19 SEPTEMBER 2001

Blackburn (0) 1 (Neill 87)
Bolton (0) 1 (Wallace 69)

Bolton regain top spot on goal difference, however they could have
been two points clear had it not been for a late Blackburn
equaliser. Former Leeds man Rod Wallace knocked his ex-club off the
top with a debut goal for his new side, heading home a corner.
However Lucas Neill levelled matters with three minutes to go, also
headed home a left wing corner.


Sunderland (0) 1 (Phillips 79)
Spurs (1) 2 (Ziege 26, Sheringham 51)

A fine win for Spurs at Sunderland, although they needed a stroke of
luck to take the lead. Christian Ziege's long cross (or was it a
shot?) from fully 35 yards, found keeper Jurgen Macho off his line
and floated over him into the net. Teddy Sheringham doubled the lead
when his firm header from Taricco's cross gave Macho little hope,
although the keeper did get hands to the ball. Kevin Phillips pulled
a goal back, volleying home from Niall Quinn's flick on, but despite
late pressure, the equaliser wouldn't come.


17 SEPTEMBER 2001

Leicester (1) 1 (Jones 9)
Middlesbrough (0) 2 (Ince 85, Greening 88)

Middlesbrough won for the second time in three days as they found
two goals in the final five minutes to beat Leicester at Filbert
Street. Matthew Jones had fired Leicester ahead early on,
capitalising after Schwarzer had spilled a long range effort from
Callum Davidson. Boro had the better of the second half though as
Brian Deane struck the post on two separate occasions. They
deservedly equalised when Marinelli's cross caused problems in the
home defence, allowing Paul Ince to crash home the loose ball. Three
minutes later, Davidson's weak header across the edge of the area
was latched upon by Jonathon Greening, who netted inside the near
post.


16 SEPTEMBER 2001

Aston Villa (0) 0
Sunderland (0) 0

Honours even in the Villa Park goalless draw with chances at a
premium as well. Darius Vassell came closest for Villa when his
effort was well saved by Jurgen Macho and he also had a shot that
fizzed across goal and inches wide.


Charlton (0) 0
Leeds United (1) 2 (Keane 21, Mills 62)
RED CARD : Stuart (Charlton) 37

Leeds United go a point clear at the top of the Premiership after a
fine win at the Valley. Charlton began well but went behind when
Mark Fish misjudged Ian Harte's ball over the top and allowed Robbie
Keane in to prod the ball past Kiely. A tricky task was made harder
for ths hosts when Graham Stuart was shown a straight red card for a
two-footed, studs first tackle that caught Harte on the ankle. The
result was put beyond doubt when former Charlton man Danny Mills,
who was rounded jeered throughout, fired home off the post from 25
yards after a neat backheel from David Batty.


Ipswich (1) 1 (Armstrong 15)
Blackburn (0) 1 (Jansen 53)

Both clubs remain in the bottom half of the table after a hard
fought draw at Portman Road. Ipswich took the lead when Jim Magilton
sent Finidi George away and after his effort struck the bar, Alun
Armstrong followed up to volley home. Matt Jansen earned a vital
point for Rovers when Tugay's pass sent him clear and his lob beat
Sereni and found the net. Ipswich almost snatched a late winner when
Marcus Stewart netted in stoppage time only to have it harshly ruled
out for a foul by Pablo Counago.


Tottenham (0) 2 (Sheringham 66, 89)
Chelsea (1) 3 (Hasselbaink 45, (pen) 82, Desailly 90)
RED CARD : Lampard (Chelsea) 89

All kinds of fun and games at White Hart Lane as Chelsea continued
their purple patch against Spurs with a controversial last ditch
victory. The deadlock wasn't broken until the stroke of half time
when Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink headed home Lampard's cross. Teddy
Sheringham equalised midway through the second half, firing home at
the second attempt after De Goey had saved his original effort
following Simon Davies' pass. Chelsea were then awarded a penalty
when Hasselbaink appeared to catch his boot in the turf and trip
over. The referee thought that he'd been tripped by Ledley King and
the Dutchman promptly looked the gift horse in the mouth and scored
from the spot. With a minute to go, Sheringham scored his second
equaliser, sweeping home Le Ferdinand's cross and with five minutes
of stoppage time signalled, the game seemed to swing towards the
hosts when Frank Lampard was red carded for a pushing match with
Chris Perry. Remarkably though, it was Chelsea who snatched the
winner in the unlikely guise of Marcel Desailly who headed home at
the far after Petit's corner was flicked on by Gudjohnsen. Spurs
have not beaten Chelsea in their last 25 encounters!


15 SEPTEMBER 2001

Bolton (0) 0
Southampton (0) 1 (Pahars 76)

Southampton collected their first goal, points and victory of the
season at the expense of league leaders Bolton, who subsequently
crashed to their first defeat of the season. The solitary goal came
with time running out and was scored by Marion Pahars, although
credit goes to Wayne Bridge for an excellent run and pass, allowing
the sub to crash the shot inside the near post.


