Soccer Saturday Game Week 34

Fulham 1 v 0 Norwich City Rodallega (40)
First Half: Redmond has an acute shot/cross parried past the near post. Rodallega drags a low shot wide across goal. Van Wolfswinkel has a close range volley stopped by a great reaction save. Fer has a header parried before Johnson strikes a low shot just wide of the near post. Snodgrass strikes a free kick that hits the bar at the near side. Goal! 1-0, Fulham take the lead through Rodallega who prods in from close range Hangelaand's flicked header across goal from Sidwell's free kick.
Half Time: 1-0.
Second Half: Rodallega heads wide of the far post. Snodgrass puts an effort just wide of the near post. Hooper has a shot from the edge of the box deflected over the bar. Turner has a header that deflects wide. Sidwell has a low shot from long range saved. Dejagah breaks through on goal but fires a shot wide of the near post.
Full Time: 1-0.
Fulham 18th, 27>30pts
Norwich 17th, 32pts



My Opinion:
My man of the match was Stockdale. Fulham keep hopes of survival alive with victory. That was a monumental result in terms of Fulham's hopes of avoiding relegation. Having Hangelaand return to the starting lineup proved to be a huge factor and massive boost to their run in as they managed to keep a clean sheet for the first time in ages. Stockdale deserves most of the credit for that win though after pulling off a string of stunning saves to keep Norwich out. A great day for Fulham who move in the right direction with those three points. 
That was a disastrous result for Norwich who were in desperate need of taking a point or three against a team who could quite possibly take their spot in safety next week. Things are looking really gloomy for Norwich who have possibly the worst run in you could dream of during their last four games. After that result, I strongly believe Norwich will go down now. They created plenty of decent chances but were partly denied by some poor finishing and some amazing saves from Stockdale. 

West Bromich Albion 3 v 3 Tottenham Hotspur Vydra (1), Brunt (4), Sessegnon (31), Olsson OG (34), Kane (70), Eriksen (90+4)
First Half: Goal! 1-0, West Brom take the lead through Vydra who volleys into the far bottom corner from Amalfitano's parried cross. Goal! 2-0, Brunt scores with a low volley into the far bottom corner. Kane fires a low shot from long range just wide of the near post. Rose drills a cross into the box that hits Kane and goes just wide of the near post. Penalty! Rose is fouled inside the box. Saved! Adebayor has a low penalty saved at the far side. Amalfitano has a blasted shot parried over at the near side. Goal! 3-0, Sessegnon goes past Chiriches and slots a low shot from the edge of the box into the near bottom corner. Goal! 3-1, Spurs get one back as a low cross from Lennon deflects off Olsson and over Foster into the far side. Paulinho has a low long range blast parried before Rose has an effort parried at the near side.
Half Time: 3-1.
Second Half: Lennon has a low shot from the edge of the box parried past the far post. Goal! 3-2, Spurs are back to within one as Kane heads in at the far post from a Lennon cross. Goal! 3-3, Spurs score a dramatic late equaliser as West Brom fail to clear a cross in their box which leads to Eriksen striking home into the far top corner.
Full Time: 3-3.
West Brom 16th, 32>33pts
Spurs 6th, 59>60pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Eriksen. Six goal thriller at the Hawthorns. West Brom made a quite brilliant start to the game, scoring twice in the first five minutes before adding a third on the half an hour mark. However, rather than seeing out the game into half time safely at 3-0, Olsson unfortunately scored an own goal. Still, with a two goal lead going into the second half, you would have expected them to hold on for the three points. In the position they are in, they really needed to hold on but incredibly they squandered it in the 94th minute. The Baggies must be gutted but in the end it was a point gained for their survival hopes.
Spurs were totally atrocious at the start of the game and thanks to some woeful defending found themselves 3-0 down with only half an hour played. However, despite a terrible start they showed some fighting spirit and got themselves back into the game via an own goal. They pressurised the Baggies area for much of the second half and got back to within one goal after Kane's goal and in the dying moments scored an equaliser thanks to a superb strike from Eriksen. Spurs were fortunate to come away with a point in the end but Sherwood will have plenty to think about after that shocking defensive display. 

Sunderland 0 v 1 Everton Brown OG (75)
First Half: Deulofeu has a low shot saved at the near side. Naismith turns on the ball nicely but fires a shot over the far top corner. Borini has and effort blocked on the line by Stones at the near post.
Half Time: 0-0.
Second Half: Borini has a long range shot that deflects wide of the near post. Barkley has a header cleared off the line. Ki heads wide of the near post. Deulofeu fires a low shot from an acute angle wide across goal. Naismith misses an open goal after sending a tough volley wide of the near post. Goal! 0-1, Everton take the lead as a cross from Deulofeu deflects in off Brown at the near post. Ki has a low shot saved. Borini curls a long range shot just wide of the far post.
Full Time: 0-1.
Sunderland 20th, 25pts
Everton 5>4th, 63>66pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Deulofeu. Everton claim narrow win at the Stadium of Light. Sunderland have done themselves no favours recently and look like one of the favourites to go down unless they pull off a miracle. They endured a poor time of it in front of the Everton goal and just couldn't put it in the back of the net. Borini was their brightest spark and came close to scoring on a couple of occasions but they need someone to step forward and start scoring goals - otherwise they are definitely going down.
It was a scrappy game but Everton kept their hopes of finishing in the top four alive with three important points. They were not at their very best but they did get the job done which is the most important thing when pushing for champions league qualification. They created some decent chances but it didn't look like the deadlock was going to be broken until Brown scored that own goal. Everton will take it and move on as they move up one place into 4th after that victory. 

Southampton 0 v 1 Cardiff City Cala (65)
First Half: Ramirez has a shot that deflects against the bar. Lambert has a free kick that is parried away at the near side. Lambert has a shot pushed behind at the near post. Ramirez has a long range shot saved.
Half Time: 0-0.
Second Half: Mutch has a long range driven shot punched away. Goal! 0-1, Cardiff take the lead through Cala who scores with a long range strike into the far side following a free kick. Gallagher has an effort stopped by a superb save. Clyne has a low shot from the edge of the box parried behind at the near post. Zaha goes past two defenders but has a low shot saved.
Full Time: 0-1.
Saints 8th, 48pts
Cardiff 19th, 26>29pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Marshall. Cardiff shock Saints at St Mary's. Southampton can be forgiven for being a little shell-shocked after that result as they dominated most of the game but did everything but score. Lambert has a couple of good chances saved whilst Ramirez saw an effort bounce back off the bar. Even Gallagher was denied by a quite brilliant save from Marshall. Just one of those days for the Saints who will move on swiftly after that minor blip.
Cardiff needed a result today and they somehow pulled it off. It really was a great example of a snatch and grab as they were outplayed for the majority of the game but in the end it's goals that count. Marshall was quite magnificent in the Cardiff goal and was a deserved man of the match whilst Cala scored an unbelievable goal in the second half that came out of nowhere. With that victory, Cardiff's hopes of staying up gained some fresh belief and they are right back in with a chance now. 

