Arsenal suffered a shock 2-0 Champions League defeat to Braga at Estadio Municipal.
The Gunners, beaten by rivals Tottenham on Saturday, had been top of Group H and thrashed the Portuguese side 6-0 in their opening fixture.
However, a much-changed side never hit top gear and were denied a cast-iron penalty by Hungarian referee Viktor Kassai before Braga scored two late breakaway goals from Brazilian striker Matheus, leaving Arsene Wenger's men not yet assured of their place in the last 16.
Wenger had made seven changes from the team which threw away a 2-0 lead at home to Spurs, including a return for Denmark striker Nicklas Bendtner, who had previously hit out at a lack of opportunities.
EPL Today
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Chelsea 2-1 MSK Zilina
Chelsea fought back against MSK Zilina to preserve their 100% record in the Champions League and ease the pressure on under-fire boss Carlo Ancelotti thanks to second-half goals from Daniel Sturridge and Florent Malouda.
Ancelotti's side had trailed to Babatounde Bello's shock 19th-minute opener for the Group F minnows but Sturridge levelled six minutes after the break.
Malouda then grabbed a vital winner for the Premier League champions when he slotted home at the far post four minutes from time to ensure Chelsea finish in top spot.
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| Getty Images |
Malouda then grabbed a vital winner for the Premier League champions when he slotted home at the far post four minutes from time to ensure Chelsea finish in top spot.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Champions League Play
Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, and Manchester United get midweek play as the Champions League moves forward with the second return matches of the league play.
- Chelsea will play host to MSK Zilina who have been outscored a combined 11-0 in the three matches so far this Champions League. Chelsea have already punched their ticket with 4 wins in four matches.
- Arsenal will travel to Portugal to play the side Braga. Braga has 2 wins and 2 losses in league play with both wins over Partizan Belgrade. Arsenal is leading the group though losing the return match versus Shakhtar. The Gunners will move forward with a dominant +11 goal differential.
- Tottenham have a chance to move in to the knockout round with a return versus Werder Bremen. The first match was a wild 2-2 draw that showed the explosiveness of Spurs but the downright pitiful defense that is all too common on the road for the boys from White Hart Lane.
- Manchester United go to Glasgow to visit Rangers who tied 0-0 in a boring and slow first match. United should move on easily as all they need is a draw to guarantee movement into the round of 16 putting 1/4 of the final 16 being EPL squads.
Table 11/22/2010
| 2010-2011 English Premier League Table | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Overall | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||||
| POS | TEAM | P | W | D | L | GS | GA | W | D | L | GS | GA | W | D | L | GS | GA | GD | Pts | ||||
| 1 |  | Chelsea | 14 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 28 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 17 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 6 | 19 | 28 | |||
| 2 |  | Manchester United | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 28 | 15 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 11 | 10 | 13 | 28 | |||
| 3 |  | Arsenal | 14 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 28 | 15 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 17 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 6 | 13 | 26 | |||
| 4 | | Manchester City | 14 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 19 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 6 | 8 | 25 | |||
| 5 | | Bolton Wanderers | 14 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 26 | 20 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 15 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 11 | 6 | 22 | |||
| 6 | | Tottenham Hotspur | 14 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 21 | 19 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 12 | 2 | 22 | |||
| 7 | | Sunderland | 14 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 17 | 15 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 2 | 20 | |||
| 8 | | Stoke City | 14 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 18 | 18 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 19 | |||
| 9 | | Liverpool | 14 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 16 | 17 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 11 | -1 | 19 | |||
| 10 | | Newcastle United | 14 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 22 | 21 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 15 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 12 | 1 | 18 | |||
| 11 | | Blackburn Rovers | 14 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 17 | 18 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 12 | -1 | 18 | |||
| 12 | | Blackpool | 14 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 21 | 27 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 10 | 16 | -6 | 18 | |||
| 13 | | Aston Villa | 14 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 15 | 20 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 15 | -5 | 17 | |||
| 14 | | Everton | 14 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 16 | 15 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 16 | |||
| 15 | | Birmingham | 14 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 15 | 17 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 12 | -2 | 16 | |||
| 16 | | West Bromwich Albion | 14 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 16 | 25 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 16 | -9 | 16 | |||
| 17 | | Fulham | 14 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 14 | 17 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 10 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 7 | -3 | 14 | |||
| 18 | | Wigan Athletic | 14 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 23 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 15 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 8 | -13 | 14 | |||
| 19 | | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 14 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 14 | 25 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 14 | -11 | 9 | |||
| 20 | | West Ham United | 14 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 11 | 25 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 14 | -14 | 9 | |||
Sunderland 2 - 2 Everton
Mikel Arteta denied teenager Danny Welbeck the headlines as Everton snatched a late equaliser at Sunderland.
