August 29th, 2009
Manchester United 2 - Arsenal 1 (Premier League, August 29,
2009) Darren
Fletcher missed an early chance for United,
pulling a shot left of Almunia’s goal after nine minutes. At the
other end Arsenal were also creating chances, Andrei
Arshavin flashing a shot narrowly over Ben
Foster’s bar. Wayne
Rooney fired a free-kick off target as the
match flowed from end-to-end, before Andrei
Arshavin silenced Old Trafford with an
unstoppable howitzer into the top corner five minutes from the
break. (First half highlights here.) The Gunners were
denied a second at the start of the second half as Ben
Foster produced a top class save to stop van
Persie’s close-range effort. With Fergie’s boys dangling on the
ropes Wayne
Rooney proved the Reds saviour, Almunia
clattered into the forward in the box an from the resulting penalty
Rooney drew United level. Six minutes later, and after RVP had hit
the bar, the unlikely United comeback was complete as Abou
Diaby managed to head a Giggs free-kick into
his own net. The match ended in a farce as, after RVP had a 94th
minute goal ruled out for offside, ref Mike Dean decided
to send off Arsene Wenger who reacted in
pantomime fashion by retreating to the United stands.
Bolton 2 -
Liverpool 3 (Premier League, August 29, 2009)
Liverpool were guilty of some poor defending for Bolton’s opening
goal, failing to deal with a corner that was fired home from close
range by Kevin
Davies. Rafa Benitez’s side responded well to
going behind, first Torres missed a decent
opportunity before Glen
Johnson continued his fine form since moving
from Portsmouth with the equaliser. Bolton retook the lead early in
the second half thanks to the second most famous Israeli at
the Reebok Tamir
Cohen. The sending off of Sean
Davis for two bookable offences turned the game
again and a minute after the red card Fernando
Torres finished after a great touch off from
Kuyt. Seven minutes from time the Reds took the lead as, from a
corner, Steven
Gerrard smashed home the winner from the edge
of the area.
Chelsea 3 -
Burnley 0 (Premier League, August 29, 2009)
Chelsea dominated an open first half at Stamford Bridge against
Burnley, the breakthrough came seconds before the break as Didier
Drogba fired in a cross finished by both Clark Carlisle and
Nicolas
Anelka. The home side were scintillating early
in the second half, Michael
Ballack headed home from a Lampard cross two
minutes after the break for the second and Ashley
Cole volleyed into the top corner following
another assist from Lampard for the third.
Tottenham 2 -
Birmingham 1 (Premier League, August 29, 2009)
Peter Crouch came on to score his first League goal for Spurs in
the second half and after Lee Bowyer took advantage of sloppy
defending to claim an equaliser three minutes later, Aaron Lennon
maintained Spurs’ 100 per cent start to the season. It wasn’t all
good news for Spurs as Luka
Modric limped off just seconds after the
restart.
