Saturday 13 December 2008

Premier League Results for 13th Dec 2008

Aston Villa 4-2
(HT 2-1)
Bolton
Agbonlahor 25
Davies o.g. 40
Agbonlahor 67
Young 78

Elmander 17
Davies 86


Bookings:
O'Brien 28


Gabriel Agbonlahor and Ashley Young inspired Aston Villa to a victory which took them above Arsenal into fourth.

Bolton took the lead through Johan Elmander's cute near-post backheel.

But Agbonlahor controlled a long ball before slotting in the equaliser and Villa went ahead when Kevin Davies headed into his own net.

Agbonlahor nodded in a brilliant Young cross and then set up his England team-mate for a deflected finish, before Davies headed a consolation for Bolton.

The hosts could even have had a fifth had referee Lee Probert spotted what looked an obvious penalty claim in the first half but that might have been too much for the Villa Park faithful, who had not seen a league goal since 9 November.


Aston Villa: Friedel, Cuellar, Laursen, Davies, Luke Young, Sidwell, Petrov, Barry, Milner (Reo-Coker 68), Agbonlahor (Shorey 87), Ashley Young (Harewood 81).
Subs Not Used: Guzan, Delfouneso, Knight, Gardner.

Goals: Agbonlahor 25, Davies 40 og, Agbonlahor 67, Ashley Young 78.

Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Cahill, Andrew O'Brien, Samuel, Davies, McCann, Nolan, Muamba (Gardner 53), Taylor, Elmander (Smolarek 74).
Subs Not Used: Al Habsi, Riga, Shittu, Basham, Obadeyi.

Booked: Andrew O'Brien.

Goals: Elmander 17, Davies 86.

Att: 35,134.

Ref: Lee Probert (Wiltshire).


Liverpool 2-2
(HT 2-2)
Hull
Gerrard 24
Gerrard 32

McShane 12
Carragher o.g. 22
Bookings:
El Zhar 83
Hyypia 88
Alonso 90+3

Bookings:
McShane 25
Boateng 45+3
Marney 47


Steven Gerrard scored twice as league leaders Liverpool came back from two goals down against Hull in a match the Reds should have won after dominating.

Hull took a surprise lead when defender Paul McShane headed Marlon King's cross into the roof of the net.

A Jamie Carragher own goal then doubled Hull's lead before Gerrard's goals, both from six yards, levelled matters.

The Reds had the better of the second half, with a Sami Hyypia header hitting the post and Nabil El Zhar going close.

In the build-up to the match, Rafael Benitez predicted that Liverpool would have "an 80% possibility" of ending the season as champions if they were still leading the Premier League in three weeks.

That percentage will surely now have lowered after this draw, their third on the trot at Anfield following stalemates against West Ham and Stoke.

Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Hyypia, Carragher, Dossena, Mascherano (Leiva Lucas 87), Alonso, Benayoun (El Zhar 74), Gerrard, Riera (Babel 82), Kuyt.
Subs Not Used: Cavalieri, Agger, Keane, Ngog.

Booked: El Zhar, Hyypia, Alonso.

Goals: Gerrard 24, 32.

Hull: Myhill, McShane (Marney 27), Zayatte, Turner, Ricketts, Mendy, Ashbee, Boateng (Halmosi 66), Geovanni, Barmby (Windass 77), King.
Subs Not Used: Warner, Garcia, Cousin, Giannakopoulos.

Booked: McShane, Boateng, Marney.

Goals: McShane 12, Carragher 22 og.

Att: 43,835

Ref: Alan Wiley (Staffordshire)

Man City 0-1
(HT 0-0)
Everton


Cahill 90+2


Bookings:
Fellaini 90


Tim Cahill's winner deep into injury time gave Everton a dramatic victory against Manchester City at Eastlands.

Cahill rose to meet Leon Osman's corner to head past City's Joe Hart as the game looked certain to end in deadlock.

Mikel Arteta struck the bar with a free-kick early on and Shaun Wright-Phillips hit the woodwork for City.

Marouane Fellaini forced a fine save from Hart, while Everton's Tim Howard did well to deny Robinho and Stephen Ireland to set up the late win.

Everton boss David Moyes was ecstatic at the final whistle, especially after seeing his own side fall victim to an injury-time strike against Aston Villa last Saturday.