Crystal Palace 1 v 0 Aston Villa Puncheon (76)
First Half: Villa have a header cleared off the line by Jerome. Bolasie has a penalty appeal turned down.
Half Time: 0-0.
Second Half: Agbonlahor has a long range shot saved. Bolasie fires a shot across goal which takes a deflection before the keeper parries the ball to Jerome who hits the crossbar with a close range effort. Bolasie fires a low shot from long range just wide of the near post. Penalty! Westwood handles the ball inside the box but the referee decides to overturn his own decision after consultation with his assistant. Goal! 1-0, Palace take the lead through Puncheon who scores with a low shot that goes in via the inside of the far post from a Bolasie cross. Lowton strikes a low volley from long range wide of the near post. Puncheon hits a low shot against the outside of the near post. Weimann has an effort denied by a great save.
Full Time: 1-0.
Palace 14>12th, 34>37pts
Villa 13>14th, 34pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Puncheon. Palace claim narrow victory over Villa. It was a good performance from Palace who played well and deserved to win. Puncheon starred along with Bolasie whilst Jerome somehow managed to miss from close range and hit the bar. They were awarded a penalty in the second half but amazingly it was overturned after the referee consulted his linesman. It could have been more but one goal was enough to seal three points for Palace who have become a real force under Pulis lately. With that win, Palace climb two places up to 12th.
Villa were pretty poor and got what they deserved. They created a few chances of note but not nearly enough as they failed to stamp their mark on the game. Their best achievement of the game was that they only conceded one goal after looking second best to Palace. Despite the result today, I still think Villa will be safe from relegation but they do need one more positive result from their remaining fixtures. A disappointing result for Villa today and they drop down one place into 14th after that defeat. 

Stoke City 1 v 0 Newcastle United Pieters (42)
First Half: Crouch hits the near post with a header from an Arnautovic cross. Gosling puts an effort from close range over the bar. Cisse has a penalty appeal turned down. Goal! 1-0, Stoke take the lead through Pieters whose cross finds the far top corner.
Half Time: 1-0.
Second Half: Crouch puts a header over the bar from an Arnautovic cross. Crouch has a header saved. Williamson has an effort blocked. Adam fires a low shot wide across goal. Anita heads over from close range at the far post.
Full Time: 1-0.
Stoke 10th, 40>43pts
Newcastle 9th, 46pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Arnautovic. Stoke claim narrow win over Newcastle. It was a decent victory for Stoke but Crouch really should have made it 2-0. How Crouch failed to get on the scoresheet today beggars belief with the chances he missed but thankfully for Stoke Pieters scored the winner via a mishit cross. Arnautovic was impressive and looked dangerous throughout. Hughes has done a good job at Stoke this season and deserves a lot of credit for what he's done so far. 
Newcastle's woes continue with yet another defeat. They looked like they are finding some better form as they played much better than they have done in recent weeks. Although anything would probably be better than what they've played like recently. They created some good chances but were unable to find the back of the net today which they paid the ultimate price for. The end of the season really can't come quick enough for Newcastle but what must be going through their fans minds watching this every week. 

Best Goal: Brunt, Eriksen, Cala, Pieters. Winner: Cala - Check out the goal here Cala Goal

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Monday Night Football Game Week 33

Tottenham Hotspur 5 v 1 Sunderland Cattermole (17), Adebayor (28,86), Kane (59), Eriksen (78), Sigurdsson (90+2)
First Half: Goal! 0-1, Sunderland take the lead through Cattermole who intercepts a pass along the back four from Chiriches before scoring with an accurate low strike from long range into the near bottom corner. Goal! 1-1, Spurs equalise through Adebayor who bundles in a great cross from Eriksen at the far post.
Half Time: 1-1.
Second Half: Goal! 2-1, Spurs come from behind and take the lead through Kane who slots home from close range into the near side from an Eriksen cross. Goal! 3-1, Eriksen scores with a low long range strike into the far bottom corner. Goal! 4-1, Kane has a low shot parried across goal which Adebayor taps in from close range. Goal! 5-1, A scramble in the box leads to Sigurdsson slotting neatly into the near top corner.
Full Time: 5-1.
Spurs 6th, 56>59pts
Sunderland 19>20th, 25pts



My Opinion:
My man of the match was Eriksen. Spurs smash five past Sunderland. Despite a slow start from Spurs, they found their rhythm in the second half and eased past a sorry Sunderland. Eriksen was absolutely top class and instrumental in most of Spurs' attacking football. Adebayor netted a brace but both goals were simple tap ins whilst Kane managed to get himself on the scoresheet. Sherwood will be delighted with the way his team came out in the second half as the first half display was pretty forgetful. Spurs keep themselves in touch with Everton Arsenal for 4th but it still seems more likely that we will be seeing them in the Europa League next season.
Sunderland were desperate for a result with the situation they found themselves in but they came away with nothing and four goals worse off. They actually started the game really well and took the lead after Cattermole scored a really neat goal from long range. However, they went into half time at 1-1 and faltered away in the second half as Eriksen proved too much of a handful for their defence. Poyet will be disappointed but it's amazing what a few wins on the bounce could do for them - if they could manage that. With that defeat, Sunderland fall one place and sit at the bottom of the table. 

Best Goal: Cattermole, Eriksen. Winner: Eriksen

League Leaders
1. Liverpool 74pts
2. Chelsea 72pts
3. Man City 70pts
4. Arsenal 64pts
5. Everton 63pts

Relegation Battle
16. West Brom 32pts
17. Norwich 32pts
18. Fulham 27pts
19. Cardiff 26pts
20. Sunderland 25pts

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Super Sunday Game Week 33

West Ham United 1 v 2 Liverpool Gerrard (44pen,71pen), Demel (45+2)
First Half: Suarez strikes a curling shot across goal against the bar. Suarez has a shot blocked. Penalty! Tomkins is adjudged to have handled the ball inside the box. Goal! 0-1, Liverpool take the lead as Gerrard scores from the spot with a low strike into the far side. Goal! 1-1, West Ham equalise as Mignolet fails to catch the ball from a corner which leaves Demel to prod home into the roof of the net.
Half Time: 1-1.
Second Half: Carroll heads against the bar at the back post. Penalty! Adrian fouls Flanagan inside the box. Goal! 1-2, Gerrard scores from the spot again after converting his spot kick over the keeper at the near side. West Ham escape a handball penalty appeal. Suarez strikes the ball with the outside of his foot across goal and against the bar. Suarez has a low effort saved. Downing blazes a chance over from close range over the far side. Sterling has a strike from the edge of the box parried behind at the near side.
Full Time: 1-2.
West Ham 11th, 37pts
Liverpool 1st, 71>74pts



My Opinion:
My man of the match was Gerrard. Liverpool stay on course for the title. West Ham will ultimately question both of the penalty decisions as they seemed a little soft. However, their goal came from fortunate circumstances as Mignolet, who is normally so adept, failed to catch the ball from the corner which left Demel an opportunity to prod home. The Hammers are safe from relegation for me and another point will pretty much guarantee another year of premier league football.
Liverpool were not at their free flowing best by any stretch of the imagination but managed to come through a potential slip up. Suarez was kept quiet throughout but Gerrard was on hand to slot two penalties away which provided Liverpool with three very vital points on the road. It could have ended differently after they conceded just before half time but they got the job done. With that victory, Liverpool remain at the top of the league and currently look good enough to go on and win it.

