Podolski Powers Arsenal Over West Ham

 3-1 

Arsenal came into today's Premier League match against West Ham in fifth place, just two points behind Everton.  That fourth place position of course crucial for Champions League qualification and the Gunners hoped to replace Everton with a win today.  West Ham have not been great as of late, but as they showed in their last match against Liverpool, they do not go down without a fight.

West Ham took the lead late in the first-half when Antonio Nocerino got in behind the Arsenal defense.  Nocerino fired a shot from a tight angle and keeper Szczesny made the save, but the ball stayed in front of the goal.  Matthew Jarvis came in late and finished the loose ball with a header to put the visitors ahead (40').

Arsenal managed to respond in the few minutes left in the first-half thanks to a poor clearance by Stewart Downing.  The winger's clearance was left short and fell right for Santi Cazorla at the edge of the box.  Cazorla quickly played a through-ball for Podolski who made a good turn and shot to find the net and level the score (44').

After half-tim West Ham were rather deflated and Arsenal were able to take control of the match.  Oliver Giroud scored a go-ahead goal shortly after the break with a spectacular trap inside the box.  Vermaelen played a lofted ball into the box and the striker perfectly controlled the ball before shooting to put the Gunners in front (55').

Later in the half Aaron Ramsey came into the match and got an assist for the final goal of the day.  Ramsey played Podolski in behind defender Tomkins with a header and Podolski scored with a well struck first-touch shot (78').

Podolski is not always prefered by manager Arsene Wenger, but today he made the most of his inclusion in the line-up.  With this win Arsenal claim three points and pull ahead of Everton in the table.  Everton will have a chance to jump back ahead of Arsenal when they play Crystal Palace tomorrow at Goodison Park.

Liverpool Win Titanic Match Over Manchester City

 3-2 

Today's match between Liverpool and Manchester City has been on the radar for some time now with title implications on the line.  Playing at Anfield, there were no surprises in the starting line-ups with both clubs putting their best eleven out for this crucial match.  Suarez, Sturridge, and Sterling headed the Liverpool attack while David Silva, Nasri, and Dzeko lead Manchester City.

Liverpool got off to a great start and had all the momentum in the opening stages of the game.  A pair of goals in the first-half had them in good position, for a time, as City struggled to get into the match.  First Raheem Sterling made a run behind defender Kompany and Suarez played a through-ball to put him in-on-goal.  Keeper Joe Hart came off his line in an attempt to intervene, but ended up in no-mans-land allowing Sterling to work enough space and bury the shot (6').

Yaya Touré was then forced to come out soon after the first goal with an injury.  While taking a shot from range, Toure injured his groin and could not continue.  Javi Garcia replaced him less than twenty minutes into the match.

Liverpool added a second goal from a set-piece later in the half to extend the lead.  Captain Gerrard delivered a corner-kick into the box and Martin Skrtel was at the near-post to attack the cross.  With a glancing header, Skrtel was able to sent the ball to the opposite post and find the side netting (26').

Manchester City eventually got into the match and gained a lot of momentum coming out in the second-half.  James Milner came on in place of Jesús Navas and the visitors started to take control of the match.  Shortly after coming on, Milner setup the first goal for City by rolling the ball into the path of David Silva who turned the shot into the net (57').  Moments later David Silva created another goal for City to level the score.  He intended to play a ball across the face of goal, but the pass came off defenders Glen Johnson and Sktrel causing a fortunate own-goal (62').

To make matters worse for Liverpool, Daniel Sturridge was force out with an injury and Joe Allen came on in his place.  But the Reds found an opening thanks to a mistake by Kompany in his own box.  The City captain scuffed a clearance and Coutinho pounced on the loose ball, smashing the shot home for the winning goal (78').

This win is the biggest of the season for Liverpool who extend their lead in the league table.  Chelsea reamin in second-place and City in third, though Manchester have played two fewer matches.  With only four matches left to play, Liverpool control their own fate and will need another strong performance when they play Chelsea in two weeks time.

Liverpool Win Ninth Straight

 1-2 

West Ham United hosted a red-hot Liverpool team today, coming into the match with an eight game winning streak.  Liverpool needed only a draw to take the first-place position back from Chelsea, but realistically needed to win in order to stay alive in the title race.  West Ham have been on a decent run of late despite sitting in the bottom half of the league table.

Andy Carroll and Steward Downing went up against their former club while Suarez and Sturridge led the attack for the visitors.  The match was wide open from the start with equal chances for both clubs.  Only one shot was on target though, and the first-half seemed likely to end scoreless until some late excitement arose.

