Premier League Round-Up - Week 3 - August 22/23, 2009
After mid-week European action, the Premier League returned on Saturday with six of the ten ties scheduled at the same kick-off time, 15:00 GMT. Defending champions Manchester United brought their Premier League campaign back on track after a shock mid-week loss to newly promoted Burnley. The visit to Wigan looked tricky and it certainly played in the minds of the Champions as Roberto Martinez’s boys held their fort for fifty six minutes until Wayne Rooney struck. The England striker notched up his 100th goal for Manchester United when he headed the Reds into a vital lead at the DW stadium. Soon after there was no way back for Wigan as the Red Devils launched a major offensive as Dimitar Berbatov, substitute Michael Owen and Nani added to Wayne Rooney’s brace to complete a 5-0 rout.
Arsenal continued with their flying start to the season by easing to a 4-1 home victory over struggling Portsmouth at the Emirates stadium. The Gunners warmed up for next week’s Champions League Play-off second leg tie against Celtic and a Premier League trip to Manchester United by seeing off a mediocre Pompey side courtesy of a brace from Abou Diaby and a goal each from William Gallas and Aaron Ramsey. Younes Kaboul gave the South Coast side a ray of hope by reducing the margin at 2-0 down but the Gunners were too strong to collapse. Emmanuel Adebayor scored his second goal in as many matches as Manchester City downed Mick McCarthy’s new boys Wolverhampton Wanderers at the City of Manchester stadium. Adebayor scored the winner in the first half as City raided the Wolves defence time after time although the visitors improved dramatically in the second half and were unlucky not to have spoilt the Eastlands party.
At the Stadium of Light, Blackburn Rovers took the lead through Gael Givet after twenty minutes but an unlikely brace from towering Sunderland forward Kenwyn Jones handed the Black Cats a somewhat lucky home victory as Sam Allardyce’s men rued their missed chances despite a dominant display.
Hull City earned their first win of the season as Phil Brown’s men pulled their socks up against Bolton Wanderers after a mid-week drubbing at the hands of league leaders Tottenham Hotspur. Algerian Kamel Fathi Ghilas scored the winner as he was brilliantly fed by US international Jozy Altidore to leave Gary Megson’s side pointless and frustrated.
So early in the season yet the match between Birmingham City and Stoke City at St.Andrews was considered a relegation six-pointer and the tie proved to be a dour encounter as both the sides played out a goalless draw in the Midlands. A couple of old boys returned to Upton Park as West Ham United hosted high-flying Tottenham Hotspur. Gianfranco Zola’s side dominated Harry Redknapp’s Spurs for most of the game and deservedly took the lead as Carlton Cole spectacularly beat Carlo Cuducini with a turning shot just after 49 minutes. But the England striker went from hero to zero as his error prone pass found Jermaine Defoe one on one with Robert Green and the in-form England striker made no mistake. The mistake allowed the visitors to come back big time as Aaron Lennon capitalized on a slip by Jonathan Spector to strike the winner eleven minutes from time leaving Cole and company dejected.
Burnely are in dreamland as Owen Coyle’s brave side piled on Everton’s misery to record a second consecutive 1-0 home win leaving David Moyes’ side rooted at the bottom of the Premiership table. Wade Elliot scored the winner at Turf Moor while Louis Saha missed a penalty for the visitors in the second half. Lightning striking twice in one place(Turf Moor)indeed! Chelsea joined Spurs at the top of the table behind only on goal difference after a comfortable West London derby victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage. Strikers Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka scored on either half to give Carlo Ancelotti a 100% start to the season.
Full Results
Saturday 22 August 2009
Arsenal 4-1 Portsmouth
Birmingham 0-0 Stoke
Hull 1-0 Bolton
Man City 1-0 Wolves
Sunderland 2-1 Blackburn
Wigan 0-5 Man Utd
Sunday 23 August, 2009
Burnley 1-0 Everton
Fulham 0-2 Chelsea
West Ham 1-2 Tottenham
Premier League action round-ups
Week 1 - August 15/16, 2009
Week 2 - August 18/19, 2009
See the full list of OLBG's free Football Tips here.
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