Everton 3 v 0 Arsenal Naismith (14), Lukaku (34), Arteta OG (61)
First Half: Osman fires a volley from the edge of the box just wide of the far post. Goal! 1-0, Everton take the lead through Naismith who scores from the rebound of Lukaku's parried shot with a low effort into the near bottom corner. Naismith has a close range effort saved. Giroud fires an effort across goal wide of the far post. Barkley has a low shot saved at the near post. Mirallas has a low shot parried away from the near post. Goal! 2-0, Lukaku cuts inside before scoring with a low strike into the far bottom corner to double Everton's lead. Podolski fires a shot into the ground from the edge of the box which is tipped over.
Half Time: 2-0.
Second Half: Giroud has an effort saved. Naismith has an effort smothered before Goal! 3-0, Arteta beats Mirallas on the stretch to the loose ball but it rolls into the net. Barkley has a low shot saved. Chamberlain has a long range driven shot tipped against the bar.
Full Time: 3-0.
Everton 5th, 60>63pts
Arsenal 4th, 64pts



My Opinion:
My man of the match was Naismith. Everton batter Arsenal at Goodison. In the battle for that last champions league spot, this game could prove crucial. Maybe surprisingly to most, Everton completely blew Arsenal off the park and looked like they had been used to playing a higher standard of football in Europe. Quite an amazing spectacle as Everton outplayed, outclassed and out-passed an Arsenal team. The scoreline fully reflected the balance of the game as Everton completely deserved to come out as strong winners. Those three points mean that Everton go just one point behind Arsenal in the race for 4th spot but the question will be if they can continue to keep on winning until the end of the season - I'm not so sure. 
Arsenal have been notoriously very poor against the top teams in the league this season and today was no different. They were just simply not good enough, once again. I'm not really too sure why they crumble in the big games but they have consistently lost the really meaningful matches which cost them their title credentials and at this rate could cost them qualification for the champions league. Ramsay and Chamberlain both came on during the latter stages of the game and definitely changed the way Arsenal were playing for the better but the damage had already been done and there was too much left to do. Thankfully, for Arsenal fans, they are still have their champions league fate in their own hands and I fully expect them to finish 4th due to having managed to qualify for the last 17 years. 

Best Goal: Lukaku

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Soccer Saturday Game Week 33

Manchester City 4 v 1 Southampton Yaya Toure (3pen), Lambert (37pen), Nasri (45+1), Dzeko (45+4), Jovetic (81)
First Half: Penalty! Dzeko is fouled inside the box by Fonte. Goal! 1-0, City take the lead as Yaya Toure slots a low penalty into the far bottom corner. Dzeko heads against the top of the bar from close range at the far post. Penalty! Cork is fouled by Zabaleta inside the box. Goal! 1-1, Saints level as Lambert scores from the spot with a strike into the far side. Goal! 2-1, City regain the lead at the end of the first half as Silva lays the ball off to Nasri who scores with a low shot from close range under keeper. Goal! 3-1, Dzeko doubles City's lead deep into first half injury time with a close range header that goes in via the inside of the far post following Kolarov's cross.
Half Time: 3-1.
Second Half: Dzeko has a shot parried at the near side. Lambert drags a low shot wide across goal. Goal! 4-1, a low Navas cross beats everyone, leaving Jovetic to tap in from close range.
Full Time: 4-1.
Man City 3rd, 67>70pts
Saints 8th, 48pts



My Opinion:
My man of the match was Silva. City find a way past Saints. Although City won by three goals, I felt that the scoreline was a fair reflection of the way the match was competed. They clearly were not at their sizzling best and were on the back foot for the majority of the first half. However, decisions definitely went in their favour as Silva was at least a yard offside for their second goal which then lead to their third just before half time. During the second half they improved and Jovetic came off the bench to score. Three points in the bag and the hunt for the title continues. 
Southampton outplayed City for most of the first half and it was a travesty that they went into half time 3-1 down. Fonte made a ridiculous tackle on Dzeko to give away a really stupid penalty but Lambert levelled from the spot deep into the first half which gave a much fairer reflection of the game. However, Saints were dealt a harsh blow when Rodriguez was stretchered off after falling awkwardly which proved to be a massive blow. They should have gone into half time level at 1-1 but they wrongly went behind to an offside goal . That seemed to change the whole complexion of the match and they couldn't get themselves back into the game. Very cruel on the Saints who will can feel harshly done by after that result. 

Chelsea 3 v 0 Stoke City Salah (32), Lampard (61), Willian (72)
First Half: Torres drags a low shot from the edge of the box wide of the near post. Willian has a deflected shot from the edge of the box parried away at the far side. Lampard has a low shot from the edge of the box saved at the near side. Torres has an effort smothered by the keeper. Torres has a penalty claim turned down. Goal! 1-0, Chelsea take the lead through Salah who lashes home into the far side from a low Matic cross. Ivanovic has a goal ruled out for offside.
Half Time: 1-0.
Second Half: Penalty! Wilkinson fouls Salah inside the box. Lampard has his penalty parried at the near side before Goal! 2-0, Lampard follows his saved penalty up by slotting in the rebound from close range. Goal! 3-0, Willian scores with a lovely strike from the edge of the box into the far side.
Full Time: 3-0.
Chelsea 2nd, 69>72pts
Stoke 10th, 40pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Willian. Chelsea cruise to victory at Stamford Bridge. That was a much better performance from Chelsea who eased past Stoke at a canter. The day was made even better for the home fans when Lampard netted his 250th goal for Chelsea which is quite a spectacular return from midfield. Salah opened the scoring whilst Willian rounded the goals off after a putting in a man of the match performance. Chelsea march on and remain in close pursuit of leaders Liverpool.  
Stoke were pretty poor but then again they were outplayed and couldn't get themselves on the ball for the majority of the game. They spent most of the match defending and failed to create an offensive chance of note. Their best moment came when their keeper saved Lampard's penalty but Lampard scored from the rebound which really summed up Stoke's day. 

Cardiff City 0 v 3 Crystal Palace Puncheon (31,88), Ledley (71)
First Half: Dikacoi scuffs an effort wide of the near post. Campbell has a header parried round the near post. Campbell puts an effort wide of the near post. Goal! 0-1, Palace take the lead through Puncheon who scores with a low shot into near side.
Half Time: 0-1.
Second Half: Daehli has a penalty appeal turned down. Jones has a header headed away by the defence. Goal! 0-2, Chamakh has a header parried to Ledley who taps in from the rebound at the near side. Campbell heads wide of the far post from a corner. Goal! 0-3, Puncheon scores with a curling strike from the edge of the box into the far top corner.
Full Time: 0-3.
Cardiff18>19th, 26pts
Palace 16>14th, 31>34pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Puncheon. Palace run rampant in Cardiff. It was another very poor performance from Cardiff who didn't take their chances and ran out of be ideas and belied going forward. Campbell came closest to scoring for the home side but had his header pushed past the post. A really disappointing result for Cardiff who fall down one place into 19th after that result. Things are getting increasingly more desperate for Cardiff now and they need to start winning quickly. 
Palace were by far the better team and deserved to win by such a huge margin. The gulf in class and style between the two teams was far apart whilst Puncheon played an instrumental part in sealing the three points. Pulis has worked wonders for the team and they deserve everything they get. With that win, Palace move up two places into 14th and look well on their way to safety. 

