English Premier League Saturday: Chelsea, Arsenal Find Late Game Winners While Wolverhampton Upsets Manchester City

Nani scored United’s second of the day in a moment that has produced one of the most bizarre goals in Premier League history. Spurs keeper Heurelho Gomes, attempting to take a free kick, set the ball down to line up the kick while Nani, playing the opportunist (having just handled the ball), walks up to slot home the dead ball that was in fact live.

The confusion that must have been running through the mind of Gomes was that Nani had handled the ball while laying on the pitch, possibly assuming he’d just won a penalty, and that a free kick was awarded. Nani’s infraction must not have been spotted by referee Mark Clattenburg as he allowed live play to continue.

A game with enough quality on both sides has ebbed and flowed while before the goal, players on either side hit the respective goal posts. Rafael van der Vaart came closest for Spurs with a shot just outside the box which beat Edwin van der Sar easily but couldn’t find it’s way past the post while Park Ji Sung came close for United in the game’s opening two minutes.

Unless Blackburn can find a goal in the four minutes of added time, it looks as though Chelsea will take all three points to pull further ahead in the table.

After 88 minutes of frustration, Arsenal have finally found a goal to take the lead at the Emirates Stadium. Left back Gael Clichy made space for himself by faking a cross with his left foot on the left flank and cutting back inside onto his right. His right footed in-swinging cross was perfectly placed, finding a gap between Robert Green and the West Ham defense. Midfielder Alex Song was making a late run to the back post and gave Clichy’s great ball the slight touch it needed, heading it into the back of the net for his third goal in three games.

Robert Green had been spectacular for West Ham all game, keeping Arsenal off the score sheet with a flurry of great saves. Just a few minutes prior to the goal, he made a brilliant save off a 12 yard shot by Cesc Fabregas. There was nothing Green could do about the goal, though, as Clichy’s cross was just too good.

Wolves deserved the lead largely because of their work ethic in the early moments of the second half. Edwards himself has made run after run to get in advance of and support the strikers that the goal would have come as a welcome relief to Edwards and Wolves boss Mick McCarthy.

The 2-1 lead marks only the second time this season that Wolves have scored more than one goal in a game and also marks the 7th goal conceded by City in their last three Premier League matches. Not a statistic any club pushing for fourth or a league title will be satisfied with.

Wigan manager Roberto Martinez has a plenty of work to do at halftime as his side let in two goals in the last fifteen minutes to go into the break 2-0 down. American Clint Dempsey got both the goals to make it five for the season, the first a clinical header from Salcidos ball into the box and the second a thunderbolt on the half-volley after a cross from Chris Baird.

The match took a while to spring into life, with Wigan just about shading it early on, and an intriguing second half awaits. Wigan will surely want to come out all guns blazing as they attempt to avoid dropping into the relegation zone, while Mark Hughes side will look to protect a lead that could mean they finish the day in seventh place. Trouble for the away side is that goals have been hard to come by, with all eyes now focussing on Hugo Rodallega and Charles N´Zogbia as Wigan look for a way back in.

Avram Grant’s West Ham United side have come to play today against Arsenal, taking a 0-0 score line into halftime. The visitors have defended well and have shown some attacking ambition as well. Mark Noble and Scott Parker have at least matched, if not bettered Alex Song and the invisible Denilson thus far. Cesc Fabregas has had an influence on the game with his passing, but West Ham have done well to limit the dangers he presents.

Robert Green has been the biggest story, making a number of quality saves, mostly from close range opportunities. Arsenal’s best chances have all come from set pieces as they have failed to create anything significant from open play.

Nenad Milijas has found a quick equalizer for Wolves when he slotted home a deflected Matthew Jarvis cross past Joe Hart in the Manchester City goal. Wolves were down a goal for only seven minutes before they were able to erase Emmanuel Adebayor’s penalty in the 23rd minute.

While the score remains level, Wolves continue to push forward backed by their boisterous home support. Wolves goal came when City’s back line failed to adjust to the width created by Wolves attack thus leaving space and time for Milijas to shot. While Wolves have leaned heavily to the left to send crosses into the box, City have looked for their second of the match by staying patient and looking to counter.

Blackburn really had no opportunity to defend this goal, with Chelsea executing each move before the Rovers even realized where the ball had been. Although the home side are still pressing forward, the Blues are finally looking tighter in the back, and giving Blackburn little chance to maneuver.

We head into halftime at Blackburn with the score line even at 1-1. Sam Allardyce will have to give his players quite a rollicking in the dressing room if he wants to keep Chelsea from running riot in the second.

Clint Dempsey stoops to nod Fulham ahead of Wigan Athletic at Craven Cottage. The goal came courtesy of a surging run down the right from Mexican full-back Carlos Salcido, followed by an inch-perfect cross. Dempsey made no mistake from inside the area for his fourth goal of the season.

A very even match so far with Wigan just about shading possession. Expect a few more goals, especially if striker Andy Johnson makes his long-awaited comeback from injury.

It was a smooth Jerome Boateng ball from midfield that put David Silva in on goal who then looked to cross to the energetic Mario Balotelli but was felled first by Wolves central defender Richard Stearman deep into the box. It was an easy decision for referee Mike Dean to award the spot kick as Stearman took down Silva as not a hint of the ball was played.

Emmanuel Adebayor stepped up to take the penalty and City found themselves instantly up 1-0. It was a well taken penalty and a deserved lead for the away side who enjoyed some good early chances through Mario Balotelli as City looked for the break through.

That’s the Zimbabwe international’s first goal since signing for Blackburn in August, and his first Premier League goal in nearly two years.

Since the goal, Chelsea have came to life slightly, but Blackburn continue to threaten again and again. The Blues’ defense is quite scattered, with the visitors unable to adequately clear the area. Even if they manage to get out of their own half, the normally flawless Chelsea can’t string more than three passes together, to the delight of Blackburn.