First Half: Goal! 1-0, Arsenal take the lead as Giroud scores with a low shot into the far bottom corner from the centre of the box. Podolski has a blast from long range really well parried over the near top corner. Goal! 2-0, Giroud intercepts a Vergini backpass and slots a low shot through the keeper's legs. Goal! 3-0, Rosicky plays a nice one-two with Giroud before scoring with a low chip over the keeper.
Half Time: 3-0.
Second Half: Borini has a fierce blasted shot from an acute angle parried behind. Sagna puts in a cross that deflects off Vergini and goes just wide of the far post. Goal! 4-0, Koscielny heads in from the resulting corner into the near side. Ki has an effort parried away from the near post. Goal! 4-1, Sunderland get a consolation goal as Giaccherini scores with a low half volley from long range into the far bottom corner.
Full Time: 4-1.
Arsenal (2nd) 56>59pts
Sunderland (18th) 24>24pts
My Opinion:
My man of the match was Rosicky. Giroud at the double. It was a dominant display from Arsenal who cruised past Sunderland. They raced away during the first half to a 3-0 lead which pretty much ended the match. Giroud will be glad to score a few goals whilst Rosicky impressed. Sunderland were outplayed and as a result got soundly beaten. Vergini in particular had a shocker today but Sunderland were never in the match. Giaccherini scored a really nice consolation goal but that's all Sunderland can take away from a poor display.
Chelsea 1 v 0 Everton Terry (90)
First Half: Osman has a driven shot from long range parried over the bar. Mirallas has a shot deflected wide of the near post. Eto'o has a low shot parried away from the near post.
Half Time: 0-0.
Second Half: Lampard has a low shot parried away from the near side. Osman has a low long range shot that takes a deflection parried past the near post. Hazard has a low shot from the edge oft the box parried before Ivanovic has a volley block saved at the near post. Ramires fires a low strike from long range just wide of the far post. Goal! 1-0, Chelsea score a late winner as Lampard's free kick is put in by Terry, who just gets to the ball ahead of Howard at the centre of the goal.
Full Time: 1-0.
Chelsea (1st) 57>60pts
Everton (6th>7th) 45>45pts
My Opinion:
My man of the match was Terry. Chelsea leave it late. It was a pretty average display from Chelsea but they typically managed to find a way to win. Three very vital points picked up which keeps them top of the league but they did not deserve to win. They created more chances in the second half but looked as though they weren't going to score. They will have Lampard and Terry to thank for combining to score a last minute winner. Everton were desperately unlucky to have come away from Stamford Bridge with nothing. They looked the team more likely to open the scoring in the first half and even contained Chelsea in the second. It looked as though they were taking a 0-0 draw but were cruelly denied in the dying minutes.
Cardiff City 0 v 4 Hull City Huddlestone (18), Jelavic (38,57), Livermore (67)
First Half: Zaha dribbles past two defenders but has a shot saved. Jones has a low shot parried at the near side. Goal! 0-1, Hull take the lead as Jelavic plays a one-two with Long before having a shot blocked saved but Huddlestone scores with a long range strike that deflects inside the near post. Jones puts a header wide of the near post. Goal! 0-2, Long lays the ball off to Jelavic who scores with a low sliding effort into the far side.
Half Time: 0-2.
Second Half: Jelavic slices an effort from close range wide of the near post. Goal! 0-3, Jelavic heads in from a Rosenior cross into the far bottom corner. Goal! 0-4, A fast break from Hull leads to El Mohamady playing in Livermore who slots a low shot from the edge of the box into the near bottom corner.
Full Time: 0-4.
Cardiff (19th) 22>22pts
Hull (13th>11th) 27>30pts
My Opinion:
My man of the match was Livermore. Hull thrash a sorry Cardiff. It was a very poor performance from a troubled Cardiff who were completely torn apart. They would have expected to take at least a point from the game in their situation but were never at the races. Jones had their best chances but failed to convert from either of them. The heavy loss will put even more pressure on the team and manager and they will need to bounce back quickly. Hull will be delighted with that massacre of Cardiff. Long and Jelavic struck a superb partnership between each other and it massively paid off for them. They played well as a team but were very strong in the final third today. With that win, Hull move up two places into 11th.
West Ham United 3 v 1 Southampton Yoshida (8), Jarvis (20), C.Cole (23), Nolan (71)
First Half: Goal! 0-1, Southampton take the lead as Yoshida heads in from a Davis free kick into the far top corner. Goal! 1-1, West Ham equalise as Nolan plays an over the top through ball to Jarvis who scores with a low shot under the keeper. Goal! 2-1, West Ham take the lead as Carlton Cole firstly heads onto the near post following a corner before scoring from the rebound with a low shot into the far bottom corner. Lambert hits the near post with a header before Rodriguez fires mightily high over the bar.
Half Time: 2-1.
Second Half: Ramirez fires a shot just over the bar. Lallana goes through on goal but puts his effort wide of the far post. Goal! 3-1, Nolan scores with an overhead/scissor kick from close range into the near side. Diame hits the top of the bar with a long range strike.
Full Time: 3-1.
