West Brom vs Aston Villa Highlights: EPL Highlights

John Carew tormented the West Brom defence as Martin O’Neill’s men registered a impressive third away win in six days to maintain a push for a Champions League spot.
The Norwegian international scored the first goal but could have finished with a hat-trick after twice being denied only by the woodwork.

Carew and Gabriel Agbonlahor struck twice in the space of 90 seconds during the first half to sink the Baggies, as West Brom could only muster a James Morrison goal in reply after a Brad Friedel error.

Albion found it virtually impossible to handle the strike power of Carew while Ashley Young’s free-kicks were a constant menance.Gareth Barry also impressed in the middle of the park for the visitors and there are signs of him getting back to his best from which he showcased last season.

West Brom 0-1 Aston Villa

West Brom 0-2 Aston Villa

West Brom 1-2 Aston Villa

Chelsea vs Manchester Utd Highlights: EPL Highlights

Manchester United may have returned from Stamford Bridge with a precious point but they may feel that they blew the chance to end Chelsea’s long unbeaten record at Stamford Bridge. Park Ji-Sung bundled in after Petr Cech had palmed away a Berbatov shot on 18 minutes. Chelsea pushed hard for an equaliser and were rewarded when sub Salomon Kalou headed in to score in the 80th minute.

After Nicolas Anelka, Didier Drogba, Joe Cole and Michael Ballack had tried and failed to break down United’s stubborn defence, Kalou exposed United’s poor defense and scored the crucial equaliser by nodding home John Mikel Obi’s free-kick 10 minutes from time.

Not for the first time in his illustrious career, Ferguson’s team selection caused a sense of surprise and outbreak of head scratching among United’s army of fans.

Yet his squad selection with Park and Darren Fletcher worked a dream, especially with the Scot switching to the middle of midfield, a move that saw Owen Hargreaves take up a right-wing station.

Having realised that Chelsea’s full-backs Jose Bosingwa and Ashley Cole are major attacking threats,Sir Alex chose to put his two most hard running men in direct opposition, keeping the home pair occupied defensively and stifling their threat in attack.

Red Devils showed no sings of their recent slump in form and were at their attacking best from the start, when Fletcher turned Hargreaves’ low cross wide, and Blues seemed to have lost touch without Deco.

Luiz Felipe Scolari’s men were further disrupted when Ricardo Carvalho hobbled off after just 12 minutes, so there was always a nagging fear Joe Cole’s missed chance to score when he robbed Patrice Evra to give himself a clear sight of goal was going to prove costly.

Chelsea, already were lucky not to concede with Petr Cech’s wayward clearance gave first Berbatov, then Wayne Rooney the chance to launch speculative efforts at the home goal, survived again when Rooney set up Ferdinand, only for him to save with his legs.

But United were rewarded soon as Patrice Evra galloped past Bosingwa to reach Rooney’s inspired through ball. Evra’s pinpoint cross met Berbatov and while Cech was once blocked the shot, Park had the easiest of tasks to fire home the rebound.

After Chelsea regained their stride the visitors defence panicked when Gary Neville back headed the ball. Edwin van der Sar was forced out of the field after he came off worst in a collision with Florent Malouda.

Joe Cole should have handled Anelka’s low cross better than prod it straight at Evra, then Jonny Evans in place of Wes Brown in central defence got in the way of Bosingwa’s shot.

Ferguson’s response was to bring on talisman Cristiano Ronaldo, this put the Chelsea defence on red alert with his direct running.

Michael Ballack split United’s defence wide open, Joe Cole did no better than blast his shot straight at Kuszczak, who was quickly becoming one of the visitors key men.

Red devils looked like ending Chelsea’s long unbeaten run at home but by bringing down
Ashley Cole, Rooney not only picked up his side’s fifth booking. He also provided John Mikel Obi with the opportunity to float the ball to the edge of the United six-yard box where the visitors, getting their marking and offside trap all wrong, left Kalou on his own to net home the equaliser.

Chelsea 0-1 Manchester Utd

Chelsea 1-1 Manchester Utd

Full Highlights:


Man Utd Vs Villarreal Highlights: Champions League Highlights

Not even the return of talisman Cristiano Ronaldo could prevent Manchester United fluffing their lines as the defending champions could only manage a disappointing draw against Villarreal at Old Trafford.

United could come no closer than a late Jonny Evans diving header that bounced back off the post as their 12-game winning streak on home soil in the competition was brought to an end, the Yellow Submarines almost defeated Sir Alex Ferguson’s men altogether when Guille Franco hit the woodwork in the first half.

With record signing Dimitar Berbatov failing to recover from the knee injury he sustained at Liverpool, Michael Carrick ruled out with an ankle problem and Paul Scholes suspended, a legacy of his needless dismissal against Zenit St Petersburg in last month’s Super Cup, Ferguson was forced to make changes. Nevertheless, the presence of Gary Neville - his first competitive start since March 2007 - and Evans in the home defense were surprise inclusions.

Aside from one powerfully struck short from an acute angle by Robert Pires which van der Sar saved easily enough anyway, Villarreal created nothing.

In contrast, United threatened at regular intervals but were affected by a combination of bad finishing, poor refereeing and excellent goalkeeping,which meant the scores were even heading into half time.