Aston Villa 1 v 2 Fulham Richardson (61), Holt (70), Rodallega (86)
First Half: Bacuna has a low shot across goal parried away. Woodrow has a low shot parried away at the near side.
Half Time: 0-0.
Second Half: Bacuna has a strike from an acute angle parried against the near post. Goal! 0-1, Fulham take the lead through Richardson who scores a screamer from the edge of the box into the far top corner. Goal! 1-1, Villa equalise as Holt heads into the far bottom corner from a corner. Holtby has a low effort cleared off the line by Lowton. Tonev has a shot across goal from the edge of the box parried over the far top corner. Goal! 1-2, Fulham regain the lead as Rodallega scores with a glancing header into the far bottom corner.
Full Time: 1-2.
Villa 12>13th, 34pts
Fulham 20>18th, 24>27pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Holtby. Rodallega gives Fulham hope. Villa will be gutted to have lost that game but they were defensively questionable. Bacuna proved to be their greatest threat going forward but chances were few and far between for Villa. They got themselves back on level terms through Holt heading home but they just couldn't hang on for a point. That defeat means Villa fall one place down into 13th with one eye still on the relegation zone. 
Massive result for Fulham who desperately needed those three points. They looked like they wanted it more today and went ahead via an absolute screamer from Richardson - great strike. However, after conceding an equalizer it could easily have gone wrong for Fulham but they fought back and scored the winner as Rodallega managed to head the ball in. Those three points mean that Fulham move off the bottom of the table and up two spots into 18th. There is hope for Fulham yet of surviving the drop. 

Norwich City 0 v 1 West Bromich Albion Amalfitano (16)
First Half: Amalfitano fires a shot into the side-netting. Elmander scuffs a shot from the edge of the box over and wide. Goal! 0-1, West Brom take the lead through Amalfitano who scores with a low shot from the edge of the box into the far bottom corner. Vydra has a shot parried away at the near side. Elmander has a header parried past the near post.
Half Time: 0-1.
Second Half: Hooper strikes a shot against the bar from a wide angle. Snodgrass has a free kick tipped against the bar. Berahino has an effort from a close acute angle blocked at the near post.
Full Time: 0-1.
Norwich 15>17th, 32pts
West Brom 17>16th, 29>32pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Amalfitano. Baggies move closer to safety at Carrow Road. Norwich were pretty poor and spurred all the chances they had. Elmander had a header saved whilst Hooper came closest to scoring for the Canaries after striking a shot against the crossbar. However, with their horrid fixture list coming up in the last four games of the season, Norwich needed a result of some sorts today and they didn't get it. Worrying times at Carrow Road where Norwich drop two places down to 17th after that defeat, leaving them on the cusp of relegation. 
West Brom were themselves in need of a positive result today and they got one thanks to Amalfitano. It will give them a huge boost going into the last part of the season as they climb above Norwich with those three points to go 16th. Pepe Mel, along with the Baggies faithful, will be feeling much happier about their prospects of staying up now and I'm backing them to do so. 

Newcastle United 0 v 4 Manchester United Mata (39,50), Hernandez (65), Januzaj (90+3)
First Half: Hernandez has an effort that deflects wide of the near post. Cisse has a header turned over the bar. Goal! 0-1, Man United take the lead through Mata who who scores with a free kick into the near top corner. Hernandez strikes a low shot against the far post.
Half Time: 0-1.
Second Half: Goal! 0-2, Hernandez finds Mata with a low cross before the Spaniard cuts inside past the defender and scores with a low shot from close range. Goal! 0-3, Kagawa cuts the ball back to Hernandez who scores with a low shot from close range. Cisse has a shot across goal parried away. Cisse has an effort denied by a great point blank save. Goal! 0-4, Januzaj plays a nice one-two with Mata before scoring with a low shot into the near side.
Full Time: 0-4.
Newcastle 9th, 46pts
Man United 7th, 54>57pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Mata. Man United put four past sorry Newcastle. It's all looking rather gloomy on Tyneside these days as Newcastle once again don't turn up and get thumped. It was a really poor display whilst Cisse spurned chances up front. Their season has dramatically gone downhill since Christmas and the end cannot come quickly enough for them. 
On the other hand, Man United revelled in victory today as Moyes finally got a solid performance from his players. Mata and Kagawa proved instrumental in midfield which resulted in Mata netting a brace whilst Hernandez and Januzaj rounded off a comfortable afternoon's work. Pretty pleased with that result but begrudging why the players can't excel like that every week. 

Hull City 1 v 0 Swansea City Boyd (39)
First Half: Long has a close range volley denied by a great point blank save at the near post. Boyd has a low shot saved at the near side. Routledge has a long range chip shot saved. Jelavic fires a free kick over at the near side. Goal! 1-0, Hull take the lead through Boyd who heads in a Rosenior cross from close range at the far side.
Half Time: 1-0.
Second Half: Shelvey has a low shot from the edge of the box saved. Dyer fires a low shot from the edge of the box wide of the near post. Hernandez drags a low shot from the edge of the box wide of the near post.
Full Time: 1-0.
Hull 14>12th, 33>36pts
Swansea 13>15th, 33pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Davies. Hull move closer to safety. That was just what Hull needed as it moves them ever closer to safety from the drop. They played pretty well and took their chance as Boyd headed in the winner. Hull enjoyed more chances during the first half and managed to keep Swansea out in the second. That victory means that Hull move up two places into 12th.
Swansea were poor in front of goal and on another day could have won this match. It was pretty disappointing all round for the Swans who just had an off day. They pressed for an equalizer in the second half but it just didn't come as Shelvey, Dyer and Hernandez all failed to find the back of the net. Swansea will need a few more positive results as that defeat moves them down two places into 15th. 

Best Goal: Willian, Puncheon, Richardson, Amalfitano, Mata. Winner: Richardson

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Monday Night Football Game Week 32

Sunderland 1 v 2 West Ham United Carroll (9), Diame (50), Johnson (65)
First Half: Goal! 0-1, West Ham take the lead as Carroll heads in at the far post from a corner. Cattermole has a low shot saved before firing the rebound wide across goal. Carroll has a header saved.
Half Time: 0-1.
Second Half: Goal! 0-2, West Ham double their lead as a long free kick is headed down by Carroll to Diame who scores with a low shot from the edge of the box into the near bottom corner. Downing fires a low shot just wide of the far post. Goal! 1-2, Sunderland half the deficit as Johnson scores with a curling shot into the far top corner.
Full Time: 1-2.
Sunderland 18>19th, 25pts
West Ham 11th, 34>37pts



My Opinion:
My man of the match was Carroll. Hammers seal victory at Stadium of Light. It was a poor result for Sunderland who needed to take something from that game. With the position they find themselves in, they need all the points they can get and that game was winnable for them. However, they went two goals down and could only manage to half the deficit. Carroll proved to be a huge handful and they just couldn't cope with the big man up front. That disappointing defeat means that Sunderland drop down one place into 19th and are four points from safety. 
That was a good away win for West Ham who earned those three points. Carroll was the star performer and proved to be a real handful for the Sunderland defence. Long balls kept going towards Carroll and Carroll kept on winning headers. It was a gameplan that worked out and West Ham were good value for their victory. Those three points pretty much guarantee that West Ham will be in the premier league next season and you have to give plenty of credit to the board for sticking by Allardyce through the tough times as they look to have come out of it and survived. 

