Barclays Premier League Results: March 09

With the big names missing in action due to FA Cup commitments, the Barclays Premier League saw the mid-table and relegation embattled teams take the field on Saturday.

West Brom 2-1 Swansea

The meeting between the Baggies and the Swans was really a game of two halves. Swansea were much the better side in the first half as they were content to sit back and hit West Brom on the counter. Michu spurned an easy chance early, but Luke Moore gave the visitors the lead on 33 minutes with a glancing header off a Jonathan de Guzman corner. West Brom couldn't get much going, but equalized through Romelu Lukaku 5 minutes from half-time when the Belgian ghosted into the penalty area to get in front of Gary Monk and slide in Graham Dorran's cross. The second half was a scrappy affair as neither side could get any sort of rhythm going and it suited the home side better as the Swans struggled to get going. Lukaku had a penalty saved but the hosts eventually did take the lead in the 66th minute when De Guzman headed into his own goal. Swansea were unlucky to not get anything from the game as substitute Roland Lamah found the back of the net in the 87^th minute, only for referee Lee Mason to have the goal disallowed for offside though replays showed otherwise.

QPR 3-1 Sunderland

QPR won two games back to back for the first time since December 1995 in a come from behind win over Sunderland at home. Rangers had three of their January signings to thank starting with Loic Remy who started the recovery when a friendly deflection saw the ball reach his feet, as he delivered a composed finish past Simon Mignolet for his 3^rd goal for Rangers. Steven Fletcher had earlier given the Black Cats the lead tapping in an Adam Johnson low cross. The teams went in level at the break before Andros Townsend unleashed an absolute screamer, unleashing a looping volley from 25 yards out, to put the Hoops in front. Jermaine Jenas then finished the job with a another long range effort from just outside the box to cap off a much needed win and 3 points for the London side. The win sees QPR move to 19^th, ahead of Reading on goal difference.

Reading 1-2 Aston Villa

The Madejski stadium played host to a relegation six pointer as Reading welcomed fellow strugglers Aston Villa. All 3 goals in the game were scored by Villa players, Nathan Baker putting through his own net to give the Royals the lead on 32 minutes. But, Villa failed to buckle and responded in fine fashion as leading marksman Christian Benteke leveled a minute later. Gabriel Agbonhalor then turned the game in Villa’s favor with a goal that almost ripped out the net in injury time in the first half. Paul Lambert’s men then held on in the 2^nd half to secure victory which saw them climb out of the bottom three and into 17^th place.

Norwich City 0-0 Southampton

The game at Carrow Road ended goalless, but not for lack of chances. Southampton were the better team on the day and fashioned many more chances than the home side who had goalkeeper Mark Bunn to thank as he pulled off a series of saves to keep Norwich in the game. The hosts chances were few and far between as the Saints took control of the game and threatened to come away from Carrow Road with a win. Jay Rodriguez, Rickie Lambert and Adam Lallana all had chances to score, but found the firm hands of Bunn in the way. The game saw some late drama when Norwich were awarded a penalty for a foul on Grant Holt in stoppage time. But Artur Boruc saved Holt’s penalty to ensure both teams shared a point on a rainy afternoon in Norwich. 

PREMIER LEAGUE Results: Sat, March 2nd

Manchester United 4-0 Norwich City

Shinji Kagawa's became the first Asian player to score a hat-trick in the Premier League as his well taken goals along with one for Wayne Rooney took United 15 points clear at the top of the league with Manchester City playing away at Aston Villa on Monday night. Rooney who started up top with leading scorer Robin van Persie had a stellar game providing 2 assists and rounding off proceedings with a thunderous finish. Kagawa though was the undoubted star for a classy performance filled with some sublime finishing in front of goal.

Chelsea 1-0 West Bromwich Albion

Demba Ba on his return to the Chelsea starting line-up scored the only goal of the game as his first half strike was enough to see the Blues hold on to a narrow victory at home. Playing without their lead striker Romelu Lukaku, West Brom did fashion a few chances but the Blues saw off a nervy last few minutes to take 3 points that puts them temporarily back in third place. Following manager Rafa Benitez's outburst midweek, there were banners mocking his 'Interim manager' status and seeking his exit, but the protests quietened down once the game began.

Wigan Athletic 0-4 Liverpool

Luis Suarez's hat-trick saw Liverpool rout Wigan at the DW stadium emerging victorious by 4 goals after Stewart Downing opened the scoring with a header in the 2nd minute. The win takes Liverpool 7th in the table within 3 points of city rivals Everton.  With the 3 goals, Suarez is now the leading scorer in the league with 21 goals moving 2 ahead of Van Persie.

