BPL Results and Discussion Thread

[Kenpachi Zaraki]

Arsene Wenger feels Arsenal will get their season back on track against Manchester United on Saturday.

Arsenal have not won in three games after following up their draw with Tottenham and defeat to Stoke with a stalemate against Fenerbahce in the Champions League.

The Gunners' stuttering form has seen them slip six points behind joint Premier League leaders Chelsea and Liverpool, but Wenger remains upbeat going into their first meeting with one of the other 'big four' this season.

"It is a massive game and of massive importance for us. We play every three days at the moment and every game is massive for us," the Frenchman told the club's official website.

"Manchester United-Arsenal is always a special one and we know for us it is vital to do well in the big games in this league.

"I am confident we will."

United will also be keen to narrow the five-point gap to the leading pair and go into the clash having all but secured their place in the Champions League knockout stages with a draw against Celtic on Wednesday.

Chelsea captain John Terry has called on his side to bounce back from their midweek loss to Roma when they take on Blackburn on Sunday.

The Blues lost 3-1 in the Italian capital to a side who had gone into the match on the back of five straight defeats.

"The (Roma) result is maybe a kick up the backside that we needed," he told Chelsea TV.

"Maybe we need to realise we are not the best side that we thought we were."

Liverpool's task looks, on paper at least, somewhat easier as they put their unbeaten home record on the line against West Brom on Saturday.

On Sunday, Tottenham will aim to continue their recent revival under new coach Harry Redknapp.

The former Portsmouth boss has guided the Londoners to wins over Bolton and Liverpool - as well as that draw with Arsenal - in his first three games in charge.

They still prop up the table, though, two points separating them from safety, and travel to face a Manchester City looking to boost their European hopes.

Elsewhere on Saturday, Hull will aim to bounce back from consecutive defeats at home to Bolton, Tony Adams goes in search of his first point as Portsmouth boss when he takes his side to Sunderland, West Ham host Everton and Wigan meet Stoke.

On Sunday, Aston Villa are up against Middlesbrough and Newcastle travel to Fulham looking to make it three wins in a row.

[Kenpachi Zaraki]

Arsene Wenger got the response he wanted as Arsenal beat Manchester United thanks to two goals from Samir Nasri.

Gunners manager Wenger admitted dressing-room morale was low after their 4-4 draw with rivals Tottenham and the defeat at Stoke - but this win at the at the Emirates Stadium breathes life into their campaign and lifts them above United in the Barclays Premier League.

Wenger had Emmanuel Adebayor injured and Robin van Persie suspended but Nasri provided the attacking threat, taking advantage of slack marking in each half to grab his fourth and fifth goals of the season.

Rafael da Silva, on as a substitute, volleyed home a late strike to give Sir Alex Ferguson's men hope - but there was no repeat of the memorable Spurs comeback.

It was Arsenal's first test this season against their traditional top-four rivals - and Wenger's men passed with flying colours.

This clash between two heavyweights had everything - chances, yellow cards, counter-attacking and also four penalty shouts.

Referee Howard Webb, who was kept busy throughout, turned down appeals when Dimitar Berbatov was bundled over by Denilson, as well as when Gary Neville and Gael Clichy touched the ball with their arms.

Then in the second half, Nasri appeared to be bundled over by Nemanja Vidic.

Between those moments, there was absorbing end-to-end football, with United given an early opportunity following a mix-up involving one of their former players.

Mikael Silvestre clipped a backpass to Manuel Almunia and the goalkeeper picked up the ball. Anderson's free-kick was blocked by team-mate Ji-Sung Park, then Michael Carrick fired the rebound wide from the edge of the area.

Berbatov also had the ball in the net but was ruled offside when he followed up Rooney's shot.

Then it was Arsenal's turn to attack. Nicklas Bendtner headed over from Clichy's cross, before the striker was millimetres away from contact when Nasri swung a ball over.

Abou Diaby had a clear sight of goal when Edwin van der Sar flapped, but his effort was blocked by Carrick.

United took their turn to apply pressure, with Cristiano Ronaldo raiding down the flanks and Carrick creating his angles in midfield.

