break the line.
Everton would only be ahead for a little over a minute before Alvaro Negredo, quickly becoming a fans favorite, equalized for City. I am not sure how much importance you can put on this particular goal but for me it gave the City side a viable lift to be back on terms so soon.
A beautifully inventive free kick should have see the home team go ahead but a shot wide from Aguero let the move down. In fact to this point the had let himself down several times and with Kompany going off injured also you had to feel that City may rue these chances later on.
Just before half time, after an incident between Negredo and Coleman kept the Everton backline stretched Aguero was fed through and from a tight angle, but on his favored side, he scored to give City the 2-1 half time lead.
Second half and after a brief spell from Everton City dominated and scored their third from a penalty. Aguero slotted home from the spot via Tim Howards head and City were cruising. The penalty was a controversial one because of a claimin the first half of a Nastasic shoulder on Lukaku which wasn’t given. From then on, as you would expect, City dominated.
Cardiff 1, Newcastle 2:
This was a vital win for Alan Pardew’s men this weekend. The pressure is most certainly on the Magpies manager after what has been quite a poor start to the season. Despite Newcastle being the established Premier League side and Cardiff only just coming up the home form since the start of last season compared to the Newcastle away form meant it certainly wasn’t going to be easy.
Thirty minutes in though and on loan strike, Loic Remy opened the scoring for Newcastle. With two at the beginning of the week against Everton he really is starting to catch fire.
Eight minutes later and Remy doubled his tally and doubled Newcastle’s lead. This lead they would carry in to halftime.
Just before the hour mark Odemwingie scored to half the deficit and set up a nervous finish to the game. Cardiff pressed leaving gaps at the back which Newcastle almost exploited a couple of times. In the end though the two first half goals were enough to lift Newcastle up and ease the pressure on Pardew.
Fulham 1, Stoke 0:
Another man feeling the pressure is Fulham’s Martin Jol. Certainly he would admit that his side needed a lft from somewhere after not having that much lick in recent weeks. Stoke were the visitors this time around and what better Manager to beat but Mark Hughes, the guy who left Fulham a couple of seasons back saying their ambitions didn’t match.
Stoke had their chances all throughout the game but couldn’t convert. Fulham were unlucky late in the second half with a break away effort only resulting in a corner after good running from the defender, Riether.
Seven minutes from time, and up popped Darren Bent. The England striker made the most of Stokes sloppy defending to turn away from defender and goalkeeper and essentially hit an empty net. Jol will be happy and Hughes must surely be scratching his head as to how his team allowed the points to go in this manner.
Hull 0, Aston Villa 0:
Both teams had the chance to win this, and continue their good runs and both teams will see this as a valuable point but for sure both teams looked nervous when it came to taking that next step. Hull’s defense was questionable early on but luckily so was Villa’s strikers.
There really isn’t much to write home about with this game, underlined by the fact that both Managers suggested the highlights should probably be lost.
Liverpool 3, Crystal P 1:
In the first twenty minutes Crystal Palace were 2-0 down. Goals from Suarez and Sturridge made the game safe before most supporters got their seats warm.
The first goal by Suarez shows just the kind of desire missing from some other strikers when, even after slipping, finished with a nice right foot shot on the ground to put Liverpool 1-0 up.
Not to be outdone was Sturridge who turned one way then the other in the area before unleashing a fantastic strike.
Palace did have a couple of great chances to reduce the deficit but a few minutes from the half saw Liverpool increase the lead from the spot. Now as far as controversial penalties go this weekend I think the eclipses the Zabaleta one from the Manchester City game earlier. Yes Moxey did put his arm up onto Sterling’s shoulder but the Englishman went down very easy and the foul wasn’t in the area meant that Ian Holloway can feel hard done by. For the referees defense though, he did wait a while before awarding the penalty and did consult with the linesman.
Second half Palace did get a goal back from the lively Dwight Gayle who got on to the end of a free kick.
Sunderland 1, Manchester United 2
It could have so easily have been different for the Manchester United team and fans Saturday night. In the end though it must be a concern for Moyes having to rely on an 18 year old to turn a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 win. Van Persie and Rooney played the whole 90 and Nani went off after 77 minutes so it wasn’t like they didn’t have attacking options.
On the other hand, how good is it to know you have an 18 year old at the club who can win games for you like this and lift a little pressure from David Moyes shoulders. Luckily now there is the International break for Moyes and it gives him and his staff to maybe re look at some tapes of previous games to see what they can improve on for the run to and through Christmas.
