Monday 4 February 2013

Week 25: Premier League Tops & Flops

Sports - Football - Premier League - Picks of the Weekend

WOW!

Reading's Jimmy KebeComeback kings Reading's Premier League run of 13 points out of the last 15 takes them out and two points clear of the relegation zone. It's the first time since the opening month of the season they have been out of the drop zone for consecutive weeks. This win came thanks to Jimmy Kebe's fantastic double, at Sunderland's cost. Eight of Reading's last nine Premier League goals have been scored in the last 20 minutes. Six have been netted in the 82nd minute or later, including Kebe's winner after his seventh minute opener.

OMG! 

Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero (centre) looks on as he scores his side's equaliser against Liverpool What was Pepe Reina thinking leaving his goal unguarded for Sergio Aguero to net a brilliant equaliser from the tightest of tight angles at the Etihad?! Liverpool were on top for most of the game, Daniel Sturridge scoring the opener after City claimed a fowl was comitted on Edin Dzeko in the buildup. Steven Gerrard restored the guests' lead with a smacker later on in the second half after Dzeko had tapped in an easy equaliser earlier in the first half. But Brendan Rodgers ended up ruing the dropped points after Aguero's strike minutes later.

TOP!

Moussa SissokoMoussa Sissoko's double in Newcastle's entertaining, enthralling win against Chelsea showed and proved his worth. The former Toulouse man signed a six-and-a-half-year deal with the Tyneside club just over a week beforehand. The Frenchman's debut double sank the Blues to eight Premier League points out of the last 18, only one point ahead of Tottenham in fourth, the last Champions League qualification spot, leaving interim boss Rafael Benitez ruing the missed chances, unfair decisions and dropped points, rather than conceding defeat!

FLOP!

Adel TaarabtQPR's goalless draw against Norwich was more two points dropped than one point gained in their battle to avoid the drop. The penalty was the golden chance, missed by Adel Taarabt, keeper Mark Bunn making a fine diving save. Taarabt went close a couple of times with long-range strikes. But home keeper Soares Julio Cesar had to make a couple of top-draw saves too to win his side a point. Harry Redknapp has stretched QPR's unbeaten league run to five games, but the visitors will be much happier with the result as it lifted them seven points away from the relegation zone.

HERO!
Marouane Fellaini (second left) heads in his side's equaliser against Aston VillaMarouane Fellaini's double and last minute equaliser saved a point for Everton against struggling Aston Villa, producing a perfect comeback for the home side from 3-1 down and denying Villa their first win in 2013. It was a breathless encounter at Goodison Park, Christian Benteke's double and Gabriel Agbonlahor's header looking to have dismissed Victor Anichebe's equaliser and sealed the win for Paul Lambert's side. But Fellaini had a different idea and turned despair into delight, and vice versa, depending which side.

ZERO!


Gareth BaleGoran Popov's sending off handed the advantage and eventually the game and points to Tottenham, stupid, stupid spitter! There was not much between the two sides in the first half, West Brom creating the better chances before the dismissal. England defender Kyle Walker was Popov's target after a mundane challenge. The bizarre and gormless action and reaction cost West Brom dearly, Spurs taking over the game fromt there and Gareth Bale ensuring their win with a stunning strike, taking them within one point of third-placed Chelsea.

My Predictions => Actual Results:
QPR 2-1 Norwich => 0-0
Arsenal 3-0 Stoke => 1-0
Everton 2-2 Aston Villa => 3-3
Newcastle 1-3 Chelsea => 3-2
Reading 3-2 Sunderland => 2-1
West Ham 1-0 Swansea => 1-0
Wigan 0-1 Southampton => 2-2
Fulham 2-4 Man United => 0-1
West Brom 1-1 Tottenham => 0-1
Man City 3-1 Liverpool => 2-2

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