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Saturday, 20 November 2010

Arsenal 2-3 Tottenham Hotspur

Arsenal let a two goal lead slip as Tottenham Hotspur sealed a memorable win at the Emirates Stadium.

Spurs completed one of the most amazing comebacks in north London derby history to end their 17-year wait for a win at Arsenal and deny their arch-rivals top spot in the Barclays Premier League.

The Gunners romped to a 2-0 half-time lead thanks to brilliant goals from Samir Nasri and Marouane Chamakh as William Gallas' return to the Emirates Stadium looked set to end in defeat.

But Gallas had the last laugh as Gareth Bale pulled a goal back and Cesc Fabregas inexplicably handled Rafael van der Vaart's free-kick to allow the Dutchman to level from the penalty spot before Younes Kaboul headed home a dramatic winner five minutes from time.



Manchester United 2-0 Wigan Athletic

Manchester United maintained their unbeaten record with victory over nine-man Wigan Athletic.

United took the lead in the last minute of the first half when Patrice Evra scored his first goal for three and a half years. Park Ji Sung floated a cross to the back post and Evra rose and sent a downward header past Ali Al Habsi.

Wigan skipper Antolin Alcaraz was sent off on 59 minutes after picking up his second yellow card for a rash challenge on Darren Fletcher.

Two minutes later Hugo Rodallega was following his captain down the tunnel after a two-footed challenge on Rafael earned him a straight red from referee Martin Atkinson.

Javier Hernandez gave the home side breathing space 14 minutes from time with a header from a Rafael cross.

West Bromwich Albion 0-3 Stoke City

Stoke City chalked up a third successive victory by beating West Bromwich Albion.

The Baggies have now gone five without a win after going down to two penalties and a late third.

The first was scored by Matthew Etherington on 55 minutes after Kenwyne Jones had been fouled by Scott Carson.

Jonathan Walters netted the second spot-kick four minutes from time after Simon Cox had fouled Dean Whitehead.

Walters got his second in stoppage-time following up after Carson had saved his initial effort.

Blackpool 2-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers

Blackpool enjoyed victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers thanks to two first-half goals.

Luke Varney and Marlon Harewood piled on the pressure for Wolves by firing Blackpool to victory in front of Prince William.

Varney set up a thrilling Barclays Premier League contest with a stunning volley after just three minutes at Bloomfield Road and Harewood added a second just before the interval.

Kevin Doyle set up a tense finish after Nenad Milijas hit the post for Wolves in a fine second-half response but the hosts held on.


Bolton Wanderers 5-1 Newcastle United

Bolton Wanderers delivered a resounding victory against Newcastle United at the Reebok Stadium.

Kevin Davies and Johan Elmander each helped themselves to two goals as brilliant Bolton brushed aside 10-man Newcastle and ensured Kevin Nolan's big Reebok Stadium return turned sour.

Davies hit a pair from the penalty spot while Elmander fired two in the second half and Lee Chung-yong also got on the scoresheet as Owen Coyle's men hit the dizzy heights of fourth in the table.

Newcastle, for whom Nolan had missed a first minute chance, grabbed their only goal from Andy Carroll on 51 but played the final 15 minutes with 10 men after the dismissal of Fabricio Coloccini.


Birmingham City 1-0 Chelsea

Lee Bowyer scored the only goal as Birmingham City earned their first Barclays Premier League win over Chelsea.

Birmingham keeper Ben Foster produced a superb performance as leaders Chelsea suffered a second successive defeat.

Bowyer's first half goal - his first for nearly 12 months - earned Alex McLeish's side a shock victory.

But their hero was Foster who bounced back from his error on England duty in midweek with a series of stunning saves.


Birmingham City 1-0 Chelsea

Lee Bowyer scored the only goal as Birmingham City earned their first Barclays Premier League win over Chelsea.

Birmingham keeper Ben Foster produced a superb performance as leaders Chelsea suffered a second successive defeat.

