Premier League Wrap (Week Eight)
By Staff
Sorry for the delay this weekend, which was not without controversy, as a number of teams felt mistreated by the ever-popular officiating crews of the English Premier League. Complete wrap after the jump.
Saturday, October 16 – Arsenal 2, Birmingham City 1
Maroane Chamakh’s classy 47th minute tally proved to be the difference as the hosting Gunners won over the Blues. Nikola Zigic stunned the Emirates faithful with a 33rd-minute header to grab the early lead. Eight minutes later, Samir Nasri equalized with a controversial penalty kick before Chamakh took the lead just after the break. Late in the match, prized youngster Jack WIlshire drew a straight red after a reckless challenge on Zigic.
Saturday, October 16 – Bolton Wanderers 2, Stoke City 1
Lee Chung-Yong fired home the opening goal for Bolton in the 22nd minute, gathering a deflected pass to score from just outside the box. Rory Delap equalized moments after the half, volleying home a ball off a Robert Huth corner kick. Ivan Klasnic provided the game-winner on 77 minutes only to be shown red near the death after picking up his second yellow card of the match.
Saturday, October 16 – Fulham 1, Tottenham Hotspur 2
Host Fulham fell in very controversial fashion to Spurs, as a Tom Huddlestone tally provided the game-winner. Diomansy Kamara opened up the scoring after a brilliant build by Clint Dempsey, and Pavlyuchenko tied up the affair just a minute later. The match was relatively even, leading up to the Huddlestone tally. The defender sent a ball into the box, and after William Gallas, who was deemed to be offside, attempted to get a touch on the ball, it went into the net. Initially, and likely correctly ruled offside, the referee overruled his assistant’s call, and allowed the match-winner.
Saturday, October 16 – Manchester United 2, West Bromwich Albion
The Baggies pulled off a draw in ever-so-unlikely fashion, jumping on an uninspired Man U side in the second half of action. The Red Devils played as well they have this season in the opening 45 minutes, and could have very easily boasted of a four or five goal lead, but settled for strikes from Chicarito (fifth minute) and Nani (25th minute). However, Man U looked like a different team after the half. Patrice Evra sent the ball into his own net in the 50th after the host United couldn’t clear the ball off a free kick from just left of the penalty box. Five minutes later, Edwin van der Sar inexplicably had a ball go right through his hands, and Somen Tchoyi was right behind him for the easy goal.
Saturday, October 16 – Newcastle United 2, Wigan Athletic 2
Charles N’Zogbia scored goals in back-to-back minutes in the first half, but the Magpies mounted a late comeback against the visitors to earn the draw. N’Zogbia, playing against his former team, answered the boos with a 22nd minute header, and doubled the lead just a minute later. Substitute Shola Ameobi trimmed the deficit to one in the 72nd minute as it appeared Newcastle appeared to wake up. With four minutes gone in added time, Colocinni headed home the equalizer off a Jonas Gutierrez cross.
Saturday, October 16 – Wolverhampton Wanderers 1, West Ham United 1
Matthew Jarvis tallied the opening goal just 10 minutes in, and a Mark Noble penalty just after the half salvaged the draw for West Ham. A win for either side would have put some difference in between the two clubs, who are each sitting in the relegation zone eight weeks in.
Saturday, October 16 – Aston Villa 0, Chelsea 0
Playing without Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard, Chelsea dominated possession at Villa Park but couldn’t find the back of the net vs. Aston Villa, who have held the Blues winless in all but one of their last 12 visits.
Sunday, October 17 – Everton 2, Liverpool 0
Everton were clearly the better side as the woes for the Reds continued this season, despite the presence of new owner John Henry present at Goddison Park. Tim Cahill, who has developed quite the reputation for his play in the Merseyside Derby, fired home a fantastic strike off a nice Seamus Coleman build. Mikel Arteta put the match out of reach for the visitors with a clinical strike from outside the box just after the half.
Sunday, October 17 – Blackpool 2, Manchester City 3
Sunday’s final match proved to be controversial as the league’s richest team took on the league’s poorest. After a scoreless first 66 minutes, five goals were scored in the final 23. Carlos Tevez opened the scoring in the 67th, and after Marlon Harewood evened up the score at one in the 78th, Tevez struck again a minute later. In the 90th minute, David Silva scored in magnificent one-on-one fashion, and Gary Taylor-Fletcher cut the deficit back to one moments later, but it was too little, too late. Following the match, Blackpool skipper Ian Holloway blasted the officials for allowing both Tevez goals.
Monday, October 18 – Blackburn Rovers 0, Sunderland 0
In one of those much-loved scoreless draws, Blackburn, who played minus captain Christopher Samba in the second half after drawing a red at the end of the first, battled the visiting Black Cats.