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30 March 2008

LIVERPOOL 1 (Torres 7)
EVERON 0

Liverpool move five points clear of Everton in fourth place after easing past their Merseyside rivals at Anfield. The only goal came early as Yakubu lost possession in his own final third and Dirk Kuyt set up Fernando Torres to fire in. Everton created little in a largely uneventful derby whilst Liverpool should have increased their lead on a number of occasions with Steven Gerrard coming close with a volley that hit the post.

Attendance : 44,295
Assist : Kuyt


TOTTENHAM 1 (Bent 26)
NEWCASTLE 4 (Butt 45, Geremi 52 fk, Owen 65, Martins 83)

Newcastle came from behind to win at Carling Cup winners Spurs whose own campaign is petering out. The hosts took the lead when Steed Malbranque's cross was headed in by Darren Bent but in first half stoppage time, Geremi set up Nicky Butt to find the bottom corner from the edge of the area. Geremi then fired in a 20 yard free kick to put Newcastle ahead before Obefemi Martins and a dummy from Mark Viduka allowing Michael Owen to clip in the third. Martins added the fourth as a chased a long ball from Joey Barton, twisted the defender inside-out and planted the ball clinically past the keeper.

Attendance : 36,067
Assists : Malbranque, Geremi, Martins (won fk), Viduka, Barton


CHELSEA 1 (Carvalho 6)
MIDDLEBSROUGH 0

Chelsea move to within five points of Man United with a narrow, and lucky, win over Middlesbrough. The only goal came early as Ricardo Carvalho sent a towering header into the net from a Wayne Bridge free kick but this was a Chelsea that used their 'get out of jail free' cards in abundance. As Boro pushed for an equaliser, Afonso Alves chased a through ball causing Chelsea keeper Carlo Cudicini to come miles out of his area and then miss the ball totally. Alves had defenders between him and the gaping goal but curled the ball around them from 30 yards only for it to hit the post. Late on, David Wheater cracked a header against the bar and Alves did the same from the rebound before Jeremie Aliadiere smashed it over from close range.

Attendance : 39,993
Assist : Bridge (fk)


29 March 2008

MANCHESTER UNITED 4 (Ronaldo 17, Tevez 33, Rooney 53, Rooney 70)
ASTON VILLA 0

Cristiano Ronaldo was again the star of the show as Man United blitzed Aston Villa at Old Trafford. He opened the scoring with a audacious back heel after a corner from Ryan Giggs hit Wilfred Bouma and bounced nicely for the Portuguese star and then he ended a sweeping move with a fine cross for Carlos Tevez to head in at the far post. After the break, Giggs played the ball into Ronaldo whose first time flick sent Wayne Rooney clear to round the keeper and slot in the third and Ronaldo's clipped pass then set up Rooney to drill the fourth inside the near post.

Although United still have to play Chelsea and Arsenal, I would be amazed if they failed to win the league now.

Attendance : 75,932
Assists : n/a, Ronaldo, Ronaldo, Ronaldo


BIRMINGHAM 3 (Zarate 40, Zarate 54, McSheffrey 77 Pen)
MANCHESTER CITY 1 (Elano 59 Pen)

Birmingham moved four points clear of the drop zone with a well earned win against Man City. New cult hero Mauro Zarate did the original damage with a goal either side of half time starting with a clipped finish over the keeper after Richard Dunne failed to cut out Franck Queudrue's through ball and then with a clinical drive into the bottom corner after being found by Gary McSheffrey. City pulled one back when Queudrue hauled back Benjani in the area and was sent off, allowing Elano to convert from the spot however Birmingham clinched the win when McSheffrey shoulder charged City's Sun Jihai as they battled for the ball and after seemingly losing his balance, fell to the floor and was gifted one of the softest penalties you're likely to see. McSheffrey made no mistake from the penalty spot.

Attendance : 22,962
Assists : n/a, McSheffrey, Benjani (won pen), McSheffrey (won pen)


BOLTON 2 (Taylor 14, Gallas 43 og)
ARSENAL 3 (Gallas 62, Van Persie 68, Samuel 90 og)

Ten man Arsenal came from two goals down to record an amazing last gasp win at Bolton to keep their slender title hopes alive and leave Bolton in major trouble in the bottom three. The first half could hardly have gone better for the hosts as a cross from Gretar Steinsson was thumped in by the head of Matt Taylor who then added a second before the break with a shot which deflected off of William Gallas having been set up by El Hadji Diouf. Between the goals, Abou Diaby was shown a straight red for a studs first challenge into the standing leg of Steinsson and it looked as though Arsenal were down and out. The second half was a different story as Gallas fired in a corner from Cesc Fabregas, aided by a flick on by Bolton defender Ivan Campo and then after Mathieu Flamini's shot was saved, Alexander Hleb was tripped by Gary Cahill and Robin Van Persie coolly sent the keeper the wrong way from the spot to equalise. A point each looked likely until stoppage time when a good run and cross from Hleb was helped goalwards by Fabregas and then the ball clipped off of THREE Bolton defenders, finally bobbling over the line via the leg of Jlloyd Samuel.

Attendance : 22,431
Red Card : Diaby 31 (Bolton)
Assists : Steinsson, n/a, n/a, Hleb (won pen), n/a


DERBY 2 (Villa 10, Villa 80)
FULHAM 2 (Kamara 24, Leacock 78 og)

Derby are relegated after failing to beat second bottom Fulham in a surprisingly entertaining game at Pride Park. The hosts took an early lead when a fierce shot from Dean Leacock was deflected in by Tito Villa however Fulham levelled when Diomansy Kamara thumped in a header from a cross by Simon Davies. Fulham then took the lead when Leacock blocked a shot from Hameur Bouazza only for the ball to loop over the keeper and into his own net but within two minutes Derby equalised through Villa's header from Mile Sterjovski's cross. Fulham look likely to join Derby in the Championship next season.

Attendance : 33,034
Assists : Leacock, Davis, n/a, Sterjovski


PORTSMOUTH 2 (Defoe 32, 95)
WIGAN 0

Portsmouth warmed up for their FA Cup Semi Final with a comfortable win over Wigan. Jermain Defoe netted both goals, firstly from a tricky angle after John Utaka's run and shot was blocked and then late on he latched onto Niko Krancjar's through ball to fire past the keeper. Wigan should have levelled it up earlier only for David James to save Ryan Taylor's penalty after Sylvain Distin fouled Antonio Valencia.

Attendance : 18,623
Assists : n/a, Kranjcar


READING 0
BLACKBURN 0

No goals at the Madejski as Reading move six points clear of the drop zone. They ended the game with ten men when Marek Matejovsky was shown a second yellow card for a body check on Jason Roberts.

Attendance : 23,374
Red Card : Matejovsky 72 (Reading)
Assists : n/a


SUNDERLAND 2 (Jones 29, Reid 96)
WEST HAM 1 (Nosworthy 18 og)

Sunderland collected a vital three points with a late winner against West Ham. The Hammers took an early lead when Carlton Cole fouled Freddie Ljungberg and his deflected shot across the area nestled inside the far post. Sunderland were level by half time though as a cross from Kieran Richardson was touched on by Daryl Murphy and tapped into an empty net from two yards by Kenwyne Jones. Replays showed him to be onside despite the protests from West Ham. It looked to be heading for a draw until the sixth minute of stoppage time when a ball into the area was headed up rather than away by a defender and volleyed in superbly by Andy Reid.

Attendance : 45,690
Assists : n/a, Murphy, n/a

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