Chelsea are back at the top of the premiership table after a controversial goal by Chelsea‘s striker Didier Drogba took the blues to a narrow victory by 2-1 over Manchester United at Old Trafford in an early kick-off on Saturday. This has put a serious dent for the champions United to retain the league trophy. In other matches, Arsenal edged past Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 with a 90th minute goal by Nickalas Bendtner while relegation threatened Portsmouth held Blackburn Rovers to a goal less draw at Fratton Park.
Pre-match Manchester United knew that this one is not going to be a cake walk specially with Rooney‘s absence. Chelsea broke the dead lock in the 19th minute when Florent Malouda skipped past United defenders in style,and fired a low shot into the box where Joe Cole, who was closely held, backheeled the ball brilliantly through the legs of Evra and into the far corner.
In the second Chelsea‘s lead was doubled but with a huge controversy, Just in as a substitute, Didier Drogba was clearly in offside position but the linesman was too aware to see that and as a result the play carried on, with United players protesting, and Drogba lashed into the roof of the net. the small section of Chelsea fans which came all the way from London were in peak joy. But just 2 minute later United got one back when Nani‘s ran in from the left and his low cross bounced off Cech onto Macheda‘s chest and into the net but it was looking too late. The “comeback kings” as Manchester United is known as tried their best to come level closest being Dimitar Berbatov‘s shot in the injury time which went straight into the hands of the Cech. Thus, the final Score Chelsea 2-1 Man United.
Manchester United completed the double over Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok with an emphatic 4-0 win in the late kick-off on Saturday but not before Chelseastruck with a spectacular seven over Aston Villa at home. Meanwhile third placedArsenal’s title challenge suffered a major halt when an injury time goal by Kevin Phllips made the gunners lead go in vain and eventually they had to settle for a draw.
Manchester United got the lead in a pretty unusual fashion when in the crowded penalty area after Jloyd Samuelgot the ball and side footed into his own net in the 38th minute. The teams went into the break with 1-0 in home side’s favour.
Second half was truly Man United’s with three goals in it. Dimitar Berbatov got his first when a deflected ball by the goal keeper landed in his foot who simply tapped it behind the net. He got his second in the 78th minute when Nani teased Bolton defenders with some lovely footwork on
the left flank and pulled the ball back for Berbatov to complete. Finally things were wrapped up by Darron Gibson8 minutes from time when he came in as a substitute.
Chelsea gave a strong signals to the leaders after they thrashed Aston Villa with 7-1 scoreline. Frank Lampardnetted 4 times for the blues and Florent Malouda scored twice and one for Kalou in the win. Needless to say… but Villa equalised at 1-1 when Carew tapped a cross over the line at the far post but that was it for the visiting side.
Arsenalsuffered a major setback against Birmingham City after Samir Nasri’s 82nd minute lead was cancelled byKevin Phillips in the injury time of the match.
Other results were:
Hull City 2-0 Fulham
Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Portsmouth
West Ham United 0-1 Stoke City
Wolves 0-0 Everton
Arsène Wenger was born on 22 October 1949 in Strasbourg and grew up in the nearby village of Duttlenheim with an older sister and brother. His parents owned an automobile spare-parts business in Strasbourg. He played as a defender for various amateur clubs while studying at theUniversity, where he completed a master’s degree in 1971. But soon after In 1981, he obtained a manager’s diploma and was appointed the coach of the Strasbourg’s youth team.
It was Bruce Rioch’s sacking in August 1996 that led to his arrival ay Highbury. And for former Liverpool manager Gérard Houllier, the then technical director of the French Football Federation, recommended Wenger to in the summer of 1996.
He is the most successful manager in the history of Arsenal in terms of trophies and is also the club’s longest-serving manager. Wenger is the only non-British manager to win the Double in England, having done so in 1998 and 2002. In 2004, he became the only manager in FA Premier League history to go through the entire season without defeat.
Wenger is widely regarded as one of the world’s best managers after the success he has enjoyed at AS Monaco and Arsenal. It was in his time great players like Fredrik Ljungberg, Thierry Henry , Robert Pirès, Patrick Vieira and Rémi Garde entered the gunners brigade to become one of the most sucessful team in Europe. The best thing about Wenger is the selection of players. He picks up players from many unexplored part of the world( in terms of football) and make them the headliners everywhere.
His honours at Arsenal includes League championship 1998, 2002, 2004, FA Cup winners 1998, 2002, 2003, 2005, Voted ‘Manager of the Year’ 1998, 2002, 2004 more cheer for us is that Wenger signed a three year extension to his current contract, taking his tenure at the Club to June 2011.
Manchester Unitedretained the table top position after winning with a narrow 2-1 score line over Liverpool at Old Trafford while their title rivals Chelsea were held to a 1-1 draw against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood park. With a game in hand, the blues are 4 point behind Manchester United who will be point clear at the top even ifChelsea wins their next match.
On Saturday, Arsenal comfortably beat West Ham United by 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium but not before Thomas Vermaelen was red carded and Gunners goalkeeper Manuel Almunia saved a penalty in the first half. Arsenal’s manager Sir Arsene Wenger was reported to be furious over the incident as the contact was minimum but the referee had no hesitation in sending him off.
At Old Trafford it was Liverpool who went ahead by a Fernando Torres header in the 5th minute of the match but the joy was short lived for the visitors as Wayne Rooney cancelled the reds lead in the 11th minute whenValencia ran into the box and was fouled by Mascherano inside the box and the referee pointed to the spot.Rooney’s penalty kick was saved by Reina but the rebound went past the net to level the things out. The teams went into the break with a 1-1 score line.
In the second half, Manchester United got the much awaited lead just a minute before the hour mark whenRooney passed the ball to Darren Fletcher who gave a wonderful cross and Park Ji Sung ran past the Liverpooldefenders to head home the winner much to the delight of the home crowd. The final score remained 2-1 to putUnited on the top of the table.
Now all eyes will be on Tuesday when Chelsea will be playing bottom players Portsmouth, any obstacles for theblues here can make them pay for the title this year too…
Other results of the weekend football were:
Saturday:
Aston Villa 2-2 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Everton 2-0 Bolton Wanderers
Portsmouth 3-2 Hull City
Stoke City 1-2 Tottenham Hotspur
Sunderland 3-1 Birmingham City
Wigan Athletic 1-0 Burnley
Arsenal 2-0 West Ham United
Sunday:
Fulham 1-2 Manchester City
Blackburn Rovers 1-1 Chelsea