Best Goal: Johnson

League Leaders
1. Liverpool 71pts
2. Chelsea 69pts
3. Man City 67pts
4. Arsenal 64pts
5. Everton 60pts

Relegation Battle
16. Palace 31pts
17. West Brom 29pts
18. Cardiff 26pts
19. Sunderland 25pts
20. Fulham 24pts

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Super Sunday Game Week 32

Liverpool 4 v 0 Tottenham Hotspur Kaboul OG (2), Suarez (25), Coutinho (55), Henderson (75)
First Half: Goal! 1-0, Liverpool take the lead as a low cross from Johnson is bundled into the net by Kaboul from close range at the near side. Goal! 2-0, Suarez beats Kaboul to Dawson's backpass and scores with a low shot into the far bottom corner. Eriksen has a shot blocked before Sigurdsson has a header saved. Suarez has a header really well saved against the bar and bounces away off the line at the near side.
Half Time: 2-0.
Second Half: Henderson scuffs a a good chance over the bar. Goal! 3-0, Coutinho scores with a low shot from long range into the far bottom corner. Sturridge has a back heel effort block saved. Goal! 4-0, Henderson scores with a curling free kick across goal that goes untouched and in at the far side. Chadli has an effort that deflects over at the near side. Eriksen has a low shot from the edge of the box parried past the near post.
Full Time: 4-0.
Liverpool 2>1st, 68>71pts
Tottenham 6th, 56pts



My Opinion:
My man of the match was Suarez. Liverpool run riot over Spurs. It was another brilliant home performance from the reds who proved too much for Spurs with their pace and attack. A strong effort from the whole team led to four goals and a clean sheet which must have delighted the Kop. After taking an early lead, Liverpool eased themselves into the game and scored some more classy goals. Suarez was the main man and spearheaded the line from the front in his usual majestic style. That was a big win in terms of the title race as Liverpool move to the top of the league with that win and they look as though they could really win the title in this form.
Spurs started the game slowly and they failed to recover from it. They were outplayed for the majority of the game and conceded some sloppy goals through some average defending. Sherwood will be disappointed with his team today as they shot themselves in the foot for at least a couple of the goals. It looks like Spurs will need Arsenal to slip up a few times if they are to achieve 4th spot but I can't see them getting there with performance like today's. 

Fulham 1 v 3 Everton Stockdale OG (50), Dejagah (71), Mirallas (79), Naismith (87)
First Half: Holtby blazes a shot wide of the near post. Kasami heads wide of the near post. Richardson has a low shot saved at the near side. Deulofeu has a low shot saved at the near side. Holtby has a header back across goal tipped over the bar. Dembele has a header saved.
Half Time: 0-0.
Second Half: Goal! 0-1, Everton take the lead as Naismith has a low shot from the edge of the box that is going wide deflects in off Stockdale. Lukaku has a low block saved. Goal! 1-1, Fulham equalise through Dejagah who cuts inside and fires a fierce strike into the top near corner. Heitinga has a close range header parried away at the near side. Kasami has a volley parried away. Goal! 1-2, Everton go back in front as Mirallas is played through on goal and tucks neatly past the keeper at the near side. Naismith has an effort saved by the onrushing keeper. Goal! 1-3, Everton seal victory as Naismith taps in from close range a low Baines cross into the far bottom corner.
Full Time: 1-3.
Fulham 20th, 24pts
Everton 5th, 57>60pts



My Opinion:
My man of the match was Naismith. Everton march on at Craven Cottage. Fulham actually had the better of the first half but couldn't make it count as they went into half time level. They suffered an early setback in the second half and went behind via unlucky circumstances as the ball rebounded into the goal from Stockdale's attempted save. However, hopes were lifted after a thunderous strike from Dejagah saw them back on level terms but they just couldn't hang on as Everton's pressure eventually proved too much. Fulham may feel they could have taken a point but in the end that defeat leaves them rooted to the bottom of the table. 
Everton started the game slowly and it took a while for them to get into their rhythm. They took the lead in the second half but were hanging on as Fulham threw everything at them which paid off thanks to Dejagah's equalizer. However, they soon turned the tables back in their favour thanks to two late goals from Mirallas and the very impressive substitute Naismith. It was clear for all to see that Naismith changed the game and looks set to start a few more games after a match winning performance. Everton keep their hopes of finishing 4th alive with that win and look set to push Arsenal all the way. 

Best Goal: Suarez, Coutinho, Dejagah, Mirallas. Winner: Dejagah.

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Soccer Saturday Game Week 32

Crystal Palace 1 v 0 Chelsea Terry OG (52)
First Half: Schurrle puts a sliding effort from close range just wide of the far post following a low cross from Azpilicueta. Bolasie puts an effort into the side-netting. Jerome has a penalty appeal turned down. Bolasie has a penalty appeal turned down.
Half Time: 0-0.
Second Half: Goal! 1-0, Palace take the lead as Terry heads into his own net at the near side trying to clear away a cross. Hazard has a low shot from the edge of the box across goal parried away. Puncheon fires a low shot from the edge of the box across goal just wide of the far post. Terry heads just over the bar. Hazard has a shot across goal superbly parried behind. Jerome hits a low shot against the near post. Ledley volleys wide across goal. Puncheon has a driven shot saved at the near side. Torres chips an effort over the bar.
Full Time: 1-0.
Palace 17>16th, 28>31pts
Chelsea 1>2nd, 69pts



My Opinion:
My man of the match was Speroni. Palace upset Chelsea at Selhurst Park. That was a miraculous performance from the Palace players who simply wanted to win more than Chelsea did. They battled hard throughout and kept Chelsea at bay for most of the game. The goal came by rather fortunate circumstances as Terry headed into his own net but I can't say they didn't to deserve a goal. Speroni had one of those games where nothing was going to get past him. He made a number of really important and top saves to keep out Chelsea. Very impressive and it will give them a huge boost in their bid for survival. I think they'll be okay after that and Pulis is doing a marvellous job there. With those three points, Palace move up one place into 16th. 
Chelsea were poor and failed to get going. It was a very similar performance to the one when they lost 1-0 away to Villa. Hazard and Torres were not on form as a lack of a cutting edge up front was plain to see. Mourinho and Chelsea will be devastated after losing that game as they fall behind Liverpool in the title race. Things need to improve away from home for Chelsea who are playing themselves out of the title race. With that defeat, Chelsea fall one place down into 2nd.  

