Premier League round-up

Liverpool continue to struggle, Wolves collect vital victory at the bottom

Last updated: 6th December 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Premier League round-up

Tevez: Gave former club a huge boost

Click for individual match stats and reports
Arsenal 2 Stoke 0
Aston Villa 3 Hull 0
Blackburn 0 Liverpool 0
Man City 2 Chelsea 1
Portsmouth 2 Burnley 0
West Ham 0 Man Utd 4
Wigan 2 Birmingham 3
Wolves 2 Bolton 1

Related links

Teams

Also see

Manchester City did fierce neighbours Manchester United a huge favour in the Premier League title race by defeating Chelsea after the defending champions had demolished West Ham, while Arsenal put their struggles in the past.

Liverpool's misfiring season continued with a stalemate against Blackburn at Ewood Park, Wolves won their basement battle with Bolton at Molineux, Aston Villa defeated Hull City, and Birmingham earned an exciting success at Wigan.

United were determined to put pressure on leaders Chelsea, who faced City in the evening match, and they piled the misery on West Ham with a 4-0 victory at Upton Park.

United veteran Paul Scholes gave his side the lead on the stroke of half-time when he controlled with his chest before firing a vintage effort past Robert Green from 18 yards.

Sir Alex Ferguson's defending champions then doubled their advantage on 61 minutes as Darron Gibson, rewarded with a start after an impressive Carling Cup display in midweek, struck another spectacular long-range effort.

United picked holes in West Ham's wobbling defence and Antonio Valencia added a third 60 seconds before Rooney applied a fourth in almost copycat fashion with build-up from opposite flanks.

England international Green looked a shade of green following the Hammers' display, but it was not the imagination and the World Cup hopeful left the match shortly after United's fourth due to illness.

Manchester City proved the competition is fierce in the Premier League no matter who is set to benefit by coming from behind to defeat leaders Chelsea 2-1 at Eastlands.

Carlo Ancelotti's Blues had taken the lead through a fortuitous Emmanuel Adebayor own goal after eight minutes, but the Togo international atoned for his error by equalising at the correct end before half-time.

City then ended their seven-game winless run in the league as former darling of the Stretford End Carlos Tevez scored a free-kick that proved to be the winner as Frank Lampard had a late penalty saved by Shay Given to cut Chelsea's lead to two points.

The critics had turned on Arsenal following their recent run of defeats and 'handshake-gate' involving boss Arsene Wenger, but a 2-0 win over Stoke eased the pressure.

Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas had stunned the Emirates midway through the first half when the Spaniard had a tame penalty saved by Thomas Sorensen, but Andrey Arshavin, who had won the spot-kick, gave the Gunners a deserved 26th minute lead.

Fabregas again had home fans with their heads in their hands shortly after when the normally cultured Gunners captain only succeeded in cannoning a glorious close-range opportunity against team-mate Emmanuel Eboue when the goal was gaping.

But young substitute Aaron Ramsey did his blossoming reputation no harm as he wrapped up the points with Arsenal's second goal of the game in the 79th minute after a nice run.

Liverpool delivered a demonstration of their strugglers this season as Rafa Benitez's team, again without Fernando Torres, drew 0-0 with Blackburn at Ewood Park.

Captain Steven Gerrard could not inspire his side on his 500th game as, after a wretched first half for both sides, David Ngog wasted the best chance of the match as the France Under 21 international hit the bar from close range.

Phil Brown's Hull had a first half to forget at Villa as they slipped two goals behind to Richard Dunne and James Milner, who beautifully lobbed Matt Duke when the visiting goalkeeper was stranded following a quickly-taken throw-in, in a 3-0 defeat.

Equally distressing for Brown was the sight of injury-prone midfielder Jimmy Bullard limping out of the game in tears after just 19 minutes, while Villa's John Carew scored a penalty with two minutes of the match to play.

Birmingham's stock continued to rise as the Midlands side came from a goal down before surviving a late rally to win 3-2 against Wigan at the DW Stadium.

Wigan lost goalkeeper Chris Kirkland, who has suffered severely from injuries during his career, after only 24 minutes but the Latics found themselves in front less than 10 minutes later when Charles N'Zogbia curled a beautiful opener.

Birmingham, though, were level on the hour mark when a cross-shot Sebastian Larsson free-kick from wide on the left drifted over a crowded penalty area to leave Kirkland's replacement, Mike Pollitt, stranded as he waited for a deflection.

Alex McLeish's Blues then completed a hard-working turnaround in the space of five minutes as Christian Benitez ran beyond a flat Wigan defence to put his side in front with a shot which made its way across the line via Pollitt's legs.

Larsson's first goal came courtesy of a degree of luck, however, there was no such slice of fortune in the Swede's second of the match as he curled a fine free-kick past Pollitt on 71 minutes.

Jordi Gomez gave Birmingham a scare as he struck a superb set-piece with 60 seconds remaining, but McLeish's men managed to hang on for the points in a promising season.

Wolves climbed out of the bottom three at West Ham's expense with what could prove to be a vital 2-1 win over fellow strugglers Bolton at Molineux.

Mick McCarthy's Wolves started explosively in the tussle and they were rewarded after three minutes when veteran centre-back Jody Craddock applied the final touch to Nenad Milijas' free-kick, although he appeared to be offside.

Provider turned scorer after 63 minutes when Serbia international Milijas, who has taken time to settle in England following his summer arrival, smashed an unstoppable, swerving effort past Jussi Jaaskelainen from long range.

Bolton set up a tense finish when substitute Johan Elmander scored with 11 minutes remaining, but it was too little too late for Gary Megson's troops.

Portsmouth boss Avram Grant recorded his first win as second-half goals from Hermann Hreidarsson and Aruna Dindane earned a 2-0 victory over Burnley at Fratton Park in Saturday's lunchtime kick-off.