Luis Suarez created the first goal-scoring opportunity when a counter-attack left him one-on-one with centerback James Tomkins.  Suarez was likely to score on his own, but Tomkins was caught playing the ball with his hand and a penalty was awarded for Liverpool.  As usual, Gerrard stepped in to take the penalty and he scored the spot-kick to take the lead (44').

In the few moments before half-time, West Ham were fortunate to equalize on a terrible missed call.  A corner-kick by West Ham was claimed by keeper Mignolet out of the air and Andy Carroll knocked the ball loose with a raised arm allowing Guy Demel to tap home the loose ball (47').  What's worse is the sideline referee called the foul, but it was ignored by head referee Anthony Taylor and the goal was counted.

Neither team truly took control in the first-half, and after half-time the match remained in close contest.  It was not until another decision by the referee that enabled Liverpool to retake the lead.  Lucas came on at the start of the second-half and played Jon Flanagan in-on-goal with an early cross.  Flanagan was first to ball and was fouled by keeper Adrián in the box to earn another penalty.  Gerrard again stepped up to take the shot and scored the penalty (71').

With the lead re-established Liverpool were able to play the possession game and managed to keep West Ham from scoring another equalizer.  The Reds are now back at the top of the Premier League table with two points over Chelsea in second place.  Next week will be a tougher test though, as Liverpool host Manchester City.  Liverpool need to play better than they did today if they want to beat City and keep the league title dream alive.

Liverpool Take First Place, Dominate Tottenham

 4-0 

Liverpool came into today's match with a chance to take the first-place position away from Chelsea.  Losing to Crystal Palace, Chelsea failed to get any points which left only a one point margin over Liverpool in second place.  Tottenham came into Anfield hoping to snap a two game losing streak against a surging Liverpool side.  However the Hotspurs had little to offer offensively and really struggled to slow down Liverpool's attack.

Liverpool took no time at all to get on the score sheet, exposing the weak Tottenham defense.  Raheem Sterling played Glen Johnson in behind the Tottenham back line and Johnson made a cross into the box.  Tottenham captain Younes Kaboul had a chance to clear the ball off the line, but he got it wrong and turned the ball into his own net off his heel (2').

The situation only got worse for the Hotspurs as starting centerback Vertongen had to come out with an injury.  Michael Dawson replaced him in defense and immediately put his team in trouble.  Attempting to make a backwards pass to Kaboul, Dawson failed to see Suarez lurking.  Suarez intercepted the pass and fired a left-footed shot to score a second goal for Liverpool (25').

The second-half was not any better for Tottenham who failed to offer any real offensive threat.  Instead Liverpool continued to dominate and added two more goals.  Fullback Jon Flanagan initiate a break and made a strong run forward before passing to Coutinho.  With loads of space, Coutinho was allowed to shoot and he beat the keeper from outside the box (55').

Jordan Henderson then added a final goal from a free-kick.  His shot was a low driven free-kick that skipped in front of Tottenham's goal.  Suarez was in position to get a flick on the ball, but he made a dummy on the ball and Henderson's shot ended up in the net (75').

Liverpool is the only team in the top-four to come away with a win over the weekend and now claim the top spot in the league.  Chelsea's loss to Crystal Palace had disastrous consequences and now they sit two points behind Liverpool in first place.  Liverpool travel to West Ham next week and look to continue this fantastic run in the Premier League.

Arsenal and Man City Miss Out, End Even

 1-1 

Earlier today Chelsea were stunned by Crystal Palace in a 1-0 loss.  John Terry scored an own-goal and Chelsea missed out on claiming any points.  Manchester City came into the later match against Arsenal with a chance to take the top spot if they could beat the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium.

City had a better start to the game and enjoyed the majority of possession in the early stages of the game.  David Silva was able to create the first goal of the match when Arsenal gave up possession in midfield.  Silva had space to dribble a long way towards the Arsenal goal and picked out Edin Dzeko running to the back-post.  Dzeko's shot was partially blocked by keeper Szczesny before coming off the post.  The rebound off the post then came back to David Silva who managed to get a foot on the ball to score (18').

The rest of the first-half featured a series of four yellow cards, three of them going to Manchester City.  Fortunately for both clubs, no one was shown a second yellow and both clubs finished with eleven men.

Arsenal regrouped during the half-time break and came out in the second-half with more intensity.  Their improved play paid off quickly and the Gunners managed to level the score.  Lukas Podolski delivered a skipping cross into the box and Mathieu Flamini was able to slip in front of defender Demichelis to get a shot at goal for the equalizer (53').

After conceding the goal, Manchester City played more conservatively bringing in Milner and Javi Garcia to secure the midfield.  Arsenal on the other hand went for more aggressive changes and brought Oxlade-Chamberlain and Yaya Sanogo on to the pitch.  However neither side could produce a go-ahead goal and the match ended in a draw.

