By Simon Wright – Follow
me on Twitter @Siwri88
After a
fairly slow start to the new Barclays Premier League season, it finally came to
life on Saturday with 18 goals in six engrossing matches, including two five-goal
thrillers.
Five games
into the season and there is now only one club that is still unbeaten. That side is Everton who won their second
successive game in a thrilling encounter at West Ham United. Roberto Martinez’s side had to come from
behind twice to win 3-2 at Upton Park.
The Hammers
hadn’t scored in their last three Premier League matches but that drought ended
in the first half as Ravel Morrison found the net for his first senior goal at
this level with the help of a deflection.
A stunning free-kick from specialist Leighton Baines brought the scores
level early on in the second half before a clumsy James McCarthy foul on Kevin
Nolan allowed Mark Noble to tuck home a spot-kick and put West Ham back in the
driving seat.
The turning
point came shortly afterwards when Noble was given his marching orders for two
yellow cards. From the resulting
free-kick, Baines (pictured being congratulated by his team-mates) left Jussi Jaaskelainen rooted to the spot with another
special, and the comeback was completed four minutes from time when substitute Romelu
Lukaku found the net for his first goal since his loan move from Chelsea. Everton have moved into the top five before
Sunday’s matches.
Liverpool
were the other team unbeaten going into Saturday’s action, but they surrendered
this record after slipping to a surprising 1-0 home defeat to Southampton. The Saints caught Liverpool on a day where
they got too casual with some of their passing and defending. Dejan Lovren’s header from a simple corner 10
minutes into the second half earned the south coast side a fully deserved three
points. The only consolation for
Liverpool is Luis Suarez’s ban is now over and he is free for selection,
starting with Wednesday’s League Cup tie at Old Trafford against Manchester
United.
Chelsea
replaced Liverpool at the top of the table to end a disappointing week on a
high note. After a laboured first half
showing in the west London derby with Fulham, they stepped up a gear in the
second half and ended up beating their opponents 2-0 at Stamford Bridge. There was no Juan Mata again in the matchday
squad, but Oscar’s solid start to the new season continued with his second goal
of the week to break the deadlock. The
second goal came from a very unlikely source in the form of John Obi
Mikel. It was the Nigerian international’s
first goal in the Premier League despite having been with Chelsea since the
summer of 2006. His last goal for the
Blues came in an FA Cup fourth round tie against Nottingham Forest back in
January 2007.
Sunderland
are now the only club in the league yet to register a win after another pitiful
showing at West Brom. Paolo di Canio
went to greet his angry supporters following the 3-0 loss at the Hawthorns
which was Albion’s first win after their own difficult start. Stephane Sessegnon struck for his new club on
his debut after 20 minutes against the manager who sold him three weeks ago,
and accused him of a lack of effort in training during his final days as a
Black Cats player. Liam Ridgewell and
Morgan Amalfitano also registered in the second half.
After two
efficient victories in recent weeks over Fulham and Aston Villa, Newcastle
United supporters would have been confident going into Saturday’s clash with
Hull City. That confidence was misplaced
as the Tigers left St James’ Park with an excellent 3-2 win and all three
points, delighting the former Sunderland boss Steve Bruce who treated us all to
a dancing jig on the touchline when Sone Aluko hit the winner in this
entertaining end-to-end contest.
Newcastle’s scant reward was Loic Remy scored his first two goals for
the club.
In the
lunchtime kick-off, Aston Villa collected the victory at Carrow Road against
Norwich City. Despite losing Christian
Benteke to injury after 25 minutes, his replacement Libor Kozak scored the only
goal of a tight and fraught encounter on East Anglia. Norwich were denied by some brilliant
goalkeeping from Brad Guzan which included an early penalty save from Robert
Snodgrass. It means former Norwich
manager Paul Lambert has now won on all three occasions he has taken Villa back
to the Canaries, proving his acrimonious departure was best for his managerial
career.
There was a
sensational debut in the Championship from a Manchester United loanee. Jesse Lingard scored all four of Birmingham
City’s goals as they thrashed hapless Sheffield Wednesday 4-1 at St.
Andrews. The 20-year-old is only at the
club for a month, but you would imagine the Blues will want to extend that loan
on this performance alone which ended Birmingham’s scoring drought of four
games in the division and eased some of the pressure off Lee Clark.
His opponent
Dave Jones is looking on borrowed time, as Wednesday are yet to win this term,
and Bolton Wanderers face a similar predicament. Despite leading early on at Brighton, they
slumped to a 3-1 loss to make the worst start to a season in the club’s
history. Dougie Freedman’s men have just
three points from eight games. Millwall
climbed out of the drop zone with their second victory in just four days. Scott McDonald’s deflected shot won them a
tight south London derby with neighbours and fellow strugglers Charlton
Athletic at the Valley.
At the top of
the table, QPR extended their advantage to three points after notching up their
fifth 1-0 win of the season. This time
it came on their travels against Yeovil Town.
Charlie Austin’s penalty proved to be the difference, but the home side
should have got something out of the game but for some goalkeeping heroics from
former England number one Robert Green.
Burnley moved into second spot after first half goals from Scott Arfield
and Sam Vokes gave them a narrow 2-1 win away against Leeds United. A Tom Ince stoppage time penalty ensured the
points were shared between Blackpool and Leicester City at Bloomfield Road.
With Leyton
Orient not playing until Monday, Peterborough United had the chance to close
the gap at the top of League One and they did this with a battling 2-1 local
derby victory over Milton Keynes Dons, despite ending the game with just nine
men on the field. Wolves and Preston
North End both kept up the pressure at the top with excellent 1-0 away wins
against Shrewsbury Town and struggling Sheffield United respectively. Gillingham dropped to the foot of the table
following their 1-0 home defeat to Bradford City, as Notts County notched up
their first victory of the campaign in a 2-0 success against Tranmere Rovers.
In League Two
Chesterfield recorded their seventh victory from eight games with a 1-0 away
win over 10-man Oxford United. They now
hold a four-point advantage over Fleetwood Town whose 1-0 victory against
Portsmouth is their fourth successive victory.
AFC Wimbledon moved back into the automatic promotion places as they
came from behind to see off Burton Albion 3-1 but it is close with just two
points covering them in third to Exeter City in ninth spot.
Inverness Caledonian
Thistle stayed top of the Scottish Premiership but lost for the first time in
the season, going down 1-0 to Aberdeen.
Celtic drew level at the top on 16 points, but remain behind on goal
difference after their 2-1 victory against St Johnstone and Melvin de Leeuw
came off the bench to score one and set-up the second in Ross County’s 2-1
triumph over bottom club Hearts.
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