|
Home>News Center>Sports | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Arsenal extend unbeaten premiership run
Champions Arsenal have extended their record unbeaten Premier League run to 45 games with a 3-0 win at Fulham but title rivals Chelsea were held 0-0 at Aston Villa and Manchester United scraped a 2-2 draw at Bolton Wanderers. Arsenal lived dangerously in the first half on Saturday but floored Fulham with a three-goal blast in 10 minutes, courtesy of Fredrik Ljungberg, a Zat Knight own goal and one from Spanish substitute Jose Antonio Reyes. Victory left Arsenal two points clear at the top after Chelsea lost their 100 percent record, with boss Jose Mourinho furious at referee Rob Styles for refusing his team a penalty and booking his Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba for diving. United continued a faltering start to the season and were heading for defeat after Les Ferdinand got Bolton's second in the 90th minute, only for an Alan Smith effort to go in off David Bellion in stoppage time. Liverpool cruised to a 3-0 win over West Bromwich Albion, skipper Alan Shearer scored once as Newcastle United beat Blackburn Rovers 3-0 and Middlesbrough were 2-1 winners over Birmingham City. Arsenal rode their luck in the first half, with referee Mark Halsey initially awarding Fulham a penalty for an Ashley Cole challenge on Andy Cole before reversing his decision, having consulted his linesman after Arsenal protests. Fulham forward Collins John then had a goal disallowed, though Arsenal also had a spot-kick appeal turned down for Moritz Volz's challenge on striker Thierry Henry. Reyes strikes Ljungberg scored in the 62nd minute and pressured Knight into adding another before Reyes maintained his record of scoring in every game, a sixth goal in six appearances. Victory gave Arsene Wenger's side 15 points from five games and an ideal lift before opening their Champions League campaign against PSV Eindhoven at Highbury on Tuesday. Asked about Halsey's penalty call, Wenger told Sky Sports News: "He was not completely sure... he decided to consult his linesman because he certainly had a doubt in his mind. That's the referee's right. "If the players go around him, he can say 'No, I don't need to consult my linesman'. He decided he had to, but that's down to him, not the players." Mourinho was seething after Chelsea stayed second on 13 points due to a controversial decision by Styles, who booked Drogba after what appeared a clear trip by Ecuador defender Ulises De la Cruz in the 80th minute. Asked if his team should have had a spot-kick, Mourinho told Sky Sports: "Yes, and the three points. "A big, big, penalty in the country of football is not a penalty... it's ridiculous," said Mourinho. United stumble Tenth in the table, after being leapfrogged by Portsmouth following their 3-1 win over Crystal Palace in the late kick-off, Alex Ferguson's United are now nine points adrift of Arsenal. Argentine defender Gabriel Heinze put them ahead on his debut, Kevin Nolan levelled just after the re-start and Ferdinand looked to have won it for Bolton until United equalised in the second minute of stoppage time. Ferguson was pleased with a back four that included Olympic champion Heinze and Wes Brown in his first game of the season. "It was tough. Gabriel doesn't speak English, it's his first game with the team and he's been away a long time, playing in the Copa America and then the Olympic Games...and I thought he coped very well. "I don't think we deserved to lose or win the game, it was a fair result." Asked if he was worried about the gap on Arsenal, Ferguson said: "You don't enjoy it, but everyone knows we will get better, there's no question about that." United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy played his first game of the season after injury, while suspended defender Rio Ferdinand and injured newcomer Wayne Rooney are due back later this month. The draw meant Bolton stay third on 10 points, ahead of both Middlesbrough and Everton, who won 1-0 at Manchester City, on goal difference. Everton's Australian scorer Tim Cahill was sent off for over-celebrating his goal on the hour. |
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
