Barclays Premier League returned to action after the international break, and its fair to say that the wait was worth its weight in gold for fans around the globe. The two clubs from Manchester started from where they had left, with Manchester City dismantling a hapless Wigan side at Eastlands and Ferguson’s Man United putting five past Bolton. Under fire Arsene Wenger’s Gunners huffed and puffed towards their first win of the season despite looking rather unconvincing. Swansea, on the other hand, missed a glorious opportunity to get something from the game despite having a number of opportunities to do so.
Andre Villas Boas’ Chelsea are a work-in-progress and they produced their best performance of the four games so far against a directionless Sunderland side who, despite a major overhaul, badly lack the cutting edge. Nicolas Anelka started in place of Fernando Torres, but it was the young and exciting Sturridge, who produced the moment of magic that propelled the Londoner’s to a much improved performance and an important result, keeping them in striking distance with the two Manchester clubs.
The two sides from Merseyside have so far had contrasting fortunes – Liverpool seem to be getting their act together, while David Moyes’ Everton looked to be nose diving south. However, Kenny Dalglish’s revolution at Merseyside hit a roadblock in the form of resolute Stoke City, who relegated Liverpool to their first defeat of the season and, in the process, leapfrogged them into fourth place. Everton, on the other hand, managed just a draw at home against Alex Mcleish’s Villans despite leading twice during the course of an exciting encounter at Goodison Park. The duels between these two sides have produced some exciting football lately and this encounter stayed true to the script.
Harry Redknapp’s Tottenham side finally got off the mark after they won a fiercely competed game against inform Wolves, that too at the Molienux. New signings Adebayor and Parker combined to set them on their way, with Jermaine Defoe securing the three vital points. Two more sides West Brom and Blackburn got their first points as Roy Hogson’s Baggies won away at Carrow Road while Steve Kean’s Rovers came back with a point from Craven Cottage. Both Norwich and Fulham would definitely see it as an opportunity missed to register a win at home.
Here is the look at the best and the worst of the weekend.
Stars Of The Weekend:
Sergio Aguero (Man City): The Argentinean has been a revelation at the City of Manchester stadium ever since his impressive debut against Swansea. His impact has been so ground-breaking that City have so far managed to do handsomely even without their talisman Carlos Tevez contributing anything substantial towards their cause. Mancini could afford to rest the very inform Edin Dzeko as he had enough confidence in his new recruit Aguero. Kun justified his faith with a wonderful hat trick, his first in English football and certainly not the last.
Wayne Rooney (Man United): Rooney has now 8 goals in 4 games and his United side have scored 18. The Red Devils have been in scintillating form this season and England’s golden boy Rooney has been at the fore-front of it all. Another hat trick, his eighth in United colors and another sumptuous United performance meant that they again maintained their position at the top of the table with four wins in four.
Goal Of The Weekend: Stylian Petrov (Aston Villa)
Stylian Petrov bags this honour for a sensational 30-yard goal against Everton. Petrov has scored brilliant goals from outside the box in the past and this effort certainly ranks amongst his best goals. With Villa trailing by a goal after the hour mark, Petrov picked up the ball 30 yards out and curled in a brilliant right footed shot just inside Tim Howard’s left post, with the American having no chance of stopping it.
Rubén Rochina (Blackburn) gets an honourable mention for his goal at Craven Cottage, as he unleashed a left-footed pile-driver from just outside the area that went off the inside of the crossbar, giving Mark Schwarzer absolutely no chance.
Assist Of The Weekend: David Silva (Man City)
Although Aguero bagged the headlines with his hattrick, David Silva was equally sensational for the Blues against Wigan and it was his skill, vision and pass that helped the Argentinean score his third goal. Silva collected the ball near the centre circle and skipped past three Wigan players and then played a perfect through ball for Aguero, who applied the easiest of finishing touches to complete his hattrick.
Save Of The Weekend: Wojciech Szczesny (Arsenal)
Wojciech Szczesny claims this award for his brilliant save in the opening minutes to stop Danny Graham giving a shock lead to Swansea at the Emirates. As the ball came in from the right, Graham got ahead of Mertesacker and headed the ball which looked destined for the back of the net. But somehow, the Arsenal keeper, despite being wrong-footed initially, made a stunning save with his left hand to deny the striker.
