English Premier League Saturday, Halftime Update

West Ham United 0-1 Manchester City - City have been patient, have lacked the same flare they showed last week, but still have the lead. A blast from Yaya Touré half-way through the period has given the Citizens a 1-0 lead, all you can expect from a team playing without their best player. For West Ham, they clearly look behind the match. Either they're too reverent or too bad. Either way, they're not posing a threat.

Stoke City 0-0 Blackpool - An open match has led to few opportunities for either side. Blackpool's best came when Stoke was caught on the wrong foot while pushing their line. A poor touch from Eliot Grandin allowed `keeper Asmir Begovic to swallow up the play at seven yards out. Stoke nearly forced through a goal late in the half but had their opener called back for interfering with goalkeeper Richard Kingson. Stoke's fullbacks are having trouble with Blackpool's long diagonals, helped to make the Tangerines the slightly more dangerous side.

Everton 0-0 Wigan Athletic - Everton has looked good until the final third, a statement I could have cut-and-past from any Toffee match report this season. The stats show 37 percent of the match played in Wigan's end, only 17% in Everton's. But despite Louis Saha looking slight less corpse-like than usual, Everton's still lacking quality on the final ball.

Aston Villa 1-0 West Brom - Stewart Downing's goal rocked the Baggies, leaving the visitors with a "well, I thought we were in control, now what" look on their face. Since that tally, mid-way through the period, the teams have played a more even match, giving Roberto di Matteo halftime to figure out a way to put his team back on the front foot.

Fulham 0-0 Sunderland - Unfortunately, predictably, not very active. The teams have combined for one shot on goal, a speculative (if almost fruitful) attempt from Clint Dempsey half-way through the period. The only other shot came from Sunderland but failed to test Mark Schwarzer. Carlos Salcido bounced a prayer onto goal near intermission, but this match has given no hint that there's a goal in it.