Is he sacked yet?

Avram Grant looked like a dead Dangermouse villain walking at the Boleyn, while Kenny Dalglish looked choked up and eventually very relieved on his return to Anfield. The Manchester clubs jostled for top spot, while Wigan once again nudged out of the relegation zone, soon to be back there from their perpetual habit of turning wins into draws.

Manchester United clung on to their unbeaten run by their fingertips at White Hart Lane, with Rafael Van Der Vaart and Peter Crouch inches away from breaking a terminal deadlock. Rafael Da Silva earned a very harsh red card, but earned himself no new fans with a show of histrionics at the referee which will interest the FA no doubt. Wayne Rooney also went close twice, but the red half of Machester, grateful for a magnificent defensive display from Nemanja Vidic, which strayed into the illegal with an unspotted shirt tug on Van Der Vaart, were just glad to get out with their unbeaten run, and top spot, intact.

 

A barnstorming match at Eastlands saw Mancitti briefly usurp neighbours United, though a thrashing soon turned into a very narrow victory through Wolves’ gallant fightback. Wolves took the game to City early on; a risky tactic, but City suddenly looked like a very large dog with a little Terrier snapping at them: bemused. The opening goal came on a dozen minutes and was well deserved. The ball was delivered into the City box, and Kolo Toure earned his massive wages with the most casual of attempted clearances that struck the unsuspecting Vincent Kompany and rebounded to Nenad Milijas. Joe Hart made a magnificent instinctive save, but Milijas was persistent in forcing the ball over the line. Wolves continued to press, and City had Alexsander Kolarov to thank for throwing himself brilliantly in front of Matt Jarvis, to block his goal-bound effort after some incredible trickery and industry from the Stephen with an ‘H’ and Steven with a ‘V’ on the left flank had carved the opening; Hunt and Fletcher working from being tackled right on the touchline, but strength, skill and a backheeled one-two later, and they had created what would have been one of the goals of the season, but for the heroics of Kolarov. Wolves fans must have been concerned that this dominant period hadn’t been capitalised on fully, and they were right. Mancitti started to regain the initiative, with Tevez sending a range-finder whistling narrowly over, before expensive new boy Edin Dzeko had a shot well blocked. It took until five minutes shy of the break for City to level affairs. Kolo made those wages slightly easier to bear when he met a deep corner at the back post, and forced the ball over the line, despite a covering defender.

In the second half City commenced something of an onslaught. After a long-range Kolarov effort was spooned just wide by an anxious Hennessey, Carlos Tevez produced a moment of true class to swing the game in the Sky Blues’ favour. The Argentinian star picked the ball up midway into the Wolves half and began to advance menacingly. Before they knew it, Wolves had seen three of their men beaten by his weaving run and the ball find the corner of their net. City were on the front foot now, and the Bosnian that everyone had been talking about suddenly took centre stage; picking up the ball from a rapid counter midway inside his own half, before exchanging passes with Tevez, nutmegging a defender and slipping the ball outside the last man for the galloping Yaya Toure to burst onto and sweep past the advancing goalkeeper without breaking his stride. Ronald Zubar showed Wolves were still hungry for the fight with a powerful header that thudded off the top of the crossbar from a corner, but the game appeared to be a formality on 65 minutes, when Pablo Zabaleta’s sumptuous delivery was excellently nodded in off the underside of the crossbar by his prolific compatriot Tevez for 4-1. Mancitti had reckoned without another overly expensive dud costing them a penalty. Joleon Lescott was all over the back of Kevin Doyle; molesting him to the ground and watching the same man bury his spot-kick to reduce the arrears. Christophe Berra made an unforgiveable cock-up later that should have put Wolves to bed; the dozy defender with time to clear back into enemy territory trying in vain to bring the ball down, leading to Yaya Toure picking his pocket, and using those long long legs to power forward free, but this time Hennessey saved one-on-one to keep the fightback a possibility. Ronald Zubar went one better with his next header, guiding a corner exquisitely into the most unguarded area of the goal, with De Jong a fraction too late in attempting to hack it off his goal-line. With five minutes of injury time, the conclusion of the game was manic, with Wayne Hennessey having to make a crucial tackle on the halfway line after advancing way out of his goal, and James Milner rounding Hennessey at the death, only to see his effort slid away from the net by Karl Henry.

