As the season heads into the last laps, things are getting a bit clearer around the top and the bottom of the league table. With one game left to complete another enthralling Premier League fixture cycle, one can wish to think that Manchester United would be crowned as the champions of England for the third successive season and the Premier League could witness the relegation of two high profile North East clubs in the forms of Middlesborough and Newcastle United along with Midlands side West Bromwich Albion. Monday night football sees Alan Shearer’s beloved Magpies take on Portsmouth at the St.James’ Park which is going to be nothing less than a must win fixture for the home side.

Let us have a look at the weekend’s results that have produced some exciting ties with goals and controversies galore.
The pick of the ties was a late Saturday kick-off between champions Manchester United and Harry Redknapp’s Tottenham at Old Trafford and what a spectacle it was both for the neutrals and the United fans albeit with a penalty controversy making up all the headlines on Sunday morning. Liverpool’s 3-1 win at Hull earlier in the afternoon kept up the pressure on Sir Alex Fergusson’s side and any fixture against a rejuvenated Spurs side under Mr.Redknapp would undoubtedly test the Red Devils even if the tie was at the fortress that is Old Trafford.

United’s shakiness at the back was again evident as the North London side took an unexpected 2-0 lead going into half time raising expectations at Merseyside that Manchester United could be capitulating under pressure. Yet the Red Devils are masters of comebacks and this tie was no exception as the home side reignited memories of September 2001 when Tottenham(then the home side)were leading 3-0 at half-time only to be displaced by a rampaging United comeback that saw David Beckham and company win 5-3.

This match took a similar turn as United scored five times in a stormy second half that had Spurs manager fuming over referee Howard Webb’s penalty decision for the first goal which inevitably brought the home side’s amazing turnaround. It was Spurs though that controlled the first half totally with Aaron Lennon proving the catalyst to a resurgent attacking display. United’s defence looked shaky again and although the Red Devils have no problems going forward yet their leaky backline is a major concern for the team’s coaching staff ahead of a double Champions League header against fellow English side Arsenal.

Spurs took a deserved lead in the 29th minute as Aaron Lennon continued to terrify Patrice Evra in the wing and the England international’s cross found Croat Vedran Corluka who sent in a cross in the danger area that Darren Bent controlled and lashed home past Edwin Van Der Sar. Rio Ferdinand could be blamed for the goal as he failed to deal with bent.

Things turned for the worse as the home side conceded as second goal minutes later with Aaron Lennon again involved in the thick of things as the diminutive winger crossed to Luka Modric who controlled the ball with his chest before firing it into the opposition net. The Old Trafford crowd was in a state of shock as the scoreline sent ripples around the Premier league chasing pack. Yet going into the half time there was always a concern in the Spurs’ supporters minds about what happened in 2001 and also given the world club champions’ recent records in springing comebacks. The home side looked a bunch of squad packed with nerves until the 56th minute when Mr.Webb, considered one of the best officials in the country, pointed to the spot after Haurelho Gomes was adjudged to have fouled Michael Carrick although TV replays showed that the goalkeeper got the ball first before Carrick.

This particular decision overshadowed the tremendous United comeback with Spurs manager Harry Redknapp calling for the use of TV technology on the field and Sir Alex terming the victory as ‘fortunate’. It cannot be denied that the penalty decision shattered the Spurs confidence and given what United can do when they smell blood in front of their own fans, it was a matter of time the home side would draw level and ultimately go on to win by such an intimidating margin.

Leaving aside the controversy,Wayne Rooney was the architect of the 5-2 win scoring twice and helping Cristiano Ronaldo score his second of the day by directing a pin point cross that the Portuguese winger had to head in to give United a 3-2 lead. The England striker’s performance is world class given that he operates throughout the frontline including the wings whenever he gets the opportunity to support Ronaldo and Berbatov. This versatility on the part of Rooney augurs well for both his club and country.

Tottenham might be disappointed with the crucial spot-kick decision, which many say had been brought about by Sir Alex’s scathing attack on the media relating to Mike Riley’s decision not to award the Manchester club a penalty in the FA Cup semi-final against Everton last week that ultimately put unwanted pressure on Howard Webb, yet it cannot be denied United’s hunger to comeback from losing positions. That’s the mark of champions which Red Devils are.

Liverpool win at Hull to keep pace with United

After a thrilling 4-4 draw with Arsenal at Anfield last week, Rafael Benitez’s side have no other options but to win all their remaining games and hope the Champions from Old Trafford slip up in their pursuit of a third successive title win. A visit to the KC stadium would always be tricky for the Reds and Phil Brown’s brave and passionate Hull City made it really hard for the side from Anfield on a beautiful early summer day. Liverpool’s match at Hull kicked off a couple of hours earlier compared to United’s and so it was always an incentive for Rafa Benitez to see his side go top on goal difference.

But a spirited Hull City kept the Reds at bay for most of the first half, even controlling the game at times with utmost ease creating chances, only for the inspirational Xabi Alonso to lash home a 25-yarder just before the first half whistle. Phil Brown’s boys are in danger of returning to the Championship after such a opening round promise that included a stunning a 2-1 win over Arsenal at the Emirates.

