30 August 2009
ASTON VILLA 2 (Paintsil 3 og, Agbonlahor 59)
FULHAM 0
Aston Villa move into eighth with a comfortable win over an out of sorts Fulham. Villa were ahead early when Ashley Young's viciously struck corner was headed into his own net from close range by John Pantsil, under pressure from Gabriel Agbonlahor. Things turned mundane in the game until just before the hour with a goal totally out of context for the game. Agbonlahor collected a square ball James Milner from and as the defence backed off, he unleashed a superb low drive which arrowed into the bottom corner.
Attendance : 32,917
Assists : n/a, n/a
EVERTON 2 (Saha 62, Baines 94 Pen)
WIGAN 1 (Scharner 57)
Everton won in the league for the first time this season after coming behind to beat Wigan courtesy of a late penalty. Wigan took the lead when Paul Scharner stooped at the far post to head in Charles N'Zogbia's cross however the hosts were soon level when Louis Saha got in front of a group of players to head in a corner from Leighton Baines. Wigan blew a golden chance late on with a 5 against 2 break but Scott Sinclair went alone and his shot was saved before Jo broke down the right for Everton and was clumsily fouled by Emerson Boyce and former Wigan star Baines walloped in the spot kick.
Attendance : 35,122
Assists : N'Zogbia, Baines (ck), Jo (won pen)
PORTSMOUTH 0
MANCHESTER CITY 1 (Adebayor 30)
Three wins out of three for Man City in a game, at Portsmouth, which had 'away banker' stamped all over it. The only goal came on the half hour when Emmanuel Adebayor thumped in a header from a corner by Gareth Barry. City felt they should have had a second when Micah Richards netted from Craig Bellamy's cross but Barry was ruled offside at the far post.
Attendance : 17,826
Assist : Barry (ck)
29 August 2009
BLACKBURN 0
WEST HAM 0
Scoreless at Ewood as Blackburn and West Ham earned a point each in a game which rarely raised above a mundane level. The Hammers best chance fell to Carlton Cole who fired over from a tight angle. Rovers sub Junior Hoilett came close in the second half with a couple of efforts wide and a lob just over with only the keeper to beat. Rovers won their first point but are still awaiting their first home goal.
Attendance : 23,421
Assists : n/a
BOLTON 2 (K Davies 33, Cohen 47)
LIVERPOOL 3 (Johnson 41, Torres 56, Gerrard 83)
Liverpool won a thriller at the Reebok despite being twice behind at ten man Bolton. The hosts went ahead through Kevin Davies who had an easy finish from two yards after a corner had been nodded back across goal by Johan Elmander. It took Liverpool eight minutes to level as Glen Johnson, who looks to be a superb signing, cut inside his man and drilled in from the edge of the area after Bolton could only partially clear a corner. Early in the second half, Bolton regained the lead when Tamir Cohen latched onto a header by Davies to volley in. The turning point came shortly afterwards when Sean Davis was shown the first red card of the new season when, having already been booked, he clipped the ankles of Leiva Lucas and saw his second yellow of the game. Liverpool took almost instant advantage when Dirk Kuyt set up Fernando Torres who took a touch before firing in and then late on, Steven Gerrard walloped a shot into the roof of the net from Torres's far post header.
Attendance : 23,284
Assists : Knight, n/a, K Davies, Kuyt, Torres
CHELSEA 3 (Anelka 47, Ballack 47, Cole 52)
BURNLEY 0
Four league wins out of four for Chelsea as they blitzed Burnley at Stamford Bridge. The hosts dominated the first half but had to wait until stoppage time to go ahead when Didier Drogba found space on the right and his low cross was put into the net by the sliding Nik Anelka at the far post, albeit with help from the upright. Prior to that, Anelka missed a great chance whilst clean through as he was denied by keeper Brian Jensen as he tried to dribble around the away stopper but Burnley had an equally good opportunity when Chelsea lost possession in their final third and Tyrone Mears set up Martin Paterson who, with only Petr Cech to beat, dragged his shot wide. Chelsea doubled the lead within two minutes of the restart when Frank Lampard crossed for Michael Ballack to send a diving header across the keeper and into the back of the net. The floodgates were creaking open five minutes later when, after a spell of Chelsea keep ball, Ashley Cole played a one-two with Lampard on the edge of the area and walloped a volley which flew past Jensen.
