Fixtures

Barclays Premier League

18/12- 10.55pm Arsenal vs Stoke city

19/12- 2am Liverpool vs Fulham

19/12- 11pm Chelsea vs Manchester United

 

Manchester United beat Arsenal 1-0

The familiarity of the result was even more significant than the victory that put Manchester United two points clear in the Premier League with a game in hand.  

Arsenal were unable to disentangle themselves from the clichés that are as accurate as they are familiar. 

The visitors achieved a pattern for a spell in the second half but the winners could usually study it without much apprehension.

Indeed the margin would have been greater had Wayne Rooney not been so wild with a questionable penalty. Home advantage helps but there is still a broader range to United. Arsenal, for all their grace and fluency, could not impose themselves enough on opponents who were steely and, 

often enough, 

polished. 

That limitation should have been anticipated.

Arsenal last beat United in November 2008 and six subsequent encounters in all competitions have now comprised five victories for United and a draw. 

Sir Alex Ferguson was complimentary beforehand about the edge that can be seen in the present Arsenal team but their red cards in this campaign do not show that the men sent off are warriors.

In principle there is nothing so terrible in losing a frantic game that would have made observers wonder if these clubs had really come across the sophistication of the Champions League, let alone been steeped in it. The trouble for Arsenal lies in the demoralisation that could overcome them as they dread that everything is more or less as it has been since they last won a trophy five years ago.

Wenger's men can tell themselves that this is probably the most exacting game that the Premier League can offer. 

Nothing has been decided yet and the victors go to Stamford Bridge for their next fixture. 

A great deal can shift yet and this sort of match could not confirm that United are quite as great a force as they have been. 

Even so that thought will not have weighed heavily on the minds of their fans, 

walking away from Old Trafford in contentment.

It was, 

at least, 

Arsenal's wish to smash the stereotypes. 

Wenger put Denilson, 

one of his holding midfielders, 

on the bench, 

so that the more inventive Jack Wilshere could be accommodated.

Nonetheless there was an initial emphasis on security and United shared in the prudence. 

With Rooney to lead the attack single-handed,

Dimitar Berbatov had to content himself with an evening on the bench.

Ferguson made only one substitution and that confirmed his satisfaction. 

If there was a sort of boldness present, it did not involve attackers. 

The forthrightness emanated from Wenger who, 

with Lukasz Fabianski carrying a minor injury, 

chose to grant the 20-year-old goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny his first Premier League appearance.

Towards the close the Pole excelled by reaching a Rooney chip but that confident effort also endorsed the suspicion that the attacker is coming within reach of his old standard.

It was a taxing privilege for Szczesny to be confronted by an eager United, 

who showed more enterprise before the interval.

A half-cleared cross by Darren Fletcher fell to Nani and his shot flew marginally beyond the far post from an angle on the right. 

Arsenal felt the strain caused by United's persistence, 

even if the referee,

Howard Webb, 

disregarded hopeful appeals for penalties.

The goal came in any case, 

with Nani confirming his rising value. 

After 41 minutes,

his deflected cross was directed into the top corner of the net by Park Ji-sung,

who adjusted his body well to produce so clean a header. 

Arsenal, 

for all their good intentions, 

had not been so dangerous.

To the visitors' frustration, the industry of United was enhanced by Ferguson's shrewdness in calling upon Park. Arsenal did achieve some pattern in the 53rd minute, 

when Wilshere worked the ball to Bacary Sagna and the right-back's deep cross caused a disquiet that had not been witnessed before.

The necessity to attack suited Arsenal and, 

with their one vivid opportunity, 

they would have been level in the 56th minute, 

but for a pair of interventions. 

Samir Nasri's effort from the left was parried by Edwin van der Sar and Nemanja Vidic then blocked Marouane Chamakh's attempt. 

Even in that spell, though, 

United had shown the endeavour, 

with Szczelny having to prevent Anderson from establishing a 2-0 lead after the midfielder had been set up by Rooney.

Play did become more stretched and a penalty was awarded, 

although Gaël Clichy, 

who had lost his balance, 

did not intend to touch a ball from Nani that came off his right arm. 