The game was virtually finished off for the home side as Caleb Folan was shown the door by referee Martin Atkinson after 59 minutes and Hull never really recovered from the dismissal of Folan. Dirk Kuyt soon rubbed salt on 10-man Hull’s wound as the Dutch forward, after just four minutes since the red card of Folan, headed in a Martin Skrtel cross past Boaz Myhill although TV replays showed that the ball struck Lucas Leiva’s arm in the build-up to the goal.

With 2-0 down, 10-man Hull refused to throw in the towel as their persistence paid off after Geovanni reduced the margin in the 73rd minute to raise hopes of a stirring comeback. Yet Liverpool were always in control of the game and the match was as good as over when Kuyt scored his second of the afternoon and his side’s third after diverting an Alvaro Arbeloa cross past Myhill late in the match to briefly take the Merseysiders top of the table.

In the post-match interview, Phil Brown criticized the referee for awarding the free-kick just before half-time which led to Liverpool’s first goal.
The outspoken Hull manager was quoted as saying, “We were having to pick players up at half-time after an injustice was done. We knew it was going to be tough and somebody has let them off the hook. I cannot see a free-kick there. I have no excuses for the sending off. I feel it was justified and it will be dealt with in-house. That killed us, 10 against 11, and Caleb made it a little bit easier for them.”

On the other hand Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez was all praise for Dutchman Dirk Kuyt in his post match press interview.
The Spaniard said, “Everybody is very pleased for him(Dirk Kuyt). Kuyt is a fantastic professional and is always working hard to score. He was very positive and we are really pleased for him. We were working very hard and we have to be satisfied. We were nervous because the pitch was terrible and difficult to pass on.”

Chelsea win at West Ham courtesy of an inspired Frank Lampard

Chelsea’s visit of Upton Park was all about Frank Lampard’s return to his old club that has yet to forgive his departure from London’s east end. With one eye on Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final first leg at Barcelona, Guus Hiddink rested several first team players and keeping in mind Ashley Cole’s suspension for the trip to the Nou camp, the Dutchman put up an experimental backline with Jose Bosingwa at left back and Michael Mancienne at the right back with skipper John Terry and Branislav Ivanovic making up the back four.

Didier Drogba, Michael Essien and Michael Ballack were all rested but it was Frank Lampard who called all the shots in Chelsea’s midfield that worked tirelessly to connect to lone man upfront Nicolas Anelka. The England midfielder received a hostile reception from the Hammers fans throughout the match which led to John Terry criticizing the crowd for taking their mocking too far and West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola apologizing to Lampard at the end of the game. After the midweek goalless draw against Everton prompted Guus Hiddink to concede the club’s title bid failure, the match against the Hammers was always going to be a matter of keeping pace with the front runners until the end and testing his squad out before the grueling trip to Catalunya ahead of the clash against Lionel Messi and company.

But the performance of the afternoon came from the embattled England midfielder Frank Lampard who put in a typically bulldog-type performance in the Chelsea midfield and the 30-year old amazingly controlled the pace of the game all by himself despite being subjected to a horrible reception from the home fans. It came as no surprise as the only goal of the match came courtesy of Mr.Lampard’s inspirational midfield play that ultimately turned out to be the winner for the visitors.

After a barren first half, Frank Lampard rounded off his all mighty midfield display with a left foot pin point cross that West Ham keeper Robert Green missed only for Ivorian international Salomon Kalou to control and slot home from close range after fifty five minutes. Yet for all of Chelsea’s dominant possession and creative play, the match was not finished off by the west Londoners and the Blues nearly paid for it as the goal scorer Kalou needlessly brought down Herita Illunga to concede a penalty. But as always Petr Cech turned out to be the hero under the bar as he superbly tipped Mark Noble’s penalty to safety by stretching full to his left thus keeping Chelsea’s hopes of overhauling Liverpool to a possible second place.

Yet the man of the moment is Frank Lampard who silenced the West Ham crowd with a display that proves the man’s mettle on the football ground. Fighting off rumours about his private life by answering it on the football ground is reminiscent of the Frank Lampard that we witnessed last year when he controlled his grief following the loss of his mother to fire Chelsea into the final of the Champions League.
Both the managers paid tributes to Frank Lampard’s dominant display on Saturday with the following quotes from Gianfranco Zola and Guus Hiddink respectively.

Gianfranco Zola: “They(West Ham fans)didn’t forgive him for leaving. Frank is a very good professional, a very good boy and it makes me sorry to think he has a problem with this crowd.”

Guus Hiddink: “I have rested some players but if I had suggested doing the same to Frank Lampard, well, I didn’t even talk to him about it. He would have looked at me as if to say, ‘Why are you doing that?’ These guys with big personalities, they want to play every game. Maybe sometime in the near future I will have to tell him he’s not going to play, but without looking at him I think.”