clean sheet.
Manchester United, in third place, trail Liverpool on goal-difference after failing to bounce back from their costly European exit. Visitors Everton held on for a well-merited 1-1 draw. For the second successive Premiership match central defender John Terry headed the winner as Chelsea won 1-0 at home to Wigan to stay clear at the top.
Elsewhere, overseas forwards scored vital goals. A fine finish by Peru’s Nolberto Solano gave Newcastle a 1-0 home win over Arsenal, Finland’s Shefki Kuqi volleyed the decider as West Ham lost 3-2 at Blackburn, Colombia’s Juan Pablo Angel poked an 88th-minute equaliser to earn Aston Villa a 1-1 draw away to Bolton and Senegal’s Diomansy Kamara hammered in an early goal as improving West Bromwich won 2-0 at home to Manchester City whose ex-England striker Andy Cole was red-carded just before the final whistle.
In the Championship, Reading and Sheffield United have opened up a massive gap at the top as they chase the two automatic promotion places. Dave Kitson hit a hat-trick as Reading, who lead the table by four points, trounced visitors Brighton 5-1. Sheffield United, 13 points ahead of their nearest rivals, won 3-0 at home to Burnley, veteran Neil Shipperley scoring twice.
Swansea, though held 1-1 at home by Colchester, lead the way in Division One, while in Division Two Wycombe’s Tommy Mooney scored twice as the country’s only unbeaten team won 3-0 at home to Rochdale who finished with nine men.
John Hartson’s, Celtic’s bustling Wales frontman, opened and closed the scoring as the Premier leaders won a 3-2 thriller at home to Hibernian. Another 3-2 scorline was dominated by Denmark’s Peter Lovenkrands who rattled in a hat-trick as Rangers squeezed in at Kilmarnock for their first win in 11 outings.
Post published in: Zimbabwe Sports News