It was a case of normal service being resumed in the Premier League on Saturday, with Chelsea taking top spot, Manchester City losing their unbeaten record at Arsenal and Liverpool winning at Sunderland.
Man City and Wigan remain in the top four for the time being at least, but are now rather ominously followed by Liverpool and Arsenal, who each have a game in hand. Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal all showed on Saturday they are stubborn enough to be real title contenders, even if none of the three particularly excelled.
Liverpools 2-0 victory at Sunderland was comfortable if unspectacular. The big surprise was that Liverpool’s first, and the club’s 7,000th league goal, was scored by Momo Sissoko, a player who had never previously found the net for Liverpool. Arsenal ended Manchester Citys hundred per cent record with a solitary Cesc Fabregas goal. Frank Lampard decided Portsmouths fate in the same vein.
It all seems to point to another predictable tussle for Champions League places, doesn’t it? But if todays sense of it being back to business as usual feel upsets those who enjoy their surprises, a glance at the bottom three should provide light relief (see update).
How a morale boosting win for Martin Jol at Old Trafford would renew our acquaintance with unfamiliarity!
UPDATE: Well, it was a close run thing but Manchester United continued the trend on Sunday, tasting victory for the first time this season in a 1-0 win at home to Tottenham. While United were far from comfortable, a great goal from Nani proved just enough to move them out of the bottom three.
As they said at A Kick In The Grass, “There was a few positives to come out of this nerve racking match, but none bigger than the Reds first three points of the season and they were much needed.” Quite.
Padraic Halpin, London
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6 comments so far
Beware a Manchester United side with their pride piqued. Someone is in for a hiding, that’s for sure.
- Posted by rafaMan U were pretty lucky, I have to say. I expect this’ll be the start of a 34-match winning run as well.
- Posted by LondonThe last I checked, the win against Sunderland was not The Reds’ first 3 points of the season. The Reds beat Aston Villa in the first match and that was the first 3 points.
- Posted by Five TimesHi Five Times
I’ll put that point to the A Kick in the Grass fellow. Clearly this is another bone of contention between Liverpool and Manchester United fans, right up there with the Heinze affair
And it’s a fair point that this wasn’t really normal service being resumed for Liverpool, as they’ve been doing fine all season…
What’s your prediction for Toulouse tonight?
- Posted by kevin fylanThe Reds sounds a bit 1950s to me, whoever you’re talking about. Why not the Old Trafford Devils and the Liverpool Red Stars? Might help football gain popularity in the States:)
- Posted by LondonOr Red Star Belgrade Mancunians for that matter?
- Posted by Red Devil