After another weekend where football made the front pages as well as the back, the Premier League teams on show did their best to circumvent the smut and push the game to the forefront of the national consciousness. It didn’t work.
It had to be John Terry… Friday’s shock revelation was followed by Saturday’s opportunity for redemption, and although the current England captain scored the winner for Chelsea, he still has a long way to go yet before convincing people not to join up with ‘Team Bridge’.
Leading his side out at Turf Moor in front of a baying mob of opportunistic Burnley fans – ready with their salt shakers to pour lavishly into JT’s self-inflicted wounds – it was always going to be Terry’s day, for one reason or another.
Chelsea went in front after catching Brian Laws’ Burnley side short at the back. A dinked cross from Joe Cole found Florent Malouda free in the area, he in turn slid the ball into Nicolas Anelka, ready and waiting in the six-yard box. Anelka was left with the relatively easy task of sliding the ball home. Relatively easy, because of course, he was facing Brian ‘The Beast’ Jensen.
Aside from a crowd-pleasing booking for Terry in the first-half, there was not much to get the juices flowing until after the break.
Burnley equalised within four minutes, Steven Fletcher latching onto a long ball, bamboozling Alex without doing much, and slotting past Petr Cech in the Chelsea goal. Time for a captain’s intervention, perhaps?
Chelsea pushed for a winner and made Burnley work to maintain their standing in the match, but you cannot keep a good captain down for long. With a little under ten minutes to go, Frank Lampard floated in a corner which was met by the head of Terry. Jensen could do nothing, and Terry won three points for Chelsea, giving the media their headlines for the next morning.
RUTHLESS UNITED TOO GOOD FOR ARSENAL
With Chelsea out in front in the title race, it was the turn of the two challengers, Arsenal and Manchester United, on Sunday afternoon.
Sky were keen to plug their innovative 3D coverage of the game, but in the end it probably was not needed, as United sprung forth to dazzle and delight with their attacking play, and narrow the gap at the top.
Nani – so often the scapegoat – was the architect at The Emirates, scoring United’s first with a careful lob over Manuel Almunia and setting up Wayne Rooney for a ‘can’t miss’ second. Arsenal were floundering well before the half-time whistle, and could even have gone 3-0 down before the break.
As it was, they held on, but United could not be stopped. They put the game to bed just seven minutes into the second-half, Park Ji-Sung given the freedom of North London as he was allowed to run unchallenged towards Almunia and slot past the ‘keeper.
Arsenal had run out of ideas a long time ago, and their eventual consolation – a deflected Thomas Vermaelen effort with ten minutes to go – was more than they deserved.
United proved they have the big-game mentality to go on and challenge for the title, but for Arsenal – who have a trip to Chelsea this weekend – the pressure is mounting.
CITY STAY IN FIRST-GEAR WHILE POMPEY STALL
Manchester City hosted crisis club Portsmouth at the City of Manchester Stadium and won 2-0 without breaking sweat.
Pompey are surviving day-to-day, and it is often a case of picking who they can, rather than who they want in a starting XI. However, they were boosted by the return of David James in goal, deputising for Asmir Begovic who was preparing for his move to Stoke.
The game itself was not a classic, with Pompey’s familiar lack of cutting edge contributing to their downfall. Perhaps suffering from a Carling Cup hangover, City also looked a little weak but were still able to pick up a win which takes them within touching distance of a Champions League spot.
An offside-looking Emmanuel Adebayor put City ahead with five minutes to go in the first-half, with Vincent Kompany adding a second just minutes later. Another defeat for Pompey in what has been a wretched season for the south-coast club.
LIVERPOOL MARCH ON AS TROTTERS STUMBLE
Liverpool turned yet another corner in their inconsistent season, but fortunately for Reds fans it was a positive move this time as Rafa Benitez’s side dispatched Bolton Wanderers 2-0.
Rumours last week linked Benitez with Juventus, but for this weekend at least he was fully focused on his Liverpool side, who earned three points with goals from Dirk Kuyt and the helpful Kevin Davies – a striker too ruthless for his own good – who put into his own net.
SPURS GIVEN LAST-GASP BLUES
Another side in the list marked ‘Champions League Hopefuls’ (or should that be two sides?) as Spurs hosted Birmingham City.
City saw their recent unbeaten record obliterated at Stamford Bridge in the mid-week round of fixtures, and they must have predicted more of the same when Spurs finally made the breakthrough in the 69th minute. Jermain Defoe put Harry Redknapp’s side 1-0 up, and for a long while it looked as if Spurs would consign Birmingham to a second straight defeat.
But the Blues are made of stern stuff, and their fight-back was confirmed in injury-time when Liam Ridgewell, thrown forward to hunt for an equaliser, did exactly that as he poked the ball past Heurelho Gomes in the Spurs goal.
GABBY AT THE DOUBLE
Two more European contenders faced off against each other at Craven Cottage as Fulham hosted Aston Villa.
The Cottagers took their roles as hosts too far though, generously allowing Martin O’Neill’s side to take a 2-0 lead into half-time.
Gabriel Agbonlahor bagged both goals – inside three minutes at the end of the first-half – heading the first and curling a sublime shot past Mark Schwarzer for the second.
Fulham were the better side after the break, but could not find the net, taking their winless streak in the Premier League to six games. Villa go seventh.
FOUR-GOAL SIX-POINTER ENDS IN STALEMATE
Hull City and Wolverhampton Wanderers played out an entertaining 2-2 draw at the KC Stadium, with neither side able to make the breakthrough in a game which could have thrown the relegation issue wide open.
Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink put the home side ahead after 11 minutes with a smart finish, but it was nothing compared to that of Anthony Gardner, who put through his own net in comical fashion.
Four minutes after the break, Gardner was given the simple task of lashing away a Ronald Zubar centre, but somehow the defender miscued his clearance and looped the ball over the head of his own ‘keeper Boaz Myhill. 1-1.
Zubar then conceded a penalty, which Hunt converted to put Hull ahead again, but Wolves fought back with another equaliser, this time Matt Jarvis providing the finish.
TOFFEES CONTINUE TO CLIMB
Everton’s quiet resurgence continues, with a win at Wigan taking the Toffees up to 9th in the table.
The only goal of the game came late on, with Tim Cahill again Everton’s hero, this time scoring an 85th minute header to take the points.
Wigan must now be starting to panic as they plummet towards the relegation places.
DULL DRAW AT UPTON PARK
It was one of those games where both sides looked happy to settle for a point as West Ham and Blackburn played out an uninspiring stalemate.
Morten Gamst Pedersen fired a free-kick against the woodwork, while Jason Roberts and Gael Givet also had good chances to put Blackburn ahead.
GOAL OF THE WEEK
In terms of significance, John Terry’s header against Burnley was the stuff of – admittedly sinful – fairytales.
However, Wayne Rooney’s precise finish to a devastating counter attack is a far worthy winner this week.
HERO OF THE WEEK
A slightly unpopular candidate would be John Terry for proving what kind of man he is – on the field at least.
Yet a Hero’s accolade mocks the gravity of his actions off the field so this week’s award goes to the much maligned Nani for a sublime bit of skill and an all-round good game against Arsenal.
VILLAIN OF THE WEEK
No competition here. Step forward Mr Terry. ‘Team Bridge’ is going from strength to strength.