Today's Games

[Kasper]

It clearly hit Brown's chest not arm. It's just the right thing to moan that teams dont get pens against Man Utd & Chelsea. But hey, don't  let any facts get in the way of the typical "referees always favour the big four"

[ohmelads]

Henry is just coming on for Messi to make his first league appearance for Barca.

 

There are 30 mins left and they're being held 0-0 away to Racing Santander. Duscher, who we had on trial earlier this summer, is playing for the home side.

[Mike]

Henry is just coming on for Messi to make his first league appearance for Barca.

 

There are 30 mins left and they're being held 0-0 away to Racing Santander. Duscher, who we had on trial earlier this summer, is playing for the home side.

 

Thought that name looked familar. According to the gamecast I'm staring at, Barca have had 75 percent of the posession and haven't scored. Racing have more shots and more shots on target.

[Menace]

How's Duscher playing? I'm a big fan tbh.

[Delima]

If people need to see replay for 5 times to reach the conclusion that the ball hits Brown's arm, and hence reaching the conclusion that referee got it wrong, what's the odd of a referee getting it right in the first time in split second?

 

When Brown fell his arm was closely placed next to his body. Whether the ball hit his chest or arm, a sensible referee shouldn't award a penalty for this.

 

Berbatov is really precarious talent.

 

Hargreaves played very well.

 

Taabart has bags of potential.

 

Nani has less trickery than Ronaldo but more maturity.

 

Gareth Bale is impressive.

 

Paul Robinson is just not good enough.

 

Maybe Fergie should give Tevez a free role instead of asking him to be at the fore front all the tiem.

[ohmelads]

How's Duscher playing? I'm a big fan tbh.

 

No idea, just following the minute by minute thing.

 

Racing have gone down to 10 men but they're hanging on.

[Mike]

Henry apparently hit the post. Barca seem to be piling it on in these last few minutes.

 

Seems inevitable.

[Mike]

Or not.

[ohmelads]

Racing Santander 0 - 0 Barcelona. Full time.

 

A poor performance from Barca apparently.

[ohmelads]

Valencia-Villarreal kicking off now, a local derby.

 

Villarreal have an ex-Toon attack with Rossi and Tomasson, while Pires and Cygan are also in the side. Morientes starts for Valencia as new signing Zigic is injured.

[Newcastle Fan]

Racing Santander 0 - 0 Barcelona. Full time.

 

A poor performance from Barca apparently.

 

 

Good, hate those cunts, they are just too good

[La Parka]

Poor spuds

 

 

[Guest kingdawson]

thought we deserved to win tbh.

[Delima]

??

 

No you didn't. I think You were pretty poor apart from the two special moments by Berbatov.

[Guest kingdawson]

??

 

No you didn't. I think You were pretty poor apart from the two special moments by Berbatov.

 

You also thought Hargreaves played well.

[Cajun]

A team that has Robinson in goal never deserves to win.

[Delima]

You also thought Hargreaves played well.

 

Yes I did. There is a reason why Ferguson took Carrick off and not Hargreaves.

[Guest kingdawson]

You also thought Hargreaves played well.

 

Yes I did. There is a reason why Ferguson took Carrick off and not Hargreaves.

 

Fair enough, your right and im wrong. We were poor, united deserved the win and hargreaves was brilliant.

[Delima]

Cheers.

[Guest kingdawson]

Cheers.

 

Its impossible to talk reasonably with someone so deluded.

[Cajun]

Cheers.

 

Its impossible to talk reasonably with someone so deluded.

 

Hmmmmm...

[McCormick]

You also thought Hargreaves played well.

 

Yes I did. There is a reason why Ferguson took Carrick off and not Hargreaves.

 

Fair enough, your right and im wrong. We were poor, united deserved the win and hargreaves was brilliant.

 

 

Hargreaves was poor but united did deserve to win

[Kasper]

La Liga is back and still crazy like always

 

Watching Valencia vs Villarreal

 

Villa got sent off on the first half after yellows from moaning & diving. Now Joaquin got sent off for yelling at the assistant Must have said something quite harsh

 

Oh and of course there was a pen...

 

 

 

[Delima]

The Telegraph

 

Review: Nani snatches victory for United

 

By Giles Mole and agencies

Last Updated: 6:29pm BST 26/08/2007

 

Manchester United 1 Tottenham Hotspur 0

 

Man of the Match: Patrice Evra 9/10 - made eight tackles and completed 92 per cent of his passes

 

Nani breathed fresh life into Manchester United's ailing Premier League title defence as he fired home a second-half winner to beat Tottenham.

# In pics: Premier League action

# Video: Premier League Highlights

# Football fans' forum

 

The Portugal international had been one of a number of inconsistent performers for the hosts against a Spurs side who hit the bar through Robbie Keane, saw one Dimitar Berbatov effort cleared off the line by Rio Ferdinand and a fierce penalty appeal for handball against Wes Brown turned down.