Webb took the decision on the advice of the assistant Dave Bryan but after Clichy and Nasri had been cautioned Rooney sent the ball over the bar in the 72nd minute. 

Despite that waywardness United always knew precisely where they were going.

Real Madrid victory 3-1 against Zaragoza

Highlights

Click the link above to watch the highlights.

Carlos Tevez transfer rejected.

Man City have poo-pooed a written transfer request from homesick striker Carlos Tevez.

A statement from the club read:

“It is with disappointment that we confirm to our supporters that Carlos Tevez has submitted a written transfer request. 

The club can also confirm that the request has been rejected.

“The club remains disappointed by this situation and particularly with the actions of Carlos’ representative.

“Roberto Mancini and all at the club have shown, 

and will continue to show, 

sensitivity to Carlos’ personal circumstances including the issue of his family being based overseas.

“Indeed following his suspension as a result of the game against Bolton,

Carlos requested, 

and was given, 

special dispensation by the manager to take leave overseas.

“The written transfer request is in stark contrast to Carlos’ stated position in both public and club contexts.

“Significantly, 

over recent months, the club has also received numerous requests from Carlos’ representative to renegotiate and improve his playing contract as well as more recently a request to extend that contract by another year.

“However, 

in line with the club’s policy of not negotiating playing contracts mid-season this has not been granted.

“Carlos’ current five-year contract has three-and-a-half years to run and he is the highest-paid player at the Manchester City Football Club.

“This is both an unfortunate and unwelcome distraction and the club will remain focused on the games ahead in what is turning out to be a very promising season. 

The door remains open for Carlos to be selected to play.”

Tevez is worth the trouble, 

apparently. 

But what happened to clubs keeping this stuff in the dressing room?

Looks like Fergie’s very public re-raise re:

Rooney has played some part in City’s decision to front up Tevez and his agent. 

Your move, 

Carlos…

I utterly sympathise with Tevez if he pines for home and especially his young family. 

But I also say, 

hang on a tic, 

Tevez is being unprofessional here;

he lives and works in England – and is paid more than handsomely to do do – 

and it’s his decision to do so. 

It’s also Tevez’s choice to live thousands of miles away from his daughters. 

He can change that situation easily, 

though of course I understand if he doesn’t want to disrupt his kids’ lives in such a massive way.

Liverpool trashed again

There have been almost as many fake Messiahs as false dawns at St James' Park but, for the moment at least, Newcastle United fans have reason to believe Alan Pardew might prove an unexpected 'answer' after all

If a gritty, gutsy win will not erase the mystification and misery induced by the club's bizarre decision to sack Chris Hughton last Monday, at least it buys the latest messiah time to implement his blueprint for Geordie salvation. First though, Pardew had to survive a baptism of boos as an underwhelmed 51,000 audience greeted his first appearance in the dug out with a cacophony of disapproval. "It wasn't a very pleasant reception," said Hughton's successor. "But I understand that."

Happily for Pardew, goals do not merely change games but entire moods. With 15 minutes on the clock, as Kevin Nolan celebrated giving Newcastle the lead with a now trademark "funky chicken" dance routine, a relieved home manager relaxed.

Thanks largely to an outstanding performance from Andy Carroll, the rest of the game was not overly traumatic. Even so, Pardew seemed close to losing his voice. "The noise level was something I've only experienced in cup finals," he said. "Getting my message out was difficult, I'll have to learn sign language."

On this evidence, he is communicating just fine. "To get three goals was something special," said a manager who had admitted to reservations about accepting the job. "I was a bit nervous; you need the group to be with you but the players made it easy for me when I met them and I felt a lot better about things."

Sensing the atmosphere, the crowd ultimately switched from pre-match militancy and post kick-off rumblings of discontent to full-on encouragement. "In the end, Newcastle fans gave their team incredible support," said Roy Hodgson, Liverpool's rueful manager. "I'm sure it buoyed them."

Pardew was delighted. "The crowd were understandably disappointed about losing Chris [Hughton] but ultimately they support the shirt and the club," he said. "And the team showed their spirit and unity and individual talent; we have four or five outstanding players."

