Arsenal beat Liverpool 2-0 to extend league lead

Sports - Football - Premier League - Arsenal 2:0 Liverpool

Arsenal extended their lead at the top of the Premier League table to five points after beating Liverpool comprehensively and impressively 2-0 at the Emirates.

The Gunners took the lead after 19 minutes thanks to Santiago Cazorla who recovered and reacted the quickest and superbly netting the rebound with a fine half-volley after his initial header had come off the post.

Aaron Ramsey doubled the score just before the hour mark with a stunning smacker of a strike from outside the box, his tenth goal of the season.

The Reds did have the ball in the back of the net halfway through the first half after Luis Suarez took a quick free kick, given against Bacary Sagna for his push on the Uruguayan, which found Daniel Sturridge who crossed for Jordan Henderson to tap it in - only for referee Martin Atkinson to pull play back and book the Arsenal defender.

Brendan Rodgers' changes in the second half did improve the visitors' play, possession and attack, but the league leaders stayed in control thanks to a solid and dominant midfield, rewarded and capped off by the outstanding strike from Ramsey.

Suarez hit the post late on and Sturridge saw Wojciech Szczesny's clearance bounce off him, but straight back into the goalkeeper's gloves. It was just not their day.

Arsene Wenger can be more than happy after seeing his side take the lead in nine of their last ten fixtures and record 25 of the last available 27 points, the best record in the Premier League.

Another interesting stat/note: The Gunners are the only team to score in each of their league matches this season, the only other in the top four divisions is League One leaders Leyton Orient!

Liverpool meanwhile, will be relieved by Chelsea's 2-0 slip-up at Newcastle and draws for Southampton, Tottenham and Everton, which keeps them in third place.

Arsenal 2-0 Liverpool

Arsenal Goals; 1.: 18:32min Santiago Cazorla (19), 2.: 58:36min Aaron Ramsey (16).

Arsenal Team: 1 Szczesny: 28 Gibbs (5 Vermaelen -78.), 6 Koscielny, 4 Mertesacker, 3 Sagna (booked 26.); 8 Arteta, 16 Ramsey ; 19 Cazorla (25 Jenkinson - 84., booked 90.), 11 Özil, 7 Rosicky (17 Monreal - 72.); 12 Giroud. 4-2-3-1
Subs not used: 21 Fabianski, 23 Bendtner, 37 Akpom, 45 Haydon.

Liverpool Team: 22 Mignolet; 17 Sakho, 37 Skrtel, 4 Toure; 21 Lucas; 20 Cissokho (booked 28.) (10 Coutinho - 45.), 14 Henderson, 8 Gerrard, 38 Flanagan (12 Moses - 68.); 7 Suarez, 15 Sturridge. 3-1-4-2
Subs not used: 1 Jones, 5 Agger, 24 Allen, 31 Sterling, 34 Kelly.

Opta Match Stats: Arsenal-Liverpool

(Attack)
Shots: 12-12
On target: 7-4
Blocked: 1-2
From outside the box: 3-4
From inside the box: 9-8
Shot accuracy: 63.6%-40%

(General Play)
Possession: 54.3%-45.7%
Duels won: 52.1%-47.9%
Aerial duels won: 45.5%-54.5%
Interceptions: 13-17
Offsides: 1-4
Corners: 3-5

(Distribution)
Total passes: 612-511
Long passes: 6%-7.4%
Passing accuracy: 85%-84.5%
Passing accuracy opp. half: 79.9%-76.6%
Total crosses: 14-21
Successful crosses: 7.1%-28.6%

(Defence & Discipline)
Tackles: 31-28
Tackles won: 83.9%-78.6%
Clearances: 17-26
Fouls conceded: 11-7
Yellow cards: 2-1
Red cards: 0-0

Referee: Martin Atkinson
Attendance: 60,042
Man of the match: Aaron Ramsey

Premier League Tops and Flops

Sports - Football - Premier League - Picks of the Week

Top game: Tottenham's win against City was a juicy encounter and entertaining to watch. Focusing on the question who is worth and can make it into the top four, this match had it all, with Spurs ending up on top.

Top team: Spurs gets my vote again. They were much better than the previous game when they experienced a sorry defeat against Wolves. They showed determination and formed a destructive combination.

Top player: Niko Kranjcar, Jermain Defoe and Aaron Lennon formed a deadly trio for Tottenham, a top combination that damned City to defeat. Fernando Torres showed top mentality, crucial for the match and win for Liverpool. His team mates should follow his example if Liverpool want to finally get a good run together.