Baron Von Grantback looked ever more the demoralised undertaker as his position, under intense scrutiny, became more untenable with an appalling performance against Arsenal, who took it easy on the Hammers, as they could have won by far more than a three goal margin. Theo Walcott and Robin Van Persie looked sharp as a box of knives, and ripped the Hammers defence to ribbons time and again. Wayne Bridge, who was kept out of the Chelsea team by one love cheat, and out of his marriage bed by another, came from Mancitti on typically extravagant wages of reputedly £90k a week. On this form he is worth about 90 pounds a week. West Ham fielded a backline of supposedly some of England’s finest examples of the defensive art. Robert Green, Matthew Upson, Wayne Bridge, and a prospect in any other side: James Tomkins, formed four fifths of the backline, and yet Bridge was culpable in all of the goals, Upson was far from a barrier, Green did very little and Tomkins failed in many vital tackles which led to the goals. Theo Walcott fooled Bridge in the 13^th minute, drilling in a lovely low cross which was sublimely dummied by Nasri, allowing it to run to Van Persie, who sent it into the net like a cruise missile despite the futile attention of Tomkins. Walcott burst onto a long pass off the shoulder of Tomkins later, who had a chance to tackle, but only succeeded in delaying Walcott’s progress. Luckily for the youngster, Green rushed out to narrow the angle and Walcott fluffed his shot. Johann Djorou then proved he would look at home in the Hammers’ defence, by playing a dopey underhit backpass to let in the marauding Carlton Cole, whose shot was well saved by Szczesny, though the ball was returned into the mix, where Zavon Hines somehow fired a glorious chance over the crossbar from six yards. Robin Van Persie went in for the kill again from Nasri’s beautiful pass, but his shot struck the opposite post and came out. Van Persie did make the difference just before half-time, wriggling to the byline, past a non-existent challenge from Upson, and putting in a low cross which Bridge was favourite for, only to allow Walcott to nip round his man and fire in from point-blank range. Carlton Cole ruined another breathtakingly simple chance before the break, when a perfect cross from Freddie Sears was begging to be nodded in, only for the forward to let it hit his shoulder, then Djorou and across goal. West Ham offered next to nothing of note in the second half, and Bridge’s day was complete, when he was suckered into an awful challenge which brought down Walcott. Robin Van Persie rattled in the penalty, and the Hammers misery was exacerbated. Avram tossed his lucky scarf into the crowd, and not many would punt on him still being manager in a week’s time, what with the toxic trio making such an embarrassing spectacle of coveting Martin O'Neill.

Yet another fantastic spectacle involving Blackpool, and West Brom recovered from their six straight defeats in all competitions to snatch a priceless victory at the Hawthorns, helped in no small part by some typically profligate finishing from everyone’s favourite disc jockey: Dudley Junior Campbell; or Dud as his friends call him. After just ninety seconds, Campbell brilliantly dodged a sliding tackle inside the box, only to fire his shot just wide of the post with the goal at his mercy. The big talking point from the Baggies’ line-up was former captain Scott Carson being dropped for one clanger too many, replaced by former Hull goalkeeper Boaz Myhill. He could not do much about David Vaughan’s crisp strike from the edge of the box after a corner fell to him though, and Blackpool took the lead. Peter Odemwingie, who had been having something of a torrid time of late, apparently saw a psychologist in the week, and it worked if this performance was anything to go by. Initially the Nigerian crossed for Chris Brunt to meet on the volley at the back post, only for Stephen Crainey to make a goal-saving block. Crainey later dangerously deflected a cross that the alert Kingson dealt with, but he was beaten coolly by Odemwingie on 37 minutes, after a defence splitting pass from Graham Dorrans found the Tangerine offside trap faulty. The second half had hardly begun when Charlie Adam played a defence-splitter of his own, but DJ Campbell fired just wide of the opposite post, again with the whole goal at his mercy. Jerome Thomas produced some classic wingplay in beating two men and sending in a teasing low cross, which Kingson lazily flung a hand at, only to parry it straight to James Morrison, who netted to put West Brom in the driving seat. Kingson then partially redeemed himself; saving well from Morrison and brilliantly in a one-on-one with Odemwingie, after Charlie Adam had been hustled off the ball by Yousouff Mulumbu. Odemwingie worked more magic to set up Morrison again for an easy chance, but the Scot lost his head and dug his shot over the bar with just Kingson to beat. 80 minutes had elapsed when Blackpool’s boundless vigour paid dividends. Young prospect Matt Phillips was well found lurking on the right-hand side of the Baggies’ area, and he sent in a lovely low cross for Gary Taylor-Fletcher to finish at the back post. ‘Ollie could have been forgiven for celebrating a well won point, but there was a sting in the tail, as West Brom negated their usual passing game for an old-fashioned hoof forward, which Craig Cathcart took his eye off with Odemwingie at his back; a fatal error, as the Nigerian seized on the chance as it bounced and lashed into the net for the winner. There was still time for one last Tangerine surge, but DJ Campbell’s swivelled effort was smothered, as West Brom held out to end their rotten run.