City, in contrast, were jeered off by their own fans, unhappy that they had been unable to break down an injury-hit Everton side.

Man City: Hart, Zabaleta, Richards, Dunne, Ball, Ireland, Kompany, Elano, Wright-Phillips, Mwaruwari (Jo 46), Robinho (Vassell 82).
Subs Not Used: Schmeichel, Onuoha, Fernandes, Hamann, Ben-Haim.

Everton: Howard, Neville, Yobo, Jagielka, Lescott, Osman, Pienaar, Fellaini, Castillo, Arteta, Cahill.
Subs Not Used: Nash, Hibbert, Baines, Van der Meyde, Rodwell, Jutkiewicz, Gosling.

Booked: Fellaini.

Goals: Cahill 90.

Att: 41,344

Ref: Mark Halsey (Lancashire).



Middlesbrough 1-1
(HT 1-1)
Arsenal
Aliadiere 29

Adebayor 17


Bookings:
Diaby 47


Arsenal's Premier League title hopes suffered another blow as they were held to a draw at Middlesbrough.

Emmanuel Adebayor headed the visitors in front after 17 minutes from Cesc Fabregas's corner.

But Boro hit back and former Gunners striker Jeremie Aliadiere headed a fine equaliser from Tuncay Sanli's fierce cross 12 minutes later.

Robin van Persie wasted a good chance after the break, while keeper Manuel Almunia parried Stewart Downing's shot.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger will view this as two points wasted as they try to keep in touch with the title pace-setters - seeing his side dominate possession but fail to take advantage.

Boro boss Gareth Southgate saw his revamped defence hold firm in the closing stages to earn a valuable point.

Middlesbrough: Turnbull, McMahon, Riggott, Huth, Pogatetz, Johnson (Emnes 90), Digard (Shawky 90), Arca, Downing, Sanli, Aliadiere. Subs Not Used: Jones, Alves, Bates, Hines, Grounds.

Goals: Aliadiere 29.

Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna, Gallas, Djourou, Clichy, Denilson, Fabregas, Song Billong, Diaby (Bendtner 82), Van Persie, Adebayor. Subs Not Used: Fabianski, Vela, Ramsey, Silvestre, Wilshere, Eboue.

Booked: Diaby.

Goals: Adebayor 17.

Att: 27,320

Ref: Peter Walton (Northamptonshire).



Stoke 0-0
(HT 0-0)
Fulham
Bookings:
Fuller 11

Bookings:
Gera 44


Fulham remain without an away win in the Premier League this season after neither side could find a cutting edge.

Stoke lost Mamady Sidibe through injury in the opening moments, and Rory Delap later aggravated a shoulder injury and so could not take his dangerous throws.

Fulham had good quality possession and saw penalty claims ignored but Stoke substitute Richard Cresswell had the best chance, firing over from 15 yards.

Simon Davies shot wide for the visitors after the break but a draw was fair.

Stoke, with victories over Tottenham and Arsenal at the Britannia Stadium already this season and unbeaten in their last five home league matches, would have been confident of improving that record given Fulham's lack of goals on their travels.

But their plans were soon disrupted when Sidibe was stretchered off after falling awkwardly in the opening seconds.

Stoke: Sorensen, Wilkinson, Abdoulaye Faye, Sonko, Higginbotham, Delap (Tonge 61), Amdy Faye, Whelan, Pugh (Pericard 68), Sidibe (Cresswell 5), Fuller.
Subs Not Used: Simonsen, Olofinjana, Cort, Davies.

Booked: Fuller.

Fulham: Schwarzer, Pantsil, Hangeland, Hughes, Konchesky, Davies, Bullard, Murphy, Gera, Dempsey, Johnson.
Subs Not Used: Zuberbuhler, Nevland, Gray, Etuhu, Stoor, Andreasen, Kallio.

Booked: Gera.

Att: 25,287

Ref: Stuart Attwell (Warwickshire).




Sunderland 4-0
(HT 3-0)
West Brom
Jones 22
Jones 24
Reid 40
Cisse (pen) 47


Bookings:
Ferdinand 73

Bookings:
Carson 47
Robinson 56


Sunderland produced an inspired display to outclass bottom-of-the-league West Brom and claim their first win since the departure of Roy Keane as manager.

