A 95th minute goal from Darren Bent took points from Arsenal, Sunderland drawing the Gunners 1-1 at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.
English Premier League, Saturday Review: Arsenal Drawn Late At Sunderland, Everton Stunned At Goodison
Cesc Fabregas scored a freakish first half goal when an attempted Anton Ferdinand long ball when off the leg of the pressuring Fabregas and, from around 30 yards out, arced over Simon Mignolet for a goal.
Arsenal, playing down a man after Alex Song was sent off early in the second half, had a chance to put the match away late when Ahmed El Muhammadi took down Samir Nasri in the Sunderland area. Tomas Rosicky, who had replaced the injured Fabregas in the first half, skied the spot kick, leaving Sunderland within striking distance.
That strike came in the fifth of four announced stoppage time minutes. A ball played into the middle of the Arsenal area eventually found Bent at Manuel Alumnia’s right post. The England international’s finish gave the Black Cats a dramatic draw.
It was a strange game for Arsenal, who allowed Sunderland much of the game’s possession. Even before Fabregas was taken off, Sunderland was controlling the match, generating the better (albeit half) chances. Perhaps that was the tactic. Perhaps Arsenal was flat after their mid-week match. Either way, the Gunners allowed Sunderland to take a point, and while Arsenal moved to within one point of league-leading Chelsea, come tomorrow they could be four back and drawn for second with Manchester United.
Results
Stoke City 1-1 West Ham United
32’ - Scott Parker (West Ham)
48’ - Kenwyne Jones (Stoke City)
Aston Villa 1-1 Bolton Wanderers
13’ - Ashley Young (Aston Villa)
35’ - Kevin Davies (Bolton)
Blackburn Rovers 1-1 Fulham
30’ - Christopher Samba (Blackburn)
48’ - Kenwyen Jones
Everton 0-1 Newcastle United
44’ - Hatem Ben Arfa
Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers
44’ - Steven Fletcher (Wolves)
77’ - Rafael van der Vaart (Spurs) (PG)
87’ - Roman Pavlyuchenko
90’ - Alan Hutton
West Bromwich Albion 3-1 Birmingham City
15’ - Cameron Jerome (Birmingham City)
51’ - Scott Dann (Birmingham City) (OG)
59’ - Peter Odemwingie
70’ - Jonas Olsson
Sunderland 1-1 Arsenal
13’ - Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal)
Red Card - Alexander Song (Arsenal)
90’ - Darren Bent (Sunderland)
Feel Free To Worry, Everton
Newcastle is not as bad as they were last week (though their loss to Blackpool was more Matthew Gilks then their failing), and Everton is not as good as their two minute, end-of-match span against Manchester United - all of which becomes much easier to say after Hatem Ben Arfa’s 24-yard scorcher beat Tim Howard. After Everton spend the last 40 minutes pressing an equalizer, the Marseille loanee's goal gave the Magpies a 1-0 win at Goodison Park.
Everton stays in 19th, still win-less after five matches, and having lost points at home to an inferior side for the second time this season, it’s time for the Toffees (and supporters) to start worrying about two things. First, are the Newcastles and Wolverhamptons of the world truly inferior to Everton? The talent on the respective teams says yes, only adding to the season’s disappointing start.
It also magnifies Everton’s second problem: Where do you regain these lost points? In the past, the Toffees have been able to steal them back from the top of the league, but that’s a precarious game to play. “We’re OK losing at home to Newcastle because we can get those points back from Chelsea.” Can you? Because you didn’t look too good against Manchester United.
Late Comebacks At White Hart Lane, The Hawthorns
The story was similar for both Spurs and West Brom: give-up first goal at home, go to half time down, score three in the second half, profit.
In London, it was Steven Fletcher, finally returning to the lineup, scoring just before half-time, finishing off a Kevin Foley cross, giving Wolves a lead that held for the next 30 minutes. Then, Alan Hutton - whose substitution for Younes Kaboul may have turned the match - drew a penalty, converted by surprise starter Rafael van der Vaart. Ten minutes later, Roman Pavlyuchenko scored from close range before Hutton added a goal of his own, giving Spurs a 3-1 win.
West Brom’s comeback, responding to an early Cameron Jerome goal, started courtesy of a Scott Dann own goal six minutes into the second half. Brom would take the lead eight minutes later with Peter Odemwingie’s second of the season, and when Jonas Olsson scored ten minutes after that, West Brom had the margin for their first win of the season.
For Birmingham City, it brings back the question we’ve been asking all season, a question that seemed to be answered when they shut-out Liverpool last week. After their defense performed above expectations last season, could the Blues be set for problems in goal prevention, particularly given the loss of Joe Hart? Allowing three goals to West Brom hints yes. Birmingham City’s now allowed eight goals in five games.
Draws at Britannia, Villa Park, and Ewood
West Ham United got their first point of the season, with an early goal from Scott Parker earning the Hammers a draw at the Britannia, Stoke failing to build on an Kenwyne Jones’ early second half goal.
Ashley Young and Kevin Davies traded first half goals at Villa Park, with Aston Villa and Bolton playing to a 1-1 draw.
Fulham stayed undfeated, with Clint Dempsey’s second half tally equalizing Christopher Samba’s controversial first half goal (Mark Schwarzer knocked over before Samba's header). The draw is the Cottagers' fourth in five games.
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