The Merseyside derby that signalled the end of the last Kenny Dalglish era at Liverpool returned, as the Scousers’ returning idol took charge once more at Anfield. Despite two defeats in two, there was mass optimism and emotion from the stands as ‘King Kenny’ sent out his troops once more, almost twenty years to the day since he last did. The early signs were promising, as Fernando Torres turned Sylvain Distin, cut inside Johnny Heitinga and thumped the post, only for Dirk Kuyt to make a hash of the rebound. Just before the half-hour the promise turned to gold, as makeshift left-back Glenn Johnson broke down the left, before cutting back to his favoured foot and crossing for Kuyt to have Howard save twice, before Raul Meireles finally turned the ball in. Fernando Torres sent in a ferocious shot that Tim Howard did well to parry, and Phil Neville did enough to keep the high loose ball away from Meireles. Liverpool came off at half-time with the fans singing of their returning messiah, but the last man to win a league title for Liverpool was not looking so pleased with himself just after half-time, when a corner that shouldn’t have been was headed down and in by Distin at the back post, despite Johnson’s efforts. Liverpool had reason to feel aggrieved at the corner even being awarded as it clearly touched an Everton boot last, and their marking may have been wayward after Daniel Agger was forced off feeling ill at half-time. Their sense of injustice swelled to breaking point five minutes later, after right-back Martin Kelly as clattered in an aerial duel with Victor Anichebe, leading to Leon Osman showing deft touch in weaving round two defenders before rolling the ball into Jermaine Beckford, who let the ball run across his body despite Meireles’ pressure, and fired in. The red half of Merseyside were incensed that Phil Dowd hadn’t stopped play for what looked like a head injury, but Liverpool retrieved the result when a Meireles deep cross was miskicked comically by Martin Skrtel, tempting Tim Howard to come and claim, which he did despite Maxi Rodriguez rushing in front of him, and the Argentine took full advantage of the goalkeeper’s folly; throwing himself down and watching gleefully as Kuyt dispatched the penalty superbly. Three games; one point, but the fans don’t care. Their hero is back.

The Tyne-Wear derby was nothing like as one-sided as earlier in the season, and Sunderland fans were ecstatic that they reclaimed some semblance of pride, after two bad performances in this fixture. Titus Bramble had one of those afternoons when his mind took a vacation, and he let Shola Ameobi through early on, though the striker fired wide. Darren Bent cut inside Fabio Coloccini but struck his shot at Harper, before Coloccini produced a volley at the opposite end which needed diligent post-sentry Kieran Richardson to clear off the line. Harper turned a Malbranque effort wide, and Ameobi headed a corner wastefully over, before Newcastle finally got the breakthrough on 51 minutes. A deep corner was nodded back by Ameobi and off a Sunderland defender, for Kevin Nolan to backheel cheekily into the net. Leon Best then turned the dozy Bramble and fired just wide, but Newcastle still felt it was their day again, until deep into injury time, when a scramble culminated in Phil Bardsley drilling in a great effort which Steve Harper made a complete pig’s ear of, parrying the ball straight out onto Asamoah Gyan, who just comically shrugged at fans as he watched the ball ricochet off his knee and loop into the net for a last-gasp equaliser. The game was followed by the sad news of Darren Bent handing in a transfer request, which seems to demonstrate extreme ingratitude.

The third big Sunday derby saw a third draw, with Villa grateful in the end for James Collins’ equaliser which looked suspiciously like a Liam Ridgewell own goal, though the Birmingham woodwork will need reinforcing after the battering it took from the Villans. The atmosphere was electric at St Andrews, and the game swung one way then the other. Ben Foster proved he is awful with his feet, when he made a fool of himself attempting to turn his way out of a challenge from an encroaching forward, before clearing lamely to Gabriel Agbonlahor, who advanced menacingly and seemed set to score, only to fire his shot way over. If there’s a better crosser in the Premiership than Marc Albrighton right now, then he must be special. The young winger delivered a typically superb stand-up for Agbonlahor to head towards goal, which Carew then flicked onto the top of the crossbar from close range. Former Villa boy Craig Gardner created a fantastic chance which Matt Derbyshire missed with an embarrassing air-kick, while a Ciaran Clark cross-shot thudded agonisingly against the crossbar. James Collins was forced into turning an Alexander Hleb effort off the line, after Stephen Carr had delivered a dangerous cross. David Murphy tried to claim a Brum penalty when he went down suspiciously easily, but Birmingham had their goal just after the break, from what turned out to be a comical free-kick routine. Craig Gardner drove in an appalling free-kick which hardly cleared the ground, but it took one nick off the wall, and David Murphy inadvertently guided it into the path of Roger Johnson, who instinctively stuck out a boot to guide it in. Villa’s response was Ciaran Clark sending in a tantalising cross, which Roger Johnson attempted to chest but actually narrowly avoided handballing and narrowly avoided putting into his own net. At the other end Matt Derbyshire’s thunderous shot was well saved by Friedel, and Kyle Walker launched clear before Gardner arrived. Villa finally got their rewards when another peach of an Albrighton cross saw James Collins swivel to volley goalward. It looked a fraction wide until it nicked off the inside of Liam Ridgewell’s legs and found the net. Substitute Nathan Delfouneso made a big impact, first setting up Stewart Downing for a chance which Foster spread himself to block, then cracking a rocket against the bar via the fingernails of Foster. In the meantime, Richard Dunne stole in at the back post after a corner was not cleared, beat Foster but not a defender patrolling the goal-line. Villa were cursing their luck, but they were almost floored by the ultimate sucker-punch, when in the dying seconds a hoisted free-kick seemed to be landing into a complacent Friedel’s hands, only for beanpole Serb Nikola Zigic to steal in front of him and flick it agonisingly wide of the post. A cracking derby in the Second City.

