Van Persie goal keeps United ahead
Source: Agencies |
November 30, 2012, Friday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
ROBIN van Persie scored the fastest goal of the English Premier League season - timed at 31 seconds - to keep leader Manchester United a point clear at the summit after a 1-0 home win over West Ham United on Wednesday.
Second-half strikes from the recalled Mario Balotelli, his first league goal of the season, and James Milner gave second-placed Manchester City a 2-0 victory at Wigan Athletic.
The Manchester clubs, on 33 and 32 points respectively, have opened up a notable gap on their title rivals after 14 games, with Chelsea seven points off the pace in third.
Boos rang out again at Stamford Bridge where new Chelsea interim manager Rafael Benitez, brought in last week to replace the axed Roberto Di Matteo, was left waiting for his first goal and win after a second straight 0-0 draw - Fulham securing a point in the west London derby.
The jeers and abuse that greeted Benitez in his first game in charge on Sunday were notably less vocal but the Spaniard did little to win over the doubters.
"I am a little frustrated. The team is well organized and created chances against a team that works hard, so you can see us going forward, but still we have to improve," Benitez told reporters.
Chelsea, on a run of six games without a league win, still leapfrogged West Bromwich Albion into third on goal difference after Albion's impressive start to the campaign was checked by a 1-3 defeat at Swansea City.
Tottenham Hotspur moved up to fifth by beating Liverpool 2-1 at White Hart Lane, rising above Everton and Arsenal who drew 1-1 at Goodison Park.
Dutch striker Van Persie needed little time to make his mark at Old Trafford, his ninth league goal of the season coming inside a minute when his shot deflected off James Collins and over the head of helpless goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen.
United has never lost an EPL game at Old Trafford in which it has led at the break and although it failed to add to its advantage, West Ham huffed and puffed with no end product.
Unbeaten City kept tabs on its rival with a workmanlike display at the DW Stadium -- securing a sixth successive win over Wigan.
Balotelli, who has found opportunities limited under Roberto Mancini this season, drifted in and out of the game until he broke the deadlock on 69 minutes. James Milner rifled in a second from outside the box three minutes later but Mancini thought his side was lucky to win.
"It was important because it's always a difficult game because they play very well and (Roberto) Martinez is a great manager. We were lucky. I think I am lucky."
An error by Paulo Gazzaniga gifted Norwich City a point at Southampton, with the Argentine goalkeeper fumbling a free kick by Robert Snodgrass into his own net in the 45th.
Rickie Lambert had put Saints ahead in a match refereed by Mark Clattenburg, resuming duties less than a week after being cleared of allegations that he racially abused Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel during a league match.
Second-half strikes from the recalled Mario Balotelli, his first league goal of the season, and James Milner gave second-placed Manchester City a 2-0 victory at Wigan Athletic.
The Manchester clubs, on 33 and 32 points respectively, have opened up a notable gap on their title rivals after 14 games, with Chelsea seven points off the pace in third.
Boos rang out again at Stamford Bridge where new Chelsea interim manager Rafael Benitez, brought in last week to replace the axed Roberto Di Matteo, was left waiting for his first goal and win after a second straight 0-0 draw - Fulham securing a point in the west London derby.
The jeers and abuse that greeted Benitez in his first game in charge on Sunday were notably less vocal but the Spaniard did little to win over the doubters.
"I am a little frustrated. The team is well organized and created chances against a team that works hard, so you can see us going forward, but still we have to improve," Benitez told reporters.
Chelsea, on a run of six games without a league win, still leapfrogged West Bromwich Albion into third on goal difference after Albion's impressive start to the campaign was checked by a 1-3 defeat at Swansea City.
Tottenham Hotspur moved up to fifth by beating Liverpool 2-1 at White Hart Lane, rising above Everton and Arsenal who drew 1-1 at Goodison Park.
Dutch striker Van Persie needed little time to make his mark at Old Trafford, his ninth league goal of the season coming inside a minute when his shot deflected off James Collins and over the head of helpless goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen.
United has never lost an EPL game at Old Trafford in which it has led at the break and although it failed to add to its advantage, West Ham huffed and puffed with no end product.
Unbeaten City kept tabs on its rival with a workmanlike display at the DW Stadium -- securing a sixth successive win over Wigan.
Balotelli, who has found opportunities limited under Roberto Mancini this season, drifted in and out of the game until he broke the deadlock on 69 minutes. James Milner rifled in a second from outside the box three minutes later but Mancini thought his side was lucky to win.
"It was important because it's always a difficult game because they play very well and (Roberto) Martinez is a great manager. We were lucky. I think I am lucky."
An error by Paulo Gazzaniga gifted Norwich City a point at Southampton, with the Argentine goalkeeper fumbling a free kick by Robert Snodgrass into his own net in the 45th.
Rickie Lambert had put Saints ahead in a match refereed by Mark Clattenburg, resuming duties less than a week after being cleared of allegations that he racially abused Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel during a league match.
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