Bowyer's first half goal - his first for nearly 12 months - earned Alex McLeish's side a shock victory.

But their hero was Foster who bounced back from his error on England duty in midweek with a series of stunning saves.

Liverpool 3-0 West Ham United

Liverpool's comprehensive win kept West Ham United rooted to the foot of the Barclays Premier League.

The Merseysiders took the lead in the 18th minute when Raul Meireles swung over a corner and Glen Johnson chested it down before drilling a low shot straight down the middle of the goal with Rob Green unsighted.

The visitors conceded a second from the penalty spot in the 27th minute. Fernando Torres flicked the ball past Danny Gabbidon but it bounced back off Matthew Upson on to his central defensive partner's hand. Referee Lee Probert blew for hand ball and Dirk Kuyt rolled the penalty straight down the middle as Green dived to his left.

Seven minutes from the interval Green's legs denied Torres from Maxi Rodriguez's flick-on but Paul Konchesky immediately whipped the ball back in and the little Argentinian found himself unmarked on the penalty spot to deflect the ball inside the far post with his head.

Scorer: Johnson (17)
Scorer: Kuyt (27)
Scorer: Maxi (38)

Liverpool v West Ham

Liverpool aim to bounce back from their defeat at Stoke as they host the Hammers who have won just once all season.

The Hammers have drawn their last three but have not won in seven and have not won at Anfield since September 1963. In their 53 visits, West Ham have enjoyed success just three times, conceding 101 goals and scoring 29.

West Ham have netted in just three of their 15 visits in the Premier League while the Merseysiders are unbeaten in 15 meetings, winning 12 and drawing three.

West Brom v Stoke

West Brom have lost three of their last four and have taken just one points from a possible 12. A fifth match without a victory would be their worst run since they failed to win in 11, from January to April 2009.

Stoke have won two in a row and are bidding for a hat-trick of victories for the first time in the Premier League.

Albion have not beaten Stoke since September 2003. Since then Stoke have won six and drawn one of their seven league meetings.

Man Utd v Wigan

Sir Alex Ferguson's men defend the only remaining unbeaten record in the country as they host the Latics who have lost their last two on the road.

United have not lost in the league since April, at home to Chelsea. In total they have now gone 18 matches without tasting defeat, 13 of those have come this season in the Premier League, two short of equalling the club record, set in the 1985-86 campaign.

If they avoid defeat at home to Wigan and then Blackburn Rovers, they can set a new club record at Blackpool, on 14th December.

United have won all 11 meetings between the clubs. Ten of those have been in the Premier League, with the Red Devils scoring 31 goals and conceding just four.

Bolton v Newcastle

Both sides are flying high in the current form table with 11 points from their last six matches.

Bolton have taken seven points from a possible nine and have lost just one of their last nine in the Barclays Premier League.

Newcastle have won their last two on the road, at West Ham and Arsenal, but in 10 Premier League visits to Bolton they have won three and lost seven. Six of those defeats have come in their last seven visits.

Blackpool v Wolves

The Seasiders have the chance to open up a nine-point gap over Wolves who are desperate for points as they bid to escape the relegation zone.

Wolves are unbeaten in their last 10 visits to Bloomfield Road, winning six and drawing four since the Seasiders scored a 7-2 success in January 1962.

Ian Holloway's side have not won in three while Mick McCarthy's men have lost three in a row.

Birmingham v Chelsea

The champions are desperate to get back on track following their surprise 3-0 home defeat by Sunderland.

Chelsea are bidding to avoid back-to-back Premier League defeats for the first time in 165 matches and have never lost to Birmingham in the Premier League in 12 meetings homes and away.

City's last victory over the Londoners came 16 matches ago in March 1980 when they racked up a 5-1 success at St Andrew's.

Arsenal v Spurs

The north London derby is always keenly contested but this one has extra edge because Arsenal can go top of the Barclays Premier League with victory over their neighbours thanks to a sequence of five wins from their last six matches.