West Ham (11th>10th) 28>31pts
Southampton (8th>9th) 39>39pts
My Opinion:
My man of the match was Nolan. Hammers fightback against Saints. After going behind, West Ham showed some real spirit and determination as they overturned a 1-0 deficit and win 3-1. Nolan was the inspirational spark in the Hammers team as they marched on with another victory. Allardyce will be delighted with how his team have performed to get themselves out of a sticky situation and away from the relegation zone. With that win, the Hammers climb up one place into 10th. Saints started the game well and looked like they were going to have an easy afternoon after taking the lead early on. However, they came undone as they were pegged back to 1-1, although it looked like Jarvis was offside. They went behind soon after which seemed to knock their belief. They came close to equalizing as Lambert struck against the near post whilst Lallana spurned a decent chance after going through on goal. Not the result the Saints were expecting to get and with that loss, they move down one place into 9th.
Manchester City 1 v 0 Stoke City Yaya Toure (70)
First Half: Fernandinho has a long range driven shot palmed over the bar. Adam has a low driven shot from long range across goal parried away. Dzeko misses with a low, long range curling shot that just goes wide of the near post.
Half Time: 0-0.
Second Half: Dzeko puts an effort wide of the near post. Jovetic has a long range blast parried away. Goal! 1-0, City take the lead as a low Kolarov cross is converted in by Yaya Toure from close range. Dzeko fluffs a good chance from close range. Ireland volleys wide of the near post.
Full Time: 1-0.
Man City (3rd) 54>57pts
Stoke (14th>15th) 27>27pts
My Opinion:
My man of the match was Yaya Toure. Yaya spares City's blushes. Man City were really not at their best today but managed to scrape their way to three points via a close range tap in by Yaya Toure. The game was largely controlled by City but they didn't really make that possession count. Plenty of chances came and went as they failed to convert in front of goal. Pellegrini decided to push Yaya up into a more attacking role and it paid dividends. He is so effective in a more attacking role that it does seem odd why he doesn't start matches in that position, rather than waiting until the latter stages when they need a goal. Stoke were very resilient and hard to break down which was to their credit. They didn't threaten too much going forward but looked like they were going to take a massive point home with them. With only twenty minutes to go, they came undone which must have been gutting but expected. With that loss, Stoke drop one place into 15th.
Crystal Palace 0 v 2 Manchester United Van Persie (62pen), Rooney (68)
First Half: Januzaj misses with a low dragged shot from the edge of box wide across goal. Rooney has a floated cross headed off the line before Vidic heads just over the bar from close range. Parr has a header parried round at the near post. Fellaini misses with a shot just goes just wide of the far post.
Half Time: 0-0.
Second Half: Puncheon has a low shot from the edge of the box saved. Penalty! Chamakh fouls Evra inside the box. Goal! 0-1, United take the lead as Van Persie slots from the spot into the near top corner. Jerome has a low curling shot from the edge of the box parried away from the far bottom corner. Goal! 0-2, Evra puts a cross in that Rooney volleys into the far top corner. Van Persie hits a shot from an acute angle against the bar. Bolasie has a low shot from the edge of the box saved.
Full Time: 0-2.
Palace (15th>16th) 26>26pts
Man United (7th>6th) 42>45pts
My Opinion:
My man of the match was Rooney. United cruise to win at Selhurst Park. Palace created chances for themselves but were unable to take any of them. Parr came closest for Palace but had his header parried past the near post. They took the game into half time at 0-0 which gave them confidence but they gave away a silly penalty which changed the match. United were all over them after going ahead and Palace struggled to get back into the match. With that loss, Palace fall one place into 16th and nearer the relegation zone. United started the game slowly but better as it went on. They needed that penalty to break the deadlock but once they took the lead, they dominated. It was a much better performance once the goal went in and looked like some confidence had emerged back into the team. Rooney scored a brilliant volley to cap a much better United performance. With that win, United move up one place into 6th.
West Bromich Albion 1 v 1 Fulham Dejagah (28), Vydra (80)
First Half: Sidwell puts an effort over the bar from a Dejagah cross. Bafouma has a low shot saved. Goal! 0-1, Fulham take the lead as Dejagah fires a low shot into the far bottom corner. Rodallega has a fierce blast from long range parried behind.
Half Time: 0-1.
Second Half: Brunt has a fierce blast from the edge of the box across goal parried past the far post. Morrison has a deflected shot from the edge of the box parried away. Goal! 1-1, West Brom equalise as Vydra has a low shot parried before it creeps over the line. Brunt has a low shot parried at the near post before Anichebe blasts a shot wide of the near post.
Full Time: 1-1.
West Brom (17th) 24>25pts
Fulham (20th) 20>21pts
My Opinion:
My man of the match was Sidwell. Spoils shared at the Hawthorns. West Brom were much better in the second half and rightly took a point from the game. They looked the more likely to go on and win the game in the final stages but were unable to. A huge point for both teams but the Baggies will be pleased as they move closer to escaping the relegation spots. Fulham were the better team in the first half and deservedly went into half time in the lead. However, they struggled to hold onto their lead in the second half and it was inevitable that they would not hold on. Still, it is a huge point gained for them as they continue their struggle at the bottom of the league.
Best Goal: Rosicky, Giaccherini, Livermore, Nolan, Rooney. Winner: Rooney
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