 

Nani snatches victory for United

Winner: Nani scores a 20-yard goal for Man Utd to claim the points against Tottenham

 

However, just as it seemed United would lose more ground in their battle to keep pace with table-toppers Chelsea, Nani unleashed a 30-yard shot which gave England 'keeper Paul Robinson no chance.

 

Spurs manager Martin Jol said: "I felt very comfortable and the second half could have gone either way.

 

"We had has as many opportunities and I thought it was was a penalty. He (Brown) used everything like a keeper - and he is a defender - to keep the ball out of the net.

 

"It's the same all the time. Sometimes, especially at these grounds, you need a bit of luck and I felt we could then have come away with a win.

 

"In the first half we had a couple of opportunities and in the second I thought we played better and I felt Manchester United - even though they were at home - weren't the better team."

 

The Dutchman denied he was feeling the heat at White Hart Lane, saying: "I'm not under pressure and if the chairman says he is backing me then there is no problem."

 

Middlesbrough 2 Newcastle 2

 

Man of the Match: Julio Arca 9/10 - scored Boro's equaliser and completed 86 per cent of his passes

 

Julio Arca denied former Middlesbrough team-mate Mark Viduka the headlines on his return to the Riverside Stadium as Newcastle had to make do with a point.

 

The Australian looked to have won it with 13 minutes left when he claimed his first Newcastle goal and his 150th in British football.

 

Review: Julio Arca earns Middlesbrough draw

Thriller: Julio Arca celebrates with his team-mates as Middlesbrough come from behind to draw

 

However, Sunderland old boy Arca levelled three minutes later.

 

Charles N'Zogbia had put the visitors in front with a 22nd-minute shot, but Mido's second goal in as many games for his new club pegged the visitors back six minutes later.

 

Mido said: "I think we could have won the game but to come back twice from losing the game shows a lot of character and how this team is growing. We have a future here.

 

"When you lose your first two games it makes it a little bit doubtful for people.

 

"But we never had doubt, we know we have good people in the team."

 

Meanwhile, Boro manager Gareth Southgate refused to condemn Newcastle's Steven Taylor after seeing his striker Jeremie Aliadiere carried off unconscious following an apparent collision with the centre-back.

 

Southgate said: "He is awake again. He has taken a hefty whack but the only way my players wanted to come off the field today was on a stretcher.

 

"You have to accept that at times there are challenges that are near the mark. But it's a man's game and you have to get on with it."

 

Arsenal 1 Manchester City 0

 

Man of the Match: Kasper Schmeichel 10/10 - kept out Van Persie's penalty and made 8 saves

 

Manchester City's 100 per cent record in the Premier League this season came to an end after Cesc Fabregas struck late to earn Arsenal victory at the Emirates Stadium.

 

Fabregas found the top corner to become the first goalscorer against Sven-Goran Eriksson's City, who had won their first three games.

 

Review: Arsenal victory ends Man City's run

Celebration: Cesc Fabregas is applauded by the Arsenal fans after scoring the winner against City

 

It was particularly harsh on the imposing centre-back pairing of Richard Dunne and Micah Richards, Richards' only mistake resulting in a penalty that Kasper Schmeichel saved from Robin van Persie.

 

At the other end, Eriksson and his bench were up on their feet in the second half claiming a penalty when Kolo Toure flattened Michael Johnson, but Chris Foy waved play on, allowing Arsenal to take advantage.

 

Eriksson said: "It is tough to lose but I think we played better than against Manchester United.

 

"I am rather happy: we worked hard, we stood up to Arsenal when they moved the ball around, as they are famous for, but we also played some good football."

 

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said: "I was worried a bit but the side is ready to fight until the last second. The defenders had a lot of work to do and they did it very well.

 

"Eventually Fabregas came through and the midfield is getting goals now. We won with style, against a good side and we defended very well.

 

"We created chances but even when things didn't go for us we kept going.

 

"We won in the last seconds at Fulham, we scored a second goal at Prague in the dying moments, we missed a penalty and still won the game here. That is a recognition of what is going on in this team and how we are progressing."

 

The Telegraph Verdict - Patrick Barclay

Moment of the Match: Fabregas's drive. As Eriksson said afterwards: "It was a clever run and a good finish. I don't think Schmeichel could have done anything about it."

Match Rating: 6/10

 

Sunderland 0 Liverpool 2

 

Man of the Match: Andriy Voronin 10/10 - a goal and an assist in his first Premier League start

 

Andriy Voronin ended any hopes Sunderland had of staging a late fightback at the Stadium of Light with an 86th minute goal for Liverpool.