Top goal: Kranjcar's second for Tottenham was of stubbornly strong top quality. Off a Lennon corner, it looked like he had spilled and wasted the chance, but he stayed up and going and put it in. Cheeky but good.

Flop game: United's win against Wolves was no competition. Manager Mick McCarthy has been questioned about the ten changes he made to the side that beat Tottenham last week. I know the schedule is tight, a lot of fixtures squeezed into a couple of weeks, but that is no excuse for changing a winning side completely.

Flop team: I have to pick Wolves again for making it too easy for Manchester United. You never want to see that as a football fan. It is supposed to be and stay a competition, not a concession.

Flop goal: Portsmouth's equaliser against Chelsea prooved and underlined the Blues' weakness with set pieces once again. It was a cheeky goal that snuck in after coming off two defenders, that should not have happened if Chelsea's back line would have stayed and kept solid. But no discrediting Portsmouth, they have improved a lot since Avram Grant has taken over and just lost out to a last-minute penalty. Unlucky.

My Predictions - Actual Results

Birmingham 1:0 Blackburn - 2:1

Bolton 3:2 West Ham - 3:1

Man Utd 4:1 Wolves - 3:0

Sunderland 2:1 Aston Villa - 0:2

Burnley 1:2 Arsenal - 1:1

Chelsea 2:0 Portsmouth - 2:1

Liverpool 3:1 Wigan - 2:1

Tottenham 4:2 Man City - 3:1

Premier League Tops and Flops

Sports - Football - Premier League - Picks of the Weekend

Top game: Hull made a great comeback against West Ham. It was a scruffy encounter but highly entertaining to watch. But the match of the day, week, month, season, etc. has to be Tottenham's thrashing of Wigan. I was on my break at work when I listened into the second half on the radio. I caught four goals and joked to my colleague I would miss another ten after I went back to work - I could not know I was not too far off...

Top team: Chelsea and Tottenham were certainly the dictators and dominators this weekend, but have also shown most constistency and quality this season so far, in the long(er) run and look most promising in the title race and chance to break into the top four (respectively, although I am not making any definite predictions).

Top player: Jermain Defoe rode the show this weekend, rubbing it under Carlo Ancelotti's nose who should be on the priority list for England. All of his goals were lovely to watch. Aaron Lennon was a top provider and scorer himself, too. This weekend was not only great for Spurs but for England also.

Top goal: Darren Fletcher's goal for Manchester United was like a stroke of lightning. Patrice Evra's fine run and cross was met and headed back by Antonio Valencia, to be crashed into the left corner of the net by Fletcher, a right-footer, both feet off the ground. Beauty.

Flop game: Stoke's win against Portsmouth was the least laudable effort, display and match, from both sides. Portsmouth missed the best chance they had, Kevin-Prince Boateng with a soft penalty kick, easy to hold onto for Steve Simonsen. Stoke's goal was the only highlight in an otherwise dim match, a great build-up finished off by a fine finish by Ricardo Fuller against his former side, great turn into the corner of the net.

Flop team: Believe it or not, Chris Kirkland was the best player for Wigan, as he was the only one who seemed present and alert. Wigan were absent, especially the defence, not closing in on Tottenham players, giving them too much time and space, a too big comfort zone. In the end they just gave up. I think they are all too right promising their fans refunds as they did not turn up and were a waste to watch, full stop.

Flop player: Dirk Kuyt has been the most annoying player of late, falling, slipping, tripping and diving at every take of the ball and if he stays up ot gets an obvious chance on goal, he just cues it high or wide or just nowhere to be caught. He is really looking off the reel, but I guess that just reflects his side's display and run.

Flop goal: Bolton's own goal which made it 0-2 to Blackburn will be found amongst thos famous bloopers list in a long time to come. It was due to lack of communication, but Jussi Jaaskelainen was the guilty party charging in the way he did as Samuel Ricketts was not at fault doing the obvious passing it back when there was not too much pressure around. A howler.

My Predictions - Actual Results

Birmingham 1:1 Fulham - 1:0

Burnley 1:3 Aston Villa - 1:1

Chelsea 3:0 Wolves - 4:0

Hull City 0:0 West Ham - 3:3

Liverpool 1:1 Man City - 2:2

Man Utd 2:1 Everton - 3:0

Sunderland 1:3 Arsenal - 1:0

Bolton 0:0 Blackburn - 0:2

Stoke 2:1 Portsmouth - 1:0

Tottenham 3:0 Wigan - 9:1

Fulham 2-1 Blackburn - 3:0

Hull City 1-2 Everton - 3:2