United go second; Liverpool fire blanks

Manchester United moved up to second in the Barclays Premier League table with a comprehensive 3-0 win at Newcastle.

Monday 8th October 2012

The visitors came flying out of the blocks and were two up after 15 minutes as they capitalised on some truly awful Magpies defending.

Jonny Evans escaped his marker to power home a header from a Robin van Persie corner and, from a Wayne Rooney delivery, Patrice Evra ghosted into the area to head home the second.

Newcastle put up more of a fight thereafter and Demba Ba was denied first by the bar and then by a fine recovery save from David De Gea, the Spaniard clawing the ball away just before it could cross the line.

But Tom Cleverley sealed the points for the visitors with a cross-shot from the left which curled right into the top corner.

The win took the Red Devils level on points with Manchester City and four points behind leaders Chelsea.

Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris was handed his league debut for Tottenham but had very little to do as goals from Steven Caulker and Aaron Lennon gave his side a 2-0 win over Aston Villa.

Jermain Defoe's shot was heading wide when it deflected in off the heel of Caulker in the 58th minute and Lennon wrapped up Spurs' fourth straight league win with a low angled shot.

This latest success took Tottenham up to fifth, a point behind second.

Liverpool's disappointing season continued as they were held to a goalless draw by Stoke at Anfield.

Jose Fonte scored two headers for Southampton, including a last-minute equaliser, as they drew 2-2 at home to Fulham.

Saints led after just four minutes, but an own goal from Jos Hooiveld made it 1-1 and Kieran Richardson looked to have won it for Fulham two minutes from time only for Fonte to salvage a point for his side.

On Saturday, Chelsea moved clear at the top of the Barclays Premier League as they came from behind to run out 4-1 winners over Norwich at Stamford Bridge.

The Canaries took a surprise lead in the 11th minute when Wes Hoolahan's cross was nodded into the area by Leon Barnett and Grant Holt showed great technique to lash home first time.

The advantage lasted just four minutes, with Fernando Torres muscling his way beyond his marker to head Branislav Ivanovic's hanging cross into the far corner.

And with 22 minutes gone, Frank Lampard put Chelsea in front when he met a loose ball at the edge of the area and drilled past John Ruddy.

Eden Hazard made it 3-1 when he stroked home Juan Mata's perfect pass and Ivanovic closed the scoring when he struck a fierce volley with 15 minutes to play.

Defending champions Manchester City recovered some of their swagger as Aleksandar Kolarov, Sergio Aguero and James Milner fired them to a convincing 3-0 win over Sunderland in the day's early kick-off.

The scoreline barely reflected the hosts' dominance as they comfortably recorded their first clean sheet of the season in a one-sided contest at the Etihad Stadium.

There may have been some nerves with only Kolarov's fifth-minute free-kick to show for their first-half efforts, but the Black Cats were then overrun as they slipped to their first loss of the season.

Aguero came off the bench to add the second on the hour and Milner fired a free-kick through Simon Mignolet after 89 minutes.

QPR's winless run extended to seven matches at the Hawthorns, with a 3-2 win for hosts West Brom piling the pressure on Rs boss Mark Hughes.

James Morrison headed the Baggies in front after six minutes and then set up Zoltan Gera for the second after 22 minutes.

The recalled Adel Taarabt put the Rs back in contention when he collected Esteban Granero's pass on his chest before spinning and volleying home, but Youssuf Mulumbu made it 3-1 with five minutes left.

Granero grabbed an injury-time goal but there was no time to rescue a point.

Leighton Baines secured a 2-2 draw for Everton at former club Wigan, scoring an 87th-minute penalty.

Arouna Kone (10) and Nikica Jelavic (11) traded headed goals in a matter of seconds before Franco Di Santo converted Gary Caldwell's cross in the 22nd minute to put the Latics in front.

It looked like that would be enough until Kevin Mirallas earned the spot-kick and Baines stepped up.

Reading gave up a two-goal lead as they drew 2-2 with Swansea at the Liberty Stadium.

Michel Vorm made a rare howler as he allowed Pavel Pogrebnyak's 31st-minute attempt to squirm through him and Noel Hunt's volley doubled the lead moments before half-time.

Michu responded with a diving header in the 71st minute, the Spaniard's sixth goal of the season, and Wayne Routledge levelled seven minutes later as he added the final touch to a wonderful passing move.

In Saturday's late game, Arsenal came from a goal down to beat West Ham 3-1 at Upton Park.

Mohamed Diame opened the scoring in the 21st minute when he netted with a sublime curling effort but four minutes from halftime, the Gunners equalised after summer signing Olivier Giroud poked home his first league goal for the club.

13 minutes from time, Theo Walcott came off the bench to put Arsenal in front, before Santi Cazorla scored six minutes later with a fantastic drive to wrap up the win.

Most Popular News

News & Update