Miss Of The Weekend: Nicklas Bendtner (Sunderland)
Bendtner seems to have carried his form from the Emirates over to the Stadium of Light as he missed an absolute sitter from six yards out against Chelsea. The lanky striker found himself at the end of a Sebastian Larsson free-kick, unmarked but somehow managed to glance his header wide of the mark, with Cech rooted to his spot.
Improvisation Of The Weekend: Daniel Sturridge (Chelsea)
Sturridge takes this honour for an audacious piece of skill to score Chelsea’s second goal that left everybody in awe at the Stadium of Light. The move was started by new signing Raul Meireles as he picked up the ball in his own half and played a delightful 40-yard pass to Danny Sturridge. But the Englishman still had lot to do as he raced ahead of Wes Brown towards the goal. With Brown behind him and the keeper in front, Sturridge played an audacious right-footed backheel past the charging Mignolet. Brown tried his best to stop the slow goal-bound ball but this was going to be a day when Danny was to replay the faith shown in him by the manager.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kmSxRHL3EM&version=3&hl=en_US]
Blooper Of The Weekend: Michel Vorm (Swansea City)
Vorm had been Swansea’s best player so far in this season and it was rather unfortunate when his horrific error cost them a well deserved point at the Emirates. Arsene Wenger and his Arsenal side had been under the cosh after their drubbing at Old Trafford, and Swansea Goal keeper’s mistake must seem like divine intervention, as the Gunners hardly offered value for three points. Vorm collected Theo Walcott’s deflected shot on the edge of his area and tried to launch a swift counter-attack. However, he unfortunately managed to throw the ball on to his right back Angel Rangel’s heels; Andrei Arshavin was alive to the opportunity and took it gleefully. A moment of pure madness cost Swansea a memorable point against a beleaguered opposition. A second defeat in four games, still no goals, but Swansea must keep the faith.
Controversy Of The Weekend: Penalty At Britannia Stadium
The referees’ consistency again came under scrutiny as Anthony Taylor awarded a soft penalty to Stoke for Carragher’s foul on Walters. Walters did well initially to get ahead of the veteran defender but did not have the ball under control. Carragher tried to stop his man and did have an arm around the striker, but the contact was still minimal for Walters to go down and the referee to give a penalty. If such penalties were given on a regular basis, there would be more penalties in a single game than the entire weekend.
It Just Won’t Go In
Such was the case at the Britannia, when Liverpool had five shots in hardly 20 seconds but none of them went in as two were blocked and three were saved by Begovic. It all started when Henderson went clean through with only the keeper to beat, but his tame shot was stopped which rebounded to him to have another go. The second shot was again saved with the subsequent rebound was blocked by the defender. The ball came back to a black shirt again; this time to Charlie Adam, who had two goes as well, first of which was blocked and second one was saved by Begovic again. If the fans at Britannia were not motivated enough, this passage of play certainly raised the roof.
Happy North London, After All
A lot has happened in North London over the past few weeks, both off the pitch and on it. There was a large cloud of gloom hovering over the region before this weekend, with rivals Tottenham and Arsenal collecting a just a solitary point between them after three games. However, both clubs managed to win their respective games this weekend and with Liverpool failing to win theirs, the all important fourth position is definitely once again up for grabs. For Spurs, the new recruits Adebayor and Scot Parker made their mark, while for the Gunners Mikel Arteta surely made his presence felt.
Team Of The Weekend:
Begovic (Stoke City), Jones (Man United), Shawcross (Stoke City), Dawson (Tottenham), Baines (Everton), Silva (Man City), Meireles (Chelsea), Arteta (Arsenal), Aguero (Man City), Rooney (Man United), Chicharito (Man United)
Premier League Results
Arsenal 1-0 Swansea City
Everton 2-2 Aston Villa
Sunderland 1-2 Chelsea
Stoke City 1-0 Liverpool
Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-2 Tottenham Hotspur
Manchester City 3-0 Wigan Athletic
Bolton Wanderers 0-5 Manchester United
Norwich City 0-1 West Bromwich Albion
Fulham 1-1 Blackburn Rovers