For most European leagues, December includes a winter break but in the Premier League not only is there no winter break but there are more games than in any other month of the season and on that note there was a midweek programme this week and if the next one is just as goo well bring it on.
Tuesday had a single game which saw Tony Pulis get a first win as Crystal Palace manager with a 1-0 home win against West Ham with a winning goal from Chamakh in the 42nd minute.
Wednesday saw the other 18 teams face off with Arsenal continuing their run of form with a 2-0 win over Hull with a second minute opener from Bendtner who made his first start in two years in place of Giroud and the second goal came just after half-time through Ozil who completed the win.
For the second time this week, Bryan Oviedo proved to be a hero for Everton as he struck a famous winner in the 86th minute of their trip to Old Trafford to face former manager David Moyes and Manchester United, the defender's strike handed the Toffees a first win at Old Trafford in 21 years and prompted a joke from the visiting fans that 'Moyes had finally seen Everton win at United but ironic that he was the losing manager.'
Everton's victory made for a good night for Merseyside with city rivals Liverpool also breaking a record via Luis Suarez who hit four in a 5-1 win over Norwich with the Uruguayan becoming the first player in Premier League history to score three hat-tricks against the same club with Sterling hitting the fifth after Johnson had pulled on back for the Canaries.
Southampton had conceded only seven all season going into December but have conceded six in two already this month as on the back of the Chelsea defeat, they lost 3-2 at home to Aston Villa despite equalising twice as Agbonlahor gave Villa the lead after 15 minutes with Rodriguez replying after the break. Kozak scored in the 64th minute to regain the lead but within minutes the sides were level again as Osvaldo struck to set up a tight last 20 minutes but Villa eased the tension with an 80th minute winner from Delph who sealed the win spectacularly.
Stoke and Cardiff drew 0-0 while at the Stadium of Light, Chelsea won a seven goal thriller with a 4-3 win against Sunderland who too a surprise lead in the 14th minute through Altidore but Lampard levelled minutes later with Hazard sending Chelsea into the break 2-1 up with a 36th minute strike. O'Shea brought Sunderland level five minutes into the second half but on the hour, Hazard hit his second to give the Blues a 3-2 lead which was increased in the 84th minute by a Bardsley own goal but the defender made amends with a strike at the right end two minutes later to setup a frantic finish but Chelsea held on for the win.
Swansea derailed Newcastle's run of form with a 3-0 victory, Dyer put them 1-0 up just before half-time with Debuchy scoring an own goal in the 66th minute to give the Swans a 2-0 lead with the win sealed by a Shelvey strike nine minutes from the end.
In the late kick-offs, Fulham started life with Rene Meuelensteen at the helm with a 2-1 defeat at home to Tottenham in a game that saw all three goals scored by players hitting their first strikes for their clubs, Dejagah hit the opener for Fulham in the 56th minute with Chiriches hitting a leveller from 35 yards with Holtby scoring the winner for Spurs in the 82nd minute.
Manchester City secured a 3-2 win away to West Brom despite a late fightback, Aguero put the visitors ahead after nine minutes with Toure adding a second on 24 minutes to give them a 2-0 lead at the break. The Ivorian hit a second from the penalty spot in the 74th minute to surely seal the win but two goals in the 85th and 90th minutes gave the Baggies hope as an own goal from City 'keeper Pantilimon was added to by Anichebe but that was the last action as City earned a hard fought win.
So an exciting midweek programme saw 33 goals which was even more stunning when six teams kept clean sheets meaning the 14 scoring teams hit an average of 2.4 goals each with four players hitting braces with the exceptions being Bardsley scoring at both ends and Suarez hitting four on an amazing but strange night.
Tuesday had a single game which saw Tony Pulis get a first win as Crystal Palace manager with a 1-0 home win against West Ham with a winning goal from Chamakh in the 42nd minute.
Wednesday saw the other 18 teams face off with Arsenal continuing their run of form with a 2-0 win over Hull with a second minute opener from Bendtner who made his first start in two years in place of Giroud and the second goal came just after half-time through Ozil who completed the win.
For the second time this week, Bryan Oviedo proved to be a hero for Everton as he struck a famous winner in the 86th minute of their trip to Old Trafford to face former manager David Moyes and Manchester United, the defender's strike handed the Toffees a first win at Old Trafford in 21 years and prompted a joke from the visiting fans that 'Moyes had finally seen Everton win at United but ironic that he was the losing manager.'
Everton's victory made for a good night for Merseyside with city rivals Liverpool also breaking a record via Luis Suarez who hit four in a 5-1 win over Norwich with the Uruguayan becoming the first player in Premier League history to score three hat-tricks against the same club with Sterling hitting the fifth after Johnson had pulled on back for the Canaries.
Southampton had conceded only seven all season going into December but have conceded six in two already this month as on the back of the Chelsea defeat, they lost 3-2 at home to Aston Villa despite equalising twice as Agbonlahor gave Villa the lead after 15 minutes with Rodriguez replying after the break. Kozak scored in the 64th minute to regain the lead but within minutes the sides were level again as Osvaldo struck to set up a tight last 20 minutes but Villa eased the tension with an 80th minute winner from Delph who sealed the win spectacularly.
Stoke and Cardiff drew 0-0 while at the Stadium of Light, Chelsea won a seven goal thriller with a 4-3 win against Sunderland who too a surprise lead in the 14th minute through Altidore but Lampard levelled minutes later with Hazard sending Chelsea into the break 2-1 up with a 36th minute strike. O'Shea brought Sunderland level five minutes into the second half but on the hour, Hazard hit his second to give the Blues a 3-2 lead which was increased in the 84th minute by a Bardsley own goal but the defender made amends with a strike at the right end two minutes later to setup a frantic finish but Chelsea held on for the win.
Swansea derailed Newcastle's run of form with a 3-0 victory, Dyer put them 1-0 up just before half-time with Debuchy scoring an own goal in the 66th minute to give the Swans a 2-0 lead with the win sealed by a Shelvey strike nine minutes from the end.
In the late kick-offs, Fulham started life with Rene Meuelensteen at the helm with a 2-1 defeat at home to Tottenham in a game that saw all three goals scored by players hitting their first strikes for their clubs, Dejagah hit the opener for Fulham in the 56th minute with Chiriches hitting a leveller from 35 yards with Holtby scoring the winner for Spurs in the 82nd minute.
Manchester City secured a 3-2 win away to West Brom despite a late fightback, Aguero put the visitors ahead after nine minutes with Toure adding a second on 24 minutes to give them a 2-0 lead at the break. The Ivorian hit a second from the penalty spot in the 74th minute to surely seal the win but two goals in the 85th and 90th minutes gave the Baggies hope as an own goal from City 'keeper Pantilimon was added to by Anichebe but that was the last action as City earned a hard fought win.
So an exciting midweek programme saw 33 goals which was even more stunning when six teams kept clean sheets meaning the 14 scoring teams hit an average of 2.4 goals each with four players hitting braces with the exceptions being Bardsley scoring at both ends and Suarez hitting four on an amazing but strange night.
No comments:
Post a Comment