LONDON, Dec 2 - Brief reports of English Premier
League matches over the weekend:
Played on Sunday:
LIVERPOOL 4 BOLTON WANDERERS 0
Liverpool cruised past a Bolton side who beat Manchester
United last week, with Steven Gerrard involved in all four
goals.
Sami Hyypia and Fernando Torres in the first half -- either
side of a horrible miss by Bolton's Nicolas Anelka -- put
Liverpool in charge. Gerrard got the third with a penalty before
Ryan Babel finished off another big win that took his side
third.
----
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 2 BIRMINGHAM CITY 3
A great start for new manager Alex McLeish as Sebastian
Larsson lashed in a 30-metre winner in injury time.
Gary McSheffrey had Birmingham ahead at halftime with a
penalty but two goals in five minutes, the first from the spot,
by Robbie Keane seemed to have turned things round.
Birmingham levelled though through Cameron Jerome and after
Keane was sent off in the 67th minute Larsson weighed in with
his marvellous winner.
Played on Saturday:
ASTON VILLA 1 ARSENAL 2
Craig Gardner scored with a neat half-volley to put the home
side in front in the 14th minute but Villa's joy was
short-lived. Nine minutes later Mathieu Flamini drilled home a
low, left-footed shot from 20 metres.
A typically swift passing move and cross by full back Bacary
Sagna ended with Emmanuel Adebayor rising to head home Arsenal's
second in the 36th minute. John Carew's header hit the bar in
the 62nd minute for Villa, who dominated the second half but
failed to break through.
- - - -
BLACKBURN ROVERS 3 NEWCASTLE UNITED 1
Blackburn went behind to an Obafemi Martins goal shortly
after halftime but a David Bentley double, in the 54th and 67th
minutes, put Mark Hughes's battling side in front and Tugay
Kerimoglu compounded United's misery with a goal in injury time.
- - -
CHELSEA 1 WEST HAM UNITED 0
Former West Ham midfielder Joe Cole scored in the 76th
minute after being put through by Ivory Coast forward Salomon
Kalou to break the deadlock in a bad-tempered match during which
referee Howard Webb issued eight yellow cards.
- - - -
PORTSMOUTH 0 EVERTON 0
Portsmouth had more chances but Everton, who named the same
side that thrashed Sunderland 7-1 last week, kept them out in a
rain-hit game. Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard saved two freekick
chances from Sulley Muntari while Leon Osman had Everton's best
opportunity in the second half but failed to control the ball
with only keeper David James to beat.
- - - -
READING 1 MIDDLESBROUGH 1
Turkey striker Tuncay Sanli scored a late equaliser for
Middlesbrough, heading home a cross from Luke Young but Gareth
Southgate's side still dropped into the relegation zone. Dave
Kitson had put Reading in front after 54 minutes with a lob over
goalkeeper Ross Turnbull early in the second half.
- - - -
SUNDERLAND 1 DERBY COUNTY 0
Heartbreak for bottom club Derby and their new coach Paul
Jewell after Sunderland substitute Anthony Stokes scored in
stoppage time on the rebound from his own header saved by
goalkeeper Stephen Bywater.
- - - -
WIGAN ATHLETIC 1 MANCHESTER CITY 1
New manager Steve Bruce's Wigan pulled off a fine result
after a string of defeats with a draw against high-flying City.
Geovanni put City ahead in the first minute after a Titus
Bramble blunder but Wigan equalised with a Paul Scharner header
in the 25th minute. Wigan captain Mario Melchiot was dismissed
for a two-footed tackle on Stephen Ireland two minutes from
time.
Playing on Monday:
MANCHESTER UNITED V FULHAM
(Writing by Clare Lovell/Mitch Phillips, Editing by Clare
Fallon)