The biggest shock result of the week-end was the defeat of Manchester City by Bolton Wanderers, who somehow survived a 90 minute onslaught, during which City hit the bar no less than 5 times (one more if you include a double bounce!). Then in the dying seconds, Richard Dunne committed a blatant handball offence and Gary Speed made no mistake. Stuart Pearce and Sam Allardyce shared some wry grins about the proceedings and Pearce even kissed his opponent's back-side, presumably in some sort of mock adoration! Pearce had of course been presented with the August Manager of the Month award before the game, and therefore should have known what was coming. Ashes hero, Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff was also presented to the crowd before the game in a City shirt. Will Preston be asking for their Freedom award back?
Shearer and Owen got off the mark, and so did Newcastle at last, whilst Liverpool and Man Utd failed to create much excitement at Anfield.
Wigan continued to astound by spending some of the week-end above Arsenal, after taking a point off Middlesbrough. Chelsea's boring march towards another bought title goes on - still no goals conceded. Charlton's 100% record was taken from them on their own turf.
Marlon Harewood, added to last week's hat-trick with a goal at Craven Cottage and although technically, the Hammers' second goal goes down as an own goal by the keeper, it was Harewood's shot that rebounded off the post to the back of the keeper into the goal.
Nicky Butt got sent off at Portsmouth for a kick in the "unmentionables", and also faces an additional charge for abusing an official. It seems the FA have the knives out for any infringement this term. (Not that I have any sympathy with Butt). Sunderland got their first Premiership point under Mick McCarthy's management, but could have had a win had it not been for a last minute Baggies' equaliser.
Everton completed a woeful week, and are firmly cemented in the bottom three. Firstly they lost 5-1 away to Dinamo Bucharest in their UEFA Cup tie, and then on Monday night they lost 2-0 to the team we Spurs folk do not like to mention, thanks to two goals scored by the player we prefer to forget. This made it a bad night for Spurs too, as they became once again, the fifth best team in London, having drawn three and lost one of our last four games. Roll on Fulham next week!
Results 17-19.09.05
A. Villa 1-1 Spurs
Charlton 0-2 Chelsea
Fulham 1-2 West Ham
P'tsmouth 1-1 B'mingham
S'derland 1-1 West Brom
Blackburn 0-3 Newcastle
Liverpool 0-0 Man Utd
Man City 0-1 Bolton
Wigan 1-1 M'brough
Arsenal 2-0 Everton
FA Barclays Premiership
Pos Team P W D L F A GD Pts
1 Chelsea 6 6 0 0 12 0 12 18
2 Charlton 5 4 0 1 8 3 5 12
3 Man Utd 5 3 2 0 6 1 5 11
4 Bolton 6 3 2 1 7 4 3 11
5 Man City 6 3 2 1 7 5 2 11
6 West Ham 5 3 1 1 10 4 6 10
7 Arsenal 5 3 0 2 9 4 5 9
8 Spurs 6 2 3 1 5 3 2 9
9 M'brough 6 2 2 2 6 7 -1 8
10 Wigan 5 2 1 2 4 4 0 7
11 Liverpool 4 1 3 0 1 0 1 6
12 A. Villa 6 1 3 2 5 9 -4 6
13 P'tsmouth 6 1 2 3 5 8 -3 5
14 Newcastle 6 1 2 3 4 7 -3 5
15 B'mingham 6 1 2 3 5 9 -4 5
16 Fulham 6 1 2 3 5 9 -4 5
17 West Brom 6 1 2 3 6 11 -5 5
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18 Blackburn 6 1 2 3 3 8 -5 5
19 Everton 5 1 0 4 1 6 -5 3
20 S'derland 6 0 1 5 3 10 -7 1
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