For the moment Chelsea remain at the top of the table, but Liverpool will have a chance to take the lead tomorrow when they face Tottenham at Anfield.  The title race is anything but certain though, as just five points separate the current top-four.

Liverpool Survive Late Sunderland Surge

 2-1 

A sluggish Sunderland side came into Anfield today to face Liverpool in Premier League play.  Few teams have been able to silence the potent Liverpool attack with Suarez and Sturridge at the forefront.  Today was no exception despite the best efforts from the visitors.

Sunderland came out with a defensive mindset starting three centerbacks to clog Liverpool's offensive flow.  Initially the tactic worked as Liverpool could only manage shots from outside the box.  However a foul by one centerback, Vergini, gave Liverpool a freekick on the edge of the penalty area.  Steven Gerrard stepped up to take the freekick and beat the keeper with the shot to score (37').

Shortly after half-time Liverpool added another goal.  Daniel Sturridge was given space inside the Sunderland box and his shot took a slight deflection (48').  That slight touch by defender Wes Brown was enough to put off keeper Mannone and Liverpool pulled further ahead.

Sunderland manager Gus Poyet then  made two positive changes bringing Adam Johnson and Ki Sung-Yueng.  Together the two substitutes linked up for a goal to narrow the gap.  Johnson delivered a corner-kick that the Liverpool defense allowed to bounce in front of their goal.  Ki was attacking the far-post and scored with a diving header (76').

Now with only a one goal lead Liverpool played more conservative and found themselves defending more frantically.  In the end Liverpool held on to the lead and came away with three points.

Liverpool are now just one point off Chelsea at the top of the table with seven matches left to play.  The  Reds have a tough schedule ahead of them with Tottenham, Manchester City, and Chelsea on the horizon.  Fortunately they are all home games which could help Liverpool in the title race.

Dzeko Nets Two As City Win Manchester Derby

 0-3 

Manchester United hosted rival Manchester City today at Old Trafford for the second meeting of the season.  City won the first meeting 4-1 back in September and more recently stomped Arsenal 6-0 over the weekend.  Today United again fell short to their rival.

Manchester City took less than a minute to score against United to put the home side in an early hole.  Fernandinho played Nasri in behind the United back line to work a shot that came off the goalpost.  The shot's ricochet off the post went to Dzeko waiting at the opposite post for an easy tap in finish (1').

Having to play from behind from the get-go, United were forced to take more risks and push more players forward to try to get back into the match.  Unfortunately for United their passing was poor throughout the match leading to ineffective attacks.

City added two more goals in the second-half while United failed to respond in kind.  Dzeko scored his second goal on the day from a corner-kick.  Nasri delivered the cross into the box and Dzeko was left unmarked for a free volley that he stuck in the back of the net.  Then in the closing minutes of regulation Yaya Touré was able to work a shot following a favorable deflection off a United defender.  With loads of space Yaya Touré easily finished for the final goal of the match (90').

The win for Manchester City helps them keep pace with Chelsea at the top of the table.  City are just three points behind the leaders with two fewer games played.  The title race could come down to the last match of the season as both clubs remain in good form.  United have no realistic chance of defending their title, but still have hopes of lifting a trophy in the Champions League.

Wild Win For Liverpool, Saurez Scores Hat-Trick

 3-6 

Liverpool travelled to Wales today for a Premier League showdown with Cardiff City.  Liverpool have been outstanding offensively this season while Cardiff have really struggled to perform in the top level.  Looking to contain the electric Liverpool attack, Cardiff employed a five defender line-up.  In the early stages of the match Liverpool had trouble dealing with Cardiff's formation, especially the right side of their attack.

Liverpool's Joe Allen turned the ball over in his own box and Campbell was able to jump on the loose ball.  Campbell then picked out Jordon Mutch who had a clear path to shoot and scored the first goal of the match (9').

Following a long string of possession by Liverpool, Suarez was able to respond with an equalizer.  Henderson played the rightback Johnson in behind the Cardiff back line and he played a cross into the box.  Suarez was waiting at the near-post and for an easy tap-in to score (16').

Cardiff retook the lead moments later when Campbell made a strong run at Liverpool's goal.  Campbell first got around defender Agger by cutting on to his left foot then fired the shot before Skrtel could close him down for a second Cardiff goal (25').

Before half-time Liverpool scored another equalizer following a set-piece.  Centerback Skrtel stayed forward after the initial corner and Coutinho picked him out with a cross.  Skrtel was in good position at the near-post and finished with a volley (41').