Derby (1) 2 (Burton 4, Ravanelli (pen) 87)
Leicester (1) 3 (Sturridge 31, 64, Izzet (pen) 89)

Leicester also recorded their first win of the season, although the
game ended in chaotic scenes in the players tunnel after two late
controversial penalties. Deon Burton gave the hosts the lead early
on, cutting inside and shooting home after a fine ball from Fabrizio
Ravanelli, however on the half hour, former Derby man Dean Sturridge
equalised when he back heeled home from close range after a long
range effort looked to be going wide. He gave the Foxes the lead in
the second half, bursting through the middle to toe poke home. With
three minutes remaining, Lee Marshall was judged to have brought
down Deon Burton in the area and Fabrizio Ravanelli fired home the
penalty that should have earned a draw for Derby. However, deep into
stoppage time, Robbie Savage went down in the area, although contact
from Craig Burley was minimal, if indeed any contact was made, and
Muzzy Izzet scored the winner from the spot, although only after a
brawl over what Derby felt was either a dive by Savage or were
annoyed at some flamboyant celebrations from the Welshman after he'd
won the spot kick. Derby players and officials were livid with
Savage and it's thought that the tunnel scuffle was as a result of
their anger.


Everton (1) 1 (Campbell 5)
Liverpool (2) 3 (Gerrard 12, Owen (pen) 30, Riise 52)

Liverpool came from behind to win the Merseyside derby at Goodison
Park. Kevin Campbell gave the hosts the lead, turning well after a
flick on by Duncan Ferguson and finding the back of the net after
shooting across Dudek. The lead lasted seven minutes before Steven
Gerrard latched onto a weak clearing header, made space on the edge
of the area and fired into the top corner of the net. Liverpool went
ahead on the half hour after Gregory Vignal played in Emile Heskey
and as he touched it past David Unsworth, the Everton man crudely
clattered into him, leaving Michael Owen to send Paul Gerrard the
wrong way from the penalty spot. John Arne Riise wrapped up the
points when he collected a pass from Danny Murphy, ran half the
length of the pitch before slotting home past Gerrard. Everton had
chances, notably through Campbell, but Liverpool held on to earn
themselves a welcome three points.


Fulham (0) 1 (Malbranque 48)
Arsenal (1) 3 (Ljungberg 18, Henry 83, Bergkamp 90)

Arsenal left it late to win the French/London derby as Fulham found
out how tough life can be in the top flight. Freddie Ljungberg gave
the Gunners the lead, latching onto Henry's deflected shot to
control and fire home, however early in the second half, Steed
Malbranque levelled matters, crashing the ball home after a superb
run and pass by Luis Boa Morte. With seven minutes to go, Thierry
Henry regained the lead for the visitors, slotting home after being
well found by Ljungberg, before Dennis Bergkamp wrapped it up in
stoppage time, thumping home after being set up by Wiltord.


Middlesbrough (2) 2 (Deane 33, Johnston 41)
West Ham (0) 0
RED CARD : Repka (West Ham) 78

Middlesbrough completed the trio of bottom three clubs to win for
the first time as they leap above a poor West Ham side who go bottom
of the league. Brian Deane opened the scoring just after the half
hour, heading home a long cross that had enticed keeper Shaka Hislop
off his line and within eight minutes the points were confirmed when
new signing Allan Johnston added a second, lobbing home after an
awful header from Rigobert Song. West Ham's own new signing, £5.5m
Tomas Repka from Fiorentina, also made his mark on his debut by
getting red carded for a second bookable offence having held back
Dean Windass.


Newcastle (2) 4 (Robert 6, Lee 34, Dabizas 52, Shearer 81)
Manchester United (1) 3 (Van Nistelrooy 30, Giggs 63, Veron 65)
RED CARD : Keane (Man United) 90

Amazing game at St James Park as Manchester United crashed to their
first defeat of the season, losing to the odd goal in seven against
Newcastle. Laurent Robert got the fun and games under way when his
wonderful 25 yard free kick found the top corner, however on the
half hour Ruud van Nistelrooy equalised, turning well after
collecting an Andy Cole and shooting home. Minutes later, Rob Lee's
speculative effort was somehow allowed to find the net by Fabien
Barthez who should really have done better, and early in the second
half, Nikos Dabizas made it 3-1, drilling home from close range
after he had originally blocked Robert's shot. United fought back
however and Ryan Giggs pulled a goal back, firing home with his
right foot after a cross from Gary Neville. Two minutes later, Juan
Veron made it all square, volleying into the net after Van
Nistelrooy had held the ball up. Cometh the hour, cometh the man,
and Alan Shearer, making his home debut for the season, grabbed the
winner, although his effort came off Wes Brown before finding the
net. Roy Keane was sent off in stoppage time after throwing the ball
at Shearer having been angered by something between the pair on the
touchline, although he would likely have got away with a yellow had
he not lashed out at Shearer as the referee went to book him. Keane
then did himself no favours by having to be restrained by David
Beckham as his fury got the better of him. Arguably the game of the
season so far.

Gary Dowden
Chief Editor SoccerAge UK
http://www.soccerage.com
gary@soccerage.com
garydowden@blueyonder.co.uk