Nolan is among them and, as he began that silly dance, Pardew knew all the talk of a mutinous dressing room had been rather over-egged. Granted, Newcastle's squad harbour great affection for Hughton but they will surely view this latest upheaval on Tyneside as a case of the king is dead; long live the king.

Fans, though, are a very different matter and earlier hundreds of locals had demonstrated peacefully outside the ground's main reception, chanting "Cockney Mafia out" and, among other much ruder things, "Hughton is a Geordie" and "Get out of our club".

Mike Ashley's only solace was that the protesters looked extremely young. Significantly, their 30-, 40- and 50-something seniors inside the stadium, albeit still disgruntled, proved slightly more polite as they waved home-made "Thank you Chris" banners. Accordingly, once Joey Barton's 15th-minute free-kick was headed on by Carroll before dropping kindly for Nolan to score, the fear of things turning ugly abated.

It might have been different had Tim Krul not saved well from Sotirios Kyrgiakos early on or had Fernando Torres better struck an inviting free-kick won when he fell over in the face of Sol Campbell, but Pardew's luck held.

Admittedly, there were a few nervous moments. Early in the second half, for instance, a long ball hit Campbell on the head before falling to Dirk Kuyt's right foot. Kuyt switched it on to his left, took a swipe and the ball deflected off Steven Taylor into the back of the net.

No matter; Pardew introduced Nile Ranger from the bench and the impressive youngster swiftly made a difference, ruffling Hodgson's side with a dangerous strike that went fractionally wide.

Ranger also helped Barton restore the lead. When Carroll provoked pandemonium by heading on a long ball, the substitute and a marker tussled, allowing the ball to drop for Barton to toe home. Up in the stand, Ashley literally danced for joy.

Newcastle's best, namely a fabulous long-range, stoppage-time shot into the bottom corner from Carroll after Liverpool's defence inexplicably backed off, was reserved until last.

"It's a major setback," said Hodgson, sensing a crisis blowing out of Tyneside and on to Merseyside. "A major blow."

Fixtures!

Barclays Premier League

12/12- 2am Newcastle vs Liverpool

12/12- 12am Tottenham vs Chelsea

14/12- 3.54am Manchester United vs Arsenal

La Liga

13/12- 3.55am Barcelona vs Sociedad

13/12- 1.55am Zaragoza vs Real Madrid

P/S: Sorry for the lack of updates due to the crappy internet connection.

Nasri the hero

Samir Nasri struck two goals of rare quality as Arsenal went top of the Premier League table with a 2-1 win over Fulham on Saturday.

The Frenchman has been simply brilliant in recent weeks but this afternoon he excelled himself.
 Fourteen minutes from the start, 

he left two defenders on their backsides before thumping home from close range.
 Fifteen minutes from the end, 

he bustled into the area, 

rounded one defender and then the keeper before hooking the ball home.
 To be honest, 

much of the intervening time was filled with frustration. 

Diomansy Kamara equalised after Laurent Koscielny had been left dazed from an accidental collision with team-mate Sebastien Squillaci.

Arsenal chased the game with urgency and intelligence. 

But Fulham had drawn around 60 per cent of their games this season and you could see why.
 Their tactics were to smother Arsenal’s invention and then snatch what they could via a breakaway or set-piece. 

Wenger’s men spent the afternoon prising them open.
 After successive home defeats to Newcastle and Tottenham, the pressure was on. 

But they responded manfully.
 Everton’s late equaliser at Chelsea and the postponement of Manchester United’s game allowed Arsenal to go top.Now they simply have to stay there.

Wenger made nine changes from the midweek win over Wigan in the Carling Cup. 

Only Jack Wilshere and Koscielny kept their places.
 However compared to Villa last weekend, 

the side was unchanged. 

Once again Tomas Rosicky was captain.
 That Wigan win had lifted a little of the pressure on Arsenal at Emirates Stadium. 

But home form was still an issue for Wenger’s men in the title race. 

A defeat this afternoon would be their third straight in the Premier League – something that had not happened for 33 years.But then Fulham hardly had history on their side. They had NEVER won a League game at Arsenal – and they had been trying since before the First World War.
 In the opening stages, 

it seemed that run would carry on.
 After seven minutes, 

Wilshere’s right-wing free-kick headed high towards Andrey Arshavin at the far post. The Russian waited for the ball to drop and let fly from point-blank range. 

