What a setup for the weekend huh? Kicking off the action we have Man United on the road at Arsenal; 1 versus 2 in the table. Will the young Gunners hold their unbeaten record and top spot against the team playing their best? Or, will United, in their best form in years bang in another 4 spot and set a new club record for consecutive games scoring 4 or more? This should be the match of the season so far in the EPL.
Another big tilt has 5th placed Blackburn, also playing well, entertaining an out of sorts Liverpool. Now Benitez is having to defend playing Gerrard too much if you can believe that. Just a week or so back he was being hounded about taking him off in a 1-1 game with 20 minutes on the clock. I really have my doubts about Rafa but the press is truly nuts at times. Besides that, what is it, Gerrard one of the world's most heralded athletes isn't capable of playing two matches in a week? Ridiculous. If he isn't then he's not fit. Period. Can Liverpool produce a game like we saw from Chelsea last week, or will their poor form continue? Look for another draw here as I expect their injury list to have the Reds tumble farther down the table before its over (Torres, Alonso, Mascherano, Pennant and Agger). Liverpool may just barely hold on to a UEFA Cup place this year the way they are playing.
In another really big one Spurs and their new boss go on the road to face M'Boro at the Riverside. Oh, they'll score goals but the real question to be answered is can they hold the lead which they haven't been able to do so far.
And to illustrate the unrelenting pressure that is the EPL consider yourself in charge at Wigan and in dire need of the full points especially when playing at home. The match you face this weekend is entertaining a Chelsea side looking for all the world like the team everyone expects them to be. Will the Blues produce another clinic for the fans at the JJB just to kinda' spread the love? Or can Wigan produce another stunner to remind their fans of their first ever match in the EPL where they took the champs to the wall conceding only to Crespo with less than 40 seconds to go? As much as I'd like to see them do that the odds are not in their favor. With Chelsea looking to pull themselves back into the scrap at the top a draw at the Emirates (likely) and a win by them at the JJB gets the job done.
Keep in mind that the next round marks the point at which one-third of the season is in the can. Any manager that still uses the phrase "early days" (Rafa) is looking for an excuse. The team that wins the title will likely total over 80 points for the season which means they will average over 2 points per match. To do that you must win games. Draws, especially on your home ground (Liverpool), do not get the job done. You must defeat the main challengers every time you meet them. A kiss on the cheek doesn't do it.
Arsenal 2:2 Man United
Rooney (45) closed the opening half with yet another goal before Fabregas (47) got the Gunners back level. Cristiano Ronaldo looked to have won the match for United (81) before Gallas (90) knotted them at 2 at the death to remain unbeaten and hold top spot.
Aston Villa 2:0 Derby
Derby played well and presented difficulty for Villa before conceding goals in a five minute spell of the 2nd half (Laursen (56), Moore (60)) sealed their fate.
Fulham 3:1 Reading
Davies (17), Dempsey (71) and Healy (90) in stoppage time stopped Fulham's winless streak and added to Reading's difficulties in their 2nd season. Doyle (53) got the Royals level at 1 before Dempsey stabbed in the match winner off a rebound.
Everton 3:1 Birmingham
What can you say to the luckless Steve Bruce? Yakubu made one count early (9) before Kapo (79) leveled the match which might have been well over by then had the Toffees taken more of their chances. Then with the match headed for a draw Everton scores twice in stoppage time on a brilliant strike from the top of the area high at the near post from Carsley (90) before Vaughan (90) found himself running free for another for the final score.
M'Boro 1:1 Tottenham
Darren Bent put Spurs up (34) in a match they seemed destined to win before Young added another chapter to their story about not closing the deal in the 51st. Ramos fails to win in his first match in charge as Tottenham again fails to hold the lead and win their first match of the season on the road.
Wigan 0:2 Chelsea
As if he's still responding to the boo-birds Lampard got the match winner early (10) then settled back to direct the proceedings. Belletti added the 2nd for the Blues (17) before the match became scrappy and disjointed as Chelsea took advantage of the big draw at the Emirates pulling two points closer to the front runners. Wigan appears destined for the battle at the bottom since the loss of Heskey to the broken leg.
Newcastle 1:4 Portsmouth
Trying to watch Pompey in their last two games would put you to sleep. If you dozed off for a quick nap lasting more than few minutes at the beginning of this one you missed it. Pompey scored 3 in the opening 12 minutes before Newcastle had shaken off the cobwebs and responded in the 15th that resulted in Sol Campbell's OG from the rebound of a saved attempt from Owen. The first came from Pamarot's brilliant drive from distance (7) to shock the faithful at St James' Park followed within a minute by another from Benjani (8). Then Utaka shook a defender off and the diving keeper at the top of the area to add the 3rd into an open net (10) to make it 3-0. Kranjcar added to Big Sam's embarrassment in the 70th and the Toon Army booed them off the pitch at the end.
A bad day in the northeast as Pompey wins their 4th straight on the road, their first on Tyneside in 58 years and ends Newcastle's string of home victories in the process.
Blackburn 0:0 Liverpool
Rovers were the better team through the first half and the only thing that stopped them from embarrassing the Reds was the woodwork. In the 2nd period Liverpool stepped it up but since they haven't created all that many true scoring chances lately the rust kept them from putting their shots on frame and when they did Friedel was there. You would think that knowing a win would reduce the deficit with the front runners by 2 points would have spurred them on to a better and more convincing effort. Instead this match showed again why this Liverpool team will not be a champion.
West Ham 1:1 Bolton
George McCartney got his first for the Hammers (19) with a slick volley off a flick from Upson. From that point on it looked like Bolton would be the side to get the next goal and they finally did at the death as Kevin Nolan slapped the leveler home in stoppage time for a deserved point on the day.
Man City 1:0 Sunderland
City recovered from the thumping by Chelsea, though just barely, to grab victory over Roy Keane's Sunderland with a thunderous strike by Stephen Ireland off a cross from Vassel in the 66th. With the win City goes to 3rd in the table which has to qualify as the surprise of the season thus far.