Wayne Rooney was guilty of wasting their clearest opportunity of the opening period when he flashed a shot over after Ronaldo's intelligent pull-back.

First blood went to Arsenal, with Nasri's opener coming midway through the first half after Patrice Evra fouled Bacary Sagna on the right touchline.

Berbatov headed away the free-kick as far as Nasri, who fizzed a volley at goal that took a deflection off Gary Neville to wrong-foot Van der Sar and fly in.

United almost replied when Clichy only just headed wide of his own goal as he tried to clear a free-kick. William Gallas had been booked for his trip on Evra to lead to the set-piece.

Arsenal, meanwhile, tried to counter-attack and Cesc Fabregas shot just wide of the post with one effort, while Van der Sar stuck out a hand to stop Silvestre stabbing home from a corner.

The intensity, already sky-high, stepped up a level before the break and Evra and Sagna both received yellow cards from Webb.

Nasri's second came three minutes after the restart.

Fabregas wriggled around Neville and spotted Nasri unmarked on the penalty area, with the France youngster given enough space to bide his time and lash past Van der Sar.

Ronaldo was presented with a chance to pull a goal back but his finish, after meeting Park's cross with a first-time volley, went just the wrong side of Almunia's post.

Clichy then clattered into Ronaldo and earned a booking, with the action almost non-stop at this stage.

Rooney had a header saved by Almunia and he was inches from getting on the end of a Ronaldo cross, while Carrick picked up a yellow when he caught Almunia with a boot to the head.

Almunia's injury forced him off and Lukasz Fabianski was required off the bench for the last 12 minutes.

Rafael, on as a substitute, pulled one back with less than a minute left - but Arsenal held on after six minutes of stoppage-time for the win they needed.


espnstar.com

[Kenpachi Zaraki]

Holy Crappamole what did I say. We got ManUre n we got em good we r the best f*** the rest

[Kenpachi Zaraki]

Sunday 9th November

Blackburn 0-2 Chelsea

Anelka 39:43
Anelka 67:13

Aston Villa 1-2 Middlesbrough

Sidwell 36:26

Sanli 33:19
Sanli 87:30

Man City 1-2 Tottenham

Robinho 15:37
(RC)Fernandes 25:23
(RC)Dunne 82:19

Bent 28:24
Bent 63:57
(RC)Assou-Ekotto 88:54

Fulham 2-1 Newcastle

Johnson 22:33
Murphy 65:36

Ameobi 56:47

Saturday 8th November 2008

Arsenal 2-1 Man Utd GAME OF THE SEASON

Nasri 21:50
Nasri 47:09

Da Silva 89:13

Wigan 0-0 Stoke

Hull 0-1 Bolton

Taylor 49:51

West Ham 1-3 Everton

Collison 62:44

Lescott 82:01
Saha 84:20
Saha 86:48

Sunderland 1-2 Portsmouth

Cisse 3:08

Belhadj 50:14
Defoe 90:00(0:55)

Liverpool 3-0 West Brom

Keane 33:31
Keane 42:36
Arbeloa 90:00(2:23)

[Kenpachi Zaraki]

Sunday 16th November

Everton 1-1 Middlesbrough

Yakubu 64:53

O'Neil 7:38

Hull 2-2 Man City

Cousin 13:23
Geovanni 59:32

Ireland 36:03
Ireland 44:14

Saturday 15th November 2008

Bolton 0-2 Liverpool

Kuyt 27:48
Gerrard 72:24

Man Utd 5-0 Stoke

Ronaldo 2:39
Carrick 45:00(0:21)
Berbatov 48:10
Welbeck 83:27
Ronaldo 88:12

Arsenal 0-2 Aston Villa

Young 18:38 pen Saved
Clichy 69:10(og)
Agbonlahor 79:37

Newcastle 2-2 Wigan

Owen 79:11
Martins 86:18

Taylor 2:38
Bramble 88:21
(RC)Boyce 53:39

West Ham 0-0 Portsmouth

Blackburn 1-2 Sunderland

Samba 45:00(1:35)

Jones 48:27
Cisse 70:52

West Brom 0-3 Chelsea

Bosingwa 33:24
Anelka 37:26
Anelka 45:00(0:49)

