Premiership: Arsenal close on Chelsea and United
Andrey Arshavin sealed a 2-1 victory over Liverpool at Enfield on Sunday as Arsenal closed the gap on Manchester United and Chelsea, both of whom dropped points.
Dirk Kuyt gave the home side the lead when Manuel Almunia failed to cope with Aurelio’s free kick as Lucas pressured, only for the Dutch man to pounce on the loose ball.
Buoyed by their half-time lead, and fielding Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard in the same starting XI for the first time since early October, Liverpool were in the ascendency.
If Howard Webb denying Gerrard’s solid penalty claim under challenge from William Gallas was anything to go by however, Liverpool were in for more bad luck.
It was Glen Johnson, five minutes into the second half, who accidentally provided Arsene Wenger’s men a route back into the game, when Samir Nasri’s tame cross initially brushed Jamie Carragher before going in off the unwitting former Portsmouth right-back.
Worse was to follow with Arshavin’s technician’s finish after 58 minutes; his first touch allowed him to lash past the static Pepe Reina.
Rafa Benitez reshuffled his pack when he substituted mid-week debutant Alberto Aquilani on for Javier Mascherano in a bid to give the Reds some attacking teeth.
Benitez’s men’s bark was worse than their bite though as the 20m Roma transfer failed to make the requisite impact and Arsenal reduced Chelsea’s lead to six points with a game in hand.
Everton provided the first upset of a topsy-turvy weekend as Chelsea twice conceded from set pieces in their unexpected draw at Stamford Bridge.
Leighton Baines’s cross dealt the first blow after 12 minutes. His free kick saw John Terry lose out to Marouane Fellaini, whose back-header off the post contrived to go in off Petr Cech.
The League-leaders duly hit back 11 minutes later as Ricardo Carvalho’s run took him into Tim Howard’s box before the ball eventually fell to Didier Drogba to bend in a curler.
Nicolas Anelka doubled the home advantage five minutes later from Branislav Ivanovic’s assist after fellow Frenchman Louis Saha failed to clear in his own area.
With normal service seemingly resumed it was with some shock the Blues went into the break level as substitute Yakubu, on for the injured Jo, scored in stoppage time.
Ivanovic’s second assist gave Drogba his second goal but the Ivorian was at fault for Everton’s final equaliser – only clearing Johnny Heitinga’s free kick as far as the back of Saha’s head.
Gabriel Agbonlahor’s header from an Ashley Young cross gave Villa their first win at Old Trafford since 1983.
A combination of stalwart defence and counter-attacking intent was the key to Martin O’Neill’s approach as Young’s cross was the culmination of the visitors’ first meaningful attack.
Wayne Rooney meanwhile provided the uncharacteristic low-light of the afternoon as he was yellow-carded for diving by referee Martin Atkinson.
Maynor Figueroa provided the stand-out highlight of Saturday’s action when he powered a flat 60-yard strike over Thomas Sorensen at 47.13mph at the Brittania stadium.
Emmerson Boyce’s header gave Wigan the lead after quarter of an hour before Tuncay beat Chris Kirkland at his near post. Figueroa’s strike would have been a worthy winner of any game but Ryan Shawcross equalised within a minute.
Sorensen recovered from the shock of the Honduras International’s spectacular lob to save Hugo Rodallega’s penalty late-on and rescue the Potters a point.
At White Hart Lane further upset was afoot as Kevin Doyle’s third minute header saw Wolves win successive matches in the top flight for the first time since 1983.
Doyle growing reputation was matched by his leap as his diagonal run met Nenad Milijas’s left-foot centre comfortably, above the flat-footed Michael Dawson.
Darren Bent’s tenth goal of the season looked to have sealed victory but Younes Kaboul spoiled the Black Cats’ party when he met Jamie O’Hara’s corner – his happiness was short-lived as Kaboul received his second yellow for celebrating by taking off his shirt.
Lee Bowyer completed a hat trick of victories for West Midlands teams as his sixth of the season sealed victory over his former employers.
Carlos Tevez scored twice to save City, who came behind three times to rescue a point at the Reebok stadium. Mark Hughes criticised referee Mark Clattenburg after the game for handing Craig Bellamy a dubious second yellow for diving.
For all Bobby Zamora’s clinical skill in finishing after 50 minutes, Fulham lacked the clinical ability to finish off a Clarets side equalising through Wade Elliott’s volley.
Well enough after heart surgery, Sam Allardyce returned to the touchline for the final few minutes to watch a Jimmy Bullard-less Hull lacking the Tigers’ spirit of recent weeks.
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