Arsenal 1 v 1 Manchester City Silva (18), Flamini (53)
First Half: Navas curls a shot just wide of the far post. Rosicky has a penalty appeal turned down. Goal! 0-1, City take the lead as Dzeko strikes a fierce shot against the near post but Silva is on hand to tap in the rebound from close range at the near side. Flamini has a goal ruled out for offside.
Half Time: 0-1.
Second Half: Dzeko puts a close range effort just wide of the near post. Cazorla has a low shot from long range parried away. Goal! 1-1, Arsenal equalise as a low Podolski cross is slotted in by Flamini whose effort finds the far bottom corner. Podolski has a low shot blocked past the near post. Fernandinho has a long range driven shot tipped over the bar. Yaya Toure has an effort blocked before Dzeko has a shot that deflects wide of the near post.
Full Time: 1-1.
Arsenal 4th, 63>64pts
Man City 3rd, 66>67pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Flamini. Arsenal hold City at the Emirates. It was a slow start to the game from Arsenal who didn't really get going until the second half where they then looked like the better team. Flamini took his goal really well as the momentum shifted in the favour of Arsenal but they couldn't find a second and seemed to settle for a point. A win would have put Arsenal back in the title race but a point just might not cut it as they fall further behind Liverpool. 
City started the game strongly and deservedly took the lead through David Silva. However, they couldn't make their dominance pay as they only went into half time one goal up. They were left to rue that as they spent most of the second half on the back foot. They struggled to create much going forward and ended up trying to contain Arsenal. They conceded shortly into the second half and spent most of the rest of the half holding on for a point. In the end it was a point gained for City but I felt it could have been two more had they really gone for it.  

West Bromich Albion 3 v 3 Cardiff City Amalfitano (2), Dorrans (9), Mutch (30), Caulker (73), Thievy (90+4), Daehli (90+5)
First Half: Goal! 1-0, West Brom take the lead as Amalfitano scores with a long range shot/cross into the far top corner. Morrison has a volley denied by a great save across goal. Goal! 2-0, West Brom double their lead as Vydra lays the ball off to Dorrans who scores with a low shot from close range into the far bottom corner. Goal! 2-1, Cardiff halve the deficit as Mutch scores with a long range shot/cross into the far top corner.
Half Time: 2-1.
Second Half: Vydra has a low shot blocked before Morrison blazes a shot over the bar. Goal! 2-2, Cardiff equalise as Caulker heads into the far top corner from Medel's free kick. Daehli has a low shot across goal saved. Goal! 3-2, West Brom score a dramatic late goal as a low cross falls to Thievy who scores with a low shot under the keeper at the near side. Goal! 3-3, Amazingly Cardiff equalise in the dying moments as Turner lays the ball off to Daehli who swivels and fires a shot into the near top corner.
Full Time: 3-3.
West Brom 16>17th, 28>29pts
Cardiff 19>18th, 25>26pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Caulker. Six goal thriller at the Hawthorns. West Brom got off to a lightning quick start as they were two goals up in the first ten minutes. However, some sloppy defending in the second half saw them fall back to 2-2. They must have thought that they had won the match in the 94th minute as Thievy put them ahead at 3-2 and I certainly presumed they had. Incredibly, they failed to see the game out as Cardiff equalised in the 95th minute. Unbelievable scenes but it really was a case of two vitally important points lost. With that point, the Baggies still fall one place down into 17th.
Cardiff had a disastrous start to the game and will bemoan their defending early on in the game. However, they fought back valiantly and managed to get themselves back on level terms. Cardiff must have thought they had cruelly lost the game when they conceded a late injury time goal but they threw everyone forward and took that one last chance as Daehli skilfully scored into the top corner. Amazing game and finale. Cardiff desperately needed something from that game and they will savour a point from how things developed. They are still in trouble but that point moves them up one place into 18th.

Swansea City 3 v 0 Norwich City De Guzman (30,38), Routledge (75)
First Half: Michu fires a shot from the edge of the box wide of the near post. Routledge has a close range effort parried away. Goal! 1-0, Swansea take the lead as De Guzman scores with a low shot from the edge of the box into the far bottom corner. Goal! 2-0, De Guzman plays a nice one-two with Bony before scoring with a deft chip over the keeper into the far bottom corner. Martin has a volley saved at the near side.
Half Time: 2-0.
Second Half: Snodgrass has a low volley cleared off the line. Goal! 3-0, Shelvey plays in Routledge who scores with a low shot into the far bottom corner.
Full Time: 3-0.
Swansea 15>13th, 30>33pts
Norwich 14>15th, 32pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was De Guzman. Swansea ease past Norwich. That was a pretty solid and confident display from Swansea who comfortably defeated Norwich by three. They scored some really good goals whilst De Guzman in particular put in a brilliant performance. Exactly what Swansea needed after a sluggish few weeks and three points that moves them safely towards the middle of the table. With that win, the Swans move up two places into 13th.
Norwich were largely outplayed and looked second best all afternoon. They came closest through Snodgrass who had an effort cleared off the line but apart from that there really weren't too many positive things to write home about. Everyone knows how tough a run in Norwich have and they will be desperate to pick up some points from their next couple of games. With that defeat, Norwich drop down one place into 15th. 

Manchester United 4 v 1 Aston Villa Westwood (13), Rooney (20,45pen), Mata (57), Hernandez (90+1)
First Half: Goal! 0-1, Villa take the lead as Westwood scores with a free kick into the near top corner. Clark heads over the bar. Goal! 1-1, United equalise through Rooney who heads in a Kagawa cross into the far bottom corner. Penalty! Mata is fouled inside the box by Bacuna. Goal! 2-1, United take the lead as Rooney slots the penalty into the far side.
Half Time: 2-1.
Second Half: Benteke spurns a decent chance and fires wide of the near post. Benteke heads just over the bar. Goal! 3-1, Mata scores with a low shot into the near bottom corner. Rooney has a shot stopped by a great save. Benteke spurns another chance on the slide. Goal! 4-1, Hernandez volleys in from a Januzaj cross at the far post.
Full Time: 4-1.
Man United 7th, 51>54pts
Villa 12th, 34pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Rooney. United put four past Villa. I feared the worst when Villa went ahead but in the end United had too much for Villa going forward. There are definitely still some uncertainties at the back but Mata, Kagawa an Rooney were are playing well in attack. The game changed when United went ahead on the stroke of half time and once Mata scored his first goal for United everything seemed rosy. Four goals and three points later, Moyes will feel lots of relief as well as plenty of United fans. 
Villa took the lead thanks to a brilliant free kick from Westwood but failed to capitalise as they defended poorly from then onwards. Bacuna slid in on Mata and gave away a silly penalty which put them behind going into half time. Benteke really should have scored today and missed some really good chances for Villa. On another day, the result could have turned out differently but today Villa were soundly beaten. 