For Sunderland, the Black Cats look a lot better over the past few games than they ever did under DiCanio. I think if they can keep Ball and not disrupt the ship then they may be able to steady it and get some points on board.
Norwich 1, Chelsea 3
With this game I checked the score to see Norwich had leveled with Chelsea. I went to the bathroom, came back and turned on the TV, Chelsea were 3-1 up and cruising for another win.
Initially Chelsea had gone 1-0 up early on in the match at Carrow Road thanks to an Oscar strike. A Demba Ba turn and pass was met first time by Oscar who finished well to Ruddy’s left.
With twenty minutes left, Norwich pulled level after the much disappointing Ricky Van headed back across the goal for an easy tap in from Pilkington. The goal gave City belief they may get something from the game but then came the 85th minute, and my famous bathroom break.
Then Norwich let Chelsea have too much space in behind the backline, and Oscar found Hazard who finished neatly. In a week when England goalkeepers are questioned I wonder how much attention Ruddy will get for allowing this ball under his body. For sure the Norwich defender, Bassong, should have launched the ball clear rather try to control it but still Ruddy saw enough of it to do better. Although Ruddy ran pack and punched the ball away it was a good few clear feet over the line.
2-1 became 3-1 seconds later when Willian hit a beautiful curling shot from just inside the area to beat Ruddy again. Not much he could have done with that but the Norwich defense commits Hari Kari in the space of two minutes when previously they had looked as if they might score a winner themselves!
Southampton 2, Swansea 0:
As someone who remembers the start of the Premier League in 1992 I remember Southampton in the top flight from way back. I remember the devastation of being relegated after 27 years in the top flight, a record Chelsea, Fulham, Newcastle, Villa nor Manchester City could match that in 2005 when Southampton were relegated. After all the troubles on and off the pitch is was not even sure the club would survive. Starting the 2009/10 season in the third tier of English football with a deduction of ten points shows exactly how how far they have come to be now, not only back in the Premiership, but on their second season and finding themselves fourth after 7 games.
Adam Lallana scored the opening goal against Swansea with a smash of a shot into the roof of the net. They then had to wait until the close to the end of the match to secure the points after Rodriguez scored taking advantage of indecision in the Swansea defense. It is dangerous to let the ball bounce once when you have a defender on your shoulder, but to let it bounce twice is just asking for trouble.
The 2-0 win kept the run going for Southampton, now will they be there with seven games left on the season? I doubt it, but certainly the longer this run goes on the more they will be able to enjoy the run in.
Tottenham 0, West Ham 3:
This should have been an absolute nailed on three points for Spurs with West Ham struggling for goals anywhere in the Premier League and the home side so dominant. West Ham have only scored four all season before today and Spurs had only conceded two in the league.
Now whether arriving back from Moscow at 3am Friday morning after the Europa League game had anything to do with it I don’t know. That said they have a big enough squad that if tiredness was a factor surely rotation should have been employed.
The first half finished 0-0 and all the damage was done in a 13 second half minutes. With no real recognized fully fit striker it was important West Ham were tight in defense and grab something on the counter. A free kick for West Ham almost paid off with everyone expecting a Downing curler and instead a chip pass Noble to Nolan almost reaped its rewards.
Winston Reid opened the scoring from the corner from a header then a strike. The initial header towards the goal was blocked by his own teammate but luckily came right back to the New Zealander who made sure the second time.
From there it went from bad to worse as Tottenham failed to close down Vaz Te as he ran into the box. His initial shot was blocked by Lloris but a ricochet off Vaz Te sent it back to the empty net.
Then came the goal of the game from Ravel Morrison who weaved his way through the back line and lifted it over Lloris to make it 3-0.
West Brom 1, Arsenal 1:
If you’d have said last Friday that West Brom would have four points out of the Man utd and Arsenal games then Steve Clarke would probably ripped your arm off. As it was the 1-1 draw today will be leaving him thinking they could have had more.
It was the hosts who threatened early on and the 1-0 half time score was no more than they deserved. Amalfitano took a West Brom corner and was lucky initially to get his poor effort back after it was cleared then recycled back to him. The second attempt found Yacob who will not get an easier goal against any opposition.
In the second half Anelka had the chance to score against his old side but the ball was ever so slightly behind him and the chance was gone. Again the Frenchman would get the chance to increase the lead but he shot wide
With just under half an hour remaining up stepped Jack Wilshire who scored after a quick Arsenal break. Ozil to Giroud to Rosicky and when the Czech laid it back to Wilshire the young Englishman hit it will some venom that nicked Olsson’s shin and sent it past Myhill.