Mark Schwarzer spread himself widely to block.
 The Russian then prodded Nasri through the centre but he poked the ball wide of the upright.
 The Frenchman would not have to wait long for his goal. 

In the 14th minute, 

Arshavin cut in from the left and, again, released Nasri on the right of the area.
 He still had plenty to do – but he went and did it. Nasri weaved inside one defender, 

and then another before thumping home his 10th goal of the season. 

The Frenchman ran to the corner flag as the two bamboozled Fulham players picked themselves off the floor.
 Arsenal might have doubled their lead soon afterwards but Wilshere elected to tee-up Marouane Chamakh instead of going for goal. Midway through the half, 

Arshavin thieved the ball, s

hrugged off a lame challenge and forced a scrambling save from distance.
 The home side were looking to put the game to bed and Nasri was acting as the nightcap.
 He muscled past Matthew Briggs on the right and his cutback was turned goalwards by Dickson Etuhu. Schwarzer saved on the line as Arshavin threatened.
 Seconds later, 

Rosicky crossed from the right and Alex Song steered a shot just wide.
 It was more than more than one-way traffic. 

It was a motorway of oncoming chances. A lot of those had been coming down the Arsenal right and shortly afterwards Hughes took off left back Briggs. 

He did not appear to be injured.
 However while home form is a new problem. 

Profligacy is an old one.
 Despite that, the goal that Arsenal conceded on the half-hour would be laced with misfortune. 

Fulham staged a rare foray up front and,

in clearing a ball, Squillaci headed his team-mate Koscielny clean in the face. 

The latter Frenchman was still groggy when Clint Dempsey clipped a ball into the space he should have been occupying. 

Kamara took it in his stride and sidefooted home.
 As the goal went in, 

Koscielny fell to the floor. 

He was stretchered off and Djourou came on.
  Suddenly those home comforts had gone. 

The nerves returned and Fulham tried to winkle Arsenal open at the back.
 In injury time they did.

Etuhu sent Kamara clean through but Fabianski stood up to make a crucial save.
 That chance came seconds after Bacary Sagna had sent over a cross from the right and Chamakh’s bullet header found the hands of Schwarzer when he should have found the net.
 Arsenal went into the break in a position of unnecessary parity.
 Song set up Rosicky to fire wide in the opening minutes of the second half.

Once again it was all Arsenal in the early stages.
 Arshavin tried a ‘Nasri’ by weaving inside two defenders and letting fly. 

However his shot hit the feet of Schwarzer.
 The traffic continued but the chances dried up. 

That prompted Wenger to bring on Robin van Persie for Rosicky in the 63rd minute.
 It was turning out to be a frustrating afternoon. 

The Arsenal team were chasing every ball and closing down every opponent but Fulham were disciplined, 

organised and ate up clock where they could.
 Midway through the half, 

Song muscled off John Pantsil and, 

from an angle, 

fired over the bar.
 However, 

Fulham offered some danger. 

Fabianski missed his punch at a corner and Zoltan Gera’s header was booted off the line by Van Persie. 

Shortly after that Squillaci headed a probing cross from Simon Davies away from goal. 

Gera’s overhead kick then drifted wide. With 17 minutes left, 

Fulham swapped Kamara for Andy Johnson while Theo Walcott came on for Wilshere.
 The end-game was upon us – but before it had really begun Nasri put the visitors in check-mate.
 Van Persie shaped to shoot on the edge of the area but instead fed the Frenchman. 

He dodged past one defender and danced past the keeper. 

His angle was now acute but he recovered sufficiently to hook his shot past Aaron Hughes on the line.
 Fulham were not spent. Etuhu scrambled a shot inches wide almost immediately but Chamakh could have killed it but when, 

after receiving Clichy’s cross, 

he fired over. 
 Fabianski made a crucial late save from Gera and Fulham pushed for the equaliser.
 But Arsenal deserved this.
 They will have to show much more of that spirit to be there in May.
 However, 

title triumphs are built on ground-out victories like the one at Emirates Stadium this afternoon.