Manchester United Stay Top, Manchester City Moves Second With Saturday Wins

The tally will make 17 league matches in a row Spurs have failed to keep a clean sheet, a factoid far from their minds right now. Villa’s goal makes it 2-1, Spurs. Now in the 87th minute with significant stoppage time expected, Villa has about eight minutes to find an equalizer.

Petrov has been out since October 23, but today against Spurs, he’s being brought on with the hopes he can lead the team to two goals. Petrov has three goals in the last 3.5 seasons and lacks the assist numbers to augment. The Villa captain is known as a steady, rugged, reliable central midfield option. He’s not known for cracking open a defense.

But the one virtue has has over Bannan or Pires is being risk adverse. Who besides some blogger in San Diego is going to fault Houllier for bringing on the proven committee over a pint size Scot or geriatric Frenchman? Sure, both of those players could actually pass a ball, but can they will you to victory? And they inspire? And they X-factor the hell out of this match?

As a result, Harry Redknapp has a decision to make. He didn’t make any chances for the first half’s last 18 minutes, using his 4-4-1-1 as a 4-4-1 with van der Vaart as their most advanced player. At some point in the second half, that will likely have to change. Spurs were able to hold a large part of the possession once playing 10-on-11, but Gèrard Houllier is going to adjust.

At some point, if that doesn’t work, we may see Robert Pìres. Assuming the Frenchman has some of his composure left, he’ll be a need presence on the edge of the penalty area should Spurs start packing in the defense.

The foul came in the 27th minute, four minutes after Rafael van der Vaart put the visitors in front. Seemingly attempting to get leverage against the taller man, Defoe’s elbow was innocuous. Atkinson, however, was left with little choice, the elevated elbow clearly making contact with Collins’ face. It took only a few moments of pause before Defoe was dismissed.

While Wolves found their goal in the 87^th minute, when a ball bounced off a Wigan defender to the foot of Steven Fletcher, allowing the striker to simply poke the ball into the net. The true surprise is that it took nearly the entire second half for Wolves to find a goal. They certainly had plenty of chances, with the Wigan defense seemingly falling apart with every attack, but somehow in the scramble the Latics always managed to bundle the ball out.

The only player in blue who has been more than a warm body for the majority of this game, Carlos Tevez, has sealed Newcastle’s fate in the 81st minute. After an absolutely cracking second half where it looked like Newcastle were going to get back into the match - and did for about ten minutes - Tevez has put City’s opponents to the sword with a garbage goal.

To be far, the skill to set up the goal was brilliant, but the finish itself was exceptionally lucky. Out on the left wing, Tevez beat a couple of defenders before passing to substitute Andy Johnson at the top of the box. Johnson returned the ball to Tevez in traffic who eluded his defenders for a while before putting up a hopeful shot. Had it stayed on line, Tim Krul would have had little problem saving it. Unfortunately for the Magpies, the ball hit the back of Fabricio Coloccini and deflected into the back of the net, giving Krul absolutely no chance.

It has seemed like a Newcastle goal was coming from the fifth minute when Manchester City went ahead 2-0. That intensified in the second half, and feeling that his team was both close to creating something and running out of time to do it, Alan Pardew brought on Nile Ranger in the 60th minute. He didn’t create the goal, but it was a sign of things to come.

On the 72nd minute, Joey Barton sent a corner kick into the corner of the box. Manchester City’s marking was atrocious and the only man they can never afford to leave unmarked in these situations, Andy Carroll, had a free header. He rose and whipped his head around (and his hair back and forth), making contact with the ball and sending it into the back of the net. Joe Hart complained that he was illegally impeded by Kevin Nolan, but the referee had no time for his complaints and Newcastle notched a goal, bringing the score line to a 2-1 City lead.

Though it took an intermission before they did it, Stoke finally broke through. Now in the 56th minute (and about to take another corner), Stoke has a 1-0 lead at Ewood Park.

Still, Sunderland have retreated to form a staunch enough line and have kept United out of goal since minute five. While they’ve mostly been pre-occupied with figuring out how to slow down Giggs, Rooney and Berbatov, they’ve shown little in attack. As an interesting second half begins, the question that remains is whether or not Sunderland will be able to keep out a United side resembling their best form, or if a goal onslaught awaits them.

