Premiership Warms Up: Chelsea Top With United Win
November 9, 2009 by Alex Homer
John Terry flicked on a Frank Lampard free-kick to seal Chelsea’s 1-0 victory over reigning champions Manchester United at Stamford Bridge.
Terry’s run, after 76 minutes, took him from back to front posts across a static bank of six defenders but United were more aggrieved by Didier Drogba’s movement in the box.
Wayne Rooney was yellow-carded for remonstrating after Drogba appeared to bundle over Wes Brown and attempt to divert Terry’s goal-bound header from, the visitors appealed, an offside position but the goal stood.
Rooney was unlucky not to open the scoring. His one-two with Antonio Valencia in the 66th minute teed up a low drive which sneaked just wide of the left post. A minute later his curler was turned away for a corner by Petr Cech.
A slow playing surface had cut out one-touch passes and encouraged the tactical exchange anticipated by Carlo Ancelotti and Sir Alex Ferguson.
In the first-half stalemate, the best chance fell to Anderson, as Rooney and Ryan Giggs broke quickly. Anderson however failed to make the requisite back-post dart and Giggs’ square rolled out harmlessly.
Ancelotti’s substitution of Deco, for Joe Cole after 63 minutes, gave Chelsea more bite in the second half, with Nicolas Anelka troublesome in dropping deep.
And Branislav Ivanovic’s heading from right back reigned in injury-hit United’s ploy to use the long ball to Rooney as a means of relief.
Late substitutes Gabriel Obertan and Michael Owen personified Sir Alex’s surge for an equaliser but Ancelotti’s men held out to go five points clear at the top.
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1 – Arsenal 4
Own goals from Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Ronald Zubar and Jody Craddock, just eight minutes apart, ensured Arsenal end the weekend second-placed after their 4-1 win.
Cesc Fabregas added the Gunners’ third before half-time and Andrey Arshavin rifled in the fourth after 66 minutes for Arsene Wenger’s side at Molineux.
Arshavin continued where he left off in the Champions League, firing home from the edge of the area as keeper Wayne Hennessey failed to parry a corner far enough clear.
Craddock headed in a corner as consolation in the 89th minute for early relegation candidates Wolves; the defender’s third in two games.
Manchester City 3 – Burnley 3
Elsewhere, Kevin McDonald’s late volley bagged Burnley their first away point of the season and Manchester City their fifth successive draw in their six-goal thriller.
Graham Alexander’s penalty then Steven Fletcher’s side-foot, from a Chris Eagles cross, put Owen Coyle’s men 2-0 ahead.
Shaun Wright-Phillips and Kolo Toure’s first league goal at Eastlands, either side of the break, drew City level before Craig Bellamy’s finish looked to have capped their comeback.
McDonald’s equaliser however brought jeers at the final whistle: his £500,000 price tag poignant as the Clarets’ courage matched City’s coffers.
Tottenham 2 – Sunderland 0
Tottenham capitalised on City’s draw as their 2-0 home defeat of Sunderland, with goals from Robbie Keane and Tom Huddlestone, propelled them into the top four.
Heurelho Gomes saved a penalty from Darren Bent, on his return to White Hart Lane, while Gomes’ opposite number, Craig Gordon, fared far worse, fracturing his arm in a collision with Jermain Defoe. Black Cats’ boss Steve Bruce was left to rue no luck since the beachball goal incident.
Aston Villa 5 – Bolton 1
The power of John Carew and pace of James Milner, Gabriel Agbonlahor and Ashley Young – all scorers – put down an early marker of Villa’s ambitions of another dig at European football next season.
Carlos Cuellar’s first Villa goal, a header, rounded off the scoring in a display dented only by Johan Elmander’s goal just before half-time.
Hull 2 – Stoke 1
Elsewhere, Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink followed up Jimmy Bullard’s long-range shot to ease pressure on Hull City manager Phil Brown. His stoppage-time tap-in lifted the Tigers out of the relegation zone after their 2-1 win over Stoke.
Blackburn 3 – Portsmouth 1
Jason Roberts scored either side of Ryan Nelsen’s header as Blackburn came from behind. Jamie O’Hara’s 30-yarder was not good enough to lift Portsmouth off bottom spot.
West Ham 1 – Everton 2
Dan Gosling followed up his own shot for Everton’s second in their first league win since September. Louis Saha opened the scoring before Tony Hibbert’s own goal gave West Ham false hope.
Wigan Athletic 1 – Fulham 1
The lowest Premier League crowd of the season, 16,172, saw Emerson Boyce break the deadlock after 12 minutes. Clint Dempsey’s penalty made it two in two for the American before a goalless second 45.
Liverpool and Birmingham kick off 8pm Monday.
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