Here’s what happened in the English Premiership over the weekend, in case you missed it…
Arsenal guns down West Brom
Gerry Dobson and Craig Forrest wrap up Saturday’s action from the Premier League, including Arsenal’s win over West Bromwich Albion and its push for a top four spot.
Reading 0, Southampton 2
Reading manager Nigel Adkins welcomed his former club to the Madejski Stadium, and if he wasn’t bitter towards Southampton before, you have to think he is now. Some comical defending from Southampton inside its box led to a clear scoring chance for Adam Le Fondre after 20 minutes. The Royals’ poacher was clear in on goal but managed to blaze his shot high over the net. On that play you could just tell it was going to be that kind of day for Reading, confirmed later in the half when Jay Rodriguez led with his studs on goalkeeper Adam Federici as he poked the ball home to give the Saints a 1-0 lead. Replays showed just how dangerous the play was from Rodriguez, but the goal stood, and there was no way back for the Royals after that.
Match facts: Reading has now lost seven successive Premier League games for the second time this season. Also, Southampton has won three consecutive league matches for the first time since December 2003.
Norwich City 2, Swansea City 2
Norwich can consider itself somewhat lucky to take a point from this one. Even though Michu gave Swansea City the lead in the first half, the Spaniard had another goal ruled out for offside and really should have had a hat trick by game’s end, only to be let down by some poor finishing. Quite why the Canaries didn’t feel it appropriate to pay closer attention to Michu was a mystery, especially in light of the fact that he’s scored three times against them this season – only QPR (with four goals) have been burned more often by the lanky Spaniard.
Match facts: Swansea City is winless in the league this season when they have trailed (seven draws and 11 losses). Robert Snodgrass’s opening goal ended a personal scoring drought of 20 hours and 43 minutes in the Premier League.
Stoke City 1, Aston Villa 3
Aston Villa has a new hero in Matt Lowton. The English defender showed the touch of a word-class striker with his goal-of-the-season candidate in the 87th minute that stood up as the winner and gave Villa a vital three points. A draw away to the Potters, while not disastrous, would not have really helped the Villans in their relegation battle. Lowton knew this full well, and wasn’t shy about taking matters into his own hands, controlling a Stoke clearance with his chest before volleying home from 30 yards out in spectacular fashion. Christian Benteke’s goal in the 90th minute sealed the win, but Lowton’s goal could prove to impetus by which Villa go on a run and avoid the drop.
Match facts: Stoke City have earned fewer points (five) in 2013 than any other team in the Premier League. Also, Aston Villa has gone 16 consecutive league games without recording a clean sheet.
West Bromwich Albion 1, Arsenal 2
Tomas Rosicky did his claims for more playing time no harm with a wonderful performance away to the Baggies, the Czech Republic star bagging his first league brace to help keep Arsenal in contention for a top four spot. Rosicky’s first goal, off a lovely setup from Gervinho, was his first in the Premiership since last February and his first league away goal since 2009. He completed his double with a brilliant individual effort, astutely staying with the play and collecting his own rebound off the post before slotting it home with a cool and decisive finish.
Match facts: Arsenal is unbeaten this season when they take the lead (16 wins and two draws). Also, three penalties have been scored in the two Premier League matches between West Brom and Arsenal this season.
Liverpool 0, West Ham United 0
A goal-less draw at Anfield dealt a pretty big blow to Liverpool’s chances of qualifying for Europe next season. But spare a thought for West Ham’s Mohamed Diame, who would have scored surely the goal of the season if not for a poor finish after an awe-inspiring weaving run in the first half. On the right touchline with two players on top of him, the Senegalese international took them on at full speed and split right between them before bursting into the box where he sidestepped three other Liverpool players before whipping his shot just over the crossbar. It was a fantastic individual effort that merited a goal.
Match facts: Liverpool has suffered just one loss in their last nine league matches against West Ham United (with two draws and six wins). Also, before this weekend, Sam Allardyce’s teams lost in their last eight visits to Anfield.
Tottenham 2, Everton 2
Spurs are far from a one-man team, even though there’s no denying that Gareth Bale was on an incredible run of form before picking up an injury in a mid-week Europa League match. Still, Tottenham lacked creativity going forward and badly missed his ingenuity, and that of Arron Lennon, against a determined Everton side. Emmanuel Adebayor’s goal in the opening minute put the Toffees behind, but full credit to David Moyes’ men for battling back immediately by wrestling away control of the game and tying things up in the 14th minute. Kevin Mirallas’s gorgeous goal early in the second half was just reward for an Everton side that was the stronger force at White Hart Lane. Gylfi Sigurdsson’s late equalizer for Spurs was harsh on Everton, who had done more than enough on the day to take the full complement of points.
Match facts: No team has scored the first goal in more league matches this season than Tottenham Hotspur (20). Also, Everton is winless in their last four matches away from home in the league (two losses and two draws).
Chelsea 2, Sunderland 1
Paolo Di Canio was brought in to help Sunderland stave off relegation with the season headed into the home stretch. The weight of the task could be too much for the Italian, though, as his Black Cats stumbled to their sixth loss in eight games. The turning point came just after the restart when Fernando Torres galloped down the left flank uncontested before squaring a pass for Oscar. The Brazilian’s shot took a deflection before eventually tricking over the goal-line, allowing the Londoners to level the score. From that point, it was all Chelsea. Had Sunderland done a better job of closing down Torres on that probing run, perhaps the final result could have been different.
Match facts: Sunderland is winless in their last nine league matches (three draws and six losses). Also, Sunderland’s Paolo Di Canio is the fifth manager to begin his Premiership coaching career with an away trip to Stamford Bridge.
Newcastle United 1, Fulham 0
Papiss Cise missed a host of glorious scoring chances in this one, before netting the winner deep into injury time to give Newcastle a big three points. Manager Alan Pardew was so relieved that he hugged a handful of supporters in the stands just seconds after Cisse’s late heroics sealed the win. The result puts Newcastle five points clear of the drop zone, but they’re far from safe if Sunday’s display is an indication of things to come. The Magpies dominated possession and dictated the pace of the game, but had problems breaking down Fulham’s resolute defence, and were nearly caught out on the counter-attack. If Newcastle is going to remain safe, they have to do a better job of taking advantage of their opportunities, especially with matches against fellow relegation battlers Sunderland and QPR looming.
Match facts: Saturday marked Newcastle United’s first clean sheet in the Premier League since January, a run of nine games. Also, 28 of Newcastle’s 36 points in the league this season have been claimed at home.
Queens Park Rangers 1, Wigan Athletic 1
QPR could have pulled this one out and boosted its hopes for survival if not for three separate moments of madness – a trio of moments that cost them the full complement of points and most likely cost them their Premiership survival. Moment #1 was Bobby Zamora’s foolishly reckless challenge on Jordi Gomez that saw him expelled and forced the Hoops to play a man down for close to 70 minutes. Moment #2 came deep into injury time, after Loic Remy gave QPR 1 1-0 lead, when Stephane Mbia needlessly fouled Wigan’s Shaun Maloney on edge of the box. Had Mbia let Maloney play the ball, nothing would have came of it. But he did foul him, and that led to Moment #2. Maloney took the ensuing free kick and while it was a pretty goal, it never would have seen the back of the net had QPR’s Adel Taarabt not ducked out of the way. Had the Algerian stood his ground and faced the ball while in the wall, Maloney never would have scored.
Match facts: Queens Park Rangers have conceded 15 goals in their last seven matches. Also, Wigan has yet to be involved in a 0-0 draw in the league this season.