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20 January 2008

MANCHESTER CITY 1 (Vassell 16)
WEST HAM 1 (Cole 8)

Honours even at Eastlands as Man City and West Ham met for the second time in four days. West Ham took an early lead when Freddie Ljungberg's cross was clipped into the air by Carlton Cole and then dispatched into the bottom corner of the net with an acrobatic close range overhead kick. The lead lasted less than ten minutes as a City corner was cleared back to Martin Petrov whose cross wasn't dealt with and Darius Vassell bundled it in from three yards although replays showed him to be offside from the original cross. The Hammers had the better of the second and almost won it only for Joe Hart to save well from Mark Noble and Cole.

Attendance : 39,042
Assists : Ljungberg, Petrov


WIGAN 1 (Jagielka 53 og)
EVERTON 2 (Johnson 39, Lescott 42)

Everton continue their assault on fourth spot with a hard fought win away at Wigan. The home side had the better of the first half on an awkward pitch and were unlucky not to score when a bullet header from Marcus Bent was tipped onto the bar. They were made to pay though as Everton struck with two goals just before half time, both of which could have been avoided. Andy Johnson netted the first after Titus Bramble missed his kick completely when attempting a back pass and just three minutes later, Wigan failed to clear a near post corner and as Phil Jagielka volleyed the ball across goal, Joleon Lescott was at the far post to tap it in from close range. Wigan pulled one back early in the second half with a freak own goal as a free kick from Jason Koumas drifted over everyone including keeper Tim Howard and bobbled over the line via the hand of Jagielka, however that was as good as it got for the hosts.

Attendance : 18,820
Assists : n/a, Jagielka, n/a


19 January 2008

NEWCASTLE 0
BOLTON 0

Newcastle's new era under Kevin Keegan began with a damp squib of a game which ended goalless against Bolton. Chances were rare and I spent most of the second half counting down the time before the snooker started although in the final minute, Bolton almost won it when Samuel's close range shot was kept out by Shay Given.

Attendance : 52,250
Assist : n/a


BIRMINGHAM 0
CHELSEA 1 (Pizarro 79)

Chelsea kept in touch with the top two after a narrow in at Birmingham who created enough chances to justify at least a point. The only goal came from a corner drilled in by Juliano Belletti and headed in by a stooping Claudio Pizarro.

Attendance : 26,567
Assists : Belletti (ck)


BLACKBURN 1 (Derbyshire 75)
MIDDLESBROUGH 1 (Wheater 13)

Middlesbrough had the better of things at Blackburn but a host of wasted chances saw them only go home with a draw. Boro went ahead when David Wheater headed in a Stuart Downing free kick from close range but Rovers salvaged a point when Matt Derbyshire tapped in after Jason Roberts' effort squirmed off target.

Attendance : 21,687
Assists : Downing (fk), Roberts


FULHAM 0
ARSENAL 3 (Adebayor 19, Adebayor 38, Rosicky 81)

Arsenal remain second on goal difference despite a comfortable win at Fulham. Two first half headers from Emmanuel Adebayor set up the win, firstly from a cross from the left by Gael Clichy and then a similar effort after Alexandre Hleb provided the ball in from the opposite flank. The third followed late on as Eduardo's cut back was volleyed in on the stretch by Tomas Rosicky.

Attendance : 25,297
Assists : Clichy, Hleb, Eduardo


PORTSMOUTH 3 (Benjani 38, Benjani 42, Benjani 55)
DERBY 1 (Nyatanga 4)

Portsmouth striker Benjani hit a 17 minute hat trick either side of half time as his team came from behind to beat bottom club Derby. The visitors took a shock lead when Lewin Nyatanga netted from close range after Kenny Miller had headed against the bar. Benjani then struck twice in four minutes as he collected a pass from Pedro Mendes before turning and firing into the top corner and then sent a simple unmarked header into the net from Hermann Hreidarsson's cross. The third was as good a breakaway goal as you'll see as a Derby attack broke down and Portsmouth went from box to box, culminating in Benjani playing a one-two with Mendes before slotting in the third and became the first player to score two hat tricks in the Prem this season.

Attendance : 19,401
Assists : n/a, Mendez, Hreidarsson, Mendez


READING 0
MANCHESTER UNITED 2 (Rooney 77, Ronaldo 93)

Man United stay top after two late goals won the game at Reading. Both clubs had decent chances in an entertaining game before United took the lead as a clipped ball forward by Carlos Tevez was flicked into the net by Wayne Rooney. In stoppage time, Reading lost possession on the edge of the United area and after Darren Fletcher cleared to Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese star ran more than half the length of the pitch before finishing with ease.

Attendance : 24,135
Assists : Tevez, Fletcher


TOTTENHAM 2 (Lennon 2, Keane 92)
SUNDERLAND 0

A goal at the start and end of the game saw Spurs beat Sunderland who missed some good opportunities in the second half to level matters. The hosts took an early lead when Jamie O'Hara's cross was helped on by Dimitar Berbatov and with the ball at a tricky height, prodded in by Aaron Lennon. Into stoppage time, Spurs finally clinched the win as a long clearance from keeper Radek Cerny was missed by the defence and finished with a low drive by Robbie Keane which squirmed under away keeper Craig Gordon for Keane's 100th goal for his club.

Attendance : 36,070
Assists : Berbatov, Cerny (gk)

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