The second-half was all Liverpool as the Reds were able to scored three consecutive goals to put Cardiff in a huge hole.  Skrtel scored another goal on a corner-kick thanks in part to a short-handed Cardiff side.  Mutch and Theopile-Catherine both received treatment for minor injuries and were forced to stay on the sideline during the corner-kick.  Their absence allowed Skrtel to win a free header that he directed into the far-post netting (51').

Suarez and Sturridge then linked up a couple of times to each give the other an assist leading to goals.  First Sturridge helped the ball along inside the box with a heel-flick to setup Suarez in front of goal (60').  Then Suarez was able to win the ball off defender Caulker before playing the pass to Sturridge crashing the net.  Sturridge scored easily from close range, giving Liverpool a comfortable lead (75').

Cardiff did not give up though and Mutch provided a late consolation goal.  Theopile-Catherine played a cross into the box that substitute Kenwyne Jones headed back across the face of goal.  Mutch was in place to turn the header pass into the net for his second goal of the match (88').  However Liverpool added one more in the final moments of the game when Suarez won a 50-50 ball from Cala.  The entire Cardiff team was on the wrong side of the ball and Suarez had a free run at the keeper who could not stop the striker and Suarez completed the hat-trick (90 +6').

Liverpool needed this win to keep pace with Chelsea who gave Arsenal a trashing earlier in the day.  Manchester City also won keeping the title race very close.  Cardiff City's next match is away to West Bromwich while Liverpool host Sunderland at Anfield.

Chelsea See Red, Fall to Aston Villa

 1-0 

First-place Chelsea travelled to Aston Villa looking to stretch their fourteen game unbeaten streak in the Premier League.  Chelsea won the previous meeting at Stanford Bridge earlier in the season, but for whatever reason manager José Mourinho has never won at Villa Park.  Today it was the latter streak that held up as Aston Villa handed Chelsea their first defeat in fifteen matches.

Aston Villa have had a poor run lately, winning only one of their last five matches, but came out today with confidence and intensity.  The back line of Villa was especially on its game today and halted several Chelsea attacks by catching them offsides.

The first-half ended scoreless with each club only managing one shot on target, and a goal dis-allowed for Chelsea.  On a corner-kick Nemanja Matić put the ball in the net, but he controlled the ball with his arm and the goal did not stand.  The more important stat of the first-half proved to the yellow cards issued, most notably shown to Chelsea's Willian.

As the second-half progressed manager José Mourinho decided to make a few changes, but left Willian despite carrying a booking.  The decision turned out to be fatal as moments later Willian was called for a foul from behind and was shown a second yellow card leading to his dismissal (R.C. 68').

Now playing with a man-up advantage, Aston Villa were able to penetrate the Chelsea defense and score the crucial goal.  Fabian Delph stole the ball off Ivanovic to initiate the attack and played the ball wide right to Marc Albrighton in space.  Albrighton was able to send a return ball into the box for Delph and he got just enough of a heel-flick to beat keeper Cech for the goal (82').

Chelsea's fortunes did not improve as the match closed out and a second red card was shown to Ramires for a malicious foul on El Ahmadi.  Moments prior Ramires saw a yellow for verbal dissent, but for the foul he got a hard red and could face a lengthy suspension.

Today's loss snaps Chelsea's long unbeaten streak and the club will have to shake it off with a Champions League match coming on Tuesday.  Next for Aston Villa is another home league game against Stoke City.

Bayern Munich Eliminate Arsenal From UCL

 3-1agg. 

Arenal were always going to have a tough task overcoming a two goal deficit against Bayern Munich.  Today the second leg of the Champions League fixture was played in Germany as the Gunners hoped to avoid elimination.

The Allianz Arena was indeed rocking as Bayern Munich hosted the English club, and as expected featured the always dangerous tandem of Robben and Ribery in the winger positions.  Because the two wingers are so effective, the fullbacks of Arsenal were given almost no chances to push forward and provide support in the attack.  This inability to pressure to Bayern's defense allowed the German club to dominate possession and dictate the tempo of the match.

By the end of the first-half neither club scored which played into the hands of Munich.  After half-time though Bayern managed to extend their lead when Schweinsteiger was left alone in front of the Arsenal goal.  Ribery picked him out in the box and Schweinsteiger had enough time to control the pass before firing off the shot (54').

Now down by three goals on aggregate, Arsenal were in serious trouble with time running out.  Soon after the goal by Bayern, Lukas Podolski managed to get one back for the Gunners when he was able to take the ball off defender Philipp Lahm.  Once he had the ball, Podolski went for power on the shot and slipped the ball inside the near-post to beat keeper Neuer (57').

Unfortunately for Arsenal the goal by Podolski was the only goal they could produce.  Munich even had a chance to add another goal when a penalty was awarded following a soft foul on Robben in the box.  Several times over the course of the match Robben went down quite easily and late in the match he finally fooled the referee.  The football Gods were not fooled however, and Arsenal keeper Fabianski blocked the penalty.

