24 October 2004

Manchester United 2 (Van Nistelrooy 72 Pen, Rooney 90)
Arsenal 0

This was a tedious encounter before referee Mike Riley decided that the
game needed some drama and awarded a penalty when Rooney dived in the box.
van Nistelrooy redeemed himself for last season's late miss when he sent
Lemon the wrong way. The Mancs appeals for a second penalty, this time for
an actual foul, on Ronaldo were turned down. Rooney finished the Gunners off
on the break when he swept Smith's centre into the net.

Attendance : 67,862
Assists : Rooney (won pen), Smith


Middlesbrough 1 (Downing 72)
Portsmouth 1 (Kamara 5)

Two fine individual goals in a match Boro dominated.

Attendance : 30,964
Assists : Berger, n/a


Newcastle 4 (Robert 49, Shearer 58 Pen, Elliott 69, Bellamy 89)
Manchester City 3 (Wright-Phillips 64, Fowler 67 Pen, Wright-Phillips 77)

A strange opening goal in this one. Robert slipped as he took a free kick but
David James was in goal and not for the first time didn't move. James was lucky
to stay on the pitch for bringing down Carr in the box. Shearer whacked the ball
past James. There were three goals in a crazy five minute spell. A sharp turn
took Wright-Phillips away from Elliott and he raced into the box before firing
low past Given. Fowler then conned the ref into awarding a penalty before
converting himself. Elliott then made it 3-2 when he headed in Robert's free
kick. Wright-Phillips blasted through a ruck of players after the Newcastle
defence failed to clear from a throw in, 3-3. Bellamy struck a cruel, late
winner, finishing brilliantly from Bernard's cross.

Attendance : 52,316
Assists : Butt (won fk), Carr (won pen), n/a, Fowler (won pen), Robert fk,
n/a, Bernard


Southampton 0
Birmingham 0

Attendance : 27,568
Assists : 


23 October 2004

Liverpool 2 (Riise 52, Luis Garcia 74)
Charlton 0

Riise scored his first goal in 19 months for Liverpool with a stunning left foot
volley after the Charlton defence failed to clear a corner. Luis Garcia ensured
Charlton's miserable away form continued when he cracked one in from 25 yards.

Attendance : 41,625
Assists : n/a, Alonso


Aston Villa 2 (Solano 29, Hendrie 75)
Fulham 0

Solano's free kick proved too hot for van der Sar, despite getting a touch.
Hendrie scored for the second consecutive match with a great shot from the edge 
of the box.

Attendance : 34,460
Assists : Hendrie (won fk), Cole


Chelsea 4 (Gudjhonsen 37, 38 Pen, 51, Duff 74)
Blackburn 0

Blackburn suffered their second successive four goal defeat in a match in which
the extremely poor Gudjhonsen scored his first ever league hat-trick. The pick
of his three goals was a superb half volley. The Duffer opened his account for
the season from a Lampard corner.

Attendance : 41,546
Assists : Cole, Lampard, Gudjohnsen (won pen), Lampard (ck)


Crystal Palace 3 (Hall 5, Johnson 12 Pen, 50)
West Brom 0

Hall gave Palace the dream start in this six pointer, heading in a cross from 
the extremely gifted future England international Wayne Routledge. Johnson 
converted a penalty then moved alongside Henry at the top of the scorers chart 
when he struck a low drive in off a post.

Attendance : 22,922
Assists : Routledge, Johnson (won pen), Kolkka


Tottenham 1 (Keane 41)
Bolton 2 (Jaidi 11, Pedersen 75)

On the day Tottenham's greatest ever manager Bill Nicholson died aged 85
Tottenham lost their second successive league game. Jaidi scored his third goal
of the season with a bullet header. Keane levelled on half time, finishing of a 
beautifully worked move before Pedersen grabbed the winner, which looked 
offside, after a serious of deflections.

Attendance : 36,025
Assists : Speed (fk), Kanoute, n/a


Norwich 2 (McKenzie 48, Francis 57)
Everton 3 (Kilbane 10, Bent 40, Ferguson 73)

Heartbreak for Norwich who came back from two goals down before Duncan Ferguson 
came off the bench to head in the winner. Everton scored twice on the break. 
McKenzie got Norwich back into the match when he rode a tackle from Stubbs 
before shooting under Martyn's legs. Francis volleyed Norwich level from a 
corner before Ferguson popped up with the winner.

Attendance : 23,871
Assists : Cahill, Gravesen, Svensson, Johnson, Watson

R Mehdi