26 NOVEMBER 2000

Newcastle (1) 2 (Solano 4, Dyer 70)
Liverpool (0) 1 (Heskey 78)

Another away defeat for Liverpool as their back line was torn apart
on two seperate occasions by arguably Newcastle two most skillful
players. They look the lead inside five minutes when Nol Solano ran
at the visiting defence that parted like the Red Sea allowing the
Peruvian to slot past the keeper. Proving that it wasn't a fluke,
Kieron Dyer repeated the trick in the second half to double the lead
before Emile Heskey latched onto a long ball to loop it over Given
and in, but it was too little too late.


Leeds United (0) 1 (Dacourt 57)
Arsenal (0) 0

Another defeat and another blank scoresheet for Arsenal as Leeds
move up to ninth after a tight victory at Elland Rd. The only goal
came from Olivier Dacourt's deflected free kick that wrong footed
Manninger to drop into the corner.


25 NOVEMBER 2000

Charlton (0) 0
Sunderland (0) 1 (Rae 58)

Charlton's unbeaten home record comes to end after Sunderland
largely controlled the game at The Valley. The only goal was a
cracker and came from the unlikely source of Alex Rae who collected
a loose ball on the right, cut inside and found the top corner
brilliantly from long range.


Coventry (0) 1 (Hadji 82)
Aston Villa (1) 1 (Dublin 8)

The Midlands derby (or not depending on who you talk to) ended all
square after early and late strikes shared the points. Villa took
the lead when former Coventry man Dion Dublin slid in Ian Taylor's
cross. Coventry deserved their equaliser though, gained when
Moustapha Hadji crashed home after Aloisi's flick on.


Derby (0) 0
Man United (0) 3 (Sheringham 61, Butt 69, Yorke 76)

The red bandwagon rolls on with a clinical display against
struggling Derby, although it should be noted that Man United did
take an hour to break through. No surprise to see Teddy Sheringham
on the score sheet again, firing home after Scholes had backheeled
neatly to find him. Nicky Butt doubled the lead from the edge of the
area after Sheringham turned provider this time and the victory was
complete when Dwight Yorke was set up, again by Sheringham, to blast
home after good control on his knee.


Everton (0) 2 (Cadamerteri 47, Campbell 76)
Chelsea (1) 1 (Dalla Bonna 45)
RED CARD : Hasselbaink (Chelsea 73)

Everton came from behind to see of Chelsea who are still without an
away win, although the red card of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink didn't
help matters. The Dutchman was dismissed for elbowing Micheal Ball
and just three minutes later, Kevin Campbell took advantage of
indecison in the away defence and fired home from close range after
a slightly lucky rebound. It began so well for Chelsea who went
ahead in first half stoppage time when Sam Dalla Bonna belted home
from the edge of the area after Everton failed to clear a corner.
The equaliser arrived early in the second half when Danny
Cadamarteri clipped the ball over the keeper after a neat pass from
Scot Gemmill, literally one minute after Gudjohnson had hit the post
at the other end.


Man City (0) 2 (Wanchope 71, Howey 81)
Ipswich (2) 3 (Stewart 9, 53, Hriedarsson 32)

Ipswich move up to the rarified air of third place thanks to a fine
win at Man City. George Burley's team tore into a three goal lead,
starting when top scorer Marcus Stewart dispatched Jamie Clapham's
cross with a fine diving header. Hermann Hreidarsson doubled the
lead after the half hour when he headed home Jermaine Wright corner
and when Stewart collected a Matt Holland cross, rounded Weaver and
tapped home, the result looked clear. There was controversy over the
third goal as City felt the ball should have been put into touch for
Ian Bishop to get treatment having gone down injured. By the rules,
Ipswich did nothing wrong but the apparent injustice spurred City on
and when Paulo Wanchope pulled one back with a deflected shot from
the edge of the area, there was hope. Steve Howey then headed home a
Mark Kennedy cross, but the equaliser wasn't forthcoming.


Middlesbrough (0) 2 (Ehigou 48, Ince 89)
Bradford (2) 2 (Windass 3, Carbone 10)
RED CARD : Marinelli (Middlesbrough) 70

Middlesbrough boss Bryan Robson lives to fight another game, but
only thanks to a late equaliser after bottom club Bradford, under
the new management of Jim Jefferies, ripped into a two goal lead.
Dean Windass began the fun and games, heading home Carbone's cross
early on after a poor clearance frpm Festa and the little Italian
then went from provider to scorer minutes later, firing into the top
corner from the edge of the box. Ugo Ehigou pulled one back early in
the second half, bravely heading home after keeper Clarke had
flapped at a Carlos Marinelli corner. Marinelli was starting his
first game for Boro, but he didn't finish it having been shown a
straight red card for a tackle on O'Brien which can at best be
called harsh. Paul Ince earned a point for the home side and a stay
of execution for his boss, thumping home a loose ball from the edge
of the box that seemed to go through Clarke's legs.


Southampton (1) 2 (Oakley 18, Beattie 53)
West Ham (2) 3 (Kanuote 41, Pearce (S) 43, Sinclair 69)

West Ham recorded their second away victory in a row as they began
life without Rio with a topsy turvy encounter at The Dell. Saints
took an early lead when Matt Oakley drilled home from the edge of
the area after Marion Pahars corner was half cleared. Two goals in
three minutes before half time turned the game on its head, first
when Frederic Kanoute glanced home a Di Canio cross and then the
trusty left foot of veteran Stuart Pearce, firing home after
Sinclair's cross was cleared. James Beattie continued his rich vein
of goalscoring with a superb volley from Hassan Kachloul's cross to
level matters. The game was decided though when Trevor Sinclair
latched onto a Di Canio header to burst through and score.


Spurs (2) 3 (Ferdinand 34, 39, 84)
Leicester (0) 0
RED CARD : Taggart (Leicester) 65

It's been some week for the Ferdinand family. Rio looks set to
become Britain's costliest defender, while cousin Les scores his
first hat trick in four years as Leicester's high flying position
was made to look decidely un-natural. Sir Les opened the scoring
with a fine solo effort, running at the away defence before blasting
the ball home. Five minutes later it was 2-0 as he headed home after
Sinclair had cleared Rebrov's effort off the line. The trio was
complete late on when he was on hand to score after Royce saved
Anderton's shot. The game was often nasty with two footed tackles
made from both sides, including Rebrov for the second week in a row,
however the one red card came when Gerry Taggart slid in on Stephen
Carr and although he didn't connect with the Spurs man, referee Rob
Harris ruled that the intent was there and showed the Irishman his
second yellow.


Gary Dowden
Chief Editor - Soccerage (UK)
http://www.soccerage.com
garydowden@blueyonder.co.uk