Southampton 4 v 0 Newcastle United Rodriguez (45+1,89), Lambert (49), Lallana (70)
First Half: Rodriguez puts an effort into the side-netting. Rodriguez has a header parried away. Ward-Prowse puts an effort into the side-netting. Lambert has an effort saved. Rodriguez has a close range effort parried away. Goal! 1-0, Saints take the lead just before half time as Lambert squares the ball across to Rodriguez who converts at the near side.
Half Time: 1-0.
Second Half: Goal! 2-0, Lambert fires into the near top corner from close range from Lallana's cross. Goal! 3-0, Lallana scores with a long range thunderbolt into the top near corner. Cisse puts a low shot into the side-netting. Goal! 4-0, Rodriguez cuts inside and scores with a low shot into the far bottom corner under the keeper.
Full Time: 4-0.
Saints 9>8th, 45>48pts
Newcastle 8>9th, 46pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Lallana. Saints cruise past Newcastle. It was a very strong, deserved and dominant performance from the Saints who comfortably put four past a sorry Newcastle. The England trio up front scored the goals once again for Southampton as they vie for a spot on the plane to Brazil. Rodriguez scored twice but could have had another whilst Lallana scored an absolute corker from long range that rifled past Krul. Things are looking very bright down on the south coast and with that win, Southampton move up one place into 8th.
Newcastle were outplayed and looked simply woeful. Their fans must be thankful they are safe from relegation because that was yet another worrying display from them. They were pretty much steam rollered aside and couldn't get into the game at all. It's almost as if they are booking their summer holidays already because they certainly aren't up to scratch out on a football pitch these days. With that defeat, Newcastle move down one place into 9th. 

Stoke City 1 v 0 Hull City Odemwingie (62)
First Half: Huddlestone has a long range driven shot parried past the far post. Rosenior heads over the bar.
Half Time: 0-0.
Second Half: Crouch has an effort that deflects wide of the post. Odemwingie has a low shot from the edge of the box saved at the near side. Meyler has long range shot that takes a deflection and is parried before Jelavic hits the rebound wide of the near post. Goal! 1-0, Stoke take the lead as Odemwingie scores with a low shot into the near side. Ireland has a shot from the edge of the box palmed over the bar.
Full Time: 1-0.
Stoke 10th, 37>40pts
Hull 13>14th, 33pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Begovic. Odemwingie strike sinks Hull. Stoke should heap huge amounts of praise upon their keeper today as Begovic pulled off some top saves to keep Hull at bay. They created more chances in the second half and eventually took the lead just after the hour mark through Odemwingie who took his goal well. Not the most entertaining of games but Stoke will be pleased they got the job done and took all three points. 
Hull had the better of the first half but just came across a keeper who was in great form. I'm amazed they didn't score through the chances they had but like I said earlier, Begovic made some top saves. Hull will be desperately disappointed to have come away with nothing but that's just the way it went today. With that loss, Hull fall one place to 14th. 

Best Goal: Flamini, Amalfitano, Mutch, Daehli, De Guzman, Westwood, Lallana, Odemwingie. Winner: Lallana.

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Midweek Football Game Week 31

Manchester United 0 v 3 Manchester City Dzeko (1,56), Yaya Toure (90)
First Half: Goal! 0-1, City take the lead in the opening minute as Nasri strikes against the near post with a low shot before Dzeko taps in the rebound from close range at the near side. Fellaini has a volley saved at the near side. Mata fires a shot over the bar.
Half Time: 0-1.
Second Half: Goal! 0-2, City double their lead as Dzeko volleys in from a corner at the near post. Goal! 0-3, Yaya Toure rounds off the night with a low shot into the far bottom corner.
Full Time: 0-3.
Man United 7th, 51pts
Man City 3rd, 63>66pts



My Opinion:
My man of the match was Dzeko. City too strong for United. It was a very poor performance from United who completely outclassed and outplayed. They really struggled to impose themselves in the game and never looked likely to score. It was another tough and embarrassing game to watch as United are clearly finding it difficult to play against the bigger and better teams this year. Bring on that transfer window!!
City started the game superbly and made the game extremely comfortable for themselves when they took the lead within the opening minute. It was pretty much a stroll in the park for City who were dominant, powerful and deserved to win. Another hammer blow to their local rivals and their title pursuit continues along strongly.

Arsenal 2 v 2 Swansea City Bony (11), Podolski (73), Giroud (74), Flamini OG (90)
First Half: Goal! 0-1, Swansea take the lead as Bony scores with a powerful header at the near side.
Half Time: 0-1.
Second Half: Goal! 1-1, Arsenal equalise as Podolski scores with a volley at the near side following a Gibbs cross. Goal! 2-1, Arsenal turn the game around and take the lead as Giroud latches onto a low cross from Podolski to score from close range, slotting past the keeper at the near side. Goal! 2-2, Swansea get a dramatic late equaliser as Britton has a low shot saved before the ball rebounds off Flamini and into his own net.
Full Time: 2-2.
Arsenal 4th, 62>63pts
Swansea 15th, 29>30pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Podolski. Flamini own goal scuppers Arsenal. Overall, it was a poor display from Arsenal who struggled to get going until the final third of the game. They went behind early on and it seemed to unsettle their game. However, a brilliant two minute spell saw them turn the game around in their favour and all seemed well again. Unfortunately, Flamini couldn't get out of the way of the keeper's save in the 90th minute and the groans came back at the Emirates. A disappointing result for the Gunners which puts yet another dent into the title bid this year.
Swansea definitely deserved to take away a point from the game although in the end it came from rather fortunate circumstances. They were the better team in the first half but were sloppy in the second which saw them go behind. The Swans will be pleased they did actually take a point but it could have been more.

Newcastle 0 v 3 Everton Barkley (22), Lukaku (52), Osman (87)
First Half: Goal! 0-1, Everton take the lead through a spectacular goal from Barkley who runs from the halfway line to the edge of the Newcastle box before cutting across goal and past the defence and firing a shot into the near top corner.
Half Time: 0-1.
Second Half: Goal! 0-2, Everton double their lead as a low Deulofeu cross finds Lukaku who scores with a sliding effort into the near top corner. Goal! 0-3, Everton round off a great night with another goal as Lukaku plays in Osman who rifles home a shot into the near top corner.
Full Time: 0-3.
Newcastle 8th, 46pts
Everton 6>5th, 54>57pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Barkley. Rampant Everton destroy Newcastle. It was a night to forget for the Toon army who had to witness yet another very poor performance from their team. Without Remy they are so so bad and they just can't find anything from anyone in their team. There is clearly no confidence or belief in any of their players and they are suffering terribly because of it. Luckily for Newcastle they are safe from relegation otherwise I would be very worried for them.
Everton were terrific and put in a very strong performance. It was a deserved resounding win whilst there were some huge displays from Barkley and co. Barkley's goal was simply incredible and is surely a contender for goal of the year. Amazing stuff and with that win, Everton move up one place into 5th.

