26 August 2007
MIDDLESBROUGH 2 (Mido 27, Arca 79)
NEWCASTLE 2 (N'Zogbia 21, Viduka 76)
All square in the Tyne-Tees derby as Middlesbrough twice came from behind at home to Newcastle. After an uneventful start, Newcastle took the lead with the first effort at goal, midway through the half. Peter Ramage played the ball wide to Charles N'Zogbia who cut across the edge of the area from the left and curled a beauty into the top corner. Boro were level six minutes later as Fabio Rochemback's chip found Ahmed Mido just onside and having chested the ball down well and rounded the keeper, he tapped it into an empty net although for a second it looked as though it was bobbling wide! Cue a prolonged 'finger on lips' celebration in front of opposing fans and cue yellow card for the scorer. The second half also took an age to get started however with thirteen minutes left, Mark Viduka collected a chip into the area from Geremi, showed great strength to hold off Jonathon Woodgate, turn and shoot low into the bottom corner to silence the fans that used to cheer him. This time the lead lasted even less time as the visitors twice failed to clear the away and eventually Julio Arca fired a shot through a crowd and into the corner.
Attendance : 28,875
Assists : Ramage, Rochemback, N'Zogbia, n/a
MANCHESTER UNITED 1 (Nani 68)
TOTTENHAM 0
Man United record their first win of the season thanks to a cracking goal by Nani to see off a battling Spurs side. Spurs almost started in sensational style when Robbie Keane curled a beauty against the bar after just 20 seconds and they had a fairly comfortable opening twenty minutes before United finally found some kind of rhythm. Even then this wasn't the free flowing Man United we are used to as Rio Ferdinand forced a save from Paul Robinson whilst a number of efforts ended up well off target although Michael Carrick did shave the post with one shot. The second half took a while to spark but Spurs felt they should have had two penalties in as many minutes firstly when Dimitar Berbatov collided with Nemanja Vidic and then with Berbatov again as his shot appeared to catch Wes Brown on the arm. The first incident was less likely but almost led to a goal as the loose ball was hacked off the line by Ferdinand. Minutes later, the deadlock was broken in spectacular style as Nani collected the ball 25 yards out and as the defence backed off, unleashed a belter which soared past Robinson and into the net courtesy of a slight deflection by Carlos Tevez. Credit to Spurs though for not lying down as Berbatov curled a shot inches over with the keeper beaten.
Attendance : 75,696
Assist : n/a
25 August 2007
DERBY 1 (Oakley 51)
BIRMINGHAM 2 (Jerome 32 seconds, Jerome 62)
Derby go bottom after losing the battle of two of the promoted sides. In the first top flight game between the clubs for 29 years, Birmingham took the lead with the quickest goal of the season so far as Cameron Jerome found the net from a tricky angle after just 32 seconds having been set up by Mikael Forsell. Derby were level early in the second half from Matt Oakley's crisp volley from a cross by Eddie Lewis, however Jerome struck again to clinch the points with a low first time shot from Sebastian Larsson's header
Attendance : 31,117
Assist : Forsell, Lewis, Larsson
ASTON VILLA 2 (Knight 51 og, Maloney 90)
FULHAM 1 (Dempsey 5)
Aston Villa came from behind to see off Fulham who have seen the leaders in each of their games this season actually go on to lose! The signs were there early on when with the help of a deflection, Diomansy Kamara's pass found Clint Dempsey in the area and he smashed the ball in off the bar. A tactical change at the break rejuvenated Villa and especially Luke Young who jinked into the area from the left flank and his drilled cross was deflected in by Zat Knight. Young was then body checked on the edge of the area, resulting in a second yellow card for Chris Baird, however had the referee waited before blowing his whistle, Villa would have led as Luke Moore fired in marginally after play stopped. Ultimately it mattered little although the winner came in stoppage time when Young's through ball found Shaun Maloney who rode a tackle and slid the ball in. He did look slightly offside although he'd earlier had what looked a good goal disallowed for the same reason.
Attendance : 36,638
Red Card : Baird 68 (Fulham)
Assist : Kamara, n/a, Young
CHELSEA 1 (Lampard 30)
PORTSMOUTH 0
Chelsea go top although they made hard work of seeing off a impressive looking Portsmouth side. The only goal came when Didier Drogba found Frank Lampard and although he found the net from the edge of the area, keeper David James did get plenty on the ball.
Attendance : 41,501
Assist : n/a
WEST HAM 1 (Bowyer 81)
WIGAN 1 (Scharner 77)
Honours even at Upton Park thanks to a late goal for both West Ham and Wigan. The visitors went ahead when Mario Melchiot's long throw wasn't cleared and Paul Scharner's overhead kick found the bottom corner. Lee Bowyer then put a close range effort wide but made amends with a shot across the keeper and inside the far post having been found by Luis Boa Morte.
Attendance : 33,793
Assist : Heskey, Boa Morte
BOLTON 3 (Speed 31, Anelka 55, Braaten 90)
READING 0
Bolton finally got some points on the board as they blitzed Reading at the Reebok. Gary Speed's firm header from El Hadji Diouf's corner got them started and then Diouf sent Nik Anelka clear on goal and after defender Andre Bikey had inadvertently knocked the ball past his keeper, Anelka was left with an easy task to roll the ball in. Sub Daniel Braaton wrapped it up late on with a volley on the stretch from Anelka's cross.
Attendance : 20,023
Assist : Diouf (ck), Diouf, Anelka
ARSENAL 1 (Fabregas 80)
MANCHESTER CITY 0
Arsenal ended Man City's 100% record with a narrow win at Highbury having been largely frustrated for the majority of the game. City keeper Kasper Schmeichel delayed the seemingly inevitable when he saved Robin Van Persie's penalty with his legs after Alexander Hleb had been fouled by Micah Richards, however with just ten minutes left, Hleb set up Cesc Fabregas to wallop a shot into the roof of the net from a tight angle.
Attendance : 60,114
Assist : Hleb
EVERTON 1 (McFadden 78)
BLACKBURN 1 (Santa Cruz 15)
Honours even at Goodison as Everton came from behind to earn a draw against Blackburn. Everton began well however Rovers took the lead when the hosts failed to clear their area and as Robbie Savage helped the
ball back in, Morten Gamst Pedersen looped an effort against the bar and an unmarked Roque Santa Cruz bundled the ball inside the near post. Suddenly Everton were all at sea at the back and they almost went
further behind as Christopher Samba had a header cleared off the line and David Dunn forced a fine save out of keeper Tim Howard. After the break Everton should have levelled when sub Phil Jagielka headed wide of
a gaping goal, however they grabbed their draw when Mikel Arteta crossed for James McFadden to send a near post volley in. Blackburn almost won it in stoppage time when David Bentley's deflected free kick was tipped onto the bar by Howard.
Attendance : 33,850
Assists : n/a, Arteta
SUNDERLAND 0
LIVERPOOL 2 (Sissoko 36, Voronin 86)
Liverpool continued their good start to the season with a comfortable win at Sunderland. Liverpool went ahead after a decent build up ended with Jermaine Pennant and Fernando Torres setting up Mohammed Sissoko to drill a low powerful shot inside the near post from 25 yards and the win was secured late on when another good passing movement saw Torres find Andriy Voronin who cut inside and thumped a shot across the keeper and in.
Attendance : 45,645
Assists : Voronin, Torres
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