[Kenpachi Zaraki]

Sunday 23rd November 2008

Tottenham 1-0 Blackburn

Pavlyuchenko 8:58

(RC)Olsson 38:47

Sunderland 0-1 West Ham

Behrami 19:51

Saturday 22nd November 2008

Stoke 1-0 West Brom

Sidibe 83:43

Man City 3-0 Arsenal

Ireland 45:00(1:08)
Robinho 55:39
Sturridge 90:00(1:15)

Middlesbrough 1-3 Bolton

Pogatetz 77:00

Steinsson 7:27
Taylor 9:42
Elmander 77:58

Liverpool 0-0 Fulham

Portsmouth 2-2 Hull

Crouch 19:42
Johnson 62:54
Diop 84:41
Davis 90:00(5:00) Turner 53:22
Pamarot 88:30
Windass 85:45

Chelsea 0-0 Newcastle

Aston Villa 0-0 Man Utd

[Kenpachi Zaraki]

Cesc Fabregas has promised Arsenal will go on the offensive as they claw their way back into the BPL title race.

The Gunners have gone off the boil in recent weeks, with a run of one league win in five culminating in last weekend's 3-0 capitulation at Manchester City.

The shadow of William Gallas' recent outburst against the squad still looms despite a morale-boosting 1-0 win over Dynamo Kiev in Europe on Tuesday, and Fabregas is aware three points against the leaders on Sunday will help to quell any remaining unrest in the ranks.

"Our target is to go there and win," said Fabregas, who replaced Gallas as skipper earlier this week. "We need to get some points back.

"Arsenal never go for a draw and a club like Chelsea will be the same as us."

He added on www.arsenal.com: "Every time I have played against them they have gone forward and tried to gain victory. We will expect it will be the same on Sunday."

Manchester City will be hoping the upturn in form shown against Arsenal last weekend continues when they host city rivals United at Eastlands on Sunday.

Mark Hughes' men halted a four-match winless streak with last Saturday's convincing victory but remain well off the pace of the top four down in 11th place.

While Hughes is sweating on the fitness of star forward Robinho, who has a sprain and did not travel to Germany for Thursday's UEFA Cup tie against Schalke, his opposite number Sir Alex Ferguson could be set to welcome back Dimitar Berbatov from a hamstring injury in time for the match.

Ferguson will be determined to get a response from his team after they failed to capitalise on goalless draws for both Liverpool and Chelsea last weekend by drawing a blank against Aston Villa to stay eight points off the summit.

Second-placed Liverpool, who like United and Arsenal this week booked their place in the latter stages of the Champions League, must wait until Monday night to face West Ham at Anfield.

Sunday's remaining games see Tony Adams' Portsmouth welcome Blackburn to Fratton Park while upwardly mobile Tottenham will aim to put further daylight between themselves and the relegation zone when they host Everton.

Saturday's action sees fourth-placed Aston Villa host a Fulham team on a three-match unbeaten run, and Middlesbrough welcome Newcastle to the Riverside Stadium for a north-east derby.

Stoke entertain a Hull side seeking their first win in six, Bolton are the visitors to Sunderland's Stadium of Light and Wigan meet rock-bottom West Brom at the JJB Stadium.

[Kenpachi Zaraki]

Monday 1st December 2008

Liverpool 0-0 West Ham

Sunday 30th November 2008

Man City 0-1 Man Utd

Rooney 41:51
(RC)Ronaldo 67:50

Portsmouth 3-2 Blackburn

Crouch 48:50
Defoe 52:29
Davis 78:52

Derbyshire 61:25
Kerimoglu 66:36

Tottenham 0-1 Everton

Pienaar 50:12

Chelsea 1-2 Arsenal

(og)Djourou 30:05

Van Persie 58:42
Van Persie 61:47

Saturday 29th November 2008

Aston Villa 0-0 Fulham

Wigan 2-1 West Brom

Camara 60:22
Boyce 86:39

Miller 46:32

Sunderland 1-4 Bolton

Cisse 10:57

Taylor 17:02
Cahill 20:51
Elmander 38:31
Elmander 54:24

Middlesbrough 0-0 Newcastle

Stoke 1-1 Hull

Fuller 72:24

King 45:00(1:29)

[Kenpachi Zaraki]

Managerless Sunderland face a daunting visit to Old Trafford, as the Black Cats face Manchester United without Roy Keane.