Liverpool 2 v 1 Sunderland Gerrard (39), Sturridge (48), Ki (76)
First Half: Goal! 1-0, Liverpool take the lead as Gerrard scores with a free kick into the far top corner.
Half Time: 1-0.
Second Half: Goal! 2-0, Liverpool double their lead as Sturridge cuts inside before firing a shot into the far top corner. Cattermole slices a shot that hits the crossbar. Sturridge strikes a shot from the edge of the box against the crossbar. Goal! 2-1, Sunderland half the deficit as Ki heads home at the far post from close range following a corner.
Full Time: 2-1.
Liverpool 2nd, 65>68pts
Sunderland 18th, 25pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Gerrard. Nervous Liverpool get job done. In the end Liverpool took those three points but it was not as easy as it may have seemed. Although they went 2-0 up, it was almost a case of hanging on to the lead, especially when Ki scored to make it 2-1. The crowd atmosphere got increasingly more tense and nervous which was echoed by the Liverpool players on the field. However, they held on and push ahead for that title.
Sunderland grew into the game as it went on but they were a completely different side when Poyet brought on both Ki and Johnson in the second half. Not sure why they didn't start but when they did come on Sunderland looked so much more threatening going forward. They got one goal back and looked like they might nick an equaliser but it was not to be. Poyet must be ruing his decision not to start them both as the match could have played out completely differently. That defeat means Sunderland are still in desperate times as they currently occupy that final relegation spot.

West Ham United 2 v 1 Hull City Noble (26pen), Jelavic (48), Chester OG (54)
First Half: Penalty! Diame is fouled inside the box by McGregor. OFF! McGregor is shown a straight red card for his foul. Goal! 1-0, West Ham take the lead as Noble slots the penalty home into the far side.
Half Time: 1-0.
Second Half: Goal! 1-1, Hull equalise as a Huddlestone driven free kick deflects off Jelavic and into the near side. Goal! 2-1, West Ham restore their lead as Chester slices into his own far top corner trying to clear a cross.
Full Time: 2-1.
West Ham 14>11th, 31>34pts
Hull 12>13th, 33pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Noble. West Ham win ugly. It looks like West Ham are going to be safe from relegation with that win and that was the most important thing. The fans may boo the way they played but it is a results business and they need results in the position they find themselves. It may not have been pretty football but Allardyce has time to work on that if they stay up. With the extra man, West Ham looked reasonably comfortable playing out the match but they got a rather fortunate winning goal when Chester sliced into his own net. With that win, West Ham move up three places into 11th.
Hull were not at their best and were in fact extremely average. Losing their keeper in the first half for a straight red card limited their offensive play and it ultimately cost them tonight. They equalised early in the second half but Chester scoring an own goal didn't help them in the slightest in the tough position they were in already. One to forget for Hull as they fall down one place into 13th with that defeat.

Best Goal: Yaya Toure, Barkley, Gerrard, Osman, Sturridge. Winner: Barkley

League Leaders
1. Chelsea 69pts
2. Liverpool 68pts
3. Man City 66pts
4. Arsenal 63pts
5. Everton 57pts

Relegation Battle
16. West Brom 28pts
17. Crystal Palace 28pts
18. Sunderland 25pts
19. Cardiff 25pts
20. Fulham 24pts

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Super Sunday Game Week 31

Tottenham Hotspur 3 v 2 Southampton Rodriguez (19), Lallana (26), Eriksen (31,46), Sigurdsson (90)
First Half: Lallana fires a shot from the edge of the box across goal over the top of the far corner. Goal! 0-1, Saints take the lead as a nicely worked out free kick takes Rodriguez through on goal before scoring with a low shot into the far bottom corner. Goal! 0-2, Lambert plays in Lallana who scores with a low shot into the far bottom corner. Goal! 1-2, Spurs get one back as Eriksen latches onto a cross before scoring with a low shot from close range at the near side. Lallana has a shot saved at the near side. Eriksen has a close range effort saved.
Half Time: 1-2.
Second Half: Goal! 2-2, Spurs equalise as Soldado fires in a low cross which is converted by Eriksen at the far post with a close range tap in. Eriksen fires a shot into the side-netting. Goal! 3-2, Spurs take the lead in the 90th minute as Sigurdsson scores with a low driven shot from long range into the near bottom corner.
Full Time: 3-2.
Spurs 5th, 53>56pts
Saints 8>9th, 45pts



My Opinion:
My man of the match was Eriksen. Sigurdsson seals Spurs comeback. It was a slow start to the game from Spurs who were 2-0 down within the opening half an hour. However, they dug deep and managed to pull off a spectacular comeback thanks the brilliance of Eriksen and Sigurdsson. That was an important result for Spurs as their manager Tim Sherwood has come under fire in recent weeks. I'm sure the win will keep the Spurs faithful happy but they need to improve defensively. 
Southampton made a great start to the game and deservedly went two goals up. They may argue that their players were fouled in the build up to some of the Spurs goals but c'est la vie. The England trio of Rodriguez, Lallana and Lambert were at full throttle but the manager will be disappointed they conceded so early after half time. They were put under more pressure in the second half and it eventually told as Sigurdsson scored a dramatic late winner. Disappointment for the Saints who could have and probably should have taken something back to St Mary's. That defeat means the Saints drop one place down to 9th. 

Aston Villa 1 v 4 Stoke City Benteke (5), Odemwingie (22), Crouch (26), N'Zonzi (42), Cameron (90)
First Half: Goal! 1-0, Villa take the lead as Benteke smashes in at the near side. Odemwingie has a shot from the edge of the box that deflects just wide of the near post. Goal! 1-1, Stoke level as Odemwingie holds off Bertrand before scoring with a low shot under the keeper. Goal! 1-2, Stoke take the lead as Crouch latches onto a low Pieters cross before slotting a shot into the far bottom corner. Goal! 1-3, Stoke double their lead as N'Zonzi scores with a low shot from the edge of the box into the far bottom corner.
Half Time: 1-3
Second Half: Benteke has a penalty appeal turned down. Odemwingie has a long range blast parried away. Goal! 1-4, Arnautovic finds Cameron with a cross before the American slots a shot home into the far bottom corner.
Full Time: 1-4.
Villa 10>11th, 34pts
Stoke 11>10th, 34>37pts



My Opinion:
My man of the match was Arnautovic. Rampant Stoke thrash Villa. Aston Villa made a strong start to the game and took an early lead through Benteke. However, for much of the game they were second best. They were completely outplayed by Stoke and were a completely different side to the one that defeated Chelsea. Too many times they gave the Stoke players time and space on the ball and they got severely punished. Lambert will not be satisfied with that performance today and has his work cut out to motivate the Villa players for every game, not just the big ones. With that loss, Villa drop one place into 11th.
Stoke were highly impressive and good value for their four goals. They put in a very strong performance and rightly deserved to take all three points. Hughes has managed to get his Stoke team playing some decent football and it paid off today as they netted four times. Arnautovic was the star man and played a key role down the left flank for Stoke. Encouraging times ahead for Stoke who move up one spot into 10th with that victory. 

Best Goal: Rodriguez, Sigurdsson. Winner: Sigurdsson

League Leaders
1. Chelsea 69pts
2. Liverpool 65pts
3. Man City 63pts
4. Arsenal 62pts
5. Tottenham 56pts

Relegation Battle
16. West Brom 28pts
17. Crystal Palace 28pts
18. Sunderland 25pts
19. Cardiff 25pts
20. Fulham 24pts

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