Attendance : 40,906
Assists : Drogba, Lampard, Lampard
MANCHESTER UNITED 2 (Rooney 59 Pen, Diaby 64 og)
ARSENAL 1 (Arshavin 40)
The season's first 'Big Four' clash saw Man United come from behind to see off Arsenal at Old Trafford. Arsenal took the lead shortly before half time when Andrei Arshavin collected a short pass from Abou Diaby and unleashed a bullet from 25 yards which tore into the top corner even though keeper Ben Foster got hands to the ball. It was due reward for the Russian who moments earlier felt he should have had a penalty after being clattered by Darren Fletcher and midway through the half he came close which a controlled effort after Foster flapped at a corner. United ended the half strongly but failed to break a resolute Gunners defence. After the break Arsenal almost doubled the lead when Arshavin's cross was met by Robin Van Persie whose effort from five yards was somehow kept out by Foster. United struggled to get a foothold in the game until they were given a helping hand by visiting keeper Manuel Almunia who took away Wayne Rooney's legs at he burst onto a through ball for a clear spot kick which Rooney converted with ease, sending the keeper the wrong way. The goal upped the pace and the tempers with Rooney and Wes Brown booked in a matter of seconds for attempting to hack down Diaby and from the free kick on the right, Van Persie thudded his effort against the bar. Seconds later, Ryan Giggs swung in a free kick at the opposite end and Diaby, under minimal pressure, sent a superb header past his own keeper and into his own net! Suddenly the game was alive as Diaby then burst through and dragged a shot wide as he looked to make amends from his awful error at the other end. Patrice Evra forced a great save from Almunia ahead of the expected late Arsenal onslaught inside the final ten minutes which came without any real threat, indeed
United had the best chances when Nani sent sub Dimitar Berbatov clear but a bobble as he shot saw the ball spinning horribly wide and then Nani forced a save from the keeper and skied the rebound. With time just about up, Van Persie did find the net only to be denied by a correct offside flag, a decision which enraged Gunners boss Arsene Wenger who was sent to the stands, presumably for comments made to the fourth official.
Attendance : 75,095
Assists : Denilson, Rooney (won pen), n/a
STOKE 1 (Kitson 43)
SUNDERLAND 0
Stoke are up to the dizzy heights of fourth after a scrambled winner against Sunderland. The goal came just before half time as the visitors failed to clear the ball from their six yard box and Dave Kitson bobbled home a volley.
Attendance : 27,091
Assists : n/a
TOTTENHAM 2 (Crouch 72, Lennon 95)
BIRMINGHAM 1 (Bowyer 75)
Spurs left it desperately late to see off Birmingham and keep up their 100% start to the season. The hosts lost Ledley King and Luka Modric to injury during the game but went ahead with eighteen minutes to go when Peter Crouch, who had earlier hit the bar and had an effort cleared off the line, rose at the far post to head in Tom Huddlestone's cross. The lead lasted three minutes as Alan Hutton and keeper Carlo Cudicini struggled to stop Christian Benitez as he burst into the area and as the bounced away from the Spurs pair, Lee Bowyer tapped into an empty net. With time almost up, Birmingham lost the ball in midfield and Roman Pavlyuchenko swept a long ball towards Aaron Lennon who cut inside and fired low inside the far post, although the keeper perhaps could have done better as the ball crept under him.
Attendance : 35,318
Assists : Huddlestone (fk), n/a, Pavlyuchenko
WOLVES 1 (Stearman 46)
HULL 1 (Geovanni 3)
Spurs left it desperately late to see off Birmingham and keep up their 100% start to the season. The hosts lost Ledley King and Luka Modric to injury during the game but went ahead with eighteen minutes to go when Peter Crouch, who had earlier hit the bar and had an effort cleared off the line, rose at the far post to head in Tom Huddlestone's cross. The lead lasted three minutes as Alan Hutton and keeper Carlo Cudicini struggled to stop Christian Benitez as he burst into the area and as the bounced away from the Spurs pair, Lee Bowyer tapped into an empty net. With time almost up, Birmingham lost the ball in midfield and Roman Pavlyuchenko swept a long ball towards Aaron Lennon who cut inside and fired low inside the far post, although the keeper perhaps could have done better as the ball crept under him.
Attendance : 27,906
Assists : Hunt, Craddock
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