Arsenal blew the chance to reduce Manchester United’s lead at the top of the Premier League to just one point after being held to a 0-0 draw at home to Sunderland.
With United facing a tricky away game at Liverpool today, Arsenal could have piled the pressure on Sir Alex Ferguson’s team with a win over Sunderland at the Emirates.
However Arsene Wenger’s injury-hit team, missing Cesc Fabregas, Theo Walcott and Robin van Persie, were frustrated by a resolute Sunderland side who were determined to end a run of four consecutive defeats.
The draw leaves Arsenal three points adrift of United ahead of today’s game at Anfield. Their next test will come when they travel to face Barcelona in the second leg of the last-16 Champions League tie when they will defend a one goal advantage.
Birmingham brought
back to earth
Newly crowned League Cup winners Birmingham were brought down to earth, losing 3-1 to West Bromwich Albion at St Andrews.
Only six days after Alex McLeish’s side stunned Arsenal at Wembley, the Blues were left contemplating a potentially costly home defeat that sent them into the relegation zone.
Second-half goals from Youssouf Mulumbu, James Morrison and Paul Scharner secured the win for Albion, giving new manager Roy Hodgson the first victory of his three-match reign following last month’s dismissal of Roberto Di Matteo.
A furious McLeish pointed the finger at his team’s woeful defending. “Schoolboy defending, the goals were lamentable,” said McLeish. “We huffed and puffed without creating too much up front.”
The win saw West Brom move up to 16th place, and left the Blues in 18th place, two off the bottom
Bolton secure eighth home win
In a dramatic game at the Reebok Stadium, Bolton twice came from behind against Aston Villa and saw the visitors miss a penalty before snatching a dramatic 3-2 victory.
Villa took the lead on 15 minutes, with January transfer signing Darren Bent netting his third goal for the club after meeting Kyle Walker’s cross at the back post to silence the Reebok Stadium. But Gary Cahill equalised with a header on the stroke of half-time to restore parity for Bolton.
Villa were not to be denied though, and Marc Albrighton gave the visitors the lead again when he finished on 64 minutes.
Ashley Young could have made the game safe for Villa on 70 minutes only to see his penalty saved by Jussi Jaaskelainen.
Young was made to rue the miss shortly afterwards, when Cahill grabbed his second to make it 2-2. And four minutes from time substitute Ivan Klasnic fired in the winner to sink Villa and see Wanderers move up a place to sixth.
Fullham edge past Blackburn
There was more drama at Craven Cottage where Fulham overcame a stubborn Blackburn side 3-2 courtesy a late penalty from Bobby Zamora.
Earlier, Damien Duff had twice given Fulham the lead against his former club only for his goals to be cancelled out by Grant Hanley and David Hoilett.
Everton, West Ham advance
Everton bounced back from the disappointment of their midweek FA Cup exit to Reading to beat Newcastle 2-1 at St James Park. Leon Best fired the Magpies ahead on 23 minutes before two goals in five minutes from Leon Osman and Phil Jagielka gave Everton a valuable three points.
Meanwhile, West Ham’s revival gathered pace with a 3-0 win over Stoke at Upton Park, with Senegalese striker Demba Ba taking advantage of some comedy defending by Asmir Begovic and Marc Wilson to open the scoring after 21 minutes.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 6th, 2011.
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