After a forgetful week in Europe for the league’s top sides their opponents will have sensed their vulnerability. However the top sides are on top for a reason and this weekend they went some way towards reminding everyone of that.
Good Week For:- Chelsea (First win under Benitez and Torres rediscovered his scoring touch), Norwich (Continued their super run of form), Manchester United (Extended lead at the top to six points)
Bad Week For:- Sunderland (Really lacking attacking options), West Bromwich Albion (Lost three in a row), Manchester City (Fell further behind United)
Manchester derbies of recent times have been fantastically exciting and this clash at the Etihad had all the ingredients to continue that trend. A typically hostile atmosphere both on the pitch and in the stands made for a truly awesome spectacle in the match’s opening exchanges as City controlled the tempo.
However the substitution of Vincent Kompany changed the game in United’s favour as Wayne Rooney was able to out-do the Champions’ defence to put United 2-0 up and in the driving seat. A chaotic second half saw City draw level at 2-2 before their lack of activity in the transfer market came back to haunt them in the form of Robin Van Persie.
The Dutchman was in line for a move to City in the summer but opted for United instead and City fans will regret that now as RVP scored the winner in the dying seconds from a free-kick.
While the Manchester Derby was a game where everyone expected excitement, perhaps not next on fans’ lists was a clash between two of the league’s form sides; Swansea and Norwich City. Both teams demonstrated the kind of class that saw them beat top-four teams earlier in the season as they battled it out in a seven-goal thriller. It was a tale of two halves as Norwich controlled the first whereas Swansea mounted there fight-back in the second.
Robert Snodgrass starred for Norwich, pulling the strings from midfield and getting on the score sheet with a delightful free-kick as his side laboured to a 4-3, away, victory. Sadly though the talking point after the game was not the scintillating standard of football but the age-old Premier League problem that is racism. Sebastien Bassong was allegedly the victim of a racist gesture during the game and the police are investigating the issue. It’s sickening that this is still an issue and it needs to be sorted out once and for all.
Another Premier League problem that cropped up again this week was diving and Arsenal were the beneficiaries. In a clash with highfliers-come-strugglers, West Bromwich Albion, Arsene Wenger’s side took the lead early in the first half thanks to a Mikel Arteta penalty but its what got the penalty awarded that caused controversy.
Santi Cazorla danced into the box before seemingly being taken down by an onrushing Steven Reid. Upon first glance it looked a soft penalty but replays showed that there was no contact whatsoever, thus infuriating the away side. The referee didn’t have the best of games as another controversial penalty was later awarded to Arsenal who ran out 2-0 winners. Steve Clarke will feel the world is against his side right now but they need to claw their way to a win sooner rather than later.
Another side going through a winless league streak was Rafael Benitez’s Chelsea side. Despite a good display in Europe in midweek, the Blues hadn’t won in the league since October but an away fixture against fellow strugglers, Sunderland, was a good chance to turn things around and boy did they take it.
The apparent resurgence of Fernando Torres saw Chelsea dominate the match as the Spaniard scored twice and played a part in Chelsea’s third as they ran out 3-1 winners. Benitez seems to be winning the fans over and having Torres finding the back of the net is surely a big factor in that; who said football fans were a fickle bunch? Sunderland’s arch rivals Newcastle also struggled this week falling 2-1 to Fulham at Craven Cottage – it’s not looking good for last season’s surprise package.
For once Liverpool frustrations weren’t in breaching the other team’s goal, but protecting their own. In a tough away fixture at West Ham, Brendan Rodgers’ side ran out 3-2 winners – if the Reds can find some form now then it’ll add another welcome piece to Premier League puzzle. Another team trying to rediscover their best form was Liverpool’s neighbours, Everton. However their stand against Tottenham’s offence seemed futile until second half stoppage time. Two dramatic goals from Steven Piennar and Nikita Jelavic saw them win 2-1 and move back into the top four.
Not much changed at the foot of the table as Aston Villa and Stoke played out a 0-0, bore draw at Villa Park. Villa are strange like that, sometimes they set the league alight but sometimes they just never get going and that was the case here. Wigan and QPR also drew as the away side earned the unwanted record of being the only team in Premier League history not to have grabbed a win in their opening 16 games. Two teams also struggling for a win were Southampton and Reading and as the two faced off at St. Mary’s it was the home side who came out on top with a 1-0 victory, consigning Reading to yet another defeat.
I honestly think this has been the best start to a season in recent memory. So much changes week on week and over the Christmas period it’s definitely going to be an exceptionally exciting time in the league. Stay with us here to keep up to date with it all.
Results:-
Manchester City 2 – 3 Manchester United
Sunderland 1 – 3 Chelsea
Arsenal 2 – 0 West Bromwich Albion
West Ham United 2 – 3 Liverpool
Southampton 1 – 0 Reading
Wigan Athletic 2 – 2 QPR
Fulham 2 – 1 Newcastle United
Aston Villa 0 – 0 Stoke City
Everton 2 – 1 Tottenham Hotspur
Swansea City 3 – 4 Norwich City