Kenwyne Jones opened the scoring when he profited from some non-existent marking to head past Scott Carson.

Jones tapped in after two fine saves by Carson, and Andy Reid made it three before half-time with a back-post header from Steed Malbranque's cross.

Djibril Cisse then drilled in from the spot after Roman Bednar's handball.

Such a comfortable margin was the least Sunderland deserved for their overwhelming superiority against a West Brom side who are six points adrift of safety.

Caretaker manager Ricky Sbragia will have been delighted with his side's attitude and application as the hosts hauled themselves out of the relegation zone at the expense of neighbours Newcastle, who play on Sunday.

Sunderland: Fulop, Bardsley, Ferdinand, Nosworthy, Collins, Malbranque (Edwards 59), Tainio, Richardson, Reid (Leadbitter 79), Cisse, Jones.
Subs Not Used: Colgan, Diouf, Miller, Murphy, Yorke.

Booked: Ferdinand.

Goals: Jones 22, 24, Reid 40, Cisse 47 pen.

West Brom: Carson, Zuiverloon, Olsson, Meite, Robinson, Brunt (Kim 46), Borja Valero, Koren, Morrison (Bednar 46), Greening, Moore (Beattie 68).
Subs Not Used: Kiely, Cech, Barnett, Filipe Teixeira.

Booked: Carson, Robinson.

Att: 36,280

Ref: Lee Mason (Lancashire).



Tottenham 0-0
(HT 0-0)
Man Utd
Bookings:
Huddlestone 56

Bookings:
R Da Silva 62


Manchester United failed to make up ground on leaders Liverpool as they were held by a stubborn Spurs side.

David Bentley's 25-yard volley forced a fine save from Edwin van der Sar, who also denied Aaron Lennon as Spurs had the better chances in the first half.

After the break, Cristiano Ronaldo had a goal disallowed when he was ruled to have handled the ball before scoring.

Rio Ferdinand and Ji-sung Park went close and Heurelho Gomes superbly saved Ryan Giggs' free-kick as Spurs held on.

Tottenham: Gomes, Corluka, Dawson, Woodgate (Huddlestone 10), Assou-Ekotto, Lennon, Zokora, Jenas (O'Hara 62), Bentley, Modric, Pavlyuchenko (Bent 54).
Subs Not Used: Cesar, Bale, Gunter, Boateng.

Booked: Huddlestone.

Man Utd: Van der Sar, Rafael Da Silva, Ferdinand, Vidic, O'Shea, Park, Fletcher (Scholes 69), Carrick, Ronaldo, Berbatov, Tevez (Giggs 69).
Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Neville, Anderson, Nani, Evans.

Booked: Rafael Da Silva.

Att: 35,882

Ref: Mike Dean (Wirral).



Wigan 3-0
(HT 2-0)
Blackburn
Heskey 10
Valencia 12
Cattermole 77


Bookings:
Brown 64

Bookings:
Nelsen 81

Antonio Valencia inspired Wigan to victory over Blackburn to pile more pressure on Rovers boss Paul Ince.

Emile Heskey's backheel, followed two minutes later by Valencia's low drive, gave Wigan a perfect start as they dominated the first half.

Substitute David Dunn gave Rovers more attacking threat, but their best chance came from Ryan Taylor's near own-goal.

And the visitors were caught off guard when Valencia's cross fell to Lee Cattermole to wrap up a 3-0 win.

Rovers have now lost six successive league games and are without a win in 10, leaving them second from bottom.


Wigan: Kirkland, Melchiot (Kilbane 79), Bramble, Scharner, Figueroa, Valencia (De Ridder 87), Cattermole, Brown, Taylor, Zaki, Heskey (Camara 83). Subs Not Used: Pollitt, Kingson, Koumas, Cywka.

Booked: Brown.

Goals: Heskey 10, Valencia 12, Cattermole 77.

Blackburn: Robinson, Ooijer, Samba, Nelsen, Warnock, Emerton, Kerimoglu (Roberts 61), Andrews (Treacy 78), Pedersen (Dunn 46), Roque Santa Cruz, Derbyshire. Subs Not Used: Brown, McCarthy, Villanueva, Simpson.

Booked: Nelsen.

Att: 18,003

Ref: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire).

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