Everton 3-1 Reading

Everton eased to a comfortable home win against relegation embattled Reading with goals from Marouane Fellaini, Steven Pienaar and Kevin Mirallas that saw them end a run of 4 league games without a win. Everton dominated the game and though Robson Kanu grabbed one back for the Royals, it was merely compensation.

Southampton 1-2 QPR

Harry Redknapp's campaign to keep QPR in the top flight received a much needed boost as Rangers came away from St.Mary's with a precious win in a relegation 6-pointer. Loic Remy returned to the starting line-up after coming off the bench in the last couple of games and gave QPR the lead. Gaston Ramirez then levelled for the Saints when Julio Cesar spilled Jay Rodriguez's shot on the stroke of half-time. Jay Bothroyd then popped up with the winner for QPR in the 74th minute tapping in a Park Ji-Sung cross. Rangers are still bottom though 3 points off Reading in 19th place. Southampton remain 16th thanks to Wigan's loss against Liverpool.

Sunderland 2-2 Fulham

Sunderland fought back from 2 goals down to grab a point as their home game against Fulham ended 2-2. Dimitar Berbatov gave Fulham the lead through a coolly taken penalty literally passing the ball into net. Fulham then doubled their lead through Sascha Riether, but Sunderland hit back immediately with a penalty of their own which Craig Gardner converted. Stephane Sessegnon, who put in a man of the match performance for the Black Cats, then scored the equalizer in the 70th minute, finishing off a move that started and ended with him.

Swansea 1-0 Newcastle United

Substitute Luke Moore's late strike gave League Cup champions Swansea City a narrow win over form team Newcastle United. The 85th minute strike gave the Swans a hard-fought win in their return to league action after their demolition of Bradford in the League Cup final last Sunday.

Stoke City 0-1 West Ham United

Substitute Jack Collison's goal in the dying minutes of the first half was enough for West Ham to hold on for a rare away win in their clash against Stoke at the Britannia stadium. Both teams had been struggling for form , West Ham with the win move level on points with Stoke on 33.

PREMIER LEAGUE ROUND-UP: Saturday, Feb 23

Fulham 1-0 Stoke City

A fantastic volley from Dimitar Berbatov on the stroke of half-time was enough to secure a much needed win for the Cottagers. In his 200^th Premier League appearance, the Bulgarian with a pacy right footed volley broke the deadlock off Robert Huth’s clearance. Stoke had a chance to equalize from the spot in the 56^th minute, but Mark Schwarzer saved Jonathan Walters’ penalty. The hosts had further chances in the 2^nd half to extend their lead with Berbatov, Riise and Sidwell all going close.

QPR 0-2 Manchester United

An absolute screamer in the first half from right-back Rafael and a neat finish in the second from veteran Ryan Giggs gave Man United a 15 point lead at the top of the table as they came away from their Loftus Road encounter with a 2-0 win. United were largely untroubled, controlling the game for the most part. The only worry for United was when striker Robin van Persie suffered a hip injury as he fell into a cameraman on the side-lines.  He was replaced by Danny Welbeck at half-time.

Arsenal 2-1 Aston Villa

Santi Cazorla was the hero at the Emirates, as his brace helped Arsenal to a much needed win over a fighting Aston Villa. Goals 5 minutes into the match and 5 minutes from the end of the match from the Spaniard helped ease some of the pressure on the club and their manager Arsene Wenger. Arsenal move within a point of 4^th placed Tottenham who play away at West Ham on Monday.

Norwich City 2-1 Everton

Norwich left it late against Everton, scoring 2 goals in the final 6 minutes to earn a come from behind victory against the Toffees. The home side created the better chances, but it was Everton who took the lead through Leon Osman on 39 minutes. Fighting back in the second half, the Canaries equalized through new boy Kei Kamara who powered a thumping header past Everton keeper Tim Howard. Captain Grant Holt then scored the winner in injury time ghosting in at the far post to tap the ball in to end Norwich’s barren run of 10 games without a victory.

West Brom 2-1 Sunderland

Two goals from Romelu Lukaku, one of them a penalty, saw the Baggies past Martin ‘O O'Neill's Sunderland at the Hawthornes. A first half penalty had given West Brom the lead, before Lukaku took advantage of a horror back pass from Titus Bramble to close down keeper Simon Mignolet forcing a clearance from his Belgian colleague that struck the onrushing Lukaku and went into goal. Sunderland did pull one back through Stephane Sessegnon, but West Brom held on for the win.

Reading 0-3 Wigan Athletic

Wigan took made full use of the man advantage, as they put 3 past Reading in a relegation 6 pointer at the Madejski stadium. Reading striker Pavel Pogrebnyak was given his marching orders in the second half for a cynical foul on Maynor Figueroa. It was Figueroa who finished things off with the third goal on 48 minutes after Arouna Kone had scored a quick double in the closing minutes of the first half. With the win, Wigan leapfrog Reading into 17th place.