This is the second year in a row Arsenal have been eliminated from the Champions League at the hands of Bayern Munich.  The German giants have been nearly unbeatable in the Champions League as well as the Bundesliga.  Bayern Munich have all but secure a league title and are in good shape to win the Champions League for a second straight year.

Chelsea Clobber Tottenham at Stanford Bridge

 4-0 

Premier League leaders Chelsea hosted a much improved Tottenham side today at Stanford Bridge.  Since Tim Sherwood has taken over the reigns as the Hotspurs manager late in December, Tottenham have worked their way back into Champions League contention.

Initially for Chelsea, Fernando Torres was scheduled to make the start at striker, but suffered a groin injury durring his pre-game warm up.  Samuel Eto'o was thrust into the line-up in his place and after avoiding an injury himself early in the match, provided a spark fot the Blues.

The first-half was rather wide open with neither team able to get the upper hand.  Tottenham were able to match the play of Chelsea despite being on the road.  However after the first-half the wheels started to come off.

In the second-half Tottenham defender Vertongen slipped while attempting to make a back-pass to his keeper and Eto'o was quick to pounce on the loose ball.  Eto'o managed to fire the shot between the legs of keeper Lloris to put Chelsea ahead (56').

Shortly after the first goal Tottenham were put deeper into trouble when centerback Younes Kaboul was sent off.  Kaboul committed a foul in the box on Eto'o earning a red card plus giving Chelsea a penalty.  Eden Hazard scored from the spot and Tottenham were in all essence done for (60').

Late in the game Eto'o was replaced by Demba Ba and more sloppy play by the dejected Tottenham defense allowed him to score two goals.  First a cross into the box by Oscar was not cleared by Sandro and Ba was able to split the legs of Lloris to score (88').  Then a moment later Kyle Walker made an ill-advised backwards header that went right to Ba who scored easily for the last goal of the match (90').

The final score does not accurately describe the performance by Tottenham, especially considering the first-half effort.  Sometimes when it rains it pours, and Chelsea managed to capitalize on every mistake by Tottenham.  With the win Chelsea extend their lead in first-place, though they have played more games than anyone other club in the top-four.  Nonetheless they are in good shape to close out the season as Premier League champions.

Suarez and Sterling Give Liverpool Egde Over Southampton

 0-3 

Southampton hosted a surging Liverpool side today for a Premier League showdown.  With the league's first and second leading scorers, Suarez and Sturridge respectively, Liverpool have been unstoppable since the new year.

Luis Suarez scored early in the match to put Liverpool in front.  Linking up with Daniel Sturridge, Suarez timed his run perfectly to stay on-sides when the ball was played to him.  With his first-touch Suarez whipped the shot towards goal to beat the keeper and take the lead (16').

After conceding the initial goal Southampton gained a foothold in the match and exposed Liverpool's defense as many other teams have done this season.  Adam Lallana and Jay Rodriguez only produced one shot on target between them, but nonetheless had defenders Agger and Skrtel scrambling to stop the their movements.

Southampton could not turn their possession into a goal though and after half-time Liverpool extended their lead.  Having been in the match for less than a minute, Raheem Sterling added another goal for the Reds.  Suarez made a good run into the box with the ball and slid a pass to Sterling making a trailing run into the box.  Sterling scored easily with a sweeping first-touch shot (58').

Liverpool's defense was shaky for a period, but stayed focused and in the end kept the clean-sheet.  A final goal for Liverpool came in stoppage-time when Suarez was tripped in the Southampton box by Jose Fonte.  A penalty was awarded to Liverpool and Gerrard finished from the spot to close out the match (90 +5').

With today's win Liverpool move up to second place in the Premier League table.  Arsenal lost to Stoke City, and Manchester City did not play.  Now Chelsea are the only club ahead of Liverpool in the table with ten matches left in the season.  Up next for Liverpool is a trip to Old Trafford for a test against a struggling United side.  Southampton also go on the road for their next match against Crystal Palace.

Liverpool Slip By Swansea, Sturridge and Henderson Net Two

 4-3 

Swansea City came into Anfield for a Premier League match with Liverpool today as the Reds looked to keep pace with the rest of the top clubs in the table.  Chelsea, Arsenal, and Manchester City won matches yesterday putting the pressure on Liverpool to produce a positive result.

Liverpool came storming out of the gate and scored in the opening moments of the match.  Raheem Sterling was able to tackle the ball off Swansea rightback Angel Rangel to initiate a counter-attack.  Sterling saw the run of Sturridge and played a well weighted ball to beat the offsides trap.  Sturridge had to take a touch around the keeper coming off his line before finishing on an empty net for the opening goal of the game (3').