Chelsea finally strung two Premier League victories together with a victory garnered through two scrappy goals from set-pieces Sam Allardyce would have been proud of. After Ramires had struck the crossbar from a David Hoilett error, Branislav Ivanovic’s lack of concentration let Hoilett in at the other end, with Cech producing a very good save. Didier Drogba, still looking lacklustre, sent in a low bouncing cross into a great area, which strike partner Nicolas Anelka helped onto the crossbar. Drogba then came off second best in a one-on-one, but in the second half Chelsea got the breakthrough. A corner was flicked on by John Terry to find Ivanovic lurking at the back post. The Serb got the ball out of his feet in a flash, bamboozling three covering defenders to poke the ball past Robinson. This seemed to knock the stuffing out of Rovers, and it was no surprise that Chelski sewed the game up on 76 minutes. This time Ivanovic was provider; heading a corner down for Anelka to plunder from close range. Roque Santa Cruz made a cheery return for Rovers, which should bode well as they fight to stay well out of the relegation dogfight under their former coach Steve Keane. Still no news of Big Sam at Inter Milan strangely.

Stoke beat a lightweight Bolton team comfortably at the Britannia. Whether he watched his youtube video or not, Tony Pulis finally decided his team needed the flair of Tunçay from the start, and the Turk responded by delivering the corner which was inadvertently flicked on by Johan Elmander for Danny Higginbotham to bundle in, though replays suggest it was not strong enough to cross the line until Jussi Jaaskelainen knocked it over with his arm. Bolton once again missed the guile of Chung-Yong Lee, who is with South Korea in the Asian Cup, but Stuart Holden did his best to rouse his team-mates; sending a dangerous free-kick in that Begovic parried well. Tunçay then created the second in the second half; sliding in the only man to rival Albrighton in the crossing stakes right now; the in-form Etherington, who was brought down under a rash challenge from Zat Knight. Etherington picked himself up to bury the penalty with some fortune; Jaaskelainen getting a strong hand to it but only pushing onto the post and in; meaning he provided the decisive touch to both Stoke goals. There was a brief late revival from the Trotters, with Begovic called into action from Taylor, and then a superb tip over from Moreno.

Wigan-Fulham was a dead-cert to end a draw, as it always does. And it did. The Latics began with a flourish, with a pacey counter involving Watson and Ronnie Stam culminating in a lovely cross from Stam that Rodallega attacked viciously, only to watch his superb header cannon back off the post. Damien Duff was then put clean through, but dithered and did not look confident; Al-Habsi winning the one-on-one battle. The first half ended tamely, but just before the hour mark Wigan took the lead. After their neat passing game had yielded nothing, a launched kick from Ali Al-Habsi was criminally allowed to bounce by Aaron Hughes, who could only then watch helplessly as Hugo Rodallega kept his head to guide a deft lob over David Stockdale’s head for the opener. An amazing Wigan break, when only N’Zogbia and Rodallega took on four Fulham defenders and almost won but for a skewed volley from the Colombian ensued, and the same two combined for Rodallega to spin and strike the post for the second time in the game. A slack Wigan tendency to allow wins to dissipate into draws returned late on though, when Andy Johnson found his shooting boots again, albeit incredibly fortunately. Clint Dempsey, who had earlier had a potential equaliser disallowed from a superb handball spot by the linesman, sent a cute reverse pass into Johnson’s pass, and the England forward got it out of his feet, but fell over as he shot, deflected it against Gary Caldwell, and almost had it saved by Al-Habsi, but fate conspired to allow the shot to bounce limply over the line for a game saving goal that the injury-plagued forward deserved for his non-stop endeavour. Wigan, however, will be cursing their luck and lack of clinical finishing which once again leaves them on the cusp of relegation.

Until next time….