 

The Ukrainian striker converted a pass from Fernando Torres to ensure Rafael Benitez's side claimed all three points.

 

Review: Voronin seals Liverpool victory

Goal: Craig Gordon watches the ball hit the back of the net as Andriy Voronin scores Liverpool's second

 

Liverpool had taken a 37th-minute lead through Mohamed Sissoko and home 'keeper Craig Gordon needed to produce a series of saves to keep the deficit down.

 

Benitez said: "It was a really good win, really important for us. The team showed character.

 

"We had chances that maybe could have been in before (the second goal) but in this period when everyone was talking about our performances away last season, I think it was really important to win the match."

 

Benitez also said defender Jamie Carragher would have an x-ray on a suspected broken rib.

 

Meanwhile, opposite number Roy Keane accepted Sunderland were beaten by the better team. "Not too many complaints today," said Keane. "We showed some good bits of quality. That was the effort I wanted to see.

 

"It's tough when you're playing against teams like Liverpool with the strength in depth they've got."

 

The Telegraph Verdict - Jonathan Wilson

Moment of the Match: The tone was set within 30 seconds as Fernando Torres got in behind Sunderland's back four, and clipped a shot goalwards only for Craig Gordon, who had a fine game, to get a hand to the ball. He took the pace off it, and as the ball span goalwards, a back-tracking Paul McShane was able to hack clear. That was Sunderland all over - willing workers, but lacking Liverpool's quality.

Match Rating: 5/10

 

Chelsea 1 Portsmouth 0

 

Man of the Match: Frank Lampard 9/10 - scored the winning goal and completed 89 per cent of passes

 

Frank Lampard ensured Chelsea stretched their unbeaten home run to 65 games with a first-half match-winner at Stamford Bridge.

 

Lampard struck in the 31st minute when his low drive was half stopped by Portsmouth goalkeeper David James before bouncing into the back of the net.

 

Chelsea

Winner: Frank Lampard is congratulated by Claudio Pizarro as Chelsea continue their home run

 

Portsmouth had plenty of chances to get something out of the game but Matt Taylor, Gary O'Neil, Sean Davis and substitute Benjani Mwaruwari were all guilty of poor finishing.

 

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said: "If he (Lampard) has critics I am not one of them. He has people that support him every time and I am one of them.

 

"It is not easy for midfield players to score four goals in as many matches. In the three games he's scored for us, he has given us important points.

 

"So, he's sharp and mentally ready. He wants to play a great season and he's winner.

 

"He was not happy with just two cups last season and I know I can count on him."

 

The Telegraph Verdict - Roy Collins

Moment of the Match: Ashley Cole's fantastic goal-line clearance with an acrobatic header which denied Hermann Hreidarsson a deserved equaliser, not that you would have got Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho to agree with that statement.

Match Rating: 5/10

 

Derby County 1 Birmingham 2

 

Man of the Match: Cameron Jerome 10/10 - scored his first two goals in the Premier League and set up four chances

 

Cameron Jerome repaid manager Steve Bruce's faith in him by scoring both goals - one after just 30 seconds - as Birmingham recorded their first Premier League victory of the season at Derby.

 

Jerome, making his first start of the campaign, had an instant impact as he combined with Mikael Forssell to open the scoring almost straight from the kick-off.

 

Birmingham

Goalscorer: Cameron Jerome scored both Birmingham's goals to secure his side an away win

 

Matt Oakley equalised for Derby in the 51st minute but Jerome had the last word, scoring from substitute Sebastian Larsson's flick-on just after the hour.

 

Birmingham manager Steve Bruce said: "You don't get a better start than that. Fantasti.

 

"We made hard work of it but the only thing you can do is make chances and we should have been four up at half-time and the game should have been out of sight.

 

"You are sitting there fearing what might happen - and what did happen. They haven't created anything at all against us and we have missed chance after chance and we haven't taken them.

 

"We needed just to have taken the chances and that would have been a complete performance because it could have been a rout.

 

"Mikael Forssell could have had four today. I thought he and Cameron were immense and the two of them gave Derby a torrid time."

 

The Telegraph Verdict - Steve Thomson

Moment of the Match: Jerome's opening goal after just 32 seconds inspired him to produce an outstanding display of pace and power.

Match Rating: 7/10

 

Aston Villa 2 Fulham 1

 

Man of the Match: Ashley Young 9/10 - an assist and four key passes

 

Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill was sent from the dug-out after a verbal tirade at referee Steve Bennett, and then saw Shaun Maloney grab an injury-time winner against 10-man Fulham.

 

O'Neill watched the second 45 minutes from the press box after berating Bennett as he left the pitch at half-time.

 

Villa

Decisive: Shaun Mahoney scores in injury time to earn Aston Villa maximum points against Fulham

 

Ashley Young cancelled out Clint Dempsey's first half opener and, after Fulham defender Chris Baird had been sent off, substitute Maloney scored in the dying seconds.