Liverpool extended the lead when Sturridge setup Jordan Henderson for a goal.  Sturridge came in across the egde of the box from the right and played a square-ball for Henderson who picked out the far corner for a second goal (20').

Swansea made a timely response and equalized in a matter of minutes.  From an almost mirrored image of the previous goal, Nathan Dyer drove across the egde of the box from the right and played a square-ball to Jonjo Shelvey.  Taking the shot first-time, Shelvey buried the ball into the near-post corner to get Swansea back in match (23').

The equalizer then came following a favorable deflection inside the Liverpool penalty area.  A Swansea free-kick was played into the box and Wilfred Bony managed to get a flicked header on the cross.  The forward's header did not have much power behind it, but it deflected off the shoulder of Skrtel giving the keeper no chance at a save (27').

Liverpool then reestablished the lead with a second goal by Sturridge.  Luis Suarez found space to work on the left and put the ball right on Sturridge in front of goal.  Sturridge scored with a header finish to put Liverpool back ahead (36').

Shortly after the half-time break Liverpool defender Skrtel gave Swansea a chance to again level the score when he was called for a foul in the box.  Bony was pulled down by Skrtel according to the referee and Swansea were awarded a penalty.  Bony scored from the spot and the match was level once more (48').

Liverpool's defense was rather on edge for the remainder of the match after seeing their lead lost twice already.  Despite some nervous moments however, the defense held strong and the Reds produced a winning goal.  Suarez created space to shoot following a great chest-trap, but defender Williams was in place to block his shot.  The blocked shot fell right for Henderson though, who he scored the game winner from the loose ball (74').

Liverpool have proven once again that their offense is nearly unstoppable.  The defense, on the other hand, shows more signs of vulnerability as the goals continue to be conceded.  All focus in on the Premier League for Liverpool going forward with a road trip to Southampton is next.  Swansea are still alive in the Europa Cup and a match at Napoli midweek.

Manchester City Rebound in League Play, Top Stoke

 1-0 

Manchester City certainly needed a win following the truly disappointing loss to Barcelona in the Champions League midweek.  Today Man. City hosted Stoke City for a Premier League game that was favorable for Machester to bounce back.

Edin Dzeko and Álvaro Negredo started in the attack with David Silva and Nasri occupying the wings for Manchester.  Peter Crouch was the lone striker for Stoke with Charlie Adam and Peter Odemwingie as his main support.

Neither side scored in the first-half, though both were able to test the opposite keeper.  Manchester City had far and away the majority of possession (over seventy percent) and created more shots on target.  Stoke were forced to defend for most of the match and they fended off the home side's attack well for a long time.

Eventually the persistent attack from Manchester City paid off and the dead-lock was broken.  Rightback Aleksander Kolarov fired a low cross into the box that Yaya Toure was able to redirect towards goal.  Stoke keeper Begovic got a hand to the shot, but could not turn it away from his goal and the ball found the net (70').

Stoke City could not create an equalizer in the time remaining as Manchester held on for the win.  Though the margin of victory was slim today, the win was the right kind of response from Manchester City.  Chelsea and Arsenal also won league matches today meaning there was no change at the top of the table.

Anichebe Saves West Bromwich From Defeat, Tie Chelsea

 1-1 

First-place Chelsea travelled to face West Bromwich Albion in a midweek Premier League match.  Samuel Eto'o started as striker for Chelsea while two new players, Saido Berahino and Thievy Bifouma, started for West Brom.

As expected Chelsea had the majority of possession and in the first-half alone earned seven corner-kicks.  It was on the final corner-kick of the first-half that Chelsea managed to score durring stoppage-time.  Willian delivered a low driven cross that David Luiz flicked-on.  The flicked ball came to Ivanovic waiting at the far-post for the easy finish (45 +3').

West Bromwich did not offer much offensively, though Thievy Bifouma looked quite good when he did have the ball.  After half-time West Brom made the two wingers Chris Brunt and Morgan Amalfitano switched sides and the team was able to attack more effectively.  Also Victor Anichebe was brought in to give fresh legs up top, a move that saved the home team late in the match.  Anichebe scored with a header when Berahino picked him out with a cross (87').

Chelsea remain in first place for now, but by the end of tomorrow could find themselves in third place.  Arsenal and Manchester City could both leap Chelsea if they win tomorrow.  West Bromwich's next match is home to Fulham while Chelsea have a huge FA Cup match Manchester City this weekend

Fulham Force Draw Against Man. United

 2-2 

Manchester United hosted last-place Fulham today at Old Trafford.  United may not be in the position they would like to be, but Fulham are certainly in worse shape flirting with relegation.  Van Persie and Rooney got to start at forward for United and saw a lot of the ball as the Red Devils controlled more than seventy percent of possession for the match.