After just five minutes when Owen Hargreaves curled over a corner that Diego Lopez completely misjudged to leave Rio Ferdinand an empty net to steer the ball into, but Ferdinand could only send the ball back in the general direction it had come from.

Then it was Wolfgang Stark’s turn to make blunder. The German official didnt even notice Park Ji-sung falling outside the area and then opting not to make any significant protest.
But there was little doubt Sebastian Eguren caught the South Korean inside the box and a penalty should have been awarded.

Park, was a constant menace with Carlos Tevez. The Argentina star came agonizingly close to scoring as his powerful drive was tipped away by Lopez. Nani had a couple of long-range efforts and Darren Fletcher’s header was blocked at close range.

After some intricate passing involving Wayne Rooney and Fletcher, plus an up and under from Nani which Lopez collected with some difficulty, failed to convince the United boss a goal was going to come so, much to the fans relief, Ronaldo was told to get stripped.

The winger was still waiting to be introduced, Villarreal almost hit their hosts with the ultimate sucker punch. Finding space just outside the box, Angel Lopez crossed for Franco. Franco flicked the ball goalwards with the back of his heel and was unlucky as the ball bounced back of the post and Van der Sar gathering the rebound, knowing he would not have been able to do a thing to stop it going in.

With the introduction of Ronaldo and Anderson Red devils were completely transformed and looked lively. But things still remained the same and there were many half chances and Ronaldo eventually managed a header that floated wide before Evans diving header hit the post but it was a familiar tale of disappointment for the hosts in front of goal this season.

Ferguson will need no reminding that the last time Villarreal gained a draw at Old Trafford, three years ago, United did not make it out of the group. It is unlikely to happen again but as Chelsea are lying in wait on Sunday,Red devils will desperately need some of those 42 goals Ronaldo scored last season.

Highlights:

Dynamo Kiev vs Arsenal Highlights: Champions League Highlights

Arsenal captain William Gallas was the hero as he bundled in a late equaliser to rescue a point for the Gunner’s in the opening Champions League Group G game against Dynamo Kiev in the Ukraine.

Adebayor, van Persie, twice, and Cesc Fabregas all had many first-half chances for the north London club, who are yet to win a European tie in the former Soviet Union.

Kiev looked to have made them pay a heavy price when, on 64 minutes, Bacary Sagna was fouled to have pushed over Ognjen Vukojevic and Ismael Bangoura scored from the penalty spot.

Then, just when time looked to be running out, Gallas netted at close range following a low cross by Theo Walcott. Arsenal had been beaten twice by Dynamo, in 1998 and 2003, and also went down 3-0 to Shakhtar Donetsk in 2000, while their record in Russia has always been poor, with two defeats from three visits. Only a small pocket of Arsenal supporters were seen in the far corner of the 17,000-strong crowd - and many of those 150 or so were from the local fan clubs.However, the small travelling section almost had something to celebrate inside two minutes.

As the match started Arsenal were playing their trademark footaball, Van Persie got one down the right channel from Walcott’s pass, but his low angled shot could not get past Stanislav Bogush. Dynamo who knocked Spartak Moscow out of the qualifiers - soon settled and began to build a sustained period of pressure. Arsenal, though, continued to look dangerous on the break. In the 19′, Adebayor capitalized on poor control by Roman Eremenko and sprinted into the Dynamo penalty area only to fire the shot wide. Arsenal gave the ball away carelessly, Dynamo captain Nesmachniy could only smash a 25-yard drive high over the crossbar.

As half-time approached, Van Persie rifled the ball into the side net following good work from full-back Sagna down the right flank. Arsenal carved out their best chance when Adebayor fed Van Persie with a ball across goal, which was cut back for Fabregas - but he could only manage a lame shot straight at the keeper from six yards.

At the start of the second half, Kiev almost managed to score the lead when Eremenko got clear down the right and cut inside Arsenal skipper William Gallas. Manuel Almunia got a fingertip to his shot, which came back off the post and the Arsenal keeper was able to gather. Walcott had to briefly go off for treatment for cramp, but was soon back in the midst of the action as he set up Van Persie down the left - only for the Dutchman to fire his shot horribly wide. Fabregas wasted one more chance with a 25-yard drive straight at the Kiev keeper.

Bangoura to get away down the right from a mistake from the Arsnal skipper. Although Arsenal tracked back, the ball was eventually played into the penalty area where Ognjen Vukojevic went down under pressure from Sagna - and the referee had seen enough contact from the defender Kiev were handed a penalty.Guinea international Bangoura converted the penalty with ease and put the hosts in led after 64′.

Arsenal were now pushing hard for an equaliser in a game in which they dominated and should have won comfortably. Arsene Wenger made few las minute changes and replaced Alex Song with striker Nicklas Bendtner, Emmanuel Eboue replaced Sagna and Vela replaced persie. With so many strikers on Arsenal were vulnerable to counter attacks and Kiev were dangerously looking to extend the lead. Finally in the 88′ Arsenal rescued a point when Gallas bundled in at the far post from a low cross by Walcott for the skipper’s third goal of the European campaign this season.

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