Premier League

Monday 10th November 2008

BPL Sunday Aftermath

A busy Sunday saw Chelsea, Tottenham, Fulham and Middlesbrough secure crucial wins in the Barclays Premier League.
Chelsea climbed back to the top of the Premier League after outclassing Blackburn 2-0 in a rain-soaked encounter at Ewood Park.
Nicolas Anelka was the star of the show for the away side as his brace sealed the win for Luiz Felipe Scolari's side who now lead the league on goal difference from Liverpool.
John Terry had called on his team to show more spirit after their 3-1 Champions League defeat at Roma on Tuesday and they responded by starting strongly despite the wet conditions.
The Blues threatened the Rovers goal from the start and Paul Robinson was called on to make two early vital saves from Anelka and Deco.
Chelsea took the lead through a freak goal on 39 minutes when Jose Bosingwa surged forward and unleashed a shot which was going wide until it hit Anelka's knee and rolled past Paul Robinson in the Rovers goal.
Blackburn brought on Robbie Fowler in the second half to try and add firepower to their attack but found themselves 2-0 down when Anelka chipped the ball over Robinson on 67 minutes after picking up the ball from Lampard in the box.
Anelka should have sealed his hat-trick at the death but 2-0 was enough to maintain Chelsea's 100% away record and put Scolari's team back on top of the league on the Brazilian's 60th birthday.Darren Bent scored twice to move Tottenham out of the relegation zone with a 2-1 win over nine-man Manchester City at Eastlands.
The England striker hit the winner after 64 minutes when he ran on to a Jermaine Jenas lay-off to fire in across the keeper from 15 yards.
Robinho had given City the lead in the 16th minute when he pounced on a loose ball in the box after Heurelho Gomes had spilled a low drive from Darius Vassell.
Just one minute later, City found themselves reduced to 10 men when Gelson Fernandes received a second yellow card after mis-timing a sliding tackle on David Bentley.
Spurs made good use of their numerical advantage and equalised with 28 minutes gone when Bent tucked the ball under City goalkeeper Joe Hart after Richard Dunne failed to clear a Luka Modric through-ball.
City captain Dunne was then given a straight red card after 82 minutes for bringing down Bent before Spurs defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto was dismissed with one minute left for a second yellow.
A late Steve Sidwell mistake gifted Middlesbrough all three points at Villa Park, where they overcame Aston Villa 2-1.
The former Chelsea midfielder inexplicably laid the ball straight into the path of Tuncay Sanli, who fired home with two minutes left to condemn Villa to their first home defeat of the season.
Tuncay had given Boro the lead after 34 minutes when he took advantage of Nicky Shorey's failure to clear a Stewart Downing cross to convert from close range.
The lead only lasted three minutes, though, as Sidwell stole in at the back post to head home James Milner's cross from point-blank range past Ross Turnbull in the Boro goal.
Afonso Alves thought he had squandered the visitors' best chance when he missed an open goal late on but Tuncay's second saved his blushes and moved Gareth Southgate's side up to eighth.Fulham moved nine places up the table to 10th after beating Newcastle 2-1 in an entertaining match at Craven Cottage.
Danny Murphy rifled his second-half penalty past Shay Given after Andrew Johnson was hacked down in the box by Fabricio Coloccini to seal the valuable win.
Fulham had opened the scoring after 23 minutes when Johnson hammered a low half-volley through Given's legs after Claudio Cacapa's failed clearance fell kindly for the striker.
Newcastle hit back through Shola Ameobi in the 57th minute but they could not equalise a second time and fell back into the relegation zone.