 

O'Neill said: "The referee was right. I shouldn't be publicly remonstrating with him coming off the field.

 

"I should have waited until we got to the privacy of the dressing room. I thought - probably wrongly now - that a Fulham player was down injured for the two minutes extra added on at the end of the first half.

 

"The referee told me at half-time that he had played two and a half minutes. I apologise to him. I should not have remonstrated like I did.

 

"It was different watching the game from up above - but it would have been an injustice if we had not have won.

 

"We were exhilarating going forward and the crowd stayed with us to the very end."

 

The Telegraph Verdict - Trevor Haylett

Moment of the Match: Ashley Young's equaliser for Aston Villa. When that went in from an unlikey angle the home team could at last believe that all three points were within reach.

Match Rating: 7/10

 

Bolton Wanderers 3 Reading 0

 

Man of the Match: El Hadji Diouf 10/10 - set up two goals and won all his tackles

 

Goals from Gary Speed, Nicolas Anelka and substitute Daniel Braaten gave Bolton their first victory under manager Sammy Lee.

 

Midfielder Speed made the breakthrough against Reading with a firm header in the 31st minute to ease their nerves.

 

Bolton

Relief: Bolton have secured their first win under new manager Sammy Lee after defeating Reading

 

Anelka extended Bolton's lead in the 55th minute with his third goal in four games and Braaten scored in stoppage time.

 

Lee said: "I was pleased to get the victory as I have said all along we needed to be patient.

 

"But I am not going to get carried away. That would be wrong as one success does not cancel out three defeats.

 

"For me it is all about the players and the way they responded to those setbacks has been superb.

 

"Clean sheets are vital to any team and that was the most pleasing aspect of our performance."

 

The Telegraph Verdict - James Mossop

Moment of the Match: Gary Speed's opening goal gave Bolton confidence and was the foundation of their first win of the season.

Match Rating: 7/10

 

West Ham 1 Wigan Athletic 1

 

Man of the Match: Mario Melchiot 8/10 - 13 clearances, nine recoveries and two shots on goal

 

Lee Bowyer came to West Ham's rescue at Upton Park after Paul Scharner's acrobatic overhead kick 12 minutes from time looked set to give Wigan their third win in a row.

 

Austrian international Scharner took off to hook the ball over his shoulder after Emile Heskey's challenge for a long-throw into the area, leaving goalkeeper Robert Green helpless.

 

West Ham

Rescue: Lee Bowyer levels for West Ham to deny Wigan what seemed like a hard-earned three points

 

However, Wigan's Chris Kirkland was also beaten almost immediately afterwards when Luis Boa Morte fed fellow substitute Bowyer to equalise with a neat finish to make it 1-1.

 

West Ham manager Alan Curbishley said: "Lee has been desperate for a goal.

 

"He did everything right to get in there earlier when Luis (Boa Morte) broke through and he just missed out but I was delighted for him when it finally happened.

 

"Lee has been great here. He had an injury last season which set him back but when I put him on as sub today I knew exactly what I would get from him."

 

The Telegraph Verdict - Andrew Warshaw

Moment of the Match: Wigan seemed to have consigned West Ham to a second straight home defeat when Lee Bowyer rammed home an equaliser to justify being brought on as a sub.

Match Rating: 6/10

 

Everton 1 Blackburn Rovers 1

 

Man of the Match: Christopher Samba 9/10 - made 18 clearances and won all his tackles

 

James McFadden scored his first goal of the season to scramble a point for Everton in a game they had looked like losing for long spells.

 

Blackburn, still unbeaten, led in the first half with Roque Santa Cruz's third goal of the season and opted to try to contain Everton having dominated them in the first period.

 

Blackburn

Cruz control: Roque Santa Cruz puts Blackburn in front but they could not hold on for the win

 

However, with 12 minutes left, McFadden popped up to sweep home a Mikel Arteta cross and rescue a point for the hosts.

 

Blackburn midfielder David Dunn said: "Before the game we would probably have taken a draw but having conceded late on we are probably looking at two points dropped.

 

"We were committed like we were at Arsenal - if we work like we have the last two games well be there or thereabouts.

 

"I've had a lot of injuries but feel I'm getting better with each game."

 

The Telegraph Verdict - Bill Johnson

Moment of the Match: Leighton Baines, making his debut after a protracted transfer from Wigan, rescued Everton with a headed clearance when his feet were a foot out of play. With goal-line technology, or the lack of it, a frequent topic of discussion nowadays, the old-fashioned method of adjudication proved reliable here as the linesman waved aside pleas by Christopher Samba for a second Blackburn goal.

Match Rating: 7/10

[Delima]

A goal and an assist for Giusseppe Rossi