Old Trafford is one of the last places you want to go to when you are without a manager and desperate for points, but that is precisely what Sunderland have to do on Saturday.

Keane parted ways with the Black Cats on Thursday, just two days before he was set to return to former club Manchester United.

Sunderland's 4-1 defeat to Bolton last weekend was their sixth in seven games and saw them drop into the relegation zone.

It ultimately spelt the end of Keane's time in charge as he was the first to question whether he was right for the job.

First-team coach Ricky Sbragia will be in charge at Old Trafford, assisted by reserve-team coach Neil Bailey and senior player Dwight Yorke.

"Roy, as he says himself, is his harshest critic," said chairman Niall Quinn.

"He just felt he had completed his journey here and didn't want to get it unstuck any further and find ourselves in deeper, darker territory.

"It's a disappointing day in many respects, but of course, we fully respect his decision."

Earlier in the week defender Nyron Nosworthy had called for the team to show unity.

"We're having a sticky patch as a team and we need to get out of it as a team, stick together," he told www.safc.com.

"Everyone will expect us to lose at Old Trafford so anything we can get is a big result, we just want to put in a good performance.

"We have to go there and be bold and give it everything and see what happens."

United will also be eager for victory as they sit six points behind leaders Liverpool and five behind Chelsea, albeit with a game in hand.

It was a good weekend for the Red Devils as they beat Manchester City in the derby and saw both teams above them drop points.

Liverpool travel to Blackburn looking to rediscover their goalscoring touch after back-to-back goaless draws, while Chelsea have to pick themselves up from their disappointing defeat at home to Arsenal at Bolton.

Arsenal, meanwhile, will be hoping that victory marked a turning point in their season, having won only one of their five previous matches, and Arsene Wenger will be asking for more of the same from his team when they welcome Wigan to the Emirates.

Aston Villa will know by the time they travel to Everton on Sunday whether the top four is within their grasp.

It has been somewhat of a stop-start season for Martin O'Neill's side, typified by their last three games which have seen them beat Arsenal, draw with Manchester United but then be held to a goaless draw by Fulham.

Everton can draw level with their opponents if they win, a result which would see Hull leapfrog the pair should they beat Middlesbrough on Saturday.

Fulham will be looking to consolidate their mid-table position when they host Manchester City, who slipped further down the table after their derby defeat to United.

Saturday's other game sees Newcastle take on fellow strugglers Stoke, while basement boys West Brom host Portsmouth 24 hours later.

The weekend's fixtures are rounded off with a London derby as Tottenham coach Harry Redknapp returns to his old stomping ground to take on West Ham, with both teams looking to continue their climb away from the relegation zone.


ESS

[Kenpachi Zaraki]

Monday 8th December 2008

West Ham 0-2 Tottenham

King 67:40
O'Hara 89:09

Sunday 7th December 2008

West Brom 1-1 Portsmouth

Greening 38:28

Crouch 57:51

Everton 2-3 Aston Villa

Lescott 29:35
Lescott 90:00(2:07)

Sidwell 0:31
Young 53:44
Young 90:00(3:32)

Saturday 6th December 2008

Fulham 1-1 Man City

Bullard 26:42

Mwaruwari 5:42

Bolton 0-2 Chelsea

Anelka 8:36
Deco 20:31

Hull 2-1 Middlesbrough

Turnbull 81:02
King 84:44 Scored

Sanli 78:20

Wheater 83:29

Arsenal 1-0 Wigan

Adebayor 15:44

Blackburn 1-3 Liverpool

Santa Cruz 85:10

Alonso 68:05
Benayoun 78:45
Gerrard 90:00(4:29)

Newcastle 2-2 Stoke

Owen 8:00
Owen 23:34

Sidibe 59:09
Faye 90:00(0:44)

Man Utd 1-0 Sunderland

Vidic 90:00(0:20)