6 February 2005 Southampton (1) 2 (Crouch 36, Camara 54) Everton (1) 2 (Beattie 4, Bent 92) Southampton move to within three pointa of safety at the bottom after a stoppage time goal from Marcus Bent robbed them of a deserved win against Everton who remain in fourth place. James Beattie took less than for minutes to make his mark on his return to St Marys as he was on hand to volley a shot into the roof of the net after Tim Cahill's header was well saved by Paul Smith. The reserve keeper then saved equally well from Beattie and James McFadden before the home side equalised as Rory Delap's long throw was headed home at the near post by Peter Crouch. Saints began the second half very well and after Henri Camara and Calum Davenport wet close, Camara played a neat one-two on the right with David Prutton, cut inside and clipped the ball neatly over Nigel Martyn for a fine goal. Everton threw everything at their hosts late on and got their reward when Bent ran onto a ball from Duncan Ferguson, beat a defender and crashed a shot past Smith at the near post. Assists : n/a, Delap (throw-in), Prutton, Ferguson Chelsea (0) 0 Man City (0) 0 Man City keeper David James produced a stunning stoppage time save to deny Chelsea victory as they were held to a goalless draw by the only team who've beaten them in a league game this season. The league leaders took a while to get started, however after James saved well from Damien Duff, Mateja Kezman could only put the rebound wide and then a combination of James and Paul Bosvelt somehow kept out a William Gallas header. Just before half time, City almost snatched the lead when Robbie Fowler headed wide from a good position. In the second half, more of the same as City remained strong at the back, especially James who kept out a stinging free kick from Lampard and then with time almost up, he produced an instinctive one handed save to push away Lampard's close range volley. Chelsea go nine points clear of Man United, but is this the start of a Chelsea sticky spell you wonder? 5 February 2005 Aston Villa 1 (Angel 74) Arsenal 3 (Ljungberg 10, Henry 14, Cole 28) Arsenal bounced back from the midweek disappointment with a comfortable win at Villa Park in a match which was all over after half an hour. By then, the Gunners were three ahead and it could have easily been double! It started when Jose Antonio Reyes sent Freddie Ljungberg through and his chipped finished nestled inside the far post and within four minutes, Thierry Henry added a second, finding almost the same spot from a similar angle having been put in by Patrick Vieira. The third was pure class as Henry found Dennis Bergkamp, his first time ball sent Ashley Cole clear and his excellent volley again found that same far post area. Villa pulled one back late on when Ulises De La Cruz cut the ball back for Juan Pablo Angel to score, however it was never going to be enough. Attendance : 42,539 Assists : Edu, Vieira, Bergkamp, De La Cruz Liverpool 3 (Morientes 9, Hyypia 63, Baros 77) Fulham 1 (Cole 16) Fernando Morientes scored his first Anfield goal for Liverpool as they record their second win against London opponents in five days, this time Fulham were on the receiving end. It took Morientes less than nine minutes to get off the mark as he was on hand to head home Luis Garcia's cross, however with seven minutes, Fulham were level when Luis Boa Morte's cross was finished by Andy Cole's diving header. The third headed goal of the game put Liverpool back ahead in the second half when Sami Hyypia glanced in Steven Gerrard's free kick and the points were secured when John Arne Riise's cut back was converted by Milan Baros. Attendance : 43,534 Assists : Luis Garcia, Boa Morte, Gerrard (fk), Riise Manchester United 2 (Keane 55, Rooney 78) Birmingham 0 Man United moved to within eight points of Chelsea with a comfortable home win against Birmingham, although it was the visitors who came closest to scoring before half time when Walter Pandiani stinging volley crashed against the underside of the bar and bounced on the line before spinning away to safety. United went ahead when Cristiano Ronaldo's back heel fell to Roy Keane and after surging through a `Red Sea` style defence, he shot crisply into the bottom corner to register his 50th goal for United. The lead was doubled when Kenny Cunningham's underhit back pass almost put Ronaldo through however after keeper Maik Taylor half cleared, he was stranded away from goal and Wayne Rooney