Both Manchester clubs have been dominant and stand ready to top the table an hour from now. Elsewhere, Bolton’s taken a late first half league, Wigan’s posed to go a third match without a loss, while Blackburn and Stoke are showing how much trouble they’d give Barcelona. Here’s your halftime update:

A ball launched out of the Trotter half saw Elmander drop back from his position to flick a header forward. Matthew Taylor then played a ball into space for Lee, cutting in from his right wing position. At Carson’s left post, Lee dragged the Brom `keeper out of position as he made for the byline, eventually playing the ball back for a trailing Taylor. The Bolton left wing had only to allude one defender to hit the open next, giving the Trotter their lead.

The goal comes after an open half that’s seen both teams easily move the ball through midfield only to see few chances in the final third. Toward the middle of the period Bolton seemed set to grab hold of the match, finding some much-needed patience on the ball. But West Brom found a second wind and against started asking questions of the Trotter defense, questions that were momentarily paused by Taylor’s goal.

It’s all action at Old Trafford as the match progresses into its first ten minute interval. Wayne Rooney came desperately close to finding the back of the net yet the England striker’s chip sailed just wide. Dimitar Berbatov then hit Craig Gordon’s post with only his second attempt of the game after beating Sunderland’s right back Ahmed Elmohamady. Fifeteen minutes in at Old Trafford and the score remains 1-0 yet United currently resemble a side similar to the one who were able to put seven goals past Blackburn just a few weeks ago.

It took less than two minutes for Manchester City to be gifted the first goal of their match against Newcastle and only three minutes more to find their second goal in more deserving fashion. After only five minutes, the mood at St. James’ Park is gloomy and Alan Pardew has been left with a blank stare on the bench.

The first goal was handed to City on a silver platter. On a seemingly innocent play with nothing much in it, Newcastle keeper Tim Krul inexplicably gave the ball away to Carlos Tevez. Tevez passed to Gareth Barry, Barry passed the ball into the back of the net, and it City had a 1-0 lead after only two minutes. It was a simple gift of a goal, but they would get a deserved one minutes later.

In the second half, West Ham adjusted their two striker formation, played Piquionne in a deeper role, and settled into a more conservative approach. Fulham was able to maintain possession, but aside from a late chance for substitute Eddie Johnson, Fulham never gave the West Ham supporters reason to gasp. By that time, Carlton Cole was on a brace, putting West Ham up 3-1, what would ultimately be the final score.

That distinction is unlikely to aid Mark Hughes, the Fulham manager, a man who is sure to come under fire in the following days. Whispers about Hughes’ job security have been circulating as the Cottagers dropped closer to the drop. Now with a chance to be in the bottom three by weekend’s close, Hughes will have cause for concern, particularly given the job status of Martin Jol, the former Ajax manager who, almost hired this summer by Fulham, is out of work.

Should the result hold, West Ham will temporarily climb out of the table’s bottom spot, with pressure sure to mount on Fulham’s Mark Hughes. The Cottage boss has only two wins in 17 this season. A lot at home to the league’s bottom side will heighten concerns about his job.

That’s not to say Fulham should have seen West Ham’s goals coming. The first was an unforeseeable error by one of their own. The second was less Hammer ingenuity than Cottagers’ failure to defend a basic play. Regardless, Fulham trails the league’s bottom side after 45 minutes, the Hammers taking a 2-1 lead into intermission.

A giveaway in his own area by Fulham midfielder Dickson Etuhu has gifted West Ham their first goal. Carlton Cole, in the 37th minute, was the beneficiary, slotting a right-footed shot from 10 yards out past Mark Schwarzer, equalizing at one.

The goal came after Frederic Piquionne had run onto a ball on the right flank of West Ham’s attack. A back heel left a ball for Radoslav Kovac to cross, but a poor attempt sent a cross rolling toward Etuhu at the end of the Fulham area. The Nigerian stretched with his left foot, but a poor touch sent the ball into his own area, with Hammers forward Cole there to take advantage. The rolling right-footed shot went inside Schwarzer’s far post, making the score 1-1.

Now in the 14th minute, Fulham has resisted West Ham’s ensuing questions, having regained control of play. The match remains 1-0, Cottagers.