10 APRIL 2001

Ipswich (0) 1 (Armstrong 77)
Liverpool (0) 1 (Heskey 46)

Ipswich go third on goal difference as Liverpool stay three points
adrift of them and Leeds but with two games in hand. Emile Heskey
put Liverpool ahead 15 seconds into the second half, latching onto a
Robbie Fowler flick on to toe poke home. The draw was earned when
Alun Armstrong shot home at the far post from Chris Makin's cross.


Manchester United (1) 2 (Cole 45, Solskjaer 80)
Charlton (0) 1 (Fish 63)

Man United are within six points of clinching the Premiership title
after this narrow, yet comprehensive victory over Charlton. United
went ahead on half time when Andrew Cole cut inside from the left
and after being tackled, the ball hit the referee, rebouned to Cole
who drilled the ball home! Mark Fish levelled the scores from close
range after Gary Neville had directed Johansson's cross straight
into his path. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer put United back ahead when his
first time shot from Denis Irwin's cross found the corner.

Tottenham (1) 2 (Iversen 26, Davies 78)
Bradford (1) 1 (Jess 44)

Spurs begin the Hoddle (league) era with a slender win over bottom
club Bradford. Stefan Iversen opened the scoring, controlling a
cross well and volleying past Walsh. It was the Bradford keeper who
set up the equaliser though as his long kick was chested down by
Ashley Ward and thumped home on the edge of the box by Eoin Jess.
Simon Davies won the points though when he shot home from 20 yards
after Rebrov's cross was blocked.


9 APRIL 2001

Middlesbrough (0) 0
Sunderland (0) 0
RED CARD : Karembeu (Boro) 85

No goals, nine yellow cards and one red card at the Riverside,
although both clubs had chances to win it. Sunderland had the better
of the first half and almost went ahead when Kevin Phillips rounded
the keeper but only managed to crash his shot against the near post.
Later in the half his looping header again hit the post and Don
Hutchison couldn't bundle in the rebound. Boro came back in the
second half and Boksic shot into the side netting after Sorensen had
parried a Mustoe shot and then Ricard also found the side netting
with a stinging volley. Late on Christian Karembeu was shown a
second yellow card for pushing Darren Williams in the face having
already been booked for kicking the ball away early in the game.


8 APRIL 2001

Everton (2) 3 (Ferguson 16, Ball 40, Weir 84)
Man City (1) 1 (Whitley 9)
RED CARDS : Pistone (Everton) & Dickov (Man City) 88

Everton eased their relegation fears whilst keeping City firmly in
the drop zone after coming from behind to register a 3-1 victory.

Jeff Whitley headed City ahead early on after Tiatto's free kick
found him well, however Duncan Ferguson levelled matters, sweeping
home after City failed to cross an Alexandersson cross.

Nicky Weaver then had another horror show as the City keeper brought
down Kevin Campbell to concead a penalty and although he saved
Michael Ball's kick, the taker was alive enough to crash the rebound
home. David Weir added a third late on, heading home a Thomas
Gravesen corner, although Weaver was again at fault allowing the
ball to slip through his hands.

Alessandro Pistone and Paul Dickov was red carded near the end after
clashing near the touchline.


7 APRIL 2001

Aston Villa (0) 2 (Ginola 71, Hendrie 78)
West Ham (0) 2 (Kanoute 46, Lampard 86)

West Ham are still not completely safe after a topsy-turvy second
half at Villa Park ended with honours even after both clubs took,
and then lost, the lead. Frederik Kanoute scored in the early stages
of the second half with a fine volley from Lampard's cross, however
with the game into the final twenty minutes, David Ginola crashed
home a superb free kick to level matters. Lee Hendrie then scored
his third in as many games with a half hit volley from Ginola's
cross, however victory was not forthcoming for Villa thanks to Frank
Lampard's late strike, indeed the Hammers looked the more likely
winners in the closing stages.


Derby (0) 0
Chelsea (0) 4 (Zola 64, Hasselbaink 85, Poyet 89, 90)

Chelsea's European hopes are still alive after they destroyed Derby
with four second half goals to win their first league match out of
London all season. Gianfranco Zola, who had earlier hit the post,
started the rout by converting Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's cross,
before Hasselbaink himself doubled the lead late on with his 20th of
the season, finishing well after a fine pass by Mario Stanic. Two
goals in as many minutes from Gus Poyet confirmed the victory,
firstly slotting home Le Saux's corner and then heading home a ball
from Babayaro.


Leeds United (1) 2 (Kewell 10, Keane 72)
Southampton (0) 0

Leeds move into third place until Tuesday night at least after
totally dominating against Southampton. Harry Kewell crashed home
the opening goal, his first of the season, from the edge of the box
having been set up by Robbie Keane and it was the lively Irishman
who scored the second, lifting the ball over Jones having broken the
offside trap from Ian Harte's pass. Dean Richards had a late goal
disallowed incorrectly for offside, but it made little difference to
Leeds who are unbeaten in the league since mid January.


Leicester (1) 1 (Akinbiyi 9)
Coventry (2) 3 (Bellamy 2, Carsley 19, Hartson 51)

Coventry's hopes of Premiership survival received a massive boost
with their second win in a row as they saw off European hopefuls
Leicester to leave them just a point from safety. Coventry went
ahead after just 62 seconds when Craig Bellamy dispatched a fine
cross from Hadji. Ade Akinbiyi levelled matters shortly after when
he tapped home after Kirkland saved from Gunlaugsson, however it
lasted just ten minutes when Lee Carsley headed home brilliantly
from Barry Quinn's to put Coventry back ahead. John Hartson decided
matters early in the second half, also with a header this time from
Paul Telfer's cross. The great escape is on again!


Gary Dowden
Chief Editor - Soccerage (UK)
http://www.soccerage.com
gary@soccerage.com