Although United maintained nearly all of the possession in the first-half, Fulham scored the only goal on one of their rare chances.  Steve Sidwell put Fulham in front when Lewis Holtby played him in-on-goal.  Sidwell made a run behind Darren Fletcher and Holtby picked him out with a chipped ball over the top which Sidwell finished with a first-touch volley (19').

The second-half began similar to the first with United getting all the possession and Fulham playing almost entirely in their own half.  United used all three substitutes in an effort to boost the offense, bringing in Januzaj, Hernandez, and Valencia with about twenty minutes left to play.  Although the subs did not directly affect the score, United were able to get a pair of back-to-back goals to steal the lead.

Juan Mata fired the ball across the face of goal, possibly looking to put a shot on goal.  Instead the ball came to Van Persie waiting at the back-post for an easy tap-in finish (78').  Right after the first goal from United, Michael Carrick scored another for the lead.  A poor clearance by Kieran Richardson sent the ball to Carrick who was able to step into the shot from outside the box (80').  The shot took a favorable deflection off Scott Parker giving keeper Stekelenburg no chance at a save.

Fulham appeared to be fighting a lost cause, down a goal and void of any offense, but they rallied late and produced the equalizer.  Coming in at half-time, substitute Darren Bent scored in stoppage-time for Fulham.  United keeper De Gea was forced to make a save on a shot from Richardson and the rebound was left in front of the net.  Bent was waiting with a header and finished for the final goal of the match (90 +4').

Despite the overwhelming possession, United were not particularly good today.  Time after time United tried to play the ball in from the wings and every time Fulham were able to clear.  Both clubs have tough games up next as Manchester United travel to play Arsenal and Fulham get the red-hot Liverpool at home.

Liverpool Crush Arsenal; Sturridge, Streling, Skrtel Score

 5-1 

Liverpool hosted Arsenal today for a wild Premier League match-up.  Arsenal came into the match at the top of the table with Liverpool eight points behind.  Playing at Anfield, Liverpool had a very danger attack and had the Gunners on their heels all day.

Liverpool could not have gotten off to a better start and scored in the first minute of the game.  An early set-piece allowed centerback Martin Skrtel to get forward.  Gerrard delivered the free-kick into the box and Skrtel was able to score with a volley off his shin (1').  The centerback scored again off a set-piece just minutes later.  This time from a corner-kick, Gerrard delivered the cross and Skrtel scored a well placed header floated to the back-post (10').

Liverpool then scored two more quick goals to stretch the lead.  Jordan Henderson tackled the ball off Özil in midfield and got the ball to Suarez pushing forward.  Suarez then played the ball across the face of goal for Raheem Sterling crashing the far-post.  Sterling finished with an easy tap-in to put Liverpool up three goals (17').

Daniel Sturridge scored the final goal of the first-half shortly after when Coutinho played him in-on-goal.  Coutinho's through-ball was weighted perfectly to allow Sturridge to split two defenders and beat the keeper with a first-touch finish (20').

Liverpool added one more goal in the second-half when Sterling scored his second of the match.  A long ball from the back by Cissokho put Sterling behind the Arsenal defense.  His first shot was stopped by keeper Szczesny, but the rebound came right back to him and Sterling finished with the extra chance (52').

After an hour of play, Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger made all three substitutions at once, likely to save some players for the midweek match against United coming up.  The five goal deficit was obviously too much to overcome, but Arsenal did manage to get one back.  Gerrard missed his tackle on Oxlade-Chamberlain in the box to give Arsenal a penalty.  Mikel Arteta scored from the spot for the last goal of the match (69').  Aside from winning the penalty, Oxlade-Chamberlain was essentially non-existant though.  Fellow winger Santi Cazorla was also not a factor today in one of Arsenal's worst performances all year.

Today's win could be the most important match all season for Liverpool who still have a chance at the league title.  If they can continue to score goals at the current rate, very few teams will be able to keep up.  Arsenal are starting to show signs of slowing down and will look to bounce back against Manchester United on Wednesday.  Liverpool travel to Fulham next as the battle at the top of the table heats up.

Manchester City Shutout At Home, Chelsea Win Again

 0-1 

The biggest match-up this week was the Monday feature of Manchester City hosting Chelsea.  Manchester City held the first-place position in the table prior to Arsenal's win on Saturday, but could reclaim the top spot with a win today.  Chelsea, in third-place, aimed to upset the home side and become level with City in points.

Manchester City have been perfect at home this season winning all eleven previous league matches at the Etihad.  However, Chelsea won the first meeting at Stamford Bridge 2-1 and today they were again able to get the better of City.  Branislav Ivanovic scored for Chelsea following a blocked shot in the first-half.  Ramires fired a shot inside the box that was blocked and the rebound came out to Ivanovic.  The rightback stepped into his shot and picked out the far corner to give Chelsea the lead (32').

Ivanovic's goal was the only goal of the match as City were unable to respond.  Though Chelsea only scored the one goal, they created better chances than City throughout the match.  Thrice Chelsea were denied by the woodwork to the relief of keeper Joe Hart.  City had a few shots on target, but could not find the quality to get the equalizer.

Taking the big road-win, Chelsea are now level with Manchester City with 53 points in the league table.  City still maintain a huge goal-differential advatage, but getting shutout at home is cause for concern.  Up next City travel to Norwich and Chelsea host Newcastle.

Stoke City Beat Struggling Manchester United

 2-1 

It was a wet and windy day at the Britannia Stadium as Manchester United came in to play Stoke City.  United have not been up to standard and Stoke were keen to take advantage of that slump.  Manchester United had a dreadful first-half and by the end of it the Red Devils were down a goal and down both centerbacks.

After only ten minutes Jonny Evans was forced to come out with a lower leg injury and Rafael entered the match.  Starting rightback Chris Smalling moved inside next to Phil Jones to make room for Rafael. Before United could settle into this new formation Stoke scored to take the lead.  Charlie Adam scored from a long free-kick shot that took a lucky deflection off Michael Carrick (38').

Then, near the end of the first-half, Phil Jones came down hard trying to win a header.  Jones hit his head as he came down and a stretcher was required to get him to the sideline.  Manager David Moyes made an interesting decision with his next substitution and brought on Welbeck in place of the defender.  This forced Carrick to drop into centerback and Rooney to drop into midfield asWelbeck took the other forward position next to Van Persie.

Half-time seemed like a blessing for United as they made adjustments to their shuffled line-up.  As the second-half started United showed signes of improvement and Van Persie helped level the score.  Juan Mata played the striker in-on-goal and Van Persie scored with a half-volley to equalize (47').

However, moments later Stoke regained the lead when Adam scored a second goal following some more good luck.  Winger Marco Arnautović misfired on his shot attempt and the ball rolled right in front of Adam who smashed it home (52').

Manchester fought to get a second goal with Rooney, Van Persie, Welbeck, and Hernandez all getting action today.  Stoke held on though to get a rare win against the Red Devils.  Next week Stoke travel to Southampton and United host Fulham in Premier League play.

Manchester City Thump Tottenham, Take First Place

 1-5 

Manchester City came into today's match against Tottenham with a chance to take the top spot in the Premier League table.  Arsenal tied Southampton the day before leaving only a two point gap between City in second place.

Despite playing on the road, Manchester City got off to a great start and held nearly all of possession in the first fifteen minutes.  Sergio Agüero started alongside Edin Dzeko at forward and put City in front early.  David Silva played the pass that put Agüero in scoring position and the striker finished with a slight chip shot over keeper Lloris coming off his line (15').

Agüero nearly scored a second goal with a header, but this time Lloris made the big play, getting his palm on the ball for the save.  The Argentine striker was looking good and put his team ahead, but moments before half-time Agüero pulled up with a hamstring problem.  He was immediately removed from the match and sent to the locker room with Stevan Jovetić taking his place.

The margin between the two clubs was only one goal at the start of the second-half, but a missed tackle by Tottenham defender Danny Rose ended any real chance of a come-back.  Rose was shown a red card for a tackle from behind on Dzeko inside the box to give City a penalty as well as leave his side down a man for the rest of the match.  Yaya Touré scored from the spot to give City a two goal lead (51').  Edin Dzeko then score a goal himself an instant later.  David Silva had a shot blocked that fell for Dzeko who finished the loose ball (53').

Tottenham managed to score one goal for a glimmer of hope in the second-half when substitute Etienne Capoue found the net.  A Tottenham corner-kick was not cleared off the line by City's defense and Capoue was able to turn a shot towards goal that beat keeper Joe Hart (59').  Capoue's goal was the only goal Tottenham could produce though, and City were not content with their three goals.

Substitute Jovetić scored his first ever Premier League goal when his shot took a fortunate deflection and ended up in the net (78').  Then in the final minutes of regulation captain Kompany scored when a blocked shot fell for him.  Kompany finished right in front of goal for the final score of the match (89').

The big win means Manchester City take the top spot from Arsenal in the table.  Chelsea were also held to a draw by West Ham United today so they remain in third place.  Chelsea and City meet this weekend in league play for a chance to either stretch or shrink the points difference.