The Spaniard's 82nd-minute shot was deflected past keeper Craig Gordon by the helpless Phil Bardsley to ensure a topsy-turvy encounter ended all square.
Nineteen-year-old Welbeck looked to have fired the Black Cats into sixth place in the Barclays Premier League table with a double either side of half-time as he cancelled out and then overhauled Tim Cahill's early opener.
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| Getty Images |
Nineteen-year-old Welbeck looked to have fired the Black Cats into sixth place in the Barclays Premier League table with a double either side of half-time as he cancelled out and then overhauled Tim Cahill's early opener.
The choke's on Arsenal
There is absolutely no truth to the rumor that I fled the country this past weekend because I feared the tsunami of torment from Spurs fans should Tottenham finally defeat Arsenal at home for the first time in 17 years.
It just so happens I was in Amsterdam when the Gunners shamefully blew a 2-0 halftime lead. And I was about to leap from my balcony into a canal when I checked my BlackBerry one last time and saw the Tweet from The Spurs Guy, Bill Simmons: "Spurs rally back from 2 down for first win in Arsenal since '93! When is Hirshey posting his top-10 excuses for that massive choke job?"
The way I saw it, I had two choices:
1. Hurl myself into the icy waters below
2. Defend Arsenal's honor to the newly minted American Spurs Fans
Being a man (and a poor swimmer), I chose the second option. But I'm not so craven that I would simply take Simmons' bait and list my top 10 excuses for Saturday's soul-crushing, eye-gouging humiliation at the feet of our most despised rivals. In retrospect, though, I suppose I should have seen it coming for the following reasons:
It just so happens I was in Amsterdam when the Gunners shamefully blew a 2-0 halftime lead. And I was about to leap from my balcony into a canal when I checked my BlackBerry one last time and saw the Tweet from The Spurs Guy, Bill Simmons: "Spurs rally back from 2 down for first win in Arsenal since '93! When is Hirshey posting his top-10 excuses for that massive choke job?"
The way I saw it, I had two choices:
1. Hurl myself into the icy waters below
2. Defend Arsenal's honor to the newly minted American Spurs Fans
Being a man (and a poor swimmer), I chose the second option. But I'm not so craven that I would simply take Simmons' bait and list my top 10 excuses for Saturday's soul-crushing, eye-gouging humiliation at the feet of our most despised rivals. In retrospect, though, I suppose I should have seen it coming for the following reasons:
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Fulham 1 - 4 Manchester City
Carlos Tevez showed old boss Mark Hughes no mercy at Craven Cottage as Manchester City romped to a victory that saw them close to within three points of the Premier League summit.
Twelve months ago Hughes was the man profiting from the South American's prowess in front of goal.
Now it is Roberto Mancini hailing two goals and a man-of-the-match display from the inspirational South American.
Indeed, as Mancini reflects on a table that shows his side to be bang in the title hunt - as well as more money to strengthen in January than any of their rivals - and four more goals on the road to answer the critics who have panned him for being too negative, the Italian could be forgiven for having a large chuckle to himself.
Twelve months ago Hughes was the man profiting from the South American's prowess in front of goal.
Now it is Roberto Mancini hailing two goals and a man-of-the-match display from the inspirational South American.
Indeed, as Mancini reflects on a table that shows his side to be bang in the title hunt - as well as more money to strengthen in January than any of their rivals - and four more goals on the road to answer the critics who have panned him for being too negative, the Italian could be forgiven for having a large chuckle to himself.
Blackburn Rovers 2 - 0 Aston Villa
Blackburn Rovers new owners had plenty to cheer as a brace from Morten Gamst Pedersen ensured they made a winning start against Aston Villa.
Rovers, playing for the first time since being taken over by Indian company Venky's, took the lead in stoppage time at the end of the opening period at Ewood Park thanks to Pedersen's delightful looping free-kick.
The Norwegian then struck again midway through the second half to wrap up a comfortable victory for Sam Allardyce's side.
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| PA Photos |
Rovers, playing for the first time since being taken over by Indian company Venky's, took the lead in stoppage time at the end of the opening period at Ewood Park thanks to Pedersen's delightful looping free-kick.
The Norwegian then struck again midway through the second half to wrap up a comfortable victory for Sam Allardyce's side.
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