took full advantage with an inch perfect lob. Attendance : 67,838 Assists : Ronaldo (x2) Middlesbough 1 (Quedrue 35) Blackburn 0 Blackburn continue to get dragged into the relegation dog fight whilst Boro's surge towards a European place continued after their narrow win at the Riverside. The only goal came when Stuart Downing found Framck Queudrue on the left and after cutting inside, the Frenchman found the net with a firmly struck shot. The only blot for Boro came late on when Ray Parlour was sent off for a second bookable offence as he stupidly kicked the ball away. Attendance : 30,564 Red Card : Parlour 89 (Middlesbrough) Assist : Downing Newcastle 1 (Dyer 52) Charlton 1 (Rommedahl 53) Newcastle were jeered off the pitch after letting a lead slip for the second time this week. Charlton more than held their own until early in the second half when an Alan Shearer header wasn't cleared and Kieron Dyer fired home courtesy of a big deflection off of a defender. The lead lasted one minute before Andy O'Brien lost possession in his final third and as Dennis Rommedalh set off across the edge of his area, he unleashed a superb shot which flew in via the far post. Attendance : 51,114 Assists : n/a, n/a Norwich 3 (Fleming 45, Doherty 62, Francis 85) West Brom 2 (Earnshaw 41, Richardson 49) The bottom two met at Carrow Road and produced a classic game as both Norwich and West Brom unhooked their shackles and went for victory. The visitors took the lead when a poor clearance by Norwich keeper Robert Green fell to Jonathon Greening. His pass sent Robert Earnshaw clear and he slotted cooly in under the keeper. The hosts were level on half time when a corner from Graeme Stuart was met by Craig Fleming and although his header was weak, it deceived keeper Russell Hoult who allowed the ball to drift in over his hands, although his claims that he was impeaded were waved away. Early in the second half, West Brom regained the lead as Earnshaw burst through again and crossed for Kieron Richardson in the six yard box. He somehow managed to hit the bar with his effort, however the rebound struck him on the knee and went in. Again Norwich battled back and were rewarded when Darren Huckerby's cross was nodded in by Gary Doherty and although West Brom had the better of the next twenty minutes, a winner wasn't forthcoming for them. It was however for Norwich and arrived when the visitors failed to clear the ball and after Fleming helped the ball back with a cushioned header, Damien Francis drilled in the clinching goal from the edge of the area. Attendance : 24,292 Assists : Greening, Stuart (ck), n/a, Huckerby, Fleming Tottenham 3 (Mido 34, 57, Keane 83) Portsmouth 1 (Kamara 28) New Spurs signing Ahmed Mido had a dream debut with two goals as his new side came from behind to beat Portsmouth. Spurs dominated early on, however Pompey took the lead with their first attempt at goal as Patrik Berger's corner was nodded in by Diomansy Kamara. The lead lasted six minutes before Simon Davies crossed for the unmarked Mido to head home and then in the second half, he was on hand at the far post to crash in a driven cross from Jermain Defoe. The victory was comfirmed late on when another new arrival, Andy Reid, sent Robbie Keane away and he found the net with a delightful lob from a tight angle. Attendance : 36,105 Assists : Berger (ck), Davis, Defoe, Reid Crystal Palace 0 Bolton 1 (Nolan 31) Bolton notch up their seventh win in a row, keeping Crystal Palace firmly in the relegation dogfight after a hard fought 1-0 win at Selhurst Park. Palace had the better of the opening stages, however it was Bolton who went ahead with a controversial effort. A good build up saw Stelios Giannakopoulos put through and althoughhis chip was cleared off the line, Kevin Nolan tried to touch the loose ball in only for Emmerson Boyce to again scramble it away,although this time the linesman flagged to say that the ball had gone in, however numerous replays still failed to prove that it had. Palace's luck continued to desart when in the second half as chances came and went, notably through Andy Johnson who shot wide from six yards and Danny Granville who hooked over in stoppage time. Attendance : 23,163 Assist : n/a Gary Dowden - Joint Admin Topica Premier-L list http://www.topica.com/lists/premier-L Leeds United and Scotland and proud of it http://www.peanutsfan.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/footiemad The Unofficial Premiership Site |