Spurs have only won once in the Premier League at the home of their neighbours. That was in the competition's first season, when they beat Arsenal 3-1, in May 1993. Since then they have drawn six and lost 11 visits.

Tottenham have not kept a clean sheet since the opening day of the season and have not had a shut-out at Arsenal since 1998.

Match previews - Sat 20th Nov

A look ahead to Saturday's fixtures in the Barclays Premier League.

Arsenal have the chance to go top of the Barclays Premier League for the first time since March as they kick off Saturday's round of fixtures at home to Tottenham Hotspur.

Victory over their north London rivals will see the Gunners leapfrog Chelsea who then visit Birmingham City.

Manchester United hope to keep pace as they host Wigan Athletic and Bolton Wanderers could move into the Champions League places if they win at home to Newcastle United.

Wolverhampton Wanderers travel to Blackpool and Stoke City go to West Bromwich Albion and the day's programme is rounded off by Liverpool taking on West Ham United at Anfield.

Arsenal v Spurs

The north London derby is always keenly contested but this one has extra edge because Arsenal can go top of the Barclays Premier League with victory over their neighbours thanks to a sequence of five wins from their last six matches.

Spurs have only won once in the Premier League at the home of their neighbours. That was in the competition's first season, when they beat Arsenal 3-1, in May 1993. Since then they have drawn six and lost 11 visits.

Tottenham have not kept a clean sheet since the opening day of the season and have not had a shut-out at Arsenal since 1998.

Birmingham v Chelsea

The champions are desperate to get back on track following their surprise 3-0 home defeat by Sunderland.

Chelsea are bidding to avoid back-to-back Premier League defeats for the first time in 165 matches and have never lost to Birmingham in the Premier League in 12 meetings homes and away.

City's last victory over the Londoners came 16 matches ago in March 1980 when they racked up a 5-1 success at St Andrew's.

Blackpool v Wolves

The Seasiders have the chance to open up a nine-point gap over Wolves who are desperate for points as they bid to escape the relegation zone.

Wolves are unbeaten in their last 10 visits to Bloomfield Road, winning six and drawing four since the Seasiders scored a 7-2 success in January 1962.

Ian Holloway's side have not won in three while Mick McCarthy's men have lost three in a row.

Bolton v Newcastle

Both sides are flying high in the current form table with 11 points from their last six matches.

Bolton have taken seven points from a possible nine and have lost just one of their last nine in the Barclays Premier League.

Newcastle have won their last two on the road, at West Ham and Arsenal, but in 10 Premier League visits to Bolton they have won three and lost seven. Six of those defeats have come in their last seven visits.

Man Utd v Wigan

Sir Alex Ferguson's men defend the only remaining unbeaten record in the country as they host the Latics who have lost their last two on the road.

United have not lost in the league since April, at home to Chelsea. In total they have now gone 18 matches without tasting defeat, 13 of those have come this season in the Premier League, two short of equalling the club record, set in the 1985-86 campaign.

If they avoid defeat at home to Wigan and then Blackburn Rovers, they can set a new club record at Blackpool, on 14th December.

United have won all 11 meetings between the clubs. Ten of those have been in the Premier League, with the Red Devils scoring 31 goals and conceding just four.

West Brom v Stoke

West Brom have lost three of their last four and have taken just one points from a possible 12. A fifth match without a victory would be their worst run since they failed to win in 11, from January to April 2009.

Stoke have won two in a row and are bidding for a hat-trick of victories for the first time in the Premier League.

Albion have not beaten Stoke since September 2003. Since then Stoke have won six and drawn one of their seven league meetings.

Liverpool v West Ham

Liverpool aim to bounce back from their defeat at Stoke as they host the Hammers who have won just once all season.

The Hammers have drawn their last three but have not won in seven and have not won at Anfield since September 1963. In their 53 visits, West Ham have enjoyed success just three times, conceding 101 goals and scoring 29.

West Ham have netted in just three of their 15 visits in the Premier League while the Merseysiders